BEAUNE, NOVEMBER 2nd, 1999
THE WINE AUCTION OF THE HOSPICES DE BEAUNE FOR THE VERY FIRST
TIME ON THE INTERNET!
The Wine Auction of the Hospices de Beaune is a
symbol in the tradition of charity auction. This year, Internet will join in this event.
The 1999 Wine Auction of the Hospices de Beaune -
the 139th of its kind - is at a turning point of its history: for the second
time, it will coincide with the coming of a new century. But more than that, this 139th
auction will be the first one in which the "exceptional cask" is sold through
Internet support, so that Internet users the world over will be able to take part in this
auction of prestigious wines. Moreover, to enable all net surfers - individuals and
companies alike - to purchase wine, 150 lots consisting of one, two or three limited
series, numbered bottles of wine will be offered for sale in the virtual auction
room.These wines have been bought and bottled by Burgundies wine merchants before 1999
(oldest vintage).
The campaign, led by AUSTRALIS Web Marketing
Agency, with the agreement of the Burgundy Wine Merchant syndicate, is supported by a pool
of partners who have agreed to put their complimentary experience at the service of this
major charity sale. Operations will be based on an Internet auction sale system set up by:
- AUCLAND, one of France's leaders in the field
of Internet-based auction sales. The young start-up from Nice, which has just raised FF
115 million to develop its European activities, will provide the virtual sales room where
net surfers can log in their buying orders.
- IBM will equip the Beaune sales room with
terminals for Internet access, thus linking the actual and virtual sales rooms together.
- CREDIT MUTUEL will supply bank services for
exceptional cask payment on the Internet.
- AXA GLOBAL RISKS, an AXA Group subsidiary, will
insure risks related to Internet bottle sales.
- LA POSTE (French Post Office), through its
COLIPOSTE operator for delivery of parcels to private customers, will be in charge of
logistics: packaging and transport of bottles sold on the operation site.
PARTNERS IN BRIEF
AUCLAND (http://www.aucland.fr) was launched in
April 1999. Within a few months this Company has become France's major online auction
sales site, interfacing sellers and buyers all over France in a true real time sales room.
AUCLAND aims at becoming the online auction
reference site in Europe: it is now operating in Great Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy,
and intends to open sites shortly in Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavian
countries.
With ample starting capital of FF 5 million, the
company's target was to quickly secure a strong position on a fast growing market. And
AUCLAND's creators pulled the job off: to date, nearly 30,000 objects have been offered on
the site and about 1,5 million pages are seen every month. The AUCLAND people figure that
they will have 300,000 items for sale on the site at the end of the first year, and their
wish is to achieve a turnover of FF 30 million within the next 3 years.
AXA GLOBAL RISKS (http://www.axa-globalrisks.com) is
the AXA Group company dedicated to large corporate risks, international risks and Marine
Aviation & Transport risks. It is one of the major companies in international
insurance in this market. Over the world, more than 1,500 employees assist AXA Global
Risks' clients in their development by offering them all the advantages of a transnational
organization.
IBM (http://www.ibm.com) - The e-business is a major
means of development for all kinds of enterprises ranging from small and medium businesses
to large enterprises. Beyond what has become a buzzword, e-business is a reality which
more than 240 000 IBMers throughout the world work on and make happen for their customers.
These professionals propose global open solutions, integrating software, hardware and
services. Through the e-business technologies IBM enables its customers to implement a
more effective relationship with their own customers The auction sale for "Hospices
de Beaune" is an outstanding example of this new approach.
COLIPOSTE (http://www.laposte.fr) is the operator of
the Group LA POSTE for the delivery of parcels of 0 to 30 kg to private customers. With a
large range of products and services and a capillary delivery network COLIPOSTE is the
unavoidable partner of private customers, professional customers and companies of mail
order services.
COLIPOSTE offers especially a range of
"ready to send" parcels in 8 models, among which 4 boxes available in dimensions
S, M, L and XL, a special CD/video-packing and packings which can contain 1 to 3 bottles.
For expeditions within France the delivery times are 24 hours in the same region and 48
hours towards the rest of France.
The range COLIPOSTE makes it possible to send
parcels in full security towards France and foreign countries. As a matter of fact LA
POSTE involves its responsibility, for the parcels of private customers, by the means of a
tracking system that includes a posting proof and the signature of the addressee at the
moment of delivery. In addition a contract insurance is included in the price in case of
lost, despoiling or damage.
On payment of a complementary franking the
COLIPOSTE range can be sent to France's overseas departments and overseas territories, and
also to the other countries of the world.
This packing range is available in all post
offices.
CREDIT MUTUEL(http://www.creditmutuel.fr ) are the 3rd biggest French bank for client and branch number. They are
leaders in technological expertise, which allows them to offer their clients the best
value available in the market.
Card and remote banking services have been
operational in Euro as well as in ten other currencies since January 1999.
As regards plastic money, CREDIT MUTUEL are the
largest acquirer with 30 percent market share, having processed 733 million payments in
1998 (190 billion Francs). This was achieved with usual payments in brick and mortar
stores as well as e-commerce (secured payments over the Internet, TV, classic and mobile
phones). Abroad, CREDIT MUTUEL are active on the card market in Germany, Switzerland,
Slovenia, Georgia, Russia, Iran, Cuba
Always innovative, CREDIT MUTUEL are offering
their clients the most comprehensive range of remote financial services either by
telephone or over the Internet.
AUSTRALIS (http://www.australis.fr) - This
consulting agency was founded in 1996 by Pierre RAVOT (Ecole Centrale de Paris), with the
aim of helping companies and organisms wishing to increase their productivity and to
innovate through new IT's especially the Internet.
AUSTRALIS practises a new job as a
MediArchitecte.
AUSTRALIS operates above projects and provides
companies with strategic analysis along three lines:
- Marketing,
- Communication,
- Technique.
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