Started in 1994, online auctions have undergone exponential growth in the last few years, becoming the hottest trend in e-commerce. Sotheby's and Christle's, world-famous live auction houses, recently entered the online mix, lending credibility to a market skeptics once considered a passing Internet fad. The technology required to use online auctions depends on the user's role. Bidders at online auction sites simply need to be familiar with operating a browser, while those selling merchandise often enter unknown technology territory. HTML programming, imaging, and activity tracking are just a few of the technologies sellers may encounter.