EBAY is only a small part of their business for Northern Realisation.

The company is a computer recycler and sells a huge amount of previously owned computer equipment at fortnightly auctions held at their Bolton warehouse.

Ebay is used for the more specialised equipment. Director Bill Proudman said: "We have contracts with a number of government departments to collect redundant IT equipment from them.

"The bulk is high end equipment which we resell at our own auctions mainly to dealers, but there is also specialised equipment, servers and telephone equipment for instance, that is of interest to a smaller group of people.

"Ebay is ideal for this as it covers a much wider area than we could with conventional advertising."

The Ebay market is just like many others in that it has peaks and troughs.

"Prices are low at the moment, about 40 per cent of what they were a year ago," added Bill. "We have targeted a turnover of £6,000 a month and we are not realising that at the moment. When we do, we would estimate that as around 15 per cent of turnover."

Northern Realisations is a company Bill, his son David and a third director John Russell set up in 1999.

"Government departments have a large turnaround of computers," added Bill.

"Today we are taking equipment out that is not a lot more than two years old -- that means there is some very up-to-date equipment, in very good condition, on offer."

The three directors, all Bolton born and bred, set up Northern Realisations as a "sister" company to CFU Computers which Bill and David still own. "CFU is a retail business selling pre-owned computer equipment which we buy from different sources.

"We have tried Ebay for that side of the business, but it really doesn't amount to anything compared to over-the-counter sales.

"I can never see Ebay taking over, as it has done for some companies," said Bill, "but it will remain a valuable and important part of our business."