1. An auction method, comprising: (a) identifying at least one lot to be auctioned, having a plurality of units within the lot; (b) transmitting a message indicating an available quantity of units within the lot from a central server to a plurality of remote locations; (c) receiving bid identifications for remaining units within the lot at the contemporaneous offering price from the plurality of remote locations, the bid identifications being prioritized according to a time of transmission of a respective bid identification; (d) modifying the offering price over time in dependence on a pattern of bid activity; and (e) storing a bid activity pattern in a database.