Investment bankers have found a new rival for executing merger and acquisition deals in the form of the Internet, which is making the sale or purchase of a company as simple as the click of a mouse.

Marking a significant coming-of-age for the e-commerce industry, online auction platforms like eBay are no more just about selling or buying consumer goods.

In fact, entire companies are being sold and acquired on these websites in a simpler, faster and cheaper way than the traditional methods involving a plethora of investment bankers and advisors.

The trend is catching up fast in India as well after a number of successful deals in the US and other countries. A Lucknow-based telecom firm is seeking bids for 25 per cent stake in the company on eBay India website, a retail outlet in Kharagpur is on sale for a minimum of Rs 18 lakh (Rs 1.8 million), while another electric vehicle manufactruing firm from the country is also soliciting potential buyers on the website.

Besides, an operational job portal Alphacareer.com, based in Bangalore, has also listed itself for sale on the eBay USA website and is seeking buyers from across the world. Another e-commerce website focussed on sale and purchase of a business, Biz Buy Sell, has a US-based company seeking buyer for its fully-staffed Indian software developement subsidiary in Mumbai at a base price of $500,000. 

eBay India spokesperson told PTI from Mumbai this was a new trend emerging in online auction market.

Indians always had a highly developed entrepreneur instinct for capitalizing on new trends and mediums, she said. "Companies have also listed themselves for sale and even a retail outlet in Kharagpur is tapping the online market," the official said.