RAPAPORT... Online jewelry sales at Bidz.com rose 78 percent during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend the company reported. Bidz.com didn't release actual figures for the four-day holiday, but added that third quarter revenue rose 48 percent to $40.1 million.

Bidz.com’ s auctions begin at $1 and have an extended auction time function that resets if bids are placed during the final 15 seconds. "Increase in demand for our jewelry and new customers have contributed to the jump in the number of orders per day and have helped significantly increase the average order size to $173," the company reported.

“We are pleased to see such a dramatic improvement to our holiday sales,” said David Zinberg, president and CEO of Bidz.com. “It is a testament to the attractiveness of our unique auction format and our continued focus on delighting the customer. We believe that consumers are discovering that there is no other place to go to for quality jewelry at our prices.”

Bidz.com expects fourth quarter revenue of between $56 million and $58 million; and full year sales of between $180 million and $182 million. Gross margins are expected to hit about 27.5 percent.