With the rise in popularity of reverse auctions that put customers in control, a first of its kind 'live' online marketplace has been launched this week by a Sheffield-based entrepreneur, Ed Fanshawe.

Set to save home improvers, the property and construction industry and commercial businesses time and money, as well as presenting new sales and marketing opportunities for quality local waste management companies, Ed, has developed an online marketplace to take the hassle out of waste management.

The Fulwood-based businessman has launched www.SkipTrips.com to provide customers with access to local user-rated skip companies who submit competitive quotes for their job online. It has been designed to provide customers with better deals, an easier way of sourcing skips and to promote responsible waste management.

Recently winning backing from low carbon experts, CO2Sense, SkipTrips has already been recognised as a fast growth business, and has many more developments up its sleeve.

Ed said: "SkipTrips was launched after months of collaboration with construction companies, everyday householders and waste managers up and down the country. Simply put, there was no easy way to connect good skip suppliers with customers and vice versa. Waste managers found it hard to get in front of customers when they needed to and skip users have no easy way of making an informed decision about their choice of waste manager.

"Streamlining processes and using technology to do this has always been a passion of mine so it made sense to take this approach and find a solution. Sheffield is a city that is technologically strong and I'm proud to be launching a new national business from my hometown."

All suppliers are Environment Agency regulated and hold valid environmental permits so customers can be sure their waste is handled in the best way possible. Alongside the live quotes, customers can view a detailed business profile of the bidder. Whether it's price, location, environmental and business credentials or ratings from user feedback, customers can simply pick the deal that suits them best, whatever their needs or priorities and waste managers can differentiate their business just by doing a good job.