While searching the web this morning for useful auction related sites I found The Auctioneer Channel. This is a multi-page site that is jam packed with great information. One page in particular really struck my fancy was the Auction Associations page. Here they have sites such as Livestock Marketing Association, the National Auto Auction Association and the Industrial Auctioneers Association. This page also lists pages for individual states such as my home states page the Tennessee Auctioneer Association.
I would recommend you check this site out. There's a great deal of information here and if you're anything like the auction junkie I am you could spend a lot of time browsing this site.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The first shall be last and the last shall be first
How
do you lose hundreds of dollars during an auction? Well let me tell you...
This was an extremely well attended auction. The auction company had done a great job of getting the word out. They had all the equipment sorted and separated and ready for the auction block. There were all sorts in attendance from young to old, professional gym rats to professional professionals. As I often times do when attending an auction of this nature (read - about something I know nothing of) I will watch others. I watch their actions. I watch how they bid, when they bid, how much they bid and as many nuances as I can. After watching several items come and go I try to locate the high middle of the road winner of some of the items. Once located I position myself close by for the next several bid items. This gives me an up close and personal view from their perspective.
I had done such with this auction as well. There were one or two whales in attendance and I knew it would do no good to try to pick their brains. I did however try but to no avail. They weren't about handing out secrets to a newbie on this day. But I was able to find an older man who had won several items and seemed knowledgeable on the sport of auctions. I moseyed up to him and in between bid items I would strike up small little conversations. The longer this went on it became he that was sharing tips and tid bits with me. Suddenly I found somewhat, though short lived, of a mentor in the gentleman. During the bidding of one of the four bench press benches he drew near to me and with a glint in his eye he told me, "Never, bid on the first item when there are several items of the same kind! Never!" I felt as though I had been handed the keys to the Holy Grail of Auctions. But then again as more items came and went the tip quickly faded.
Having been armed with some insights and some courage I began bidding on items. Like everyone else I won some and lost some. Then the moment for lessons presented itself. As the auction was winding down the big items were now on the block. The one item of particular interest to me were the racks of free weights that were about to be sold. There were seven very similar racks ranging anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds of weight. I wanted one and I wanted it badly...the thoughts of piecing that baby out and doubling maybe tripling my money was all I could see. As the bidding for the racks began my for the moment mentor had gone to examine other pieces that he had purchased. The bidding began and it began with a fury. The excitement and energy was high. I jumped in and hung on for dear life. Then it happened...a bidding war began. A war between myself and another soon to be fool. We dug in and kept running the bidding up. Finally after all the dust settled I found myself the proud owner of a 1,200 pound $275.00 rack of weights. I was on cloud nine...until I realize that in my eagerness to get one of the racks I had bought the very first set.
The next four sets went for $150.00. The sixth set went for $85.00 and the last set went for $50.00. Wow! What a lesson to have to learn the hard way. From my final bid to the last final bid there was a $225.00 spread. That was $225.00 I not only lost but was not going to recoup.
What's the lesson? Never, bid on the first item when there are several items of the same kind! Never!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
A home coming
After a much longer than anticipated hiatus I am raring and ready to get back to this journey into the world of auctions. The auctioning world has seen significant changes during my time away. As if there wasn't enough to write about and explore before we now have a much larger world of electronic auctions to dig into. I look forward to being back (is that an oxymoron?)! I look forward to digging in and learning about the new options that are available to us all.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Online Auctions: 10 Secrets You Should Know Before Bidding by: Pradeep Aggarwal
Yes! You know many online auction sites.
'Course you may have participated in some of the biddings.
The next time you decide to bid for a product or a service, do remember these vital online auctions secrets and tips.
1. Important to know the value of the product you plan to bid. Product is new? Check the price retailers are charging for it. It helps in two ways, you'll know the original cost and helps you to pay way less than the retail value, if it is old or re-conditioned.
2. To ensure that you get a good product, get the complete information and picture of the product from merchant, if the details are incomplete on the site.
3. Decide your maximum paying limit and stick to it lest you may end up caught in the 'bid war' and end up paying more than the actual cost.
4. It is always good to check a few auction sites for you may find the same product at a much lesser price in some unpopular sites simple because of the fewer number of buyers in those sites.
5. Make a note of the auction begin and end time. And the shipping time as well. This helps you to calculate the time when you want the product at a certain date.
6. Payments: Check the various payment modes the merchant offers. If checks and money orders are accepted, the delay in delivery will invariably be delayed for the payment has to clear. If the credit cards are accepted, ensure they have secure server.
7. Find out if the merchant offers a warranty or money back guarantee before the bid. Surely you don't want to be bogged down with a non-working or unsatisfactory product.
8. Always good the check the track record of the merchant, if offered one. See if you can bump into any complaints from the past customers.
9. Start your auction early to convey a message to other that you're interested in the product. If someone outbid you, you do the same. Always remember your maximum bid limit.
10. The reason to know the bid time - it helps you place a last minute bid, assuming that other bidders may not have kept track of the bid time
About The Author
Pradeep Aggarwal makes it easy to make online auction profitable and money making business venture. Take the tips and tricks provided by him in the websits - www.auctionspectrum.com.
'Course you may have participated in some of the biddings.
The next time you decide to bid for a product or a service, do remember these vital online auctions secrets and tips.
1. Important to know the value of the product you plan to bid. Product is new? Check the price retailers are charging for it. It helps in two ways, you'll know the original cost and helps you to pay way less than the retail value, if it is old or re-conditioned.
2. To ensure that you get a good product, get the complete information and picture of the product from merchant, if the details are incomplete on the site.
3. Decide your maximum paying limit and stick to it lest you may end up caught in the 'bid war' and end up paying more than the actual cost.
4. It is always good to check a few auction sites for you may find the same product at a much lesser price in some unpopular sites simple because of the fewer number of buyers in those sites.
5. Make a note of the auction begin and end time. And the shipping time as well. This helps you to calculate the time when you want the product at a certain date.
6. Payments: Check the various payment modes the merchant offers. If checks and money orders are accepted, the delay in delivery will invariably be delayed for the payment has to clear. If the credit cards are accepted, ensure they have secure server.
7. Find out if the merchant offers a warranty or money back guarantee before the bid. Surely you don't want to be bogged down with a non-working or unsatisfactory product.
8. Always good the check the track record of the merchant, if offered one. See if you can bump into any complaints from the past customers.
9. Start your auction early to convey a message to other that you're interested in the product. If someone outbid you, you do the same. Always remember your maximum bid limit.
10. The reason to know the bid time - it helps you place a last minute bid, assuming that other bidders may not have kept track of the bid time
About The Author
Pradeep Aggarwal makes it easy to make online auction profitable and money making business venture. Take the tips and tricks provided by him in the websits - www.auctionspectrum.com.
How to Make the Most from E-Bay Auctions by: David Baker
Whatever your merchandise, selling by using an eBay auction is profitable, simple and fun. Selling through eBay can be a one-time sale or a second income. People enjoy searching through online auctions to find rare collector’s items or unusual furniture and clothing. The selection at an eBay auction is limitless. Try eBay to sell your unneeded items instead of holding a yard sale. You may discover that the income opportunities are top-notch.
Even if you just want to unload a few dust-collecting items from your garage or attic, there are some tips which will help you have an eBay auction that’s profitable. You must do more than post a price and a picture of your item in order to bring bidders to your auction item.
Describe your merchandise accurately. It’s better to sell items, which are in excellent condition, but otherwise, be honest about what you have to sell. Deceit will always show up in the negative ratings and spoil your chances of future sales. You also should know as much as possible about what you are selling so you can give a complete and detailed description and promptly answer any questions which a bidder may ask.
Your sales and shipping and refund policies should be completely and accurately stated up front. Sales will go smoothly and give you repeat customers. Attracting repeat customers is vital if you want to maintain a good eBay auction success rate. Good customer service helps customers feel good about doing business with you.
Once your eBay auction merchandise has sold, you must do even more to keep the level of professional and courteous rapport with your customers. Good reviews and repeat customers mean a successful eBay career. Inform your customers of each step in the successful completion of the sale. First, thank them for the purchase and include any payment information. Next, tell them when you’ve shipped their purchase, the shipping carrier and any tracking information, which is available. It may be prudent to use delivery confirmation or package tracking when you ship the purchase to the customer. An expected receipt date helps your customers to know when they may expect their purchase to arrive.
Always conduct your eBay auctions and business transactions as a true professional. When you wrap and ship merchandise, you will want to prepare the package carefully to avoid shipping damage. This lets the buyer know that you recognize the importance of a safe and prompt arrival to them. Include a receipt so the customer will be able to keep vital information for his tax records. You can even include a sincere thank-you note.
Your reputation as a seller on an eBay auction is built by customer feedback and ratings. Take your ratings seriously, buyers do. If you remember to do something a little extra for your customer, they will appreciate it and tell others of their successful experience with you. Even difficult customers deserve courtesy and a friendly yet professional attitude.
About The Author
David Baker is the owner and creator of - http://www.auctions-here.com where auction sellers and buyers - http://www.auctions-here.com meet.
Even if you just want to unload a few dust-collecting items from your garage or attic, there are some tips which will help you have an eBay auction that’s profitable. You must do more than post a price and a picture of your item in order to bring bidders to your auction item.
Describe your merchandise accurately. It’s better to sell items, which are in excellent condition, but otherwise, be honest about what you have to sell. Deceit will always show up in the negative ratings and spoil your chances of future sales. You also should know as much as possible about what you are selling so you can give a complete and detailed description and promptly answer any questions which a bidder may ask.
Your sales and shipping and refund policies should be completely and accurately stated up front. Sales will go smoothly and give you repeat customers. Attracting repeat customers is vital if you want to maintain a good eBay auction success rate. Good customer service helps customers feel good about doing business with you.
Once your eBay auction merchandise has sold, you must do even more to keep the level of professional and courteous rapport with your customers. Good reviews and repeat customers mean a successful eBay career. Inform your customers of each step in the successful completion of the sale. First, thank them for the purchase and include any payment information. Next, tell them when you’ve shipped their purchase, the shipping carrier and any tracking information, which is available. It may be prudent to use delivery confirmation or package tracking when you ship the purchase to the customer. An expected receipt date helps your customers to know when they may expect their purchase to arrive.
Always conduct your eBay auctions and business transactions as a true professional. When you wrap and ship merchandise, you will want to prepare the package carefully to avoid shipping damage. This lets the buyer know that you recognize the importance of a safe and prompt arrival to them. Include a receipt so the customer will be able to keep vital information for his tax records. You can even include a sincere thank-you note.
Your reputation as a seller on an eBay auction is built by customer feedback and ratings. Take your ratings seriously, buyers do. If you remember to do something a little extra for your customer, they will appreciate it and tell others of their successful experience with you. Even difficult customers deserve courtesy and a friendly yet professional attitude.
About The Author
David Baker is the owner and creator of - http://www.auctions-here.com where auction sellers and buyers - http://www.auctions-here.com meet.
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