Online auctions have been a widespread phenomenon, particularly since the birth of eBay, but are people really taking advantage of all the different ones across the web? Below are a few reasons why you should be!
Convenience
Gone are the days when you had to physically enter the auction room in order for your presence on the bidding floor to be recognised; nowadays, all you need to get involved in the bidding war is an internet connection and a working PC, tablet or phone. You don’t have to be sat in one place throughout the auction, either. Most modern auction sites allow potential buyers to place bids on items over a number of days and hours, with bidders receiving notifications when they are out-bid or have won an item. Bidders can back out of the bidding whenever they like and don’t have to feel pressured into continuing a bidding battle.
Readily available information
Auction sites display their items clearly in a format that is easy to navigate and presents all relevant item information in a clear, concise and accessible manner. Bidders also have the opportunity to message auction holders to discuss items in more detail and request more photographs if they are required. Having all the information about an item at hand prior to the auction commencing gives bidders the opportunity to gain a better understanding of their potential purchases and adjust their bids if required. Not being in the room allows potential bidders to keep a clearer head and make more informed decisions instead of reacting to the rush of the auction room.
A means of selling unwanted items
Many auction rooms give visitors the opportunity to sign-in to the site and sell their items via one of the sites online auctions. Selling items online can be more cost effective for sellers; instead of having to cart your items down to an auction room, all you have to do is upload a photo of your item onto the website, write a brief description, and wait for the bids to come in. It’s worth remembering that many online auctions give their sellers the same rights as normal auctions; for example, it’s still possible to set a reserve price on an item to stop products from selling too cheaply.
Cost saving
Buying through an online auction service helps buyers save both time and money. The auctions are hosted online, thereby removing the need for buyers to travel to and from physical auction destinations. When presented with a new item of potential interest, buyers also have the opportunity to search for similar items online to determine how much the same items have recently been sold for and to set or amend their bidding price accordingly.
There’s plenty on offer
Thanks to the sheer number of auction sites now present online, such as ross’s auctioneers, the amount of items on sale has expanded exponentially in recent years. Thousands of wonderful items are sold online every day, presenting buyers with a whole new world of choice. Items of jewellery, furniture and precious antiques can all be bagged in online auctions. Auction sites tailored to selling items such as pre-loved clothes, shoes and bags are also popping up.