20-06-2021, 10:28 AM
Tony Betts' assessment of the whole auction scene is spot on. Lockdown has certainly propelled platforms like Thesaleroom and ibidder to the fore - but it has resulted in yet more cost to the buyers (and, by extension, less money for sellers as bidders factor in the costs of purchase and so reduce the level they will bid to).
On top of the commissions there is also the cost of getting stuff delivered from the auction house. Some use mailing services, some pack and send 'in-house'. Recently I wanted to bid on a small item with a value of maybe £30. Trouble was, the auction house was up in the North-East, a four hour drive away, and their charge for packing and postage was minimum £28 + VAT. Made it stupid expensive for one item - let alone the extra commission for using the online platform and a buyers' premium of 20%. If you succeed in buying multiple items the shipping costs can become relatively reasonable but for small single items it is disproportionately costly.
I have no doubt whatsoever that in the not too distant future the auction sale pendulum will swing back the other way and a new enterprise will spring up to provide a sensibly inexpensive bidding platform, safe and low-cost payment scheme, and effective customer service standards. The auction houses and platforms have become far too greedy and are very exposed to commercial challenge.
I am pretty sure that years ago there used to be something just like it. Now, what was it called...? Ah yes...! Ebay, I think... Whatever happened to them I wonder...
On top of the commissions there is also the cost of getting stuff delivered from the auction house. Some use mailing services, some pack and send 'in-house'. Recently I wanted to bid on a small item with a value of maybe £30. Trouble was, the auction house was up in the North-East, a four hour drive away, and their charge for packing and postage was minimum £28 + VAT. Made it stupid expensive for one item - let alone the extra commission for using the online platform and a buyers' premium of 20%. If you succeed in buying multiple items the shipping costs can become relatively reasonable but for small single items it is disproportionately costly.
I have no doubt whatsoever that in the not too distant future the auction sale pendulum will swing back the other way and a new enterprise will spring up to provide a sensibly inexpensive bidding platform, safe and low-cost payment scheme, and effective customer service standards. The auction houses and platforms have become far too greedy and are very exposed to commercial challenge.
I am pretty sure that years ago there used to be something just like it. Now, what was it called...? Ah yes...! Ebay, I think... Whatever happened to them I wonder...