Welcome to Auction Systems

	Bid Online	Bid Live	Sell Your Goods

Whether this your first auction experience or your first time with Auction Systems – you will find the guide through our auction process here. Welcome to the fun, often addicting world of Auctions we fondly call Auction-Tainment.

Learn about live bidding, online bidding and selling your goods.

Live Bidding

Getting Started

Preview – your opportunity to inspect, touch and test auction product.

• Preview of auction property opens one hour prior to the live auction start time.
• There is typically a preview one day prior to the auction event.  Check this website for specific dates and times.

How to Preview

Catalog

• Pick up an auction catalog which is the sequential numbered lot by lot listing of the auction product offerings.
• You can pick up a catalog at the entry of the auction previews or print a catalog online.

Browse

• Browse the auction as items are merchandized very similar to a retail location with like items in the general vicinity of each other.  Ask for assistance to find certain types of auction product as it changes with each new auction event.

Inspection

• There are two auction labels on each auction lot (a lot can be multiple items all selling together or a single item selling alone). 
  • The first label has a large lot number and bar code indicating its order in the auction.  This number corresponds to the lot number in your catalog.
  • The second label is the lot’s inventory control information that follows the lot from its entry into the auction to its exit out the auction facility door.
• Inspection can be the most important key to making a wise bidding decision.  Auction product is not tested and there are no refunds or exchanges.  You need to rely on your own inspection, research and information to make sure the lot meets your requirements.

The Live Event

Announcements

• Each auction begins with the auctioneer making a series of announcements about the auction.  Listening to the announcements often provides last minute information about lot additions or subtractions, load out information for purchased merchandise and other factors that may influence your bidding decisions.
• Announcements are made prior to the first bid being called and all auction terms are superseded by announcements made the day of auction.  If you have questions, please ask one of Auction Systems’ staff members.

Lot Offering

• The auctioneer will begin to sell the first item.  He or she will announce the lot number and read a brief description of the item or items being offered for sale.
• The auctioneer will begin to ask for a bid.  Oftentimes immediately the Internet Clerk will respond with an opening bid.
• Opening bids from the Internet represent bids that have been placed on the item over the internet for the past week by other bidders that are not attending the auction in person.
• The auctioneer will acknowledge the bid and ask for another higher bid from the live audience.
• At the same time the Internet Clerk is also watching their screen for additional bids that are coming in from the simulcast bidders participating right alongside the live audience bidders.  If bids appear the Internet Clerk calls out to the auctioneer to let them know the new bid amount.
• The auctioneer continues with the process asking for bids from all participants until the bidding ends.
• When bidding has ended, the auctioneer will say “closed”.  Which means the item is closed for bidding.  He or she will instruct the Clerk how much the item sold for and how much it sold for.
• The process continues on for each item selling in sequential lot number order until all items have been sold.
• Typically about 100 lots per hour are sold at auction.
• Multiple auctions can be going on at the same time.  These multiple auctions are referred to as “rings” similar to a circus that is a three ring circus.  Registering to be a buyer at an auction gives you access and ability to bid in all the rings of the auction.

Online Bidding

Getting Started

Catalog

• An online catalog is available on our website typically one week prior to the live auction event.
• The catalog is divided into categories. Categories are high level locators of items. So if you are looking for a 3/8 inch drill you would find it under “Power Tools” category.

Search

• You may perform a search for a term in the search box of the website. The search box is exclusive to each auction ring so you may have to search in multiple rings for your search term.
• You may also search by entering model numbers and brands or if you know the lot number you may also search by that number.

Descriptions & Photos

• Each lot in the auction has a description. Descriptions include name brands if available and model numbers. Other lots are described with media type such as wood, porcelain, crystal, glass and include dimensions. Furniture is described with upholstery type, wood and dimensions.
• Descriptions do not include condition statements as lots are not tested. Federal law governs auction sales and all lots are sold “as is, where is”. Simply stated “as is” means there is no certainty that the lot will be in working order and “where is” means you will be responsible to remove the lot from the location it was sold.
• If you purchase a lot that is not in working order you are stuck with that item, there are no refunds or exchanges. If you have an opportunity to preview live, you should. If you are looking to buy a DVD player and you don’t have the ability to preview, we suggest you buy two or three. This buyer inconvenience is partially why auctions offer such great deals.
• We stand behind our descriptions; however there is no statement of condition that is made. As way of an example, if we represent an item as being a Sony Laptop Computer and the lot is instead a Sanyo Laptop Computer we will give you a refund if the original item is returned within a week of purchase. If you are buying at a live auction however, we do not offer the same refund option because you have the opportunity preview the lot directly.

 

Bidding

Proxy Bidding

• Auction lots are typically available online one week prior to the live auction event. During this time, you may place bids on auction lots.
• You will put in your opening bid which must be higher than the starting price or the starting bid price. So if an item has bids already on the item and is currently at $100, you will have to enter the next required bid amount which you will see displayed on the screen and also enter your maximum bid. You do not have to but in a max bid, you can simply leave the max bid blank.
• Your maximum bid is the highest amount you are willing to pay for the lot. You will often see that you are bidding on an item with other bidders and the current price is $100. You will have to open your bid with $105. You enter a max bid of $150 and when you select the submit button, all the sudden your screen changes and thanks you for your bid but apologizes that you have been outbid. Simply another bidder already had entered a max bid that was equal or higher to your bid.
• You may place a second bid if you choose to spend more on the lot.
• During the week the auction is going, you will receive an email if you were the high bidder and have been outbid as a reminder to place another bid. (please make sure your email account accepts email from auctionandappraise.com)

Auction Bidding
You may start bidding several days prior to the live auction event. Some auctions close bidding at midnight prior to the auction and some auctions have simulcast bidding, allowing you to bid right along with the live audience in real time.

• Events that close at midnight prior to the live auction take your bids along with your fellow bidders’ bids and Auction Systems represents the bids at the live auction. So using the example you had an opening bid of $105 and your max was $250, your bids are represented by an Auction Systems’ staff member. The auctioneer starts with your highest bid at the time the online auction ended.
  • The Auctioneer uses your opening bid to ask the live bidders for the next higher incremental bid. If a live bidder makes a bid, then the Auction Systems’ staff member will represent your bid again and will participate against the auctioneer in the bidding process until you have won the bid or your max bid has been exceeded by live bidding.
  • When the live auction has ended, you will receive an email updating you on the status of your bids. The email will either state you had no successful bids or be a copy of your paid invoice for your purchased product.
• Events that offer live bidding on auction day require patience and time. Your live bidding will follow along with the actual auction.
  • You can still use proxy bidding up until the lot is being sold live.
  • You will need to be alert, typically a lot is sold every 35 seconds, so you will need to be entering your bids quickly and if you aren’t fast enough, the item can be sold to a different buyer before you have time to enter your next bid.
  • You can also listen to the auction being broadcast in real time by clicking on the Auction Systems Radio Network (ASRN) button. Please keep in mind that if your computer has a slow or overtaxed sound card there can be a slight audio delay, so make sure you are advancing your bid based upon what you see on your screen and not what you hear.
  • When the live auction has ended, you will receive an email updating you on the status of your bids. The email will either state you had no successful bids or be a copy of your paid invoice for your purchased product.

After the Auction

• Wait to receive an email that tells you whether you have won auction items and provides you a copy of your paid receipt.
• Arrange to receive your items
  • Your items can be shipped directly to you, a selection you make when registering for a bid card number.
  • You may pick up your items directly at the auction location. Dates and times for pick-up can vary; please check the terms of the auction for specific details.

Selling

Auction Systems has a wide variety of sellers that we work with in partnership to sell goods for the highest bid possible.

Types of Sellers

• Individuals. EBay conducted a survey in 2008 where it was found that the average household has over $3800 of value in unneeded items in their home.
• Small Business. Add to your cash flow by auctioning slow moving inventory or obsolete equipment and assets.
• Corporations. RMA’s, inventory, equipment and fleets can all be liquidated quickly with good returns at Auction Systems.
• Attorneys. Our system for auction reporting will insure you are meeting all your fiduciary responsibility for your client including trust sales, bankruptcies and landlord involved transactions.
• Financial Institutions. Join our list of Banks and Credit Unions who use our services for statements of opinion, appraisals and liquidations.
• Government Agencies. Your agency can “piggy-back” on one of our many current government contracts or send us a Request for Proposal to conduct all types of auctions including liens, real property, raw land, personal property and surplus.

 

What We Auction

• Real Estate
• Business Assets
• Autos and Fleets
• Heavy Equipment
• Estates
• Liens, Patents, Copyrights and Intellectual Property

Contact an auction specialist today