Auction Power Guide

Every year federal, state, and local government agencies find themselves with surplus goods that they no longer need. To get rid of this excess stuff they offer it at government surplus sales and auctions at big discounts. These sales and auctions are full of the same items you’ll find at any retail store with the only difference being price.

These surplus auction sales can be a great place to find office supplies for new and growing businesses. You can also find household items that you can use around the house. These sales can also be a good place to buy surplus items at a big discount that can then be sold at a profit on auctions sites like eBay.

All government surplus auctions and sales are free to the general public. As long as you are 18 years of age or older and have a valid drivers license. You will of course need money as well if you wish to purchase or bid on anything.

So why does the government have all this surplus it needs to get rid of ever year? The simple answer is that all these government agencies, from federal to local, buy billions of dollars worth of equipment, supplies, and sundries every year. This leaves these agencies with lots of older, slightly used, goods that still have a useful life outside of government use. Buy selling these items at surplus sales or auctions the government is able recover some of the cost and save the American taxpayer some money.

If you are wondering what you can find at one of these surplus sales the answer is just about everything. Cars, trucks, vans, and other modes of transportation can be had at highly discounted prices. Small business owner can find great deals on office furniture and supplies which can help keep operating expenses low.

One of the best ways to find government surplus sales and auctions is by using an internet auction website. These sites provide updated lists of times, locations, and the items that will be offered for sale. In some cases you can make purchases and bids right from your computer. It doesn’t get much easier to save money then that.

Andrew Bicknell
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/government-surplus-sales-and-auctions-671154.html

I’m going to a car auction tomorrow morning and have no idea what to expect. My nanny needs a car and has about $2000 in cash to spend.

Depending on the auction, you may or may not have a chance to hear the car run. ou want to get there early, and be sure that you understand all the terms and conditions of the sale. There may be a buyers fee (a percentage of the selling price that is added to the final bid price) so be sure you allow for that. Most auction sales are final, there is no changing your mind for whatever reason, and the cars are sold "as is" "where is" "how is" and any other "is" you can think of.

Understand that most vehicles being sold at auction are there for a reason. They may be cars that were donated to charity, or they may be cars that dealers do not want to sell on their retail lots.

Bring someone knowledgeable about cars, to look for signs of major problems, but figure that you will need to spend some money for repairs to make the vehicle road worthy.

an also how much bandwidth would be required to run an auction that just handle auction sales within the United States only.

You’d probably need over 100mbps bandwidth (traffic can get hot and heavy as a popular item gets down to the last minute) and you can’t do it on a single computer. (You’ll also need enough UPS to hold everything on line until the generator stabilizes, dual [at least] internet connections going to different offices over different routes [to prevent a disconnect if someone takes a pole down in an accident], air conditioning that can handle the load [and the UPS and generator have to be able to handle the AC] … etc. Oh – and a 24/7/365 on site staff.)

IOW, if you’re planning to do this on your own – plan to enter the presidential race as an independent this weekend – and win. That’s easier.

The Dallas Cowboys Web-site allows season ticket holders to post tickets, but every season ticket holder lists them above face value. What is the cheapest method…anyone?

Being that I am a ticket broker, it is possible to purchase cheap cowboys tickets. The trick is to find them. The best sources are ebay, Stubhub and discounts on ticket broker web-sites. Some times you can find season ticket holders on Ticketmaster that sell their seats cheap by accident, but not the norm. Also, the Cowboys will release their seats before the season starts on ticketmaster, but it normally starts with season ticket purchases, then if remaining seats will be sold individually. For the absolute cheapest, you can purchase seats below face value for preseason games, but not regular season games. The regular season games will be above the face value, but not really, since season ticketholders all paid a premium option fee that is factored into the ticket price.

If you have the patience, you should wait until the day of the game, and all ebay sellers will be asking below face value…i know that since i have done that every year. When tickets dont sell, sellers will just about give them away. Since the cowboys schedule isn’t filled with big games, their is a great chance of this happening again…i would go to vegas on that bet.

If you are giving them as a gift and can’t wait, best bet are the following: Stubhub, ebay auction style sells, or a ticket broker like eticketcentral (my web-site). Stubhub allows individuals to sell at any price and there are often great deals that occur or tickets priced incorrectly cheap. ebay auction sales require many people to bid, and it is very possible to catch a slow moment. Else, other broker web-sites will have 10% discounts like my web-site. The bottom line price will normally beat stubhub, but maybe not ebay. You can always request a discount at my web-site, and we will give you one. Above all else, shop around. My web-site is: http://www.eticketcentral.com

I realize it’s heaviliy dependent on market or whatever. but how does the bank usually se tthe asking price on a house.

Is it at the principle on an existing mortgage minus 6% (realtors fees). Can I get it any better than this? It’s a mortgage auction. Not a tax sales auction. If you’ve been to an auction. What’s it like. How many bids are place on these houses. I’m in Texas.

Be aware that the lender involved will have a bidding representative at this auction as well. If other bids do not rise to the level which the lender wants, the lender bidder will outbid the remainder to buy the house at foreclosure for the bank.

So, if the bank thinks they can own the property and sell it for $100K, they’re going to bid up the price to very close to that figure.

Buying property at auction is a pleasant change from the conventional methodologies but at the same time it is equally important to carefully bid property at an auction. There are few basic guidelines to consider when buying properties at auction. Before getting started search for appropriate auction house listing properties you are interested in and request for their catalog. Auction houses generally organize regular auction sales with printed catalogs few weeks in advance. Subscribing to catalog mailing list is another option. This will give you an overview for the motive behind the property is being sold and the mortgage details of the property. Read the catalog carefully and go through each and every detail provided. Mark all the properties you are interested in buying.

It is always recommended to attend an auction as an observer to get the real feel and to understand its modus operandi. Request from the auction organisers for the auction pack and the auction you have decided to attend. The auction pack encloses information like the title deeds, seller’s information form, local authority and environmental searches, lease details in case of leasehold property. In addition to the legal checks it is important to visit the property in person. Research on the property intensively and inquire through neighbors and local estate agents. Hire a qualified property advisor to carefully examine the property for spotting structural problems. After you finished the survey of the property crosscheck with the descriptions provided in the catalog.

The next step involves carefully planning the accurate costs. It is important to consider additional costs as costs of survey and legal advice, finance arrangement fees, stamp duty, remodeling and renovation costs, buyer’s premium if any. These costs if not considered might consume most of your margin and in worst cases you might end up paying from your own pocket. Carefully read all the contract and auctioneers terms and conditions mentioned in the catalog. Minutely examine all the details or seek legal advice from a solicitor or a chartered surveyor. Get the money required for deposit arranged in advance. You are required to pay 10% of the cost of the property on the auction day when the contracts are signed and remaining balance to be paid in full within 28 days. If you need mortgage assistance it is wise to plan ahead or you might end up losing the 10% deposit in event of non-payment of the required amount within 20 working days.

Allocate a fixed budget for yourself before entering the auction room. Be firm and decisive on how much you are willing to spend and do not get carried away by emotions in heat of the moment. You can also appoint an auctioneer or a solicitor to do the bidding for you. On the actual day arrive well in advance and get a nice seat for yourself so that the auctioneer can easily acknowledge your bidding signal. Keep your eyes open to your surrounding and carefully listen to the opening announcements. You are also required to carry a couple of identification papers and a cheque to cover the 10% deposit.

Buying a property at an auction can be fruitful if you sincerely follow the basic strategy. You might end up buying the best property at almost nominal price.

Jason Sands

Recently, I was contacted by a struggling eBay seller who sold products in a niche market. He desperately pushed and prodded me hoping that I could tell him how to make more money.

I knew he was selling in a tightly niched market, so I knew he needed to capitalize on every dollar that could be made selling to these buyers.

His current auction sales were good and his completed auctions were good, but he was just not generating the volume he wanted. Honestly, it seemed that there were virtually no more customers in that niche that he could sell to and he was having trouble finding products cheap enough to allow him to make a profit. He was hoping we could brainstorm and come up with some creative ideas.

Interestingly enough, this seller told me that, if he could just get more people to see his auctions, he could make the kind of money he had been hoping for.

So as we continued to talk we thought of virtually everything. I really didn’t think there was going to be much more he could do to make more money.

He was thinking on placing niche advertising on select sites across the Internet. But he did not want to spend everything he made with the hopes his ads would perform.

I was at a loss as to how I could help him. So I started trying to rethink everything he was doing to see whether we could optimize certain areas of his business. That’s when I asked him what percentage of his business came from previous customers.

He replied he had some repeat buyers, but they only came back maybe once or twice. However, he admitted that he never really tried to get them back. He always thought that, if they needed something, they would contact him.

This seller actually had a very stable and strong business. He was one that followed the guidelines found in my book to the tee. He did not miss a beat and was a real go-getter!

I was shocked when he said he had never tried selling to his past customers. But we worked through it and developed a strategy to get him started immediately. Now, I can guarantee that most of his business comes from past customers.

What about you? Do you have an eBay business that is struggling and you want to increase your revenue? Perhaps you’re just starting your eBay business and want to launch it faster than a shuttle going into space. Whether it’s a new business or one you want to improve, it’s imperative to focus on those who have bought from you before. It takes less work and will make you greater profits when you sell to your past customers. They already trust you and believe in you, and you already know that they will buy from you.

Consider this: Would you buy shoes from a store where the clerk is rude and doesn’t give you the time of day? Or, would you go to a store where they sell the same shoes, yet their personnel is pleasant to deal with and they go out of their way to make you happy?

Clearly, you’ll go where you have had the most enjoyable experience. The store owner will undoubtedly make money selling you the pair of shoes you came to buy. However, his/her profits are further increased when you buy something else because you know and trust in his/her products and SERVICE.

After building a relationship with your customers, it’s not difficult to up sell them when they come back for more. How often have you walked into a store for milk, only to leave with an arm full of groceries? That store offered you something you didn’t know you needed. You can do the same for your past customers every time they come back.

Once you have built trust and exceeded the shopper’s expectations, most customers will come back time and again. Buyers will not only trust you, but also will know how simple it is to deal with you. Conversely, if they know they are going to have to deal with some cranky old salesperson, they will just keep walking. Wouldn’t you?

Win them over, and you will have a customer for life. You’re making a mistake if you’re just selling to people one time. Repeat customers are less work and a whole lot cheaper to sell to. What a great way to keep your overhead low and your profit high!

Try these steps and watch your sales and, more importantly, your profits go through the ceiling.

1. Email past customers every time you have new products.

2. Email a newsletter to your past customers, including some great tips along with a couple of benefits as to why they should come and look at your products today.

3. Ask customers to take action and give them a specific reason.

4. Promote a special deal on a featured product. For example, offer 10% off that new power saw or a free upgrade on one of your products.

5. Send thank you cards letting customers know just how important they are to your business and how much you value them.

These are just a few simple things you can do. Think about it for a while as you try to understand what makes people happy. Things that make you happy will most likely make your customers happy. Give your customers what they want and they will give you a thriving eBay home-based profit machine.

I believe these tips to maximize your eBay profits by selling to your past customers will increase your profits tenfold. Remember, if you want something to work and you want your business to get off the ground quickly, you must plan your strategy and then act on it.

You will be surprised at the response you will get. It shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to write an email offer that could pay back some hefty profits!

sebastian foss
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-business-articles/maximizing-your-ebay-profits-by-selling-to-your-past-customers-97686.html

Many eBay sellers experience this exact same problem. They list an eBook on eBay which they are certain will sell but the auction ends with no sales and only five or six hits to the auction. Some small adjustments to the auction listing could easily explode the auction visitors and sales.

Get a new auction title

For more information on ebay sales ideas click here

Many people have jumped on the eBay bandwagon, learning quickly this online auction and direct sales marketplace can open doors for individuals and businesses alike. By driving thousands of potential buyers to users’ wares each day, the site can be a literal goldmine when it’s tapped into. There is even eBay store software out there now to make the process of setting up shop even easier.

The idea behind eBay store software is to help individuals and businesses that want to set up virtual storefronts on this site do so with ease. As eBay gets even bigger, the choices in eBay store software are getting better all the time, too. For those who aren’t aware, eBay isn’t just for single item sales anymore. The site allows for the creation of full shops so users can consolidate their auctions and sales in one place. The eBay store software package options just make this easier.

For more information on ebay store sales click here