Insider Auctions

How to Generate Traffic to your Web Page

2009-03-26T21:29:00.002-04:00

One of the biggest problems a new business on the web faces is being able to generate enough traffic to the web site. Most new business owners are operating on a shoestring and cannot afford to compete for top spots on search engines. However, if you are creative there are numerous techniques that can be used without costing a lot of money. One example that comes to mind is making the email signature work for you. Using this method, every time you send an eMail to family, friends or any other form of contact, your signature file will be posted at the bottom of your eMail. The signature file should include some tantalizing and intriguing benefit about your products or services. The secret is to make your email "forwardable" so all people you email will pass your message along to others, including your marketing tool "your signature file". This method of generating web page traffic is both free and subtle.

To add a signature to your emails, simply open your email client
Click Tools and Select Options
Select the Signatures Tab
Make sure Add signatures to all outgoing messages is checked
Click New
Rename your signature if desired
Under Edit Signature Text, type your signature as you would like to see it appear

To give you an idea of what you should use an example follows:

Linda
www.insiderauctions.com
Buy and Sell Virtually Everything
ALL Listings are Free

When you are finished, click OK

To make sure the signature is working, click to create an email message; at the bottom of the email you should see your signature.

The above instructions should work for most email clients.

This is only one creative idea to generate more traffic to your web site. If you have others, please share them with us.

Auctions Ending Soon

2008-09-10T10:46:00.017-04:00

Just take a look at some of the great auctions ending soon at http://www.insiderauctions.com/:

Ivy Cottage by David Winter was introduced in 1982 and retired in 1992. It was hand made and hand painted in the studios and work shops of John Hine, Ltd. in Hampshire, Great Britain. Ivy Cottage is a lovely cottage with ivy growing up the size of the stone house. It is in excellent condition and does not come with a box.

This delightful pin is named Jessica and was only available at Cherished Teddies events in 1996. The picture is larger than the actual size so you can see the details. It is in great condition and satisfaction is guaranteed.

Department 56 introduced Item Number 56162 "The Toy Peddler" into the Alpine Village collection in 1990 and retired it in 1998. It is very colorful and was a welcomed addition to the collection. It is a set of 3 consisting of the Toy Peddler with his tray of toys, a little girl holding something in one hand and waving with the other along with a woman and her son who is holding a toy horse. All of their clothing is very colorful and nicely fits in with the Alpine theme.

Justina, the message bearer, is from the Boyds Bears Bearstone collection. She was introduced in 1995 as Style No. 2273 Edition /pc # 2E/311. Justina looks adorable in her pink and blue dress, pearls around her neck, a blue ribbon in her hair and the beautiful basket of flowers in her lap. She is prepared for whatever comes next by the sign she has to go in her basket - one side reads: I Love You and the other side reads: I'm Sorry. Typical woman - covering all bases (ha).

Up for auction is a beautiful Fifth Avenue Crystal Ltd. Handcut Full Lead Crystal made in Poland. The detail is exquisite and it is in excellent condition - no chips or cracks. It does not come with a box.

This beautiful wreath is handmade of multicolor material, greens, golds, peach, blue, white and others and has a large peach bow at the bottom. It is handmade and truly a work of art!

This is a beautiful vintage carnival glass bowl with scalloped edges on top of a foot or pedistal. It is from the late 60s or early 70s and is in excellent condition; no chips or cracks. This would be an excellent addition to any collection or as a stand alone piece.

These are just a few of the items currently listed on http://www.insiderauctions.com/. List your items too - All Listings Are Free!

FREE Auction Listings

2008-09-10T10:35:00.005-04:00

You read it right, at http://www.insiderauctions.com/ you can list as many items as you want and all the listings are FREE.

When you list your items on Insider Auctions you can take full advantage of the following great features:

Free Auction Listings

Free Home Page Featured Listings

Free Category Featured Listings

Free Hightlighted Listings

Free Bold Type Listings

Free Buy Out Option

Free Reserve Price Listings

Free Relisting

Free Listings in Additional Category

Free Images (up to 5)

Free Custom Start Time Listings

Free Want Ad Listings

In addition, the final value selling fee is a low flat rate 3% and individual stores can be easily set up for a low mothly fee. Stop paying excessive fees! Visit http://www.insiderauctions.com/ where all your listings are FREE!

Snow Village Monks-A-Caroling

2008-06-18T23:42:00.002-04:00

As many of you avid collectors know, the Original Snow Village was the first village collection Department 56 introduced. As the line grew in popularity, many accessories were added to enhance the village. One of the accessories that was really popular was the Monks-A-Caroling, which featued four monks dressed in brown robes and carrying songbooks. Their Christmas songs could be heard throughout Snow Village as they travelled from house to house. Their checks were all aglow from the cold winter air, but hopefully they will be invited inside soon for cookies and hot chocolate.

The Monks-A-Caroling was item number 5040-7; it was introduced in 1984 and retired in 1988. It is currently up for auction at http://www.insiderauctions.com/. The starting bid is only $2.00 and it is New in the original box. If you missed out on this great accessory, we encourage you to follow this link http://www.insiderauctions.com/auction_details.php?name=Monks--A--Caroling--NEW&auction_id=3222 and place your bid now.

Nascar is HOT and so are Nascar Collectibles

2008-05-09T22:37:00.005-04:00

After last week's race, there's no wonder Nascar has so many fans willin to fight the rain, wait for hours in large lines to get into the track, and then stand 95% of the race so they won't miss a minute of the action. Can you just imagine how Denny Hamlin felt after he led something like 381 of 400 laps and then a tire went down? Next along comes Dale, Jr. who was looking for his first win in 70 something races and he's in the lead; enter the Wild Thing...the next thing Jr. knows he is spinning and instead of winning the race, he finishes 15!

Nascar race drivers are always giving the fans a show for their money and the crowds love it because it is never over until the checkered flag falls. I remember seeing wrecks crossing the finish line, drivers running out of gas within sight of the checkered flag, cars going across the finish line with the "big crash" going on behind them. The action just never seems to end and that is what we all love.

Another aspect of Nascar is the different things the fans collect. Some are happy with ornaments, caps or t-shirts purchased at the track, while others try to collect EveryThing! We have found one of the most popular collectibles is the Nascar Replicas produced by Action, Revell, Racing Champs, and many more. The different paint jobs on the cars for special races and the various sponsors add to the collectibility. About any race car fan you talk to has a "special driver" and they like to collect all the cars that "special driver" has driven in the various scale sizes they are available in. Nascar collectibles are extremely popular and continue to show upward trends.

Just recently listed on Insider Auctions are some great Nascar collectibles. If you are an avid collector, a beginner collector or just looking for a gift for a collectible friend, be sure to check them out the offerings.

Insider Auctions is looking for people to list various items for auction. The Basic Listings are FREE, the optional feature fees are low and the final value selling fee is only 2%.

Visit Insider Auctions where you "sell for less and save more of your money". Tell your friends too!

Barbie Doll in Hand Crocheted Gown

2008-05-05T23:09:00.000-04:00

Up for auction at Insider Auctions is a beautiful blond haired Barbie Doll with big blue eyes. She is dressed in a spectacular green crocheted gown that has a pearl and lace bodice. Her blond locks are covered with a wide brimmed hat trimmed in dark green, pearls and a delicate green feather. Barbie carries a green crocheted parasol also trimmed in pearls and lace.

This collectible Barbie is described as being in excellent condition and the starting bid is $10.00. Don't miss out on this, possibly once in a lifetime opportunity, to add this gorgeous doll to your collection.

Gift Idea for Mother's Day

2008-04-21T01:40:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day has been designated as the second Sunday in May since 1914. It is a day set aside for the family to lavish mom with gifts, weekends out of town, going out to dinner all in her honor. Flowers, cards and chocolate candies are among the most popular gifts given.

Just like dads get tired of ties, don't you think mom gets tired of the same hum drum card, flowers and candies? Why not give mom something she will cherish for the rest of her life? Something that will remind her of you and the day she became a mother. I'm talking about a beautiful Byers' Choice Caroler called "Mother's Day with Baby".

This item is currently up for auction on Insider Auctions and can be delivered in time for Mother's Day. The mother comes dressed in green, pink or blue and seller will allow you to choose the color you desire.

Visit Insider Auctions to place your bid and make Mother's Day a little more memorable for "mom" this year.

Please let us hear from you about your special gift ideas.

Tips for Auction Success

2008-04-17T23:08:00.000-04:00

There is nothing more frustrating than having a great product up for auction and no one bidding on it. Experts all agree that there are some key things you can do to draw more attention to your auctions and ultimately receive more bids.

Insider Auctions has developed a list of some of the best tips for auction success to hopefully help you entice more potential buyers to your auctions. After going through the list, visit http://www.insiderauctrions.com/ to try out these tips. Insider Auctions offers Free basic listings, low optional feature fees and a low flat 2% selling fee. We hope you find this information helpful and look forward to serving you.

Item Title
One of the most important ways to attract people to you auction is to set a great Title. When choosing a Title:

Include words people will search for.
Make your Title enticing so potential bidders will choose your item instead of others being offered.

Example:

If you want to sell an antique oak dining table, a Title like: old oak dining table would probably not bring in a lot of bidders. However, if you use a Title like: "Vintage Oak Dining Table - Excellent Condition - Collector's Item" not only would you get more potential bidders to view your auction, you would be using words people would be more likely to search for. Your auction Title will appear in searches for Vintage, Oak, Dining Table and Collectors Items which will allow even more potential bidders to see your Title.

Item Description
Another key element is the way you compose the Item Description:

Start with a very powerful paragraph to get the potential buyer interested enough to read the rest of the item description.
Use wording to excite helping the bidder to visualize kicking the tires, taking a test drive and increasing the desire to own the product. This will almost certainly guarantee more determined bidders.
Keep in mind Item Descriptions need to give enough information for bidders to determine if they want to bid, but too much rambling of information will discourage bids.
Be careful of misspelled words and typing errors
Describe your item in clean and accurate terms
Use lists to make your item's attributes easier to see. Don't make a list of boring features but rather a list of the benefits. A benefit is what a feature does for some one. Finding the right Benefits for an item can Really Sell.
Try to make your item well worth the price you're offering.
To get more people to bid, write a motivating short paragraph at the end telling the bidder why they should buy. Don’t just describe the item and end; motivate to buy

Example of a Watch up for auction:

Be the talk of the town with this prestigious 24ct gold watch.
Don't worry if it accidently gets wet because it is water resistant
Be confident you will always be on time because Rolex is extremely accurate

Item Condition
Tell the bidder the condition of the item.

Is it new and in original packaging?
Is it slightly used but in "like new" condition?
Does it have imperfections the bidder needs to know about before bidding?

This is all information the potential bidder will want to know prior to placing a bid.

Terms
Don’t take for granted a bidder will automatically accept your Terms.

Be very clear and concise in spelling out the Terms of your sell.
To increase sells it is always a good idea to either include insurance in the cost of shipping or to offer the buyer the opportunity to purchase insurance.
It has a negative affect on buyers when sellers use such statements as "Not Responsible for Item Once Shipped" or "Item Sold As Is".
It is a good idea to have some sort of guarantee on the merchandise you sell; this gives the bidder a sense of security when placing a bid.

Shipping
Shipping falls in the same category as Terms. Don’t take anything for granted.

Be specific and spell out what shipping charges will be.
Don’t try to rip off buyers by inflating the shipping price to increase your profit. People have a fair idea of what shipping costs should be and if they feel you are trying to cheat them on shipping they may not bid on any of the items you have listed.

Testimonials
Some people like to use testimonials from people who have previously owned the item they have up for auction. This could be a past customer or someone who has owned a similar product. Testimonials are technically other people selling your item for you. They can be very powerful and create belief in the quality of what you are offering.

Images
People want to see what they are bidding on:

It is very important that you use at least one image on your auction page.
More than one image is really better since it gives bidders a clearer understanding of what they are bidding on. All you need is an inexpensive digital camera and you are ready to go.
Show the item's details or any imperfections it may have with clear pictures that are well lit.
One other consideration is the size of the picture; be sure to keep the image at a reasonable pixel size so the page doesn't take too long to load. Potential bidders will leave after a few seconds if the page has not loaded.

Customer Support
Quickly respond to all emails regarding your auctions. Let potential bidders know their questions are important to you and you want them to understand exactly what they are bidding on. If you don’t, bidders may look to someone else for the product.

Reserve Price
While some people believe there is a time and place for putting a Reserve Price on an auction

You may actually get more bids using no reserve at all.
Do research on the price of the item to help you make your decision.
If you do decide to use a Reserve Price, keep it real.

Auction Start and End Times
Always plan your auction start and ending times around the bidders you want to attract to your auctions. It is usually toward the end of an auction when the bidding gets hot and heavy; therefore, if you want your item to sell for a good price, it makes sense to end the auction at a time when someone is going to be around to bid on it. Create a profile on your product and what group of the population you are selling to.

Selling to Business Consumers
If you are selling business equipment and have mostly business customers:

Schedule your ending auction time between 9am and 5pm on weekdays.
It is a good idea to try and avoid mornings, especially Mondays.

Selling to Home Consumers
If you believe most of your sales are going to private customers having it shipped to their own homes:

You want your auctions to end when these kinds of buyers will be around.
Unfortunately, you will find these times are the opposite of what they are for the business customers.
The ideal time to catch a home customer is between 8pm and 11pm after the children are in bed, and Sunday evenings.

Scheduled Start Time
Of course you can't always be around when you need to start an auction so it will end at a specific time. Not to worry, there is a place to specify the time you want the auction to start.

Many tools are available through the Insider Auctions site and it is a good idea to make use of them.
Scheduling a starting time has a nominal fee, but well worth the little extra expense to get your item in front of your targeted bidders at the targeted time.

Listing Duration
At the time you list an item for auction, you can select the duration to run the auction.

To end on a specific day, you can simply change the duration depending on the day listed.

Example:

If you mostly sell to home consumers and the day the auction is listed is Thursday, your auction needs to run either 3 or 10 days to hit a Sunday.
If you sell more to businesses and the day listed is Friday, any listing duration would be good except for a 1 day auction since most people are off on Saturday resulting in a smaller bidder pool.
Draw up a timetable of when you should and shouldn't be listing depending on the days of the week.
Highlight days of the week using red, amber and green, traffic light style and
Hang the list close to the computer for easy at-a-glance access.
Experiment to find what day is the best day to end an auction
Use a variety of web-based research tools to determine what day and what auction durations are best for your products.
Listing durations can also be used to generate a sense of urgency, especially for much sought after items. This can appeal to impulse buyers and prompt them to bid now rather than wait. The 1 or 3 day auctions work best for this scenario.

Feedback
After the buy and sell has been finalized, it is imperative that you leave feedback about your experiences with each other.

This information can then be used by others to determine what kind of transactions other buyers and sellers have had with a specific buyer or seller.
It is very important to keep your feedback rating positive so others will want to deal with you.

Now, hopefully you are equipped with everything you need to have successful auctions. Try out your new found skills at http://www.insiderauctions.com/ for Free. All basic listings are Free, the optional feature fees are minimal and the selling fee is a flat rate 2%. Give us a try!

Dutch Auctions

2008-04-15T19:59:00.000-04:00

Many people are confused as to what a Dutch Auction really is so I am going to try to explain.

In a live Dutch Auction, a seller offers an item up for bid at a very high price. The price is much higher than the value of the item and no seller expects to get the initial price. However, the auctioneer begins with the high price and lowers the price incrementally until a bidder is willing to accept the price or the seller's reserve price is met. This type of auction is popular when it is important to sell an item quickly, since one bid is all that is required.

Dutch Auctions are useful for selling multiples of the same item. For example, if a business has three computers for sell, the first bidder may purchase one computer for $1200, however, the auction will continue since only one computer has been sold. The price will continue to go down until the next bidder chooses to accept the price, say $1000 for example. Since the auction began with three computers to be sold, the auction continues. The price continues to go down and the bidders become anxious since only one computer is left. When the auction reaches $800, the price the seller has set as the reserve price, no other bidders have indicated a williness to pay the price and the auction ends with only two winners. One paying $1200 and one paying $1000.

At first glance, it appears the sellers could be losing money in a Dutch Auction; however, in reality the sellers generally make more than they would with the traditional auction. In a traditional auction, bidders do raise the price but they rarely raise the price above the item's actual value. They have no reason to act fast because they know exactly when the auction will end and in some auctions they can sneak in a last minute bid that is slightly higher and almost instantly become the winner. In a live Dutch Auction the bidders have to act fast because they have no idea when the auction may end. Therefore, even though the price is being lowered, bidders will end up paying at or even above the item's value. Remember the starting price was much higher than the items real value.

Dutch Auctions are also used in online auctions where several identical items are sold at the same time to an equal number of high bidders. Online auctions work a little differently to the one above. At the time the seller initiates a listing, the seller indicates how many items are available for the Dutch Auction. Bidders place bids on the items until the auction ends. At the end of the auction, the top number of bidders equal to the number of items up for auction will be the winners, unless a reserve price has been indicated. An example would be a seller has four identical computers for sale and the reserve price is set at $800. At the end of the auction period, bids are placed for $1500, $1200, $800 and $600. Since the reserve price is $800, there are only three winners who pay $1500, $1200 and $800 respectively.

As you can see the biggest difference between live Dutch Auctions and online Dutch Auctions is the fact that sellers do not have the opportunity online to set a high starting price and drop the price incrementally. The seller has to accept the top bids, regardless of price, up to the number available or the reserve price is met.

Of course you should keep in mind different online sites handle Dutch Auctions in different ways. Some take an average of all the bids placed and charge all of the winning bidders the same price. Some charge the winning bidders the lowest price bid.

The above is intended to give you the general concept of Dutch Auctions and is not intended to be the only way Dutch Auctions can be handled. The key is multiple identical items are sold through one auction.

Lighthouses Being Auctioned Off By Coast Guard

2008-04-10T23:31:00.000-04:00

In this day and time people auction off almost anything. Today I read an article in the USA Today about a man who had won an online auction for the Thimble Shoal Lighthouse near Fort Monroe, VA. It sold for $65,000.

It seems that the modern vessels have more advanced technology and have made the lighthouses obsolete. I know at one time lots of people were avid collectors of Harbour Lights and tried desperately to not only buy all the lighthouses but to visit all of them as well. I have been to several and have really loved seeing this piece of history but I never thought about buying one.

According to the article an amendment to the National Historic Preservation Act in 2000 made it possible for the Coast Guard to auction off the lighthouses if they could not find a state, city or non-profit organization willing to take over ownership and upkeep. Since that time the Coast Guard has been able to giveaway and auction 41 lighthouses and has plans for disposing of a dozen or so more this year.

As part of the amendment, lighthouses have to made available first to state and local governments or non-profit organizations for free. If no one is interested or willing to take them over for free, then the Coast Guard is free to auction them. One man in the article was quoted saying "It's kind of an interesting real estate dynamic, We can't give it away, so we sell it."

Whether you are in the market for a "real" lighthouse or a replica such as the ones made by Harbour Lights, it appears auctions are the place to look. If you are not in the market for the "real thing", we have replicas listed at http://www.insiderauctions.com/.

This is a picture of the Harbour Lights Middle Bay, Alabama lighthouse. It is a limited edition and is a beautiful replica of the real lighthouse.

I don't know about you, but I can't figure out why there is a bull on the deck or how it got there. If you know the answer will you please enlighten me.

The Harbour Lights Middle Bay Lighthouse is currently listed on Insider Auctions (http://www.insiderauctions.com/). To place a bid click on the following link. http://www.insiderauctions.com/auction_details.php?name=Middle-Bay-Alabama-Lighthouse&auction_id=2576

Tennessee Lady Vols Win It All

2008-04-08T22:52:00.000-04:00

Tennessee Lady Volunteers just won their 8th National Championship!! Can't you just imagine how much more valuable all that collectible memorabilia is going to be. Rocky Top all the Way. It was an outstanding game and I hope everyone watched it. I wonder if Pat Summitt's assistanct coaches get new Mercedes again this year? What a way for this team to end the year!

New Department 56 Listings

2008-04-06T22:09:00.000-04:00

Take a look at a few of the new Department 56 items that have just been listed on Insider Auctions.

Department 56 - Alpine Village Series
Leading the Bavarian Cow
Item #56.56214

Up for your consideration is this highly detailed piece that commemorates Bavarian Cow Herders, also known as senners, who place a bell around the neck of the lead cow to let the other cattle know who's in charge.
Size: 3.5 x 1.5 x 2.25" Collector Notes: Introduced December, 1999
Retired December, 2002

Visit Insider Auctions to place your bid on Leading the Bavarian Cow

Department 56
Dickens' Village Series
Queens Port Lighthouse
Item #56.58714

Up for your consideration is this highly detailed porcelain lighthouse.
For hundreds of years, the lighthouses on England's shorelines have come to symbolize a nostalgic ideal. Based on distinctive design and beautiful maritime settings, their romantic appeal in enhanced by heroic profiles of lonely, duty-bound lighthouse keepers who risked their lives to ensure the safety of sailors, ships and cargo. Comes complete with light cord Size: 7 x 5.5 x 9.75"
Collector Notes:
Introduced December, 2003
Retired December, 2004

To place a bid on the Queen's Port Lighthouse go to Insider Auctions.

New England Village

Old North Church

The Old North Church came into the Dickens Village collection in 1988 and was retired by Department 56 in 1998. It was inspired by the historic landmark in Boston Christ Church where sexton Robert Newman hung lanterns in its steeple to warn colonists in Charlestown that the British were on their way to Lexington and Concord.

The Old North Church was really something to look at...constructed in red brick, with white stained glass windows a large wooden door for the villages to enter through and a white bell tower and steeple. A beautiful green wreath has been hung with care to decorate for the Christmas season. The Church being offered is in new condition and comes with the box and sleeve along with the light cord.

To place a bid on the New England Old North Church go to Insider Auctions.

Be one of the few collectors who have this unique pin specifically designed with the Department 56 collector in mind. It is made of gold and rhinestone spelling out the words Dept 56. The pin is in new condition. To my knowledge these are no longer available.

To bid on this beautiful Dept 56 Pin go to Insider Auctions

There are lots more items listed. Best of all, if you have items to sell, basic listings are Free. Whether buying or selling, come check out the auction site that cares about buyers and sellers.

Clean Out the Clutter for Profit

2008-04-05T19:42:00.000-04:00

Spring is in the air and it is that time of year when our thoughts turn to spring cleaning. As we look around we see clutter in the kitchen cabinets, the bathroom cabinets, the closets, the basement and the garage. Where oh where did all this "stuff" come from?? I'm sure someone broke into our house while we were asleep and cluttered it up; we could never have done this. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it)

I cleaned out my kitchen cabinets a few days ago and was amazed that I packed up 7 boxes full of items I had not used in years. Some items were brand new - take the pasta machine that I used one time. Remember the day when everyone had to have a pasta machine to create more nutritious meals ~ they make it look so easy on television. My husband was helping me carry the boxes to the basement (to deal with later) when he commented he was amazed the cabinets even stayed on the walls. As much as I wanted to get mad, I have to admit I was pretty impressed myself...who would ever imagine nails and glue could be that strong!

After you gather all the clutter into one spot, then you are faced with what to do with it. With gas prices and groceries sky rocketing most of us are looking for ways to bring in a little extra income. We've tried several approaches that ultimately led us to develop an auction web site. We tried having yard sales, and I don't think I have ever worked so hard for so little money in my life!! We tried eBay but by the time we paid the listing fees and the final value fees, which we never understood, we made almost as much as we did having yard sales. I'm sure we are not the only ones who have had these experiences. Since I have been involved in web design for many years, we decided to try our hand at an online auction site where basic listings would be FREE. The site is called Insider Auctions and you can list everything for FREE. Optional features are available but the fees are very low. When the item sells, you pay a low flat rate final value fee of 2%. If the item doesn't sell, simply relist it, again for FREE.

As you do your spring cleaning, make a digital picture of items you want to list on http://www.insiderauctions.com/. At the end of a hard working productive day, go to Insider Auctions and register to buy and sell. Once registered, click on Sell and the listing process is very user friendly and easy to use. If you have a lot of items you are interested in selling, open a store. Send me an email to let me know you read our blog and I'll waive the cost of the store for the first month and it will be FREE. My email address is linda@insiderauctions.com.

Remove the clutter and make a profit! What have you got to lose??

The History of Auctions

2008-04-03T19:54:00.000-04:00

The exact date auctions were first organized is not known; however, it is generally accepted that auctions were recorded as early as 500 B.C. The Babylonians held wedding auctions annually where women were sold for the purpose of marriage. Of course, the most beautiful women received the most vigorous bidding and the prices paid were high. Owners of the less attractive women had to add dowries or other monetary offers in order to make the sale and the price could actually be a negative figure for the buyer.

The Romans were the first to organize sales of goods at auctions. They used the auction process to liqudate personal property as well as selling items seized in wars with rivals. Auctions were held at the “Atrium” for the purpose of selling the “spoils of war” for the soldiers after a military victory. Business agents were said to have accompanied warriors into battle in order to facilitate and promote expected sales.

The Chinese used auctions to sell surplus property to raise money for religious leaders and temples. It appears they used a similar process in planning and managing a sale as we do today.
During the 15th century, King Henry VII of England instituted some of the earliest auction laws, including auction licenses. In the 1600’s the British organized regular auctions of books and art at “public outcry”. Auctions were held in taverns and coffee houses in the seventeenth century in Great Britian and announcements of sales devoted to land appeared in the London Evening Post in 1739.

The methods of the English came to America with the English immigrants in the 1700’s; however, the economy was struggling and there was very little place for auctions and auctioneers. It appears the only time auctions were necessary was when property needed to be sold to satisfy debts for nonpayment of taxes. The stigma of selling at “forced sales” attached itself to the auction business for centuries. In addition, slavery did not help the reputation of auctioneers. Public sales of slaves helped fuel the largest slave market in the western world. Selling slaves at “public outcry” began in Virginia and quickly spread south.

After the Civil War, auctioneers traveled to larger cities and ports to sell goods off merchant ships, dispose of damaged goods and sell estates. Auctioneers sold anything they could get and were successful in making money, but not in helping their reputation or image.

The auction business continued in the same rut through the 1800’s and the first half of the 1900’s. After World War II, auctions started to make great strides when businessmen began to see an opportunity to use auctions as an alternate marketing tool. The sale of goods and real estate at private sales boomed in the post war period; in fact there was a need in many cases to move real estate and property faster than the private market would allow. Businessmen in business suits and ties began to nurture the auction business and raise the reputation of the auctioneers to a higher degree. By this time auctioneers had business links to banks, attorneys, accountants, the court system, government agencies and the public.

Today, auctions fill the buying and selling needs of millions of people around the world and have become part of the American way of life. There are auction houses, local auctions, private auctions, estate auctions and internet auctions just to mention a few. Auctions are recognized as an excellent means of selling goods, services and real estate to buyers who are willing to pay the highest price.