We're moving right into auction season and I'm curious who your favorite auction companies are. What sales have you been too and what your experiences have been with different outfits. Also what sales have you sold stuff at and how were you treated? What were commisions like and how was the price recieved. I have been to quite a few Richie Bros auctions but attended significantly more online. They have good selection but with all their advertising and splash and dash paint jobs often unrealistic prices are recieved for old junk, especially old Cat stuff that goes to who knows where. I find them reasonable to deal with but watch out for "extra" charges. Example, internet purchase fee, and 10% added to purchases selling for under 2500, etc. I find selling stuff there hurts. Excessive commisions and their guarantees on spreads are really off the wall. Don't know why they're called guarantees. The only guarantee is RB is gonna make alot of money on them. But for an auction attending environment nothing beats them. Lots of big shiny yellow iron and spending a day at a sale beats fishing. They're not that big in industrial equipment but I always enjoy Hodgins Auctioneers out of Melfort, Sask. Their president is one of the nicest guys in the industry. The biggest auction crowd I've seen was at one of their spring sales at their yard, 11000 people. Selling stuff here is good with decent commissions. I brought a semi load of small industrial equipment here once and got 8% on the whole load. Payment arrives in 30 days vs 21 days for RBA. I've only bought from Ironplanet a time or two but have always had good luck there. Never sold here tho. Some other sales I've attended and purchased at Del Peterson Auctions, one owner construction company auction in Nebraska Schapansky Auctioneers, a medium size auction company with a yard in Sask and onsite services as well. Sells mostly agriculture equipment. Auction companies I've bought stuff from online or proxy Rene Bates, online auction company Cain Auctions, a smaller auction company in Arkansas Miediema Auctions, internet as well as live auctions Richason Auction, a medium sized company based out of TN Lets hear your stories and/or opinions.
Hunyady has to be the best well run auctions that I ever attend, and I go to alot of them. Mike is a very good business man and well respected.
I really like IronPlanet. I like the way their website is setup and the way the bidding works. Also, you can really trust their inspections which otherwise you'd have to do yourself or pay somebody to do. Plus, you can stay in your office and get your work done and still be able to bid without making a whole day trip out of it or getting hit with crazy "online bidder fees" What's up with those fee's anyway, it's not like going through the internet is some kind of burden for them? Most companies offer you rewards/discounts if you go through their online methods, but auction companies punish you? :beatsme
Yoder & Frey's Winter auction in Kissimmee FL in the last 18 years i have made it too 16 of them and i have all the hats to prove it too LoL
From the auctions that Ive been too I have always liked the Darrel Dunkle auctions, but it seems that all they have been doing is an auction at there own site twice a year. Other then that the midema auctions are always nice and the Iron planet internet auctions have a great amount of info.
Ebay's got some good deals and, for sellers, has the lowest commissions around. Also, very easy to create an ad for selling equipment site unseen.
Another thing to consider about buying on eBay is the auction fee is incorporated into the price, whereas most auction companies tack on their percentage after the bidding is done.
I like Miedima auctions in Michigan, they are a really good small company. Also Quarrick, JJ Kane, and Ironplanet. Ritchie Bros has the best selection but the prices they are getting out of this stuff is almost retail price! You can go to a dealer and buy just about as cheap and avoid the risk. It makes me wonder if they are baiting the guys at the sales to keep bidding, probably not but it would explain the prices. Watch out for Lyon auctions i have bought two items online and they were not even remotely as described and they wouldnt do anything about it..