Five Tips for Selling at Live Auctions

Ah, the old-fashioned country auction! The idea of a country auction conjures up certain images for people. The image of a fast-talking auctioneer offering up an antique table or chair is a popular example.

People who are buying household goods or collectibles are looking to get their items at the lowest price possible. However, the people who are selling their items at auction are hoping for the highest price!

Unless a person is in the business of buying and selling antiques or other items, not a lot of thought goes into how goods are prepared for sale via the auction process. However, if you are one of the growing number of people using auction venues to sell your collectibles or other inventory, there are a few things to learn first about how to sell at auction before you bring a truckload of stuff over to the next event.

Tip 1: Make sure the things you want to sell are a good “fit” for the auction house you’ll be using.

Never bring a load to an auction house without actually having been to one of the previous auctions. It’s important to get a feel for the type of goods that the house sells. For example, at one very rural country auction it was common for the owners to sell live chickens, pots and pans, car parts, and farm equipment.

After close investigation, this would not be the right venue for selling your daughter’s “Hello Kitty” collection. On the other hand, the spare John Deere parts that you bought at last week’s yard sale might be just the right thing for the buying crowd at this auction.

Tip 2: Be sure you clearly understand the terms and policies of the auction house.

Visit with the auctioneer ahead of time. Call to find out what the best days and times are to visit. One of the worst possible times to drop in for an informational visit with an auctioneer is the day of the auction. Call ahead and ask. While you’re at it, find out what are the best days and times to drop your stuff off.

Once you have a little time with the auctioneer, you’ll be able to find out what type of commission he or she takes from consigners (which is you), and what type of paperwork might be needed. Some auction houses send out Form 1099 tax forms at the end of the year. An auctioneer may need to see your identification and have you fill out a W-9. Be prepared.

Find out what happens to your items if they don’t sell. For example, some auctioneers may have a minimum starting bid. If, for some reason, one of your items does not sell, it may be grouped with another one of your pieces. Know the auctioneer’s strategy beforehand so that you aren’t surprised on pay day.

Tip 3: Make sure the auctioneer knows what you’re selling.

It might be perfectly obvious to you that the signed print you are consigning is a rare and valuable piece of art. However, the auctioneer may not know this particular artist. Make a note of anything particularly special about your items, and leave the note with the piece. Be sure to tell the auctioneer about it as well. He or she might determine that this is something to highlight on the company website or in the newspaper listing.

Tip 4: Present your items neatly.

No one likes to have to dig through a box full of grimy and greasy car parts to see what treasures might be in there. Separate the parts and lay them out on a flat, or use more than one box to de-clutter the lot.

There is no need to buy fancy display boxes. It’s easy enough to go to the local convenience store or supermarket and ask if you can have the emptied boxes or flats that they are discarding.

While it’s good to present clean items, take care not to ruin the value of anything by over cleaning. For example, if you find some old cast iron cookware, clean the obvious dirt and grime, but don’t scrub it to its original finish. For many people, this ruins the value of the item. So, clean and tidy and organized is the key here.

Tip 5: Don’t complain to the auctioneer if your stuff doesn’t sell for as much as you’d like.

The phrase to remember here is, “You win some; you lose some.” That’s just the way it is. There are some days where an auction house is loaded with people who all seem to want what you’re selling. There will be other days where the crowd is sparse, and the bidding is simply not competitive.

Remember that it’s in the auctioneer’s best interest to sell your things for the highest possible hammer price. But sometimes, it’s just not going to be a stellar sale. The auctioneer is only human, and is also disappointed if a sale doesn’t go as well as planned.

If you notice that every time you bring a bunch of goods to sell that you’re not realizing as much as you think you honestly should, try another auction venue and compare apples to apples. That is, bring the same types of items to the new auctioneer and compare the results.

Unless the auctioneer is particularly disagreeable or inconsiderate to you or buyers, there is no reason to confront him or her about a sale. If you find you just don’t care for an auctioneer’s style or methods, find another one. Believe me, there are plenty of them out there!

The primary thing to remember as you learn how to sell at auction is that the business is unpredictable at best. You will have good days, some not-so-good days, some great days. The more you sell, the more experience you will gain, and the more enjoyable the business will be.

Home Based Small Business: How to Start a Home Based Business

Home based small business is a nice idea especially if you do not want to work in a traditional office scenario. This type of business is also ideal for anyone who doesn’t have the capital to start a business. Most of the home based businesses have no startup costs. They offer you a flexible working environment while helping you achieve your dreams. Still, there are things you need to consider when planning to have a business right at the comfort of your home.Decide what business you would like to start. You can choose a business that sells a service or a business that sells a product. Each of these two has its pros and cons. Make sure that the home based small business that you choose fits your needs. Most of the time, service businesses don’t require start-up costs. These services will include graphic designing, computer programming, accounting, and copy writing. They are ideal if you do not have a college degree. But when selecting a business idea, you have to be creative. So, apart from putting up a daycare center or pet care service, you can also look for opportunities online. The opportunities offered over the Internet do not require a startup cost. As long as you have a decent Internet connection and your own computer, you will be ready to start your own home based small business online.Find resources you need. If you want an online business, then the things that you will need are computer and Internet connection. You may also need a desk where you can work on. You should also gather your friends and family and talk about your business. You can ask them to disseminate information about your business to their friends. In this way, you do not need to invest more money on advertising.Whatever type of home based small business you choose, you should always develop a regular work schedule. Although it offers flexible time, you still need to work hard to bring in more customers. Your workspace should also be a place where there are no distractions. Therefore, it is recommended that you come up with an organized workspace to help you think better while working at home.Having a business at home can be overwhelming at first. You may experience lack of organization and focus at times. However, if you have a designated workspace, your home based small business can be run in an organized manner and free from any distractions. You can have a sense of organization each day. Do not allow your family and friends to disturb you during your work hours. And do not be tempted to engage in activities that have nothing to do with your work.

Christian Home Based Business Opportunities – Key Secrets to Personal Integrity

Can’t Trust “Get Rich” Scams and Empty Promises

Home Based Business models and opportunities are everywhere on the internet. Very few are considered highly ethical or Christian Home Based Business Opportunities in which Personal Integrity plays a huge role in small businesses. Since the downturn of the economy, many money from home seekers hungered for “get rich” work at home jobs, soon discovered to be a facade, fake opportunities, SCAMS! Unfortunately, you can’t trust the content, support, training or even making money claims.

Seekers fled from the Job Fairs and Employment Community Meetings. They flocked to jobs from home, internet home based business models to making money online, and other creative ways to earn extra money. No one has to search long to see all the money making ideas on the internet trying to promise small businesses FREE traffic, MLM leads, a MLM opportunity, legitimate online data entry jobs, and various business ideas. Consequently, very few are concerned about ethics, honesty, honor, respect, and doing the right thing.

A Valid Question

People tirelessly have looked here and there for that “right” home based business income, an income that would deliver them from their current state of financial bondage. A Christian home based business opportunity could be the answer. Or at least businesses that encourages personal integrity.

So, why the important search to find a job from home that exemplifies value and integrity? What does the Entrepreneur get out of finding a business founded on integrity or involves himself in Christian opportunities?

Key Secrets of Personal Integrity

Purpose
Value
Respect
Positive Relationships
Love
Joy
Peace
These qualities attract people to create their own business at home, to write their own paycheck. Highly respected and valued desire.

People often experience extreme joy and excitement to make money from home and the number of work at home jobs increase daily. More people are driven to an affordable home based business that has integrity as a core value.

WOW! A REAL honest, money making online business opportunity!

What’s Really Important In Life

Although small businesses and at home jobs rarely develop any substantial home based business income quickly, it’s obvious why making money isn’t all there is to jobs from home. Home based business and personal integrity IS vital because people genuinely desire to:

leverage time to be with family and friends
earn extra money for vacations and travel
RELAX and enjoy life to the fullest
use their business or home opportunity to help others succeed
give to the needy
Your Immediate Challenge

Whether you want to earn money, develop internet home business, or began a home based business online, when it comes to success in life or business, discovering your purpose, your “why”, and key secrets of personal integrity, will place you miles ahead your competition!

Become serious about what you do and why. Christian Home Based Business Opportunities aren’t the only work from home jobs that can make a difference. You can too!