The Role of the Online Auctioneer

The Auctioneer’s involvement in an online auction usually starts weeks before the actual sale date.  In most cases we will have provided our client with a formal RICS “red book” valuation detailing our opinion of the value of the assets to be sold.  Once the client has this and has agreed to sell their assets by online auction then the auctioneer gets involved.

The first job is to attend the sale site to assess and lot the assets for sale, providing detailed descriptions, photographs and videos for each lot and checking/ensuring their compliance in terms of health and safety.  During this visit, the auctioneer will conduct a site inspection to also ensure the site is safe for bidders and note any precautions that bidders will need to take when visiting the site.

Consideration will be given to whether assets would be best grouped together or sold as individual lots, in order to ensure the maximum realisation is achieved for each client.

Once all the assets have been lotted then we can produce an online sale catalogue which will also involve setting reserves (agreed with the client and based on our valuation report), starting bid levels and suitable bid increments. We will also obtain manuals for the lots and attach these to the lot details as a downloadable document.

Once the catalogue is published the marketing starts. To ensure a successful auction it is important that all interested parties (potential or actual) are aware of the sale to ensure the best realisation for the client.  Our marketing is bespoke and tailored for each sale and involves using various channels such as email campaigns, telephone calls, advertising in industry publications and on social media and contacting our own comprehensive database of appropriate buyers.

During this marketing process, it is essential for the auctioneer to process new registrations promptly, monitor bids and arrange viewing appointments to gauge how much interest there is in the sale and whether additional marketing is required to reach a wider audience.  The auctioneer will also provide support to bidders, including answering questions about the machinery, assisting with bidding procedures, and ensuring they have all necessary information to participate in the sale.

Before the sale day we will have viewing days where we encourage bidders to attend to physically inspect the lots to ascertain their condition and suitability for the purpose for which the Buyer wishes to purchase them.

Prior to and on the sale day, there will be new bidder registrations to approve by checking their credentials, as well as answering bidders’ questions about the lots and the bidding process right up to the close of the auction.  Once all the lots in the auction have closed, and following confirmation from the Vendor, the Marriott & Co. auction team will start the process of generating and issuing invoices to the successful bidders and also negotiating the sale of any lots that may not have met their reserve.

Once the lots have been invoiced, the auction team will monitor the purchasers’ incoming payments to our RICS regulated Client account and then arrange collection appointments with the buyers.  Where necessary we will also request a Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) to ensure that the larger lots are decommissioned and removed from the site safely and ensure that there is no damage to the site.

During the collection period which is often one week, Marriott & Co. will oversee the purchasers or their engineers and hauliers to ensure that the correct lots are collected and also making sure that lots are decommissioned and uplifted in accordance with the RAMS so the site remains safe for all involved and that no damage is caused to personnel, other lots or the premises.

Once all the lots have been collected and the site left safe and tidy, the auctioneer will provide the client with settlement paperwork detailing the realisation with a breakdown of the sale price for each lot, and a note our prior agreed fees and disbursements and most importantly, the transfer of funds to our clients’ chosen bank account.

In summary, the role of an online auctioneer is comprehensive, starting from the initial lotting of assets, through catalogue production and marketing, to managing auction day activities and handling post-sale logistics. The online auctioneer’s goal is to ensure the maximum realisation is achieved for their clients’ assets in a safe and timely manner that meets the needs of both seller and the buyers.

Should you have any redundant assets, whether a single machine or a complete plant, then our Auction Manager John Stickland would be very pleased to provide you with a sale proposal.

John Stickland, Auction Manager

John can be contacted on 07398 718446 or auctions@marriottco.co.uk