Auction Bargains.
Getting the Best Buy.

To get the best bargain deals at an auction you need to be prepared. You need to be armed with knowledge. What to do before it starts. What to do after it starts. What to do when it ends. How to get the best buy on an item.

I would like to help you do just that by taking you to a day at the auction.

Preparations you make the day before will save you a lot of trouble the next day. Do you know where you are going or will you need your map? Bring your flier and any reference material such as the classified ads, a bargain trader magazine, or a used car price guide. A note pad and pen will also come in very handy. Are you bringing your own food and drink? Can you pack it up now?

How about your rig. Is it full of gas, oiled up, and ready to roll? If your bringing a trailer is it hooked up and ready to roll? You don't want to lose a wheel while towing all of you treasures home. If you have a trailer, bring it. It's far better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Put your tie-downs and spare tire in the rig now.

Line up your clothes for the next day. Dress for the weather, or the changing weather. You will probably be outside most of the day. Will you need your boots? Gloves? Hat? Raincoat? Umbrella? Sunscreen? Bug spray? Don't forget your sunglasses.

Are you bringing a bargain buddy? No, I'm not talking about the evil spyware program, I'm talking about your spouse, your best friend, your brother, sister, son, daughter, mother, father, or neighbor. If so, are they ready to go? Are you ready to go? Good. So am I.

Try to get a good nights sleep. It's going to be a big day. The night before a sale I'm like a kid waiting for the bell to ring on that last day of school. I can't sleep. But you should. Why? Because you want to get there early. For many reasons.

Previewing

First of all, you want to get a parking spot that's close to the action. Not one that's a half mile away. Then we won't have to walk so far to unload our bargains or grab a bite to eat. What? You didn't bring anything to eat? That's alright. Most auctions have a concession stand.

The next thing you want to do is get your bidding number right away. Now. Before you get sidetracked. (What? Sidetracked? Yes, sidetracked.) It's easy to get caught up looking at all of the cars, trucks, tractors, boats, furniture, glassware, tools, and endless boxes of goodies. Suddenly the auction starts. This is not the time to be standing in line waiting to get a number. Oh look! There goes that antique vase you wanted.

Right, then. You got your number. Now we can get the lay of the land. Most of the consignment and personal property auctions that I've been to have been outside. They have the smaller items in one area, usually on hay wagons or tables, and the larger items in rows.

Depending on the size of the auction there may be two rings. Two auctioneers going at the same time. If this is the case you really want to know ahead of time what items you want to bid on and where they are. This is a good time to have a bargain buddy. You just can't be in two rings at once. Oh no! there goes the bargain on a jewelry box you wanted.

One ring or two, you still need to know what you want to bid on and where it is. Remember your note pad? Good. Write these things down. It's no fun coming out of the porta-john (sidetracked) and seeing some one walking away with that power tool you wanted. You might still be able to buy it, but it won't be a bargain anymore.

Make a note of the items that you have examined and are going to bid on. This will help to prevent spontaneous bidding. Acting on impulse, without looking or thinking, the box of bargain baby clothes could end up being a box of expensive shop rags.

Auctions are almost always "sold as is, where is." No guarantees, no warranties. Let the buyer beware. People sell things for many reasons. At an auction it's usually because they don't need it or want it anymore. They would rather have the money. Sometimes though it's because there is something wrong with it. Check it out.

Preview the items before the auction starts. Examining an item and bidding on it at the same time doesn't work out too well. Find out where the auctioneer plans to start. Start previewing there and work away from there. That way, if the auction starts before you are ready, you know what's between you and him. If there isn't anything you want between you and him you can keep looking.

Examine closely anything you will be bidding on. Just because a toaster oven looks new in the box does not mean it's new in the box. Pull it out and look at it. Are all the knobs on it? Does it have the rack and tray inside? Is the glass cracked? Is it even a toaster oven in the box?

If your looking for a bargain on a bed comforter, or a quilt, is it ripped or stained? The same goes if your looking for a bargain on childrens clothes. Buttons missing? Zippers work?

If it's a motorized vehicle does it start? Does it move? Coolant in the oil? Oil in the coolant? Good tires? Bad tires? Cracked glass? Rips, holes, stains, stink? These are things you want to know before you bid and certainly before you get it home. If the owner is there talk to them. You get a much better bargain if you know exactly what you are getting.

If you're going to be bidding on a particular vehicle find out in advance if the title is there and if it is a clear title. It's a crying shame to get a bargain on used autos only to find out you can't drive it or sell it because of title problems. Find out when, where, and how the title will be transfered before you bid on it. You can usually find cheap cars at the auctions.

Bidding

At this point you must be FULLY AWARE of two things. One: What is being sold. And two: How much money are they talking about.

First of all, exactly what is being sold. Is it one roll of chain link fence or all ten rolls of chain link fence. Is the bid price per "piece" or "all to go"? It would be a shame to think you got all ten rolls for 80 bucks (a bargain) only to find out you bought all ten for 80 bucks a roll (not a bargain).

Make sure of the item itself (especially if you just got sidetracked). You don't want to think that your're getting a bargain on a collectible antique and then discover you actually overpaid on the ratty lawn mower next to it.

Now that you know for sure what it is you are bidding on, how much is it really?

When these auctioneers get on a roll they can really go. My bargain buddy once said to me, "Dad, watch his lips." I looked at the auctioneers lips. They blurred together like the blades of a fan. I couldn't tell one from the other. Check it out sometime. Just don't get sidetracked if your bidding.

Their words seem to blend together just as well. 125 can sound like 25, and 125 looking for 150 is not always 1.25 looking for 1.50. Make sure 5 is 5 dollars, not 5 hundred dollars. If you're just getting back from getting a chili dog (not a bargain) ((sidetracked)) and you realize that laptop you wanted is now on the block. Make sure it's 27.50 your bidding and that your not jumping in at 227.50.

Now you're sure of the item and the price. The auctioneer is still going at warp speed, arms flailing in every direction. There's a bidder here. There's one over there. There's one behind you and one next to you. They're all bidding on the item you want. Or are they?

Most auctioneers are honest people. Depending on where you live, they may be licensed and bonded as well. But as in all walks of life, and in all professions, there are honest people and dishonest people. Fact of life. Sorry, but it is.

A dishonest auctioneer will get a bid out of you. Then he'll point into the crowd and get a bid out of "someone" and come back to get a higher bid out of you. Since you are bidding against a phantom, you are actually bidding against yourself. This is harder to spot in larger crowds. Especially if other real people are actually bidding.

Just be aware of your surroundings and what's going on. You're at 5 and he points south for 6. Then he comes back to you for 7. Take a second and look south (not a sidetrack). If there's nothing in that direction but the porta-john or a kid eating an ice cream cone it's time to stop bidding.

You're sure of all things and you have an honest auctioneer. He starts the bid at 50 on an item. Wow! What a deal. Especially since you've always wanted one of those. Hold on now. Don't get over excited and take off faster than the auctioneer. Let's see what happens.

If someone else bids 50 then it's time to get in. You'll be in a little higher than if you would have bid right away. But what if no one else bids? Now the bid drops to 40. Easy now. 30? I know your full of adrenaline but hang in there. No one else is bidding. 20? OK,OK. I can't take it anymore either. Bid 20. Now what?

One of two things. No one else bids and the item is yours for 20 instead of 50. A bargain just turned into a super bargain. The second scenario? Some one bids 30, you 40, them 50, right back where it started. If it's still a bargain bid 60. Them 70, you 80, them 90, you 100? Wait a minute. What's going on here? You can see the person you're bidding against. It's not a phantom. Is it still a deal?

Part of being prepared is knowing what the item is worth and what it is worth to you. Remember your note pad where you listed the item? It's a good idea to jot down the most you are willing to pay. Do this when you are examining the item before the auction starts. At that point you are level headed and thinking clearly. Let your bargain buddy know too so he can stop you if you lose controll.

"100. Yes or no?". If your notes allow 100 then bid 100. If they say 80 realize now that you're caught up in the excitement of the auction. You're running on emotion and unbridled adrenaline. Not good.

A good auctioneer can whip a crowd into a frenzy. He's not being dishonest if he can get 180 out of you for an item you could have bought at the store for 160. He's just doing his job. And very well I might add.

Know when to stop. Walk away if you have to. If you're in it for more than it's worth, and you get off the hook by a bid from someone else, RUN AWAY!

Yes, there could have been another outcome. Let's go back to the beginning. The bidding starts at 50. It's a bargain. You don't want to wait. A lot of people were looking at it and it's going to go up for sure. You want to be in at 50, 70, 90, not 60, 80, 100.

Closing

Put the item in a secure place right away. A bargain can sprout legs and walk away. Then it's not a bargain anymore. Not for you anyway. Hang on to it or put it in your vehicle (good parking spot). If you're following the auction action don't leave it behind. Have your bargain buddy put it in the vehicle for you.

All that's left to do now is pay the tab. The clerk has been keeping track of each item sold, the bid price, and the bidder number. Remember, they are only human and humans make mistakes. Check your bill. It's not a bargain if you pay for something you didn't bid on. Most auction companies take cash and good checks. Some even take credit cards (careful now).

Well, the auction is over. Because you came prepared, you have bagged a bargain, maybe more than one. And you had fun doing it. You may have even met some interesting people. Auctions are an excellent and exciting bargain source. My philosophy is, "So many auctions, so little time." There are many different types of auctions.

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