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.

If you are not personally effected by the current economic crisis, you are sure to know someone who is. In every town and on every street there are people currently struggling. You can learn how you can start your own home based business, right on the internet! If you search you can find the perfect online home based business opportunity, for you.There are many reasons why starting an online home based business is the solution to the current economic situation, here will will concentrate on some of the primary ones.

Good Business Practices: When you own your own home based business, you are in control of how it is conducted. There is no CEO pirating all the company income for their outrageous salaries, and golden parachutes. And there are no under the table or shady deals that you are unaware of.

Limited Start Up Expenses: Most home based businesses can be started on a limited budget, with a limited amount of time available to devote to it, and a limited amount of knowledge about it. In many home based business you can learn how to run your business as you work to develop it.

No Discrimination: When you have your own business, you will never be told your salary has been maxed out, or that there are no higher positions you can attain. If you are a minority (race, female, or elderly) it is never an issue when you work for yourself.

Greater Productivity: People are more productive when they work for themselves, and their income is directly proportional to the work they accomplish.

Corporate Security Myth: The days when working for a corporation ensured that you would have a decent retirement, adequate health care, or even steady work are long gone, if that ever really existed. Loyalty to and dependence on a corporation gets you nothing in return.
Today more than ever people are finding out that they have only themselves to rely on. They are discovering that the solution to their personal economic situation as well as the global economy are far more secure in the control of someone with a commitment to the growth of the business. Who has more commitment than the owner? No one! You should really seriously consider if an online home business solution, is what you have been searching for. Becoming a online home business owner can be very rewarding for the person who is serious about securing their future.

As many women already know, there is nothing more empowering than having control over your own finances and future. Women are making great strides in today’s world, and many empowered women today are entrepreneurs and business owners. In fact, the statistics on women in business and women who own businesses just keep getting better. If you Google “empowered women” you can find a wide variety of topics, from successful career women, to women’s self-help sites, to women’s blogs, to home-based business opportunities, to stay-at-home moms who made it big with a product or idea that really paid off.The idea of women in business is not new. Women are the original mothers of inventions. If they need it and can’t find it, they invent it, market it, and sell it. Women juggle families and careers and still manage to donate, volunteer and support others. Some women are choosing to keep their traditional jobs and careers, while others have made the leap into entrepreneurship and have started their own home-based businesses.According to figures published by the DSA, Independent Research and Bureau of Labor Statistics:53 percent of all businesses in the US are home-based.
The home-based market has grown over 15 percent each year since 1995.
There are over 14 million home-based businesses in the US.
These home-based businesses generate over $1 trillion annually.
Direct selling accounts for a huge percentage of home-based businesses with sales of $30 Billion in the US and $100 billion worldwide.
Direct selling has added 175,000 people each week in the US and 300,000 worldwide.Did you know that the profile for a home-based business owner is predominately female, 35-54 years of age, who is married and most likely to be college educated? These women typically work on their businesses part-time. The majority of these women are involved in direct sales with companies that successfully empower women such as Avon, Cookie Lee, Creative Memories, Pampered Chef, Shelf Reliance/Thrive Foods, Jewels by Park Lane, Etc.Empowered women entrepreneurs and business women are quickly gaining the edge in the competitive world of marketing. Companies are changing how they design, produce and market products in order to appeal to these niche businesses and the women who own them.Because technology has made such great strides in the past decade, working from home is no longer something you have to dream about doing. Working from home is now a viable career option and a very realistic means to financial success.To decide if a home-based business is right for you, ask yourself where your talents or passions lay.Do you have an idea or an invention that you would like to market and distribute?Do you want to work on your business full-time or part-time?Are you interested in direct sales?Do you interact well with people?It is always best to set a realistic goal for yourself, thoroughly research any ideas you might have, and create a business plan for yourself. If you decide to go into direct sales, be sure that you understand how much time, effort and money you will need to invest before you start making money. Be certain that you understand the compensation plan of the company you are thinking of partnering with. Know if you will be required to recruit mass numbers of people to create “teams” in order to be successful. Research the company and check the complaint boards to make sure you are not joining a company with mostly negative reviews.If you feel that being in control of your own financial success will empower you and you are an entrepreneur, then a home-based business may be right for you!