On Line Auctions ...

A couple breeders that we work with and our selves are considering doing a joint effort calf sale next fall.  Thought about trying one of the online auction versions like Breeders world, EDJE Auctions or ET Cow.

Have any of you had any experience with any of these or others, both as buyers and sellers?

This is all new to us.  Thought we could come up with three or four really good show prospects each.  Combined they could make a great offering.  The online auction looked like a viable option.

Please give us any input or experiences you can, both good and bad.  Are there other companies you would suggest?

Thanks for you help!

Ron
<cowboy>

ETCow and Breedersworld are the same thing in terms of the auction software.  They both resell a branded version of Maxanet which can be found and purchased directly at https://www.maxanet.com/

What you are paying for is the extra exposure they provide to your potential customers.

rtmcc said:

A couple breeders that we work with and our selves are considering doing a joint effort calf sale next fall.  Thought about trying one of the online auction versions like Breeders world, EDJE Auctions or ET Cow.

Have any of you had any experience with any of these or others, both as buyers and sellers?

This is all new to us.  Thought we could come up with three or four really good show prospects each.  Combined they could make a great offering.  The online auction looked like a viable option.

Please give us any input or experiences you can, both good and bad.  Are there other companies you would suggest?

Thanks for you help!

Ron
<cowboy>

Click to expand...

From a buyer's perspective, ET Cow did charge a buyer premimum at the end of the auction. Not sure if they still do. I haven't bought since. The first time I bought at this auction I had to pay some buyer premimum of $40 bucks on my purchase. I thought if they wanted more money then just raise the base bid why throw some odd ball premium in. Maybe I am not that experienced with online auctions.

I have used edje and ET cow and both have worked well. I also dislike the buyers premium that ET has.  I have really found edje good to work with... and they allow you to set the entire sale up and you can run it yourself. ie: approve bidders, design each lot, etc etc. They also have a great support staff available to help.

We are doing an online auction with Breedersworld on March 23rd.    I'm hoping it goes well.  I have bought through Breedersworld sales before, and thought they were very user friendly.

What is a person looking at for a cost to do a sale online through EDJE, ET, BreedersWorld, etc?

The advantages are REAL.

Our last big sale for Brian Martin had over 5000 different viewers to the offering. 25 head had 15,000 plus page views. Tons of exposure.

As far as cost of the sales you have no real expenses other than the commission to Breeders World.

You dont leave home and we are step up to come and take your videos and/or pics.

We send eblasts and place banners advertising your offerings.

We work hard to make the sale site look very professional to the buyers, organized with your info,  pics and videos.

We collect your sale proceeds also.  A big plus the cattle business these days.

We have sold livestock in the lower 48 states and many Canadian Provinces as well. Something that would be very difficult for a live sale.

The bidding is anonymous and makes the bidders feel safe from being ran.

We have NO buyers premiums.

This is a very competitive arena and are getting allot of repeat customers that have tried the online sale methods with us.

Feel free to call us anytime with questions.

Jeff Hoppes

Breeders World

419-618-8267

I have bought several times on ETcow, buyers premium never bothered me that much just figured it into bidding, they also provide good fall back support if something goes amiss in the transaction, I have bid on several animals during live online sales all have been good except the last one, was having problems with picture and sound all sale and when tried to bid, somehow the bid was slowed down and went to the next animal instead, nearly created a problem because that animal only got 1 bid, which was my bid by mistake, it took a couple of phone calls back and forth to get that straightened out.
But online sales are definitely the way to go, many, many more potential buyers get to see your animals

Thanks for the input all.  we sure appreciate every ones help with this as it is new to us. 
Any other opinions on exposure when you are not a "name brand."
Thanks!

Ron
<cowboy>

rtmcc said:

Thanks for the input all.  we sure appreciate every ones help with this as it is new to us. 
Any other opinions on exposure when you are not a "name brand."
Thanks!

Ron
<cowboy>

Click to expand...

Advertise, Advertise, Advertise

Justbecause your put it on the internet, doesn't mean people will find it right away...

I would use  multiple companies e-blast list at least the first time...

cpubarn said:

rtmcc said:

Thanks for the input all.  we sure appreciate every ones help with this as it is new to us. 
Any other opinions on exposure when you are not a "name brand."
Thanks!

Ron
<cowboy>

Click to expand...

Advertise, Advertise, Advertise

Justbecause your put it on the internet, doesn't mean people will find it right away...

I would use  multiple companies e-blast list at least the first time...

Click to expand...

Thanks CPU.  Thats one thing we were wondering about.  For your $$ invested, which do more people look at closer?  Do the eblasts do a better job of hitting your target market.  Of the eblast companies, which ones do most people receive , like and pay attention too.  How does their cost compare?

Thanks,
Ron
<cowboy>

Constant Contact is good for email blasts that you want to create and email out yourself.  Also some web hosting companies offer this option so check with your webmaster if you have a website (if you don't and need one let me know I do them and I can do the email blasts).  The biggest problem with doing them yourself is putting together a big enough database to do some good.  CattleMail USA does email blasts to a very large database of their own, but is a little $$ I think.

Email is an excellent solution, just make sure the company that is doing the emailing has collected the emails ethically.

It seems if I email someone or reply to someone I ultimately become a part of their email list.

We have 4260 members and in a matter of a few seconds I could export them into my newsletter. But when people signed for steerplanet, they did so with the intention of becoming a member of a forum not my newsletter.

I have the maxanet solution at www.steerplanet.net

I have going to run a few auctions on it.

Diamond M did a video auction-and considering the short notice some of the calves sold real well. It was a Breeders World deal-plus theyll come out and video your calves-there should be more in the future going this way. O0

looks like lots of good options to choose from.

I think it is OK to send e-mail notices to your own list of private e-mails of cattle contacts your have built over the years, or give them to whichever blast company to use, but PLEASE don't send then as a standard e-mail joke list in the to: window, but put them in the BCC window so you don't send your whole list to everyone you know.  Most of the you younger guys know this but us older folks sometimes make that mistake....

These people you know and already work with and know the quality of your cattle are the most likely to be interested in your offering.

I also will say that I can help you get in touch with the folks at EDJE if you have any questions about the EDJEcast or EDJEauctions.

Mark

I would agree.

We are also looking at doing an online sale. Are there really any disadvantages other than commission? I would really think most people have internet now that it shouldn't be a problem.

aj said:

I would agree.

Click to expand...

wait, you are a member of the mutual admiration society?