Traveling the World

You know there is probably no one who loves to travel more than I do, but as gas prices continue to rise and the cost of living wages continue to decline, more and more of us find that we cannot afford the high prices that go along with travel.  Luckily for us, there are travel auctions online where we can bid on specific travel packages, starting with a minimum bid.  When placing a bid it is a good idea to go ahead and determine the maximum amount you are willing to bid in an attempt to win the auction.  This helps facilitate the process because most online auctions will bid for you until your maximum is reached.  Most online sites do require you to register prior to placing a bid. Since you can bid on as many items as you want, therefore, keep in mind if you bid on several travel packages at one time, you may win them all and will be required to pay for them all.  If you are not prepared to pay for more than one package at a time, it is a good idea to refrain from bidding on multiple trips.  Some individuals and/or companies will not let you back out of a winning bid.

In addition to travel packages, internet auctions are a great place to buy and sell airplane tickets, sports tickets of all kinds, cruise trips, exotic vacations, just to mention a few.  If you have items you want to sell to someone else, why not go to www.insiderauctions.com where you can list the item for Free?  Yes, I said Free.  A basic listing includes the Title, Description, Length of Auciton, Starting Bid, etc. and one Picture all Free.   This is all you need to list your tickets and I’m certain people looking for them would really appreciate the opportunity to bid on items they need.  If the item sells, you pay a low flat rate final value fee of 2%.

Check out the site http://www.insiderauctions.com/ and let me know what you think.  We are small and growing…get on board now by helping us get the word out.  Insider Auctions is Where you Sell and Save.

Sellers Beware of Fake Check Scam

In recent months some sellers have reported falling victim to buyers who have sent fake checks or money orders that aren’t detected by the bank until after the merchandise has been shipped.   Fake checks can include cashier checks, personal checks and corporate checks.   There have been instances where the buyer sends a fake payment that exceeds the cost of the item that has been purchased.  The “so-called” buyer indicates a mistake was made when writing the check  and asks the seller to go ahead and deposit the payment and wire the difference back to him.  The seller deposits the check, learns it has cleared and wires the funds back to the buyer.  Later, the bank determines the check is fraudulent, leaving the seller liable for the entire amount.  Although the checks are counterfeit, they are good enough to fool unsuspecting bank tellers.  This needs to be taken into consideration when listing your items for auction and determining what methods of payment you will accept.  It is unfortunate that we now live in a world where some people spend the majority of their time thinking up ways to steal from other people.  Wonder if they ever considered getting a real job??

The History of Auctions

The exact date auctions were first organized is not known; however, it is generally accepted that auctions were recorded as early as 500 B.C.  The Babylonians held wedding auctions annually where women were sold for the purpose of marriage.  Of course, the most beautiful women received the most vigorous bidding and the prices paid were high. Owners of the less attractive women had to add dowries or other monetary offers in order to make the sale and the price could actually be a negative figure for the buyer.

The Romans were the first to organize sales of goods at auctions.  They used the auction process to liqudate personal property as well as selling items seized in wars with rivals.  Auctions were held at the “Atrium” for the purpose of selling the “spoils of war” for the soldiers after a military victory.  Business agents were said to have accompanied warriors into battle in order to facilitate and promote expected sales.

The Chinese used auctions to sell surplus property to raise money for religious leaders and temples.  It appears they used a similar process in planning and managing a sale as we do today. 

During the 15th century, King Henry VII of England instituted some of the earliest auction laws, including auction licenses.  In the 1600’s the British organized regular auctions of books and art at “public outcry”.  Auctions were held in taverns and coffee houses in the seventeenth century in Great Britian and announcements of sales devoted to land appeared in the London Evening Post in 1739.

The methods of the English came to America with the English immigrants in the 1700’s; however, the economy was struggling and there was very little place for auctions and auctioneers.  It appears the only time auctions were necessary was when property needed to be sold to satisfy debts for nonpayment of taxes.  The stigma of selling at “forced sales” attached itself to the auction business for centuries. In addition, slavery did not help the reputation of auctioneers.  Public sales of slaves helped fuel the largest slave market in the western world. Selling slaves at “public outcry” began in Virginia and quickly spread south.

After the Civil War, auctioneers traveled to larger cities and ports to sell goods off merchant ships, dispose of damaged goods and sell estates.  Auctioneers sold anything they could get and were successful in making money, but not in helping their reputation or image.

The auction business continued in the same rut through the 1800’s and the first half of the 1900’s.  After World War II, auctions started to make great strides when businessmen began to see an opportunity to use auctions as an alternate marketing tool.  The sale of goods and real estate at private sales boomed in the post war period; in fact there was a need in many cases to move real estate and property faster than the private market would allow.  Businessmen in business suits and ties began to nurture the auction business and raise the reputation of the auctioneers to a higher degree.  By this time auctioneers had business links to banks, attorneys, accountants, the court system, government agencies and the public. 

Today, auctions fill the buying and selling needs of millions of people around the world and have become part of the American way of life.  There are auction houses, local auctions, private auctions, estate auctions and internet auctions just to mention a few.  Auctions are recognized as an excellent means of selling goods, services and real estate to buyers who are willing to pay the highest price.

Bidders and Sellers Wanted

Insider Auctions is in need of good reliable persons interested in the internet auction world.  Placing a basic bid is free of change, this includes the listing, description and one picture.  Additional options to enhance your listings are available for very low fees.  Don’t be confused over how much you are going to have to pay if your item sells because Insider auctions makes it easy – your item will be charged a flat 2% of the selling fee regardless of how large or how small the selling price is.  No step rated system that no one can keep up with. 

Insider Auctions is new and is growing.  Check out the web site at www.insiderauctions.com and lets talk about what you would like to see or bring questions to this forum so others can benefit from your comments.  There are some great items already listed, so now is the time to start shopping for birthday gifts and cleaning out the basement to get rid of those things you never use.  With FREE listings, you won’t be out anything but a little time!   Insider Auctions wants to become one of the fairest internet auctions on the web, and we would love for you to help us out by using our services and referring all your friends.  Thanks; hope to hear from you soon.

Ups and Downs of Collectibles

I have been an avid collector since around 1990 when I first fell in love with Department 56.  Like most new collectors I went into the store and purchased a couple of pieces having no clue that certain pieces went with specific collections…I just bought what I liked.  Well, when the bug hit, it hit hard and I “had to have” every piece in the village collection.  No lengths were too great to find that elusive item.  When retirement would roll around collectors would be up all night waiting for the first USA Today paper to hit the newsstand.  Of course, some were fortunate enough to get an advance copy of the list and retirement day was a mad rush to the retail stores to purchase the piece doomed for retirement.  Of course, the dealers were the first to get the lists and the pieces would at least double instantly, but we the collector didn’t mind as long as we “had our full collection”. 

My, My how things have changed.  Now retirement comes and goes with barely a noteable mention on the internet.  Many a retail store has closed their doors since that time.  Does anyone recall when it all changed?  In my opinion it all started with 911; I think people started reassessing their lives and found out they could live without the full collection.  Now, many of the retired items can be found at retail or below and the excitement seems to be gone.  It doesn’t appear to be with just Department 56 but with most of the collectible market as a whole.  Has anyone else noticed this trend?  I would love to hear your comments on the subject of collectibles and to know if you think the enthusiasm will ever return.