| Antique auctions online are set to grow exponentially | | | | All three of these types of auctions exist online, |
| over the next few years and if you let yourself be | | | | however, the antiques auction online that we see |
| left out of the loop, insisting that only a traditional | | | | poised for the most growth is the traditional type, |
| auction will do for your buying needs, you're going to | | | | using an auctioneer. Here's Why: |
| be missing out on some great antiques. If you've | | | | Other Types of Auctions Aren't Right for Antiques |
| never heard of such an auction, allow us to be the | | | | With the advent of the Internet, for the first time |
| first to explain to you exactly how it works. | | | | people were able to come together and do things |
| Different Types of Online Auctions | | | | with friends and family all over the world. The |
| There are several flavors of auctions both on and | | | | Internet also meant that people all over the world |
| offline. The most traditional kind of auction of course | | | | could easily do business with each other. There was |
| is the kind we always picture when we hear the | | | | no more need to mail a catalog, wait for it to arrive, |
| term auction. That's where a group of objects are | | | | wait for your bid to come back, and then hope you |
| gathered in a particular room somewhere, they are all | | | | could win the auction. Today, it's all instant. However, |
| tagged with numbers, and sometimes they will have | | | | this has also brought a scourge for the antiques |
| estimated values. Often, you have to pay a fee just | | | | auction online business. There are so many fakes |
| to walk in the door of such an auction. Once the | | | | floating around that silent auctions such as eBay are |
| auction starts, the auctioneer will stand up front and | | | | being discredited. The variation of Chinese auctions |
| call out prices from the crowd based on who waves | | | | online, where you pay each time for the right to bid |
| their paddle. | | | | and the time of the auction is extended for 15 |
| There are also Chinese auctions where you purchase | | | | minutes, has the same inherent sense of chance as a |
| the right to bid on a certain value of product, say $5 | | | | traditional Chinese auction and thus is not suitable for |
| items, $10 items, etc. Then you walk around with | | | | serious antiques collectors. |
| your tickets and stick them into boxes for that | | | | Live Bid Auctions to the Rescue |
| "auction." At the end of the evening, a random | | | | The only kind of antique auctions online that can be |
| drawing from the tickets dropped in the box will | | | | safely employed by the serious antiques collector is |
| decide who wins the auction. These are often used | | | | the live auction. These types of auctions allow for |
| by charitable organizations in order to raise money. | | | | maximum flexibility with buyers being able to live |
| Finally, there are silent auctions where you are free | | | | anywhere, and maximum security because these |
| to write down a price you are willing to pay and | | | | kinds of auctions are run only by licensed auctioneers |
| other people will write down their prices on the same | | | | who must follow state licensing rules. So get out |
| piece of paper and after a specified time, the auction | | | | there and find an online antique auction today. You'll |
| ends and whoever bid the most wins the auction. | | | | thank us later. |