FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Justin Meyers
July 25, 2007 (516) 869-7794
TOWN’S FIRST ONLINE AUCTION NETS OVER $90-THOUSAND
(Manhasset, NY July 25) – North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman announced today that North Hempstead’s first-ever, pilot program online auction of surplus vehicles and equipment had netted over $90-thousand.
“The sale was a great success, and the proceeds exceeded all estimates,” Kaiman said. “In the future, based upon the great results of the pilot program, the Town may expand the use of online auctions to dispose of surplus merchandise.”
Normally, surplus vehicles and equipment are disposed of at a live auction. In an attempt to reach as many potential bidders as possible, TONH Finance Commissioner Helene Beckerman instituted a pilot program wherein bids for the merchandise were accepted online. The merchandise included old dump trucks, buses, autos, pickups, highway equipment, and many smaller items that had been sitting at the DPW/Landfill site in Port Washington.
Winning bids ranged from $25 for an old trash pump, to $13,750 for a Dresser bulldozer. The online auction received over 600,000 hits from interested bidders during the 14-day auction, and over 1800 bids were actually placed during that time period.
Auctions International, a Buffalo-based auction firm, conducted the auction at no-cost to the Town, utilizing a 10% buyer’s premium in lieu of charging a commission. The auction staff took photos of each item in the sale, along with condition reports of the merchandise, and then listed the items online. After the sale, the auction firm invoiced the winning bidders, collected the monies, and assisted customers in setting up removal appointments with DPW Chief Robert Duchnowski.
In the future, the Town will be able to sell surplus merchandise at whatever facility it is located at, thereby saving time and labor costs, while maximizing the value of old equipment-- which ultimately will benefit Town taxpayers.