Coronavirus Planning
Note: We will continue to post updates here and in the auctioneer dashboard with additional information as news of COVID-19 progresses.
January 10, 2021
Covid-19 and Payment Collection: eCheck (ACH) transactions via Live.Payments
We hope this finds you in good health. As more Covid-19 cases continue to rise across the world, LiveAuctioneers is committed to helping partners navigate these difficult times through innovation. Auction houses have seen more online bidders than ever before, creating a need for more payment methods and faster disbursements. Our team has been focused on delivering those enhancements through Live.Payments, and we are happy to bring you an eCheck (ACH) option for buyers.
Now, you can provide a superior checkout experience by accepting eCheck (ACH) payments on LiveAuctioneers if you have Live.Payments activated on your account. Further, Live.Payments will also allow you to scale your business through:
- 100% fraudulent chargeback protection on all credit card transactions
- Fast payouts, with multiple, weekly direct deposit disbursements
- Automated payment collection from bidders with credit cards on file using our Autopay functionality
- One low, flat processing rate across all cards
As always, we are here to support you. If you have any questions please contact us at support@liveauctioneers.com.
We hope you will continue to stay safe and positive.
December 20, 2020
2020: 1.2M Items Sold, 120K New Monthly Bidders, 102% Growth in New Buyers
We hope this finds you safe and well. While 2020 has been a year of unprecedented challenges, it has truly been uplifting to see auction house partners adapt quickly and overcome the many hurdles thrown our way, to ultimately generate gains in new buyers and online sales. Many partners were forced to make difficult choices and, in some cases, experience tragic loss. We are grateful that throughout it all, you continued to offer us your trust. As the LiveAuctioneers team works to continue driving value for our auction house partners, we are excited to share some highlights from this unforgettable year:
- Auction houses benefited from a spike in traffic with more than 5 million visits per month
- More than 120,000 new monthly bidders joining LiveAuctioneers and embracing a more sustainable way to shop
- 102% growth in first-time buyers for auction house partners
- More than 1.2 million items sold on LiveAuctioneers
- $310 million total lift in hammer prices for auction house partners
- More than 777,000 new dedicated followers for auction houses
To our auction house partners, thank you for your trust and partnership. We are honored to be your partner and looking forward to creating enduring value for you and your business, for years to come.
As a reminder, the LiveAuctioneers team is here to help you 24/7. Should you need any assistance, please contact us at support@liveauctioneers.com.
Have a happy, safe Holiday season and a wonderful New Year.
September 1, 2020
LiveAuctioneers partners see outstanding sale results during the Covid-19 era
We hope this finds you in good spirits. As many continue to stay home, internet usage has been at an all time high, allowing auction house partners to easily reach an engaged, growing bidder audience on LiveAuctioneers. Over the last few months, LiveAuctioneers has seen a surge in online bidding activity and attracted more than 120,000 new monthly bidders. As a result, auction house partners have maximized hammer prices and delivered outstanding auction results to consignors.
As we continue to innovate in ways to help auction houses grow online sales during these challenging times, we’re pleased to share a summary of recent sales on LiveAuctioneers.
Recent Auction Sales
on LiveAuctioneers
Select auction items sold on LiveAuctioneers
during the Covid-19 era.
May 1, 2020
New Buyers Double in April, $50,000 Donation Generated, Waived Listing Fees Extended
We hope this finds you in good health and spirits. The past several weeks have not been easy, to say the least. COVID-19 has shifted our realities in ways we never imagined, forcing us to adapt and, unfortunately in some cases, make very difficult decisions and experience tragic losses. While it’s certainly not over yet, we can foresee a future where our industry is better, stronger, and more resilient.
It has been inspiring to see auction-house partners adapt quickly, prioritizing the safety of their clients and staff by moving sales to online only, and embracing new digital tools to conduct live auctions virtually. Loyal and enthusiastic bidders have been eager to support local auction houses by bidding online from home.
In March, we announced our pledge to donate 80% of proceeds from new bidders through April 30 to support the Meals on Wheels COVID Response Fund. This effort is expected to generate a total donation of more than $50,000, thanks to a surge in new winners and your relentless dedication to your consignors and employees. Other key highlights:
- More than 100,000 new bidders were introduced to auction houses on LiveAuctioneers since campaign launch.
- New buyers doubled, increasing by 97% year-over-year in April 2020 (versus April 2019).
- Auction houses saw a spike in traffic, with more than 4.1 million website visits in April alone.
- First-time bidders through the program have placed more than $55 million in bids over the duration of the campaign.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response, we are pleased to announce our continued support through the end of May, and will be donating 15% of our proceeds from first-time purchases to Meals on Wheels’ COVID Response Fund.
In addition, LiveAuctioneers will continue to offer $0 listing fees for your first timed online-only sale and a complimentary, custom website enabled with LiveAuctioneers bidding, through May 15.
As always, we are here to support you. If you have any questions please reach out to us at support@liveauctioneers.com.
In the meantime, we hope you will continue to stay safe and positive.
April 6, 2020
COVID-19 Financial Relief & Work-from-home Resources for Auction Houses
While the COVID-19 crisis has caused uncertainty in nearly every aspect of our lives, two things remain clear: we will overcome this, and, how we adapt now is crucial to determining the outcome of these ever-changing circumstances. Auction houses have adopted digital tools and work-from-home practices that enable them to continue running their businesses online. Virtual consignment appointments are being conducted, and contactless deliveries are being offered. Meanwhile, applications for COVID-19 financial relief for small businesses have begun to be accepted. LiveAuctioneers is committed to helping auction houses navigate this uncharted territory. The following resources have been created to help you understand some of the tools that are available to help your teams and businesses operate during this challenging time:
Work From Home (WFH) Toolkit
for Auctioneers
Resources, tools and best practices for auction houses working remotely.
CARES Act Financial Relief
Summary for Small Businesses
Hundreds of billions in funds are available to small
businesses impacted by COVID-19. See how you can benefit.
March 20, 2020
Flatten the Curve, Together.
We hope this finds you safe and well. As guidance surrounding COVID-19 emerges and evolves, please know that the team at LiveAuctioneers is here to help you navigate these unprecedented circumstances.
Large gatherings and, in some cases, even auction house access is now restricted. As a result, many auctioneers are redirecting phone and floor bidders to online channels.
We have two immediate ways to help:
- New to timed auctions? We’ll waive listing fees for your first automated, online-only auctions.
- Want to convince bidders and consignors that online bidding is beneficial? LiveAuctioneers is donating our proceeds to COVID-19 relief.
To give bidders an additional reason to bid online, to support your business, to give your consignors confidence, and to support a worthy cause, LiveAuctioneers will be donating our proceeds from first-time purchases to Meals on Wheels America and global Covid relief funds.
Every partner is welcome to join in this effort. If you are redirecting bidders to online channels, provide them with a link to your custom COVID-19 Response Support page on LiveAuctioneers.
In case you are short-staffed or working remotely, here are tips for using LiveAuctioneers’ cloud technology to keep the hammer coming down for your team and consignors in the coming weeks:
- Automate bidder approvals: Use global approval settings to automatically approve bidders based on custom criteria set by you.
- Collect online payments: Use LiveAuctioneers Payments to allow bidders to pay for purchases with credit card.
- Automate payments: Automatically collect funds from bidders with credit cards on file using our Autopay functionality.
- Hold timed auctions: Minimize risk by moving to a timed-auction format with reserves. With timed auctions on LiveAuctioneers, you can give bidders the same dynamic live-auction experience with lot progression and real-time updates they’re accustomed to. New to timed auctions? We’ll get you started with your own custom website and first timed auction at no cost through the end of April.
- Use postsale channels: Offload unsold merchandise via LiveAuctioneers’ Buy-it-Now solution.
- Update your terms: Make sure your shipping and pick-up policies comply with local COVID-19 guidelines and are well communicated to bidders. Consider extending pick-up windows.
If you’d like online auction training and/or consultation in any of the above areas, or require any other assistance, feel free to contact us at support@liveauctioneers.com.
If you need to reschedule your auction date, or switch from a live clerked auction to a timed auction with dynamic bidding, we always offer $0 change fee. Contact us for assistance.
In the meantime, as we all continue to do our part in keeping our communities safe and healthy, we hope you’ll find moments to breathe deeply, appreciate some beauty and share a little bit of joy. This will pass. In China, COVID-19 case counts are falling and Apple stores are reopening. We’ll remain positive, focus on the long term, and overcome this, together.
March 13, 2020
As new cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the world, LiveAuctioneers has been closely monitoring the latest reports and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and New York city and state authorities.
We’ve taken a proactive approach in implementing precautionary measures so that we can be as effective as possible in supporting our auction house partners, keeping employees safe and doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
On Wednesday, March 11, the World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Given the escalated guidances to contain the coronavirus disease, we are sharing additional tips for auction houses on navigating through this challenging time, along with updates on what LiveAuctioneers has done to ensure service continuity while maintaining the health and safety of our team.
Latest updates from LiveAuctioneers:
- Our NYC-area employees are fully remote. Our technology and infrastructure was built to ensure all our staff can operate remotely. Over the past few weeks we’ve made preparations to ensure all NYC-area employees are equipped to work from home. This week, our NYC-area employees have begun doing so.
- Our servers are protected. With regular server backups and redundancies across multiple locations, auction house partners and customers can expect uninterrupted service.
- We are here to help. Aside from reduced in-person visitations in our NYC office, auction house partners can expect to reach us in the same ways as usual – email, phone and online chat.
- As always, LiveAuctioneers employees are reminded to:
- Wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, frequently
- Stay home if they notice any symptoms (e.g., mild cough, low fever)
- Notify their supervisor if they’ve been in contact with someone who has or had COVID-19
- Check the news only once per day at a set time, if experiencing stress related to COVID-19. More tips here.
COVID-19 and Live Auctions: Tips on Adapting
While new COVID-19 outbreaks in some parts of the world have begun to slow as communities take precautions to prevent spread, we still don’t know how much longer it will be until we can resume normalcy. That said, we want to make sure you are equipped with the proper tools and resources to adapt as clients and buyers spend more time online at home to minimize risk of coronavirus exposure.
- Consider training understudies for your staff with cross-training where possible. While most COVID-19 patients fully recover, now may be a good time to ensure you have full coverage in the event of a sick staff member. Even though sniffles are typically not a sign of COVID-19, they can be off putting to an event attendee so you’ll want to guide your staff to stay home if sick.
- Collect payments online. The World Health Organization reports that cash could be helping to spread COVID-19, so online payments is the safest option for your staff and your customers. According to WHO the virus could linger on money for days after exposure, so people should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer after handling cash.
- Automate where possible. Our global bidder approval settings allow you to automatically approve bidders based on custom criteria, while our Autopay functionality automatically collects funds from winning bidders and updates invoice payment statuses. To learn more about these tools, contact our team.
- For consignments, move to virtual appointments with contactless delivery. Consider offering contactless delivery options with doorstep pick-up and delivery for consignors. Consignors who prefer to remain at home may appreciate virtual appointments via FaceTime or video conferencing tools like Zoom.
- Collect signatures electronically. Reduce risk of exposure by sending and requesting consignor signatures online, using tools like HelloSign or Docusign.
- Renegotiate credit terms. Interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in a long time, and in some parts of the world, the lowest levels in history. If you use credit for business purchases, now might be a good time to renegotiate rates.
Read our March 4 update for additional tips on navigating through the COVID-19 challenge. As always if there’s any way we can provide support for you and business during this challenging time, please reach out to us at support@liveauctioneers.com.
March 4, 2020
COVID-19 and Live Auctions: Tips for Navigating the Challenge
This can be a challenging time as we try to protect each other and our communities in the face of ever-evolving information about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As your partner, we want to be proactive in helping you take preventative measures so you can conduct your business in a safe and secure environment:
- Your team’s health and safety, first. Prioritize health and safety within your place of business by reminding your staff to protect themselves and others by following these recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Actively encourage sick employees to stay home.
- Instruct employees to clean their hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol, or wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.
- Provide soap and water and alcohol-based hand rubs in the workplace. Ensure that adequate supplies are maintained. Place hand rubs in multiple locations or in conference rooms to encourage hand hygiene.
- Provide tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles for employees’ use.
- Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs. Provide disposable wipes so that commonly used surfaces (for example, doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks) can be wiped down by employees before each use.
- This can be an emotional and anxious time for employees. The World Health Organization has outlined ways for coping with stress during an outbreak that may be helpful to your team.
- Read more recommendations on the CDC website.
- Remind customers they can always preview and bid online, contactlessly. For bidders who choose to stay home as a precautionary measure, a simple email and social media post serve as good reminders that they can still participate in your auction. If you would like an email template to use, a sample template can be found in the LiveAuctioneers auctioneer forum. Further, if your phone bank overflows, you can always guide phone bidders to online channels. To request a complimentary custom website with just your auctions for browsing, contact our team.
- Provide more item information online. With a potential influx of online bidders, now would be a good time to add more photographs, provide more detail to descriptions, and lot measurements. Here’s a refresher on best practices.
- Live-stream your auctioneer. Offering a live video feed of your auctioneer is a great way to engage bidders online, and setup is quick and easy. Auctions can be live-streamed on LiveAuctioneers using just a simple mobile device or a webcam with wi-fi connection, learn more.
- Take advantage of screen time. Those who choose to stay home are likely to spend more time on their screens, giving you a good opportunity to fully leverage digital advertising solutions. To request info on advertising availability, contact our team.
- Offer shipping and payment recommendations. With potentially fewer people arriving on auction day to pay for and carry away their purchases, providing shipping recommendations up front and accepting online payments help streamline the post-auction process and reduce contact for both buyers and your staff.
While our first priority will always be the health and safety of our auction-house partners, customers, communities, and employees, LiveAuctioneers is committed to serving auction houses and customers, always with the highest standards.
If there is any way we may be able to offer additional support for you and your business in this challenging time, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at support@liveauctioneers.com.