| Buying the things you need, can always be less | | | | is not on profit but rather to clear out inventory as |
| expensive if you know where to look. It becomes a | | | | quickly as possible, with little concern of what the |
| discount versus convenience and trust situation. For | | | | selling price or profit is. This combined with the |
| example lets say you're looking around to buy that | | | | general public's perception that government auctions |
| new 75" wide screen plasma TV (or .75 carat | | | | mean house foreclosures and maybe the occasional |
| diamond earrings for the ladies). Traditionally the only | | | | car auction has left this area an untouched treasure |
| avenue considered would be to shop at the local | | | | for those that capitalize on the opportunity. |
| retail store because of the familiarity and trust you | | | | The problem in the past was that the hundreds of |
| have with that process. Evolutionists will browse the | | | | different government auctions and items within each |
| Internet to find that eBay had a similar local near | | | | auction were always accessed individually so |
| new TV that was selling for 25% less then the one | | | | searching for a certain item often resulted in limited |
| at the store. So do you take the chance to save | | | | and unsatisfactory searches. Just recently my |
| $1000 and succumb to the inconvenience and possible | | | | number one rated government auction site (see last |
| risk of buying from someone you don't know or do | | | | paragraph) has obtained passage to a collaborated |
| you take the safe route while spending more then | | | | database, which has access to a large number of |
| you'd like? I go through this dilemma each time I'm | | | | government auction listings. The result is a central |
| buying a 'bigger then a breadbox' kind of item. | | | | listing with millions of listings for every product |
| Now I have another source in which I check as well. | | | | imaginable, from houses, vehicles of all shapes and |
| It's a different type of auction known as a | | | | sizes, jewellery, electronics, equipment, home and |
| Government Auction. The term 'government auctions | | | | office furniture, and anything else you can imagine |
| is often loosely used as it covers a wide spectrum of | | | | including lower ticket priced items. So how it works is |
| auctions and liquidations including bank and bankruptcy | | | | once you have a membership to my number one |
| liquidations, tax sales, government surplus auctions | | | | rated government auction site (see below) you can |
| and police auctions. Government surplus represents | | | | simply go to the site and search what item you are |
| items the local, state or federal government no | | | | looking for. The collaborative search I mentioned will |
| longer requires. Police auctions can be seized items or | | | | search through every government auction for both |
| items laundered or stolen that were not recovered | | | | online (eBay style of bidding) and live auctions. The |
| by the original owner. | | | | online listing will give detail on the item and allow a link |
| So now there may be a similar 62" screen but this | | | | to the specific auction if you care to bid. The live |
| time it's listed with a government auction for 75% | | | | auction items will provide information about the item |
| off. All of a sudden the discount versus convenience | | | | and further details of where the live auction will be |
| and trust resulting equation starts to become more | | | | held. Although most people prefer the convenience |
| obvious. If I can pick up this TV locally and I am | | | | of shopping online the live auctions are worthwhile |
| assured that it is in full working order and can be | | | | especially for the larger items such as a cars, as thing |
| returned if not, then my inconvenience and risk is | | | | will allow you a chance to carefully inspect any item |
| minimized will my savings is maximized. So the TV | | | | before bidding. |
| that started at $4000, I am now purchasing for | | | | So as you can see, government auctions are a good |
| $1000. Now obviously there may not be an item per | | | | way to acquire more of the things that you want. It |
| item locally available at a government auction, but | | | | promises to be a fun buying experience that will |
| you'll be surprised of the large selection resulting from | | | | extend your purchasing power. Ultimately, it serves |
| the large number of agencies etc. that filter there | | | | as a good tool for the government to recoup some |
| collected inventory into your the local government | | | | costs to help lessen the public's tax pressures. |
| auctions. | | | | Obviously it does help the environmental as it falls |
| So why would these prices be that much lower then | | | | under the 'reuse' camp. So try government auction's |
| retail or even eBay? Well with both the retail store | | | | new online item search and just maybe you can |
| and eBay the seller is looking to make as much profit | | | | afford both 75" TV and .75 carat earrings. |
| as possible, but with a government auction the focus | | | | |