Sale of just 15 item types on ATG auction platforms saved over one million tonnes of carbon emissions in 2021
One million tonnes of carbon is equivalent to 50 million mature trees growing for one year
Consumers could offset 4% of their annual emissions by purchasing a sofa second-hand, or 6% by choosing a second-hand mechanical wristwatch instead of a new one.

New research from Auction Technology Group plc (LON:ATG), the operator of the world’s leading marketplaces for curated online auctions, has found that one million tonnes of carbon emissions were saved in 2021 by the sale of just 15 item types at auctions run on its marketplaces globally. This is the equivalent of 50 million mature trees growing for one year and only accounts for 6% of the 9.5 million items sold across ATG’s platforms in the period.¹

ATG’s 2022 Carbon Impact Report highlights the key role that the auction industry has to play in reducing the world’s carbon emissions by facilitating the market for second-hand goods. By purchasing the following goods second-hand on ATG’s global marketplaces for Arts & Antiques, Industrial & Commercial goods and surplus consumer stock, customers avoided:

Large excavators – 231,768 tonnes of carbon emissions
Gemstone rings –143,628 tonnes of carbon emissions
Pick-up trucks – 119,760 tonnes of carbon emissions
Mechanical wristwatches – 59,463 tonnes of carbon emissions

Auctions allow individuals to reduce their personal emissions by purchasing used items rather than buying new. They could save over half a tonne (560kg) of carbon emissions by buying one second-hand sofa, 460kg by buying a second-hand dining table, or 800kg by purchasing a mechanical wristwatch second-hand rather than new. The impact of these savings is particularly striking when compared with individuals’ annual carbon footprint, with the average person in the UK emitting 13 tonnes per year, and 16 tonnes per year in the US.²

Businesses, too, can reduce their carbon emissions by buying second-hand. For example, by purchasing a used cherry picker instead of a new one, a business would save up to 20 tonnes of carbon emissions, while the purchase of a used excavator would save up to 36 tonnes.

John-Paul Savant, CEO of ATG, commented:

“Today’s report has shown just the tip of the iceberg of the incredible impact of the auction industry on avoiding carbon emissions. We are extremely proud to play such a critical role in accelerating the growth of the circular economy, restoring the health of our planet in order to protect future generations. We are passionate about spreading the word about the sustainable impact of auctions and we are excited to show how every business and consumer can make a real change by not buying new. It is up to all of us to do what we can to tackle the urgent climate change crisis – reducing our environmental impact as much as we can.”

The figures used in the report were prepared for ATG by leading carbon research consultants Small World Consulting, based on data from process-based life cycle analysis (PBLCA) and environmental input-output analysis. A full methodology can be viewed in the report.

The top 15 item types which collectively saved one million tonnes of carbon through their sale on ATG’s platforms include:

Large excavators – 231,768
Large cars – 195,272
Gemstone rings – 143,628
Pickup trucks – 119,760
Bucket trucks – 105,480
CNC machines – 85,365
Mechanical wristwatches – 59,463
Tractors – 58,334
Small cars – 42,289
Sofas – 7,213
Dining tables – 6,336
Chests of drawers – 2,994
Wardrobes – 2,968
Armchairs – 2,695
Mobile phones – 906

[1] Climate Neutral Group, https://www.climateneutralgroup.com/en/news/what-exactly-is-1-tonne-of-co2/

[2] Small World Consulting

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ATG, operator of world-leading marketplaces for curated online auctions, announces its unaudited financial results for the six months ended 31 March 2024.

John-Paul Savant, Chief Executive Officer of Auction Technology Group plc, said:

“ATG is executing against the investments we are making and where we’ve invested, we are growing. Our focus in FY22 and FY23 was upgrading the online auction user experience through the rollout and growth of value-added services, and as outlined in December 2023, in FY24 we are now focused on initiatives that drive GMV. We launched atgXL, our new cross-listing offering, that further differentiates our proposition for auctioneers and bidders and enhances our network effect. Since the launch of these new products, we have been very pleased with the auctioneer response, the trends in bidder activity as well as the differentiation this gives ATG’s white label over competing white labels. This differentiation hinges on an auctioneer’s ability to run a white label whilst simultaneously cross-listing onto multiple ATG marketplaces, all from a single work flow, thus lowering operating costs and giving the auctioneer greater exposure to bidders for minimal effort."

"The strong momentum that we are seeing from our strategic programmes, as well as the improved trajectory in Proxibid, gives us confidence in revenue acceleration in the second half of FY24.”

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Auction Technology Group (“ATG”), owner of several of the world’s leading digital auction marketplaces, including BidSpotter, Proxibid, Lot-tissimo and thesaleroom.com, has announced its acquisition of Auction Mobility (“AM”), the US-based provider of customised auction software, website design and e-commerce solutions for auctioneers.

The move builds on ATG’s presence in North America and affirms its commitment to steadily improving the value it brings to both auctioneers and bidders.

John-Paul Savant, CEO of ATG, said, “ATG has a long history of partnering with auctioneers to provide the best suite of online products and services available to help them maximise the value they deliver with their auctions. With Auction Mobility as part of ATG, we are able to offer auctioneers a premium online bidding solution that is fully customisable. This means that auction houses can continue to build their own customer data and brands online while simultaneously gaining access to the more than 104 million visitors that come to ATG’s digital auction marketplaces every year”.

Auction Mobility serves over 600 auction houses, the vast majority of which are in the United States, providing digital auction technology for auctioneers that have bespoke requirements for running their businesses. 

Jeremy Paradise, founder and CEO of Auction Mobility said, “Auction Mobility is pleased to join forces with ATG to help provide a best in class bidding experience across all platforms to the North American auction industry and to continue to provide market leading white label services across all auction verticals”.

Auction Mobility will join Proxibid, BidSpotter, and Wavebid as ATG’s brands in North America and will enable ATG to serve the auction market in new and innovative ways. 

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In a year that has seen thesaleroom.com host more charitable fundraising auctions on its site than ever before, we are proud to announce our support of a major timed auction that brings together the worlds of music, film, sport, hospitality, and art to raise funds and create a lasting legacy for children and young adults with disabilities and life limiting illness in Suffolk.

The Ed Sheeran: Made in Suffolk Legacy Auction has been organised by Suffolk charity GeeWizz and will be hosted online by ATG’s art, antiques and collectables marketplace thesaleroom.com, in partnership with auction house Lacy Scott & Knight. Both thesaleroom.com and Lacy Scott & Knight have waived their usual fees for the auction.

Bidding is open from 22 October until 8 November 2020.

Over 220 highly collectable items of memorabilia and unique experiences will feature in the Legacy Auction, donated by a host of international names including Ed Sheeran, Pink Floyd, Bill Wyman, Kylie Minogue, Brian Eno, Richard Curtis, Peter Jackson, Shane Warne, David Beckham, Usain Bolt, Frankie Dettori and David Walliams.

Several items have been donated by Ed and his family: they include possibly the most romantic gift ever – Ed’s handwritten lyrics to the global hit Perfect; a signed ticket and handbill from his first ever gig at the Royal British Legion in Framlingham (entry £3!); Ed’s homemade CD of the You Need Me EP 2009 and a collection of his childhood Lego® bricks.

“We are so pleased that the auction will create important, lasting legacies.” Ed’s father, John Sheeran said.  “Proceeds will help to improve the quality of care and wellbeing for children and young adults across the county of Suffolk and beyond. Imogen and I send our thanks to everyone who has organised, supported and donated to the auction.  We cannot think of a better legacy for the exhibition to leave.”

“The incredible generosity of Ed, the Sheeran family, our sponsors and auction lot donors around the world is truly overwhelming; especially during these challenging times,” said Gina Long MBE, founder of children’s charity GeeWizz and organiser of the Legacy Auction.

John-Paul Savant, CEO of Auction Technology Group, which owns thesaleroom.com, said, “It’s a privilege to support the Legacy Auction. The variety of lots is astounding – there really is something for everyone – and we look forward to helping the organisers raise important funds for this valuable cause.”

For more information please visit: www.edsheeranmadeinsuffolklegacyauction.com and follow the auction on social media #SuffolkLegacy.

About the auction and the charities

John and Imogen Sheeran, Ed’s parents, wanted to create a lasting legacy from the Ed Sheeran: Made in Suffolk exhibition, currently open at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich, to support children and young adults across the county. Having met Gina Long, founder of the children’s charity GeeWizz, the idea of a Legacy Auction was created and, over the last year and throughout COVID-19 lockdown, Gina has worked closely with them to turn it into reality beyond all their expectations. 

The auction will leave a lasting legacy for children and young people across the East of England. Proceeds raised from the Auction, under GeeWizz’s auspices, will support the redevelopment of a playground at Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy in Ipswich, for children with special educational needs and disabilities.  Zest, part of St Elizabeth Hospice, will also benefit.  Funds raised will help to enable teenagers and young adults with progressive and life limiting illnesses, to live their lives to the full, supported by specialist nurses and an outreach programme.

Lots for music fans

Music fans can look forward to bidding on signed Pink Floyd memorabilia from Nick Mason, guitars from John Mayer, Snow Patrol and Steve Harley, a Rolling Stones gold disc and very rare Beggers Banquet photographic print both donated by Bill Wyman, Anne-Marie’s handwritten, illustrated lyricis to 2002, Brian McFadden’s last award with Westlife, and tickets with meet & greets for Keane and Duran Duran concerts. Brian Eno has donated a one-off signed photographic print, captured at Benacre Beach in Suffolk, whilst out walking during lockdown. There is also the opportunity to bid on VIP tickets to the BRIT Awards 2021 and the 2022 GRAMMYs, including the prestigious After Show Parties alongside unique access all areas experiences at festivals including Latitude and Sundown and an ultimate music experience at Defected Croatia.

Original artworks

Original artworks include a large portrait drawing of Ed Sheeran by Colin Davidson: one of the artist’s original drawings relating to a series of portraits that are the centrepiece of the Ed Sheeran: Made in Suffolk exhibition. Stunning artworks have been donated by contemporary artists, including photographers Mark Surridge and Ralph Larmann whose print is uniquely signed by Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran. The auction features works by many Suffolk–based artists, including Jelly Green and sculptors Laurence Edwards and Roger Hardy. From the world of literature, there will be signed books from Anthony Horowitz and David Walliams.

For film fans

From the world of film, there is the chance to bid for a very rare Lord of The Rings wall plaque signed and donated by Peter Jackson, along with a deluxe edition of The Hobbit and a poster signed by the main members of the cast including Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom. Also featured is a film cell from Love Actually donated and signed by Richard Curtis and Emma Freud, along with a framed, annotated page from the original script (containing one of the most famous scenes in the movie between Keira Knightley and Andrew Lincoln).

For sports enthusiasts

For sports enthusiasts, there are signed personal items from David Beckham, Usain Bolt, Ben Stokes and Shane Warne (including his iconic floppy white hat and an hour in the nets at Lord’s with Shane). Further items have been given by the England 2020 Rugby Squad and Dame Jessica Ennis Hill who has contributed a signed Team GB Rio 2016 Olympics running vest. Champion jockey Frankie Dettori has donated the riding boots worn to historic victory in King George VI Stakes 2020. Also on offer is VIP Hospitality at a wide variety of sporting events including a Manchester United home match, England International Rugby match, Newmarket and Ascot Races, The Royal Windsor Horse Show and behind the scenes with Classic Team Lotus; plus exclusive use of Portman Road Stadium for two teams to play with Ipwich Town Football Club Legends with Terry Butcher and George Burley as team managers.

One-off experiences

The auction will also feature the chance to bid on hospitality experiences donated by award winning chefs, including dinner at home with José Pizarro, a gastronomic host of fine dining establishments across East Anglia, and a family day including lunch and personal tour of his Suffolk farm with Jimmy Doherty.

For further information, including a full list of auction lots, to register to bid until 8 November or to donate an auction lot (up until 1 November), visit www.edsheeranmadeinsuffolklegacyauction.com and follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for regular updates. #SuffolkLegacy  

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In response to a growing demand for timed auctions across its marketplaces, Auction Technology Group (ATG) has launched a new timed auction dashboard* to support auctioneers using the timed format.

The new feature ensures that auctioneers have a similar level of control over a timed auction as they do in a live auction.

Timed auctions have represented the vast majority of sales on industrial and commercial marketplaces for some time. But they have become increasingly popular in the art & antiques sector in recent months, too, with 16 auctioneers running timed sales for the first time on thesaleroom.com since May.

John-Paul Savant, CEO of ATG, said, “We are investing significantly in timed auctions across all our marketplaces to ensure that they become as efficient as possible for both auction houses and bidders. To this end, we are delighted to announce the launch of the timed auction dashboard – a brand new feature giving auctioneers even more control over their timed auctions”.

The new timed auction dashboard allows auctioneers to closely monitor each of their timed auctions, in real time, throughout its duration. This includes the ability to change a lot’s increment, reserve or opening price directly from the dashboard. It also gives the auctioneer increased levels of visibility during the end-phase of the sale.

Savant continued, “Bidder behaviour has shifted in recent months, and while we firmly believe that rostrum sales will continue to represent the vast majority of auctions in the art & antiques sector, timed auctions are increasingly popular across all categories. This is partly because they are well suited to social distancing in the current climate, but also because timed auctions are a familiar format for the growing number of casual bidders that we have seen coming to auction for the first time recently”.

Auctioneers wishing to activate their timed auction dashboard should contact their account manager.

The timed auction dashboard is currently available across five of ATG’s six auction marketplaces. For further information visit:

*not yet available on Proxibid

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thesaleroom.com, Europe’s leading marketplace for art and antiques auctions, has seen bidders flocking to classic car auctions on the site in May and June.

Six auction houses have listed over 1,000[1] classic cars and motorcycles on thesaleroom.com in the past two months, with those auctions receiving as many as three times the number of bidder registrations as other categories on the site.

The sales have also achieved high sell-through rates, even though in most cases bidders have been unable to see the lots in person. This has resulted in over £2.5 million[2] of classic cars and motorcycles being sold through thesaleroom.com and its sister sites i-bidder.com and BidSpotter.co.uk.

The figures reflect a recent boom in the classic car market, which has thrived during COVID-19 lockdown as many collectors have found themselves with time on their hands and money to spend in lieu of luxuries like holidays. Auction houses have responded to the demand by moving their planned auctions entirely online for the first time, with great success.

Richard Lewis, COO of Auction Technology Group (ATG), which owns thesaleroom.com, said, “At the start of the COVID-19 crisis, several auction houses came to us to help them move their classic car auctions entirely online. There was a sense that rather than stifling demand, the lockdown was actually lifting it. That forecast turned out to be spot on, and auction houses that have held classic car auctions entirely online in the last few month have seen some bullish bidding activity”.

Two auctions are of particular note. Mathewsons’ ‘Classic Vehicles Auction’, held on 6 June, attracted an astounding total of 1,245 bidders through thesaleroom.com and its sister sites – three times the average for auctions on the sites in May and June – and saw twice as many bidders per lot compared with the average for thesaleroom.com. And Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers’ ‘Classic, Vintage & Supercars’ sale on 30 May, which also attracted twice the number of bidders per lot than usual.

Silverstone Auctions, Classic Car Auctions, Bonhams, Charterhouse Auctioneers & Valuers, Mathewsons Auctioneers, and Anglia Car Auctions have all held classic car and motorcycle auctions on thesaleroom.com and its sister sites i-bidder.com and BidSpotter.co.uk in May and June. The auctions have featured a wide range of automotive favourites, from historic competition cars and grand tourers, to modern classics and affordable convertibles.

Lewis continued, “The timeless classic models, as ever, have done well throughout the last two months. Porsche, BMW, Chevrolet, and – in the bike category – Royal Enfield have been among the most watched names on thesaleroom.com”.

Among the lots that have piqued the most interest[3] with bidders on thesaleroom.com are a 1993 Porsche 911 (933) Carrera Coupe in Charterhouse Auctioneers’ ‘Classic, Vintage & Supercars’ sale on 30 May; a 1988 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo in Anglia Car Auctions’ ‘2 Day Classic Car Auction’ on 20 June; and a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine in Mathewsons Auctions’ ‘Classic Vehicles Auction’ on 6 June.

Five more classic car auctions are scheduled on thesaleroom.com in July and August. For the latest catalogues of upcoming classic car auctions visit:

Auctions during COVID-19

Since lockdown was imposed in March, many auction houses have changed their sales to ‘live online only’, with live bidding conducted online via thesaleroom.com (as well as the usual commission bidding and phone bidding), or to ‘timed online sales’ rather than live sales – a familiar format that has been growing steadily in popularity over the past year.

During COVID-19 restrictions, auction houses are going the extra mile to give buyers confidence in what they are purchasing and making the process easy for them when bidding online. For example, providing extra photos of each lot/item, remote viewing via video calls, online payment and ‘no contact’ delivery solutions, as well as generous terms for storage.

[1] Total 1,049 lots

[2] Total £2,647,020 classic cars sold in May and June through thesaleroom.com, i-bidder.com and BidSpotter.co.uk

[3] Based on the ‘most watched’ lots on the site.

Featured Image: 1988 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo in Anglia Car Auctions’ ‘2 Day Classic Car Auction’ on 20 June (sold to a bidder on thesaleroom.com for £63,000)

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Hot on the heels of welcoming the 70th auction house onto its white label platform, Auction Technology Group (ATG) has onboarded Grisebach, the one of top auction houses for Modern Art in Germany, onto its Global Auction Platform (GAP) White Label.

Grisebach is the first German auction house to go live with ATG’s GAP White Label on its timed auctions.

Grisebach is holding its Summer ‘Third Floor’ auction in a timed online-only format for the first time, paving a new way for bidders to purchase unique works of art by top names. Billed as ‘a carefully selected assortment for beginners and connoisseurs’, the timed online-only sale is listed simultaneously on Grisebach’s website, thesaleroom.com and Lot-tissimo until Sunday 5th July.

Rigmor Stüssel, Director of Grisebach, said, “This will be the first time our Third Floor auction has been held entirely online and in a timed format, and we are excited about its new digital makeover. For a timed auction the technology has to be of the highest quality, which is what ATG’s white label provides, along with the ability to reach as many bidders as possible by running the sale on both our longterm partner platforms, on thesaleroom.com and Lot-tissimo.”

Richard Lewis, COO of ATG, said, “Grisebach has listed its live auctions on our art & antiques marketplaces thesaleroom.com and Lot-tissimo for many years, choosing ATG for its live bidding suite and extensive bidder reach. The last few months have opened up opportunities for auction houses to reach bidders in new ways, and it’s been a pleasure to support Grisebach as they moved their biannual Third Floor sale to a timed format for the first time.”

To visit Grisebach’s Summer ‘Third Floor’ sale, go to:

ATG’s GAP White Label was launched in December 2018 to give auctioneers bidding functionality on their website in parallel to listing on ATG’s unrivalled international marketplaces. Over 70 auction houses have now gone live with ATG’s white label.

Image courtesy of Grisebach: Dietmar Lemcke. Stillleben mit Blumenvase. 2012. Oil on canvas. 40.5 × 30.2 cm. Estimate EUR 600–800

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With ever more auctions taking place in an online-only format, a four-day sale held by Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers in Macclesfield has achieved a new online record for registrations on the saleroom.com.

The auction – Boutique Sale followed by Antiques & Fine Art with Sporting, Militaria, Silver, Jewellery and Watches – took place as an online-only event on May 26-29. It attracted 3,982 registered bidders on thesaleroom.com. This is the highest number of registered bidders for any sale held on the online auction marketplace*.

Richard Lewis, COO of Auction Technology Group, said, “Since the start of lockdown, auction houses have been working hard to keep their auctions running by moving them entirely online and we have seen high registration numbers across nearly all sales in the past few months.

“The record-breaking number of online registrations for Adam Partridge’s auction – more than 10 times the average on thesaleroom.com – is testament to the team’s hard work to bring bidders to the sale, as well as a signal that bidder behaviour has quickly adapted to the new way of working.”

When added to the number of phone and commission bidders (231) and the bidders on the auction house’s own website (803), the total number of bidders registered for the Adam Partridge sale exceeded 5,000. With 2,694 lots offered – all consigned pre-lockdown – and a sell-through rate of 92%, the sale total, including 20% buyer’s premium, was £903,600.

The auction, postponed from April 1-4, was the first held by Adam Partridge since March 13, almost 11 weeks earlier.

Photograph: Lot 543: An early 19th century Indian shield (dhal), with five rounded half cut spheres, snake and gold inlay, diameter 40cm. Courtesy Adam Partridge.

* according to data going back to the start of 2016.

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Auction Technology Group (ATG), whose technology powers the live and timed online auctions of hundreds of auction houses across multiple verticals, has welcomed the 70th auction house to go live with its best in class GAP (Global Auction Platform) White Label product.

Starting from this month, Dreweatts will list both its timed and live auctions simultaneously on its own website and ATG’s art and antiques marketplace thesaleroom.com – a testament not only to the products, but also to ATG’s unparalleled track record in consistently delivering services that exceed customer expectations.

Richard Lewis, COO of Auction Technology Group, said, “In March 2006 Dreweatts became the first auctioneer to run a live sale on thesaleroom.com. We are delighted that they are now running timed sales across both their website and thesaleroom.com. We look forward to promoting Dreweatts’ forthcoming schedule of timed and live sales.”

One of the main drivers behind Dreweatts’ decision to choose ATG’s GAP White Label was the ability to list both timed and live auctions simultaneously on their own site and thesaleroom.com. Dreweatts also wanted to streamline all processes from uploading sales to bidder management.

Jonathan Pratt, Managing Director of Dreweatts said, “Timed auctions are an important growth area and we are excited about the prospect of increasing the number of our timed sales knowing that we will benefit from the high level of bidders brought to us by thesaleroom.com. Our decision to use ATG’s white label was also driven by our desire to simplify our back-end processes. ATG has worked well with our partners to ensure seamless integration with Evo-Soft and Webreality.”

As part of the integration, ATG created an archive of over 500 past auctions on the Dreweatts website and thesaleroom.com, and brought in new features to make sign-in seamless from the Dreweatts homepage.

ATG’s GAP White Label was launched in December 2018 to give auctioneers bidding functionality on their website in parallel to listing on ATG’s unrivalled international marketplaces.

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Forum Auctions and art and antiques marketplace thesaleroom.com are teaming up to host a virtual charity auction, selling a spectacular one-off artwork created by the artist James McQueen in aid of the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

The artist has been inspired by the nation’s unprecedented outpouring of gratitude for the selfless work of the millions of NHS and allied staff.

The impressive 6-foot by 4-foot artwork, ‘You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone’, will be sold in a video cast live auction at 6pm on Friday 8th May. Supporters of the NHS wishing to acquire this work can place bids online, in competition with each other, from mid-day on Friday 1st May. The auction will culminate with a live video-streamed event that will see Forum Auctions’ Rupert Powell hammering his gavel down to the highest bidder.

James McQueen commented on his inspiration for creating and donating the work: “I have been truly touched by the courage that NHS staff have shown during this crisis. It takes a special kind of person to do the job that they do. They are real life heroes. We must commemorate those who have and will sadly lose their lives during this terrible time and to remember how much we need the NHS.”

James’s work can be broadly categorised as ‘Urban Art’, a genre inspired by New York’s 1980s graffiti artists Keith Haring and Jean-Michelle Basquiat and counts Britain’s Banksy amongst its most prominent artists. The painting’s hard-hitting subject reflects the Urban Art genre’s trademark tendency for challenging the establishment, in this case highlighting the debate that has been raging for some years regarding the spectre of privatisation within the NHS.

Forum Auctions’ CEO Stephan Ludwig said, “We are tremendously grateful to James for having created this unique and substantial artwork to raise charitable funds for the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal. Our public healthcare system is performing absolutely brilliantly and the painting’s poignant message underscores one of the more challenging and unpopular debates surrounding the NHS’ future structure.”

Richard Lewis, COO of Auction Technology Group, which owns thesaleroom.com, added, “This is an inspiring piece of art that captures a real moment in time. It is an honour for us to be supporting the NHS Charities COVID-19 Urgent Appeal with the auction of such an impressive artwork, which will appeal to a wide range of art collectors and supporters of the NHS.”

James McQueen has previously sold works with Forum Auctions, London’s leading specialist auction house exclusively for works on paper. It is for this reason that the artist chose to partner with Forum Auctions on this exciting project.

Bidding will take place on thesaleroom.com here.

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ATG’s consumer goods auction site i-bidder.com reports 15 times more demand for home essentials and leisure items since lockdown began
Toys & garden games up 238%; Garden furniture & BBQs up 155%; Hot tubs up 134%; Fitness equipment up 114%
Hair clippers up 450%
Auction houses respond by moving operations entirely online

The UK’s leading marketplace for consumer goods auctions, i-bidder.com, has reported a massive jump in demand for toys and games, garden furniture, fitness equipment, home working supplies – and even hair clippers – in the month since the UK was put into lockdown. i-bidder.com lists and hosts auctions for major auction houses across the UK including William George, Global Auctioneers, Gascoines, and Haddon & James.

A full month at home has seen Britons embrace their reputation as a nation of garden lovers, with demand for garden furniture and BBQs up by 158% and garden machinery up by 53%. Hot tubs have also seen a 134% spike in demand. And those with time on their hands with children have generated a 235% increase in demand for toys and garden games at auction.

Others are creating home offices, home schools and home gyms, sending demand for supplies such as monitors and webcams soaring by 44%, while fitness equipment is up 114% since gyms closed and outdoor exercise has become limited. Dumbbells alone are seeing 10 times higher demand than usual.

And with hairdressers and barbers forced to close shop, there has been unusually high demand for hair clippers, which have risen by a whopping 450% as Britons resort to styling their own hair.

John-Paul Savant, CEO of Auction Technology Group, which owns i-bidder.com, said, “With the population staying at home, and fewer places available to shop for consumer goods, more and more people are discovering that auctions are a great place to buy items for the home online – usually at more affordable prices than the high street, too.

“It is often assumed that people need to visit auction rooms in person to bid. In fact, many regional auction houses have moved their entire business online for the first time in the last four weeks – a move that has paid off as consumer demand has soared. On i-bidder.com, for instance, we have seen a 19 per cent growth in new account creations since lockdown began.”

Items that have seen the biggest increase in demand at auction online in the past month:

Monitors 14 x normal demand
TVs 13 x normal demand
Sun loungers 12 x normal demand
Hot tubs 8 x normal demand
Train sets 8 x normal demand
Paddling pools 7 x normal demand
Puzzles 6 x normal demand
Hair clippers 5 x normal demand
Dumbbells 4 x normal demand
Leaf blowers 4 x normal demand
Webcams 4 x normal demand
Rotavators 5 x normal demand

Commenting on those items in high demand, Savant continued, “During lockdown, we’re all having to make the most of our own space at home for entertainment, fitness and self-improvement. The rise in demand for fitness equipment in the past four weeks really shows the ‘Joe Wicks effect’ in action, and it is fun to see a renewed interest in traditional hobbies such as jigsaw puzzles and garden games, as well a surge in people coming to auction to improve their gardens.”

i-bidder.com lists the catalogues and runs the online auctions of hundreds of auction houses up and down the country and internationally. During Covid-19 restrictions, auction houses are going the extra mile to give buyers confidence in what they are purchasing and making the process easy for them when bidding online. For example, providing extra photos of each lot/item, remote viewing via video calls, online payment and ‘no contact’ delivery solutions, as well as generous terms for storage.

For the latest catalogues of upcoming home essentials auctions visit i-bidder.com

Image:

Brand New Luxurious Extra Large Thermo Wood 1.8m Hot Tub, Lot. 19037 in Haddon & James’s ‘Brand New Luxury Garden Buildings and Rattan Furniture’ sale on 3 May 2020.

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Britons are turning to online auctions for collectables and alternative investments during Covid-19 lockdown

thesaleroom.com reports high demand for collectables and memorabilia
Collectables up 19%; Watches up 13%; Memorabilia up 11%; Gold up 6%
Auction houses respond by moving operations entirely online

thesaleroom.com, Europe’s leading marketplace for art & antiques auctions, has reported a significant increase in demand for collectables, vintage watches, memorabilia and gold coins in the month since the UK was put into lockdown. The items are often seen as alternative investments during times of economic uncertainty.

Always a popular item at auction, mechanical watches and vintage timepieces have seen a 13 per cent increase in demand on thesaleroom.com since 23 March. Sale prices have held firm, too. At the top end, a rare Rolex Cosmograph Daytona c.1970 took £32,000 hammer from a buyer on thesaleroom.com at a live online-only sale by Watches of Knightsbridge during the first week of lockdown.

Other bidders have been flocking to more affordable collectables – often for under £150 – such as Hornby trains, toys, comics and cigarette cards, which have seen a 19 per cent rise in demand. Sports fans haven’t been missing out either, with demand for sporting memorabilia, including football shirts and programmes up by 11 per cent.

As equity markets and oil markets continue to plunge, gold coins have also maintained a steady increase in demand in the past month, with bidders showing 6 per cent higher interest than usual in the coins on thesaleroom.com.

John-Paul Savant, CEO of Auction Technology Group, which owns thesaleroom.com, said, “Traditionally during periods of economic uncertainty we would expect to see high demand for items seen as alternative investments – items perceived as a ‘safe haven’ because they hold or increase their value regardless of what is going on in the financial markets. That trend is playing out in the activity we’re seeing among bidders at auction. And of course, during a time such as this, others are simply using their time at home to start or continue on their journey of collecting as a hobby.”

Items that have seen the biggest increase in demand at auction on thesaleroom.com in the past month:

Hornby trains 96%
Blancpain watches 37%
Football programmes 30%
Comics 28%
Heuer watches 19%
Rolex watches 11%
Gold coins 6%

Attuned to the demands of bidders during the current climate, many auction houses have ramped up their activities in these categories. They have also changed their sales to ‘live online only’, with live bidding conducted online via thesaleroom.com (as well as the usual commission bidding and phone bidding), or to ‘timed online sales’ rather than live sales – a familiar format that has been growing steadily in popularity over the past year.

Savant continued, “thesaleroom.com saw a 12 per cent month-on-month increase in new registrants at the end of March as auctions went fully online, and prices remain strong, too. Many auction houses specialising in collectables and investment pieces, such as watches and memorabilia, have moved their entire business online for the first time in the last four weeks – a move that has paid off as demand has soared. Fellows’ latest watch auction, for instance, was entirely online and attracted a record number of bidders.”

thesaleroom.com lists the catalogues and runs the online auctions of hundreds of auction houses selling fine & decorative art, antique furniture, watches & jewellery, and collectables, up and down the country and internationally. Major auction houses that list their sales on thesaleroom.com include Bonhams, Fellows, Cheffins, Sworders, Chiswick Auctions, Dreweatts and Woolley & Wallis.

During Covid-19 restrictions, auction houses are going the extra mile to give buyers confidence in what they are purchasing and making the process easy for them when bidding online. For example, providing extra photos of each lot/item, remote viewing via video calls, online payment and ‘no contact’ delivery solutions, as well as generous terms for storage.

For the latest catalogues of upcoming collectables auctions visit thesaleroom.com.

Image: Hornby LMS Princess Elizabeth, sold at Wallis & Wallis ‘Toys & Models’ auction’ on 6 April 2020 for £1,200 to a bidder on thesaleroom.com.

11d:T1044,

The UK’s Health Protection Regulations of March 2020 include auction houses in the list of businesses that are required to close.

We wholeheartedly support the national effort to combat Covid-19 and naturally we have been contacted by many auctioneers wanting to understand the implications of the new government regulations.

As the UK enters its third week of government-sanctioned shutdown measures, we would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on measures that the auction industry is taking to manage in the current situation.

What the law says

It is our understanding that the legislation targets traditional public auctions rather than online-only sales where social distancing can be adhered to at all times. eBay and other online-only auction providers continue to operate.

Multiple auctioneers have told us that local councils have permitted them to run auctions once they realise they are online-only and we have supported some auction houses in their communications with local authorities around this to enable sales to continue online-only. We encourage auctioneers to speak with their local councils about this and are happy to provide you with supporting information.

How auction houses are coping

Each auction house must determine how it feels about running online-only auctions. As the government wants to minimise disruption to the UK economy, it seems to be allowing many sorts of online-only activity where social distancing can be respected. We will work with auction houses to ensure we all remain 100% compliant with both the letter and spirit of the law.

In the arts & antiques and industrial & commercial sectors many are finding ways to adapt responsibly within the law by switching to a timed or live online-only formula, broadcasting sales on the internet from empty buildings or auctioneers’ own homes, and ensuring social distancing measures are respected at all times, including during delivery.

For many auction businesses – especially in the industrial and commercial sector – operating online-only and timed auctions is nothing new and many have had systems in place for some time that allow for very little contact between individuals. One thing they all reiterate is the importance of giving the buyer confidence in what they are purchasing and making the process easy for them when bidding online.

Making it easy for the bidder

With the importance of buyer confidence in mind, a number of auctioneers are going the extra mile to get the best out of their online-only auctions in the current situation by:

increasing the number of photos per lot;
providing remote viewing via video calls as a replacement for physically viewing lots;
using our payments solution which allows auction houses to take payments online and remotely;
using a ‘no contact’ delivery service. Our delivery partner Mail Boxes Etc has a ‘no contact’ delivery solution;
providing generous terms for storage.

As always, we urge auctioneers and bidders to get in touch if they have any questions relating to the current situation.

You will also find the latest updates on the impact of Covid-19 and inspiring stories about how the industry is adapting in the Antiques Trade Gazette.

Finally we would like to extend our very best wishes to all auctioneers, their families and their staff, and to all bidders, at this difficult time.

John‑Paul Savant, CEO of ATG

Richard Lewis, COO of ATG

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