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Ritchie bros auction fees

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
When will they start setting hidden reserves, about six years ago I'd say, I was to a sale and tried to buy a dozer and a semi, both went for way more than they were worth, which kind of caught me off guard, but since I'd done my homework I had the serial numbers of both units, those same two units sold over 9 times between the two over the next two years on RB auctions throughout the country, that is unless both manufacturers made identical models with the same serial number and model number on numerous models? No buybacks, yea about that, maybe they call it, "no let goes" or "we'll try again" or "maybe more next time" instead of absolute sale, which it might be but they never claim "when" the absolute sale is going to be though do they? When I asked about the same machine going through multiple sales I was told the buyer didn't come through with payment, nine different times?

As for other auctions, the more money one company makes in any business the more likely there'll be others follow suit and do the same thing, especially if people figure out where they are the most vulnerable and are lacking in services. Internet auctions and small time sales sites are cropping up, more every day and there will be still more to come, all they need is equipment to sell and for purple wave they get it by making the buyer pay the fee's, not the seller, others have lower than rb commissions or inspections or internet auctions or long term internet bidding, days instead of minutes, and a host of other ideas that people want or are handy to use.

What goes around comes around and everything has its day, some have more days than others but none remain on top forever, nor ever will, someone always has something more to offer for less and its always harder to keep market share than take it away from someone else, the larger the scale the harder this is to achieve, keep market share that is.
 

Sweaver

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2010
Messages
8
Location
Lambertville, MI
Occupation
Equipment Manager
The concern should be for the sellers, in my opinion. With all the data available on this iron, buyers are going to do their homework to figure value. Total money spent at the end of the day is what the buyer is looking at, including buyer fee in that price. So if the machine is worth $100,000 auction value, the buyers will go to say $90,000. This net's the seller less money at the end of the day, which already sucks with all the fee's. As previously mentioned, this is just my opinion.
 

norite

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
483
Location
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
When the bidder becomes accustomed to the buyer premium being in place, he will adjust his maximum bid lower to account for this. Net cost of the purchase is the only thing that matters whether it is made up of seller fees, auction fees, taxes, transportation costs, or buyers fees whatever is left over is the bid for the machine.

Unfortunately it is the middle man, who didn't take any risk, made no investment and didn't manufacture, purchase or maintain the equipment who stands to gain more profit for his service at the expense of his customers.
 

DPete

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2007
Messages
1,677
Location
Central Ca.
Talked to the Ritchie Bros here locally this week as they have a utility truck I'm interested in coming up. On a $20K bidding limit you put up a refundable 25% or $5K and 2.5% buyer fee plus local sales tax. If I were to win with a $9K bid it really costs almost $10K
 

asiatrader

New Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
3
Location
philadelphia
I think it is refreshing to read some of yr comments, RBros I think has introduced this charge as they as I foresee a worldwide shortage of used iron, some of there sales are empty and have none of the sexy items one could regularly find
at an rbros auction..The North East auction for example has completely deteriorated, full of golf carts and SUVs..no quality iron whatsoever..I think they have lost touch with the industry and the people within it....There local representatives are cocky, arrogant and ignorant..I think there is a danger that they could fail in the long term as they have totally left their
traditional values behind and are becoming increasingly difficult to deal with..The only way they will survive is buying there own equipment ..
 

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
Is there a shortage of good items to list on the sales or a shortage of people with those items willing to deal with them, there is a difference.
 

brianbulldozer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2010
Messages
186
Location
W. Washinton, USA
This is just another slap in the face to this small contractor who has has gone to more of their auctions in the past 20+ years than I can remember.

First it was the 10% "small lot handling fee" on items under $2500, next it was internet bidding (which is not so bad in itself, except for the fact that it was the end of the fair and unreserved auction that they boast of. Now you have no idea who you are bidding against. With Ritchie owning so much of the equipment being sold at their auctions it is hard to imagine that they are not playing some games.), next was the end of accepting my business checks as they had for the previous 20 years (they will give me a $200k bidding limit to bid on the internet but won't take a $500 check so that I don't have to make a second trip to the auction to pay for the treasure I just bought), next was the timed auction (I take my under $2500 item there to sell, they charge me 25%, the buyer 10%, and all they do is put a sticker on it and list it in their catalog and on the internet. No auctioneer, so no trying to get the maximum out of it. If they have computer trouble and the kiosks don't work right and people have trouble posting their bids, as happened here a few auctions ago, you are just out of luck.), finally we have the new 2.5% buyers fee.

It used to be that if you put in the effort to go to the auction, touch, listen, sniff, and run the machines that you might bid on; you had the chance of getting a deal on something. Now, every time I go to the auction I am beat out by the internet bidder who is buying on the basis of 8 pictures of paint and decals, and one picture each of the seat and hour meter. Up until now the onsite bidder had a slight advantage in that the internet bidder had to pay 2.5%. Not anymore.

I think the reason for all the above is as follows:
1. money
2. money
3. money and the fact that RBA has gone from being your hometown auction yard
to a global mega corporation. The focus now is maximizing profit while minimizing costs (service). I think part of the reason for the new fee structure is to speed the transition to much more of an internet auction (can you say Iron Planet).

Over the years I have bought more equipment, trucks, trailers, and misc stuff at their auctions than I can remember. When it was time to sell something, off to Ritchie's it went. I knew that I may not get top dollar, but I appreciated the deals I purchased there and figured it was just part of the game, plus there was a relationship. Not anymore
 

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,347
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
I used to attend nearly all the RB auctions in the area. I was bent over the 10% for lots under $2500. This about seals it. If there is something I really want I will still go, but I don't go to near the sales I used to. RB's internet arrangement has never worked for me. Iron Planet is much easier, and more effective.
 

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
brianbulldozer, first off welcome to the site, second off excellent way to sum it all up, I'd have to agree 100%, you hit the nail on the head.
 
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