A man holds a phone displaying the MaxSold website in a Toronto office on Thursday, January 30, 2020. TORONTO -- Don Colling is preparing to bang the gavel on a nearly half-century career as an auctioneer in the face of stiff competition from online sales.He's seen the live auction business dwindle with more and more colleagues retiring as younger buyers scoff at antiques.
Kilshaw's Auctioneers closed last year after more than two centuries in Victoria as more and more sellers hawked their belongings on eBay, Kijiji, Craigslist and online dealers without the help of a middleman, says owner Alison Ross. In addition, younger buyers want modern, clean-line furniture, preferring mid-century modern to Victorian. Royal Doulton pieces and collectible plates are no longer in fashion.
Martin said he's old-school and has no plans to transition to online sales that take more work to photograph and catalogue lots for sale. But he understands why online auctions would be attractive to buyers who can bid from the comfort of their homes. The veteran auctioneer foresees live auctions "kind of dwindling out" in 15 to 20 years as auction sites like MaxSold expand.
Housing prices have lead to younger people living in smaller places. They have no room for the collectibles of the past. And no desire to warehouse their parents’ collections either.
cuz we have no fucking money, duh
Imagine thinking that its the younger generations fault instead of their own for not advertising
I think they (the auctions) need to do a better job appealing to the potential customers. I have yet to see an estate auction advertised anywhere other than the last page of a newspaper that you have to pay for. It’s now 2020, utilize social media and you’d attract people.
Auctions and tax funded propaganda.