Gregg Auction Services now offers online access
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
MAPELTON — A local auction company is expanding its marketing ability by incorporating the Internet, to better serve a larger audience. The process will allow participation from bidders worldwide.
Photo courtesy of Matthew Gregg
HEAVY EQUIPMENT and farm machinery are among the many items Matthew Gregg Auction Services, of Mapleton, help consigners sell each year. Pictured is a Volvo payloader, with several other pieces of equipment bound for the auction block.
Matthew Gregg 
Auction Services, located at 880 Mapleton Road in Mapleton, is a central Aroostook County-based auction company that has enjoyed steady growth and is expanding its marketing campaigns using more online methods. This will be in addition to traditional methods of advertising, which Auctioneer Matthew Gregg credits for helping his business grow to where it’s at now. Adding an online element will only enhance what’s already available, he said.
“Print media like local newspapers, sale guides, trade publications and direct mailings are always going to be in the advertising equation for our company,” said Gregg. “We have had good success with online promotions and are investing in not only the print media but also more Internet marketing.”
“We already have a website and Facebook page and use e-mail. Last year we used a Google ad campaign and offered online bidding, which both worked well,” Gregg said.
Gregg explained how the online ads work.
“When a person types in a specific item — say a certain make and model tractor — if that item is coming up in an auction, an ad about the item up for auction appears, providing a link to Gregg’s auction page,” he said.
Online bidding has been around for quite some time, according to Gregg, with buyers used to the traditional bidding process becoming accustomed to this style of purchasing.
“Nothing is better than being present at an auction, but if you cannot be present, this gives any person with an Internet connection the ability to bid on items at an auction,” Gregg said.
Online bidding is done through a company that promotes the sale from their website which gives items a much bigger audience than what you would ever see in Aroostook County.
“On auction day, I wear a wireless device connected to my cell phone (Bluetooth) which is heard over the Internet, along with a picture of the item on the block. An auction staff member is on the phone with the online bidding company and bids whenever anyone bids on the Internet,” said Gregg.
Gregg said he had concerns about getting involved with the online process but has since come to accept the practice.
“I had reservations at first about this format — the cost was significant and getting paid was another concern. The online company charges 2 percent on top of the sale price and does a credit check to see that potential buyers have the capability to pay for items,” he said.
“We had a good-sized auction in Limestone last year with one-third of the auction revenue coming from online sales. These bidders bought farm tractors, a payloader, payloader buckets and attachments, log forwarder and a detachable trailer. The items went to as far away as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Prince Edward Island,” noted Gregg.
Gregg said this gives the consigner a lot more exposure for their items.
“With Aroostook County being fairly isolated compared to other rural areas, this gives the equipment in this area more equal exposure compared to equipment located in other parts of the country. A lot of the equipment in Aroostook is in great shape due to low hours because of our shorter growing season and most owners maintaining their equipment for better longevity,” Gregg said.
Use of the Internet isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, said Gregg.
“There has been some grumbling in the crowds about online bidding. Some people don’t like bidding against someone who is not even present at the sale. But my job as an auctioneer is to get as much exposure for consigned items as possible. The online bidders are paying more for items with the 2 percent additional buyer’s premium, plus they have to have the equipment trucked to their location. The bidders are at quite an advantage by being able to inspect items personally, not just view pictures (as is the case online),” said Gregg.
“These online buyers are buying items, paying more of a buyer’s premium and trucking (fee), and purchasing solely based on a brief description of the items and a few pictures. The physical bidders have quite an advantage compared to their online counterparts,” he said.
Gregg said his job is to “get the most exposure and bidders for consigned items.”
“Online bidding is here and is growing. Auctioneering is just like any business. You need to stay current and with the times. This gives our consigners more exposure than you would ever have by just using traditional marketing techniques,” continued Gregg.
Gregg said he continues to look for ways to broaden the market for consigners looking to make a sale.
“We are currently talking with a company that owns TractorHorse.com and MachineryTrader.com and are close to developing a relationship with them,” Gregg said.
He stresses that the earlier items are listed, the better for all involved.
“All these new marketing avenues are great, but they also take time to set up and the sooner items are cosigned, the quicker they can be promoted,” Gregg said. “It’s not just the time for us to post the items. If they are big-ticket items, people need to line up their financing. We have people traveling to our area to either inspect the items or who’d like to have more pictures e-mailed to them with more in-depth pictures of the items.”
Gregg invites anyone interested in selling or buying equipment to give him a call.
“I have a list of people that are looking for items. If you are looking for a piece, feel free to contact me; and of course, if you are thinking about selling a piece, I would love to hear from you. I will give you an opinion of your item; sometimes an auction isn’t the best avenue for you or your items,” said Gregg.
“I am in the auction business, but you need to have positive experiences for both the buyer and seller, so I will be honest about what would be the best fit to liquidate your equipment,” said Gregg.
For more information, call 207-764-3942, e-mail mgregg@maine.rr.com or visit Facebook.
