10 challenges for auction houses in the digital age

10 challenges for auction houses in the digital age

Auction houses have a tradition spanning several centuries. In recent decades, they have undergone a digital transformation, expanding their reach globally. However, this has also brought numerous challenges, particularly in meeting the ever-growing demands and needs of customers.

What do customers expect from an auction house? Surplex asked itself the same question and conducted a survey among its customers. Surplex is one of the leading industrial auction houses in Europe and has been active in the digital trade of used machinery and industrial equipment worldwide through its platform, Surplex.com, since 1999. In order to gain a deeper understanding of its global customers and derive the challenges facing auction houses in the digital age, Surplex conducted a survey and received feedback from nearly 400 participants. The results represent the diverse clientele on the used machinery market in Europe: Especially small and medium-sized enterprises from countries such as Germany, Italy, and Spain as well as from the metal and wood processing, construction and agriculture sectors gave their assessments.

Challenge 1: Local markets

In the times before digitalisation, trade was mostly local. While businesses can now operate globally, there are still significant differences between countries in terms of market practices and preferences. One possible solution is the establishment of local branches and the employment of market experts. The experienced Country Managers at Surplex work in offices across 16 European countries. They are familiar with the national peculiarities and build trust through personal customer interactions.

Challenge 2: Simplicity in the bidding process

In the traditional auction house, the gavel marked the winning bid, and a simple hand gesture could place a bid. This straightforward and direct experience is expected in the digital age. A convoluted or non-transparent bidding process discourages potential buyers.

Challenge 3: Supply and bandwidth

Buyers appreciate an extensive selection and a wide range of items offered at auctions. However, auction houses often face limitations in the variety of items they can offer due to their reliance on sellers. Where there are no sellers, there can be no auctions. Because of this dependency, many auction houses place significant emphasis on targeting potential sellers and focusing on building brand awareness.

Challenge 4: Linguistic diversity

Digitalisation has globalised the second-hand market, making linguistic diversity a central challenge for auction houses. Not every customer speaks English. In response, Surplex.com offers its platform in 18 languages. And the company employs staff from 20 different nations to ensure effective customer support worldwide.

Challenge 5: Accessibility and customer service

In a globalised world where buyers and sellers come from different time zones, round-the-clock accessibility is crucial. Through 24/7 customer support and the use of chatbots and other modern technologies, customer queries can be answered in real-time despite time zone differences. Moreover, multilingualism and helpfulness in customer service are highly valued as they form an essential basis for trust and customer loyalty.

Challenge 6: Valuation of items and technical information

In the auction industry, the accurate valuation of objects and items is of great importance. This ensures that both sellers and buyers engage in fair transactions. Especially for technical items, providing detailed and precise information in text, images, and videos is indispensable to avoid misunderstandings. However, this can be challenging as determining the correct value and providing comprehensive technical data require expert knowledge.

Challenge 7: Virtual viewing

Inspecting items before a purchase often presents a logistical challenge as it typically involves a lengthy journey to the physical location. Virtual 3D viewings offer an innovative solution to this issue. A 3D model is created by capturing the auction item or its surroundings from various angles through photography or filming. Specialised software is then used to combine these images into a three-dimensional representation. This allows potential buyers to gain a detailed view without needing to be physically present.

Challenge 8: Disassembly, transport and customs

International customers expand the reach of auction houses, potentially leading to higher revenues. However, with this global presence comes challenges such as the disassembly of items, international shipping, and compliance with customs regulations. Buyers expect support in these areas. This expanded service transforms the auction house from a mere sales platform into a service provider or even a intermediary.

Challenge 9: Mobile use

B2B auctions have traditionally been conservative, primarily conducted through desktop platforms. In 2023, approximately three-quarters of bids on Surplex were made by desktop users. Nevertheless, mobile usage is gaining importance. To adapt to changing user habits, auction houses must expand their portfolios, such as through mobile apps. These apps can revolutionise the auction experience by sending notifications about upcoming auctions or providing mobile bidding features, enabling buyers to participate flexibly and independently of their location. Surplex has also made relevant adjustments, including a September app relaunch and the introduction of a WhatsApp newsletter, in response to changing user habits.

Challenge 10: Technological future prospects

The digital revolution has already fundamentally transformed auction houses, but the transformation is far from complete. Ongoing technological advancements, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), could make virtual viewings even more realistic in the future. Artificial Intelligence (AI) could further automate the appraisal process and offer personalised recommendations to bidders based on their preferences and past bids. With a focus on customer satisfaction, auction houses of the future are likely to be not only places of commerce but also technological pioneers.

Rugged Hank

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties.     This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it.   Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping.   Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time.   image002.jpg   On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home:   1.     Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone.    It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces.      Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home.      Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously.   Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home.  Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should.   “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution”  To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home.   To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here.    The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously.   The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.