How is shipping handled with gov auctions?

[Captobvious]

I've seen a few of you folks have bought stuff from various government liquidators/auction sites. How was shipping handled? Is there a place you can go to have someone haul the pallets to you? Just seeing that most of these auctions are on the east coast and since I live in Nebraska, hauling a uhaul full of machines back doesn't a good time seem to be is all.

 

[kclaptopsrepair]

Usually you have to come and take that stuff by yourself- read description of every one listing.

 

[MMFJ]

All depends on the auction seller, but the vast majority of them will work with your shipper (someone you chose to hire to pick up the load for you). All you need to do is give them a document to carry along that allows them to be on the pick up site (a 'power of attorney' of sorts, it is a document that the gov't site officer sends you, so no big deal).

There are a very few (thank goodness) locations that get really picky about who they let pick up. The only challenges I've had (in the dozens of auctions I've bought all over the country) has been on Wallops Island - they are some of the most strict around (at least, that I have dealt with). The issue is that they seem to change their rules every week or so in order to 'be secure' (or something - if you figure it out, maybe you'll post it here, though I just decided to stop bidding on their stuff!). What we had happen was that one week, a driver went to pick up a load (all fine) and then the next week or so, we got another load and they wouldn't let the guy on the base without him going to the check-in location and showing his birth certificate! Now, this is a guy that has picked up loads there so often that he has a base badge and can go to just about any location around. But, this new 'rule' stopped him from going to get this load for nearly three weeks! He and his company dropped us (and pick ups from there) and we had to struggle to get another person to go - and finding one that would show a birth certificate! (guess Obama's not the only one that doesn't want to show theirs! ) :shock:

Anyway, it is not difficult to get the auctions delivered to you. However, for smaller loads of just a few items, you should call and ask if they will put it in a box for you and you can send a label. Some refuse to do anything and you have to hire the local UPS store (or someone like that - all the gov't locations know their best way and at least 90% of them are very helpful if you just call before the auction is over and ask them nicely what the best way to do it would be).

Note that if you have them just 'put it in a box' for you, that may be just what you get when it comes in - "something" in a box...... gov't employees are not known for their great packing jobs - just keep that in mind. I've only had one thing BROKEN, but several were packed with some of the worst packing I've seen (but, then, the typical ebay seller doesn't seem to know much about it either and packages seem to move along ok from there). All luck of the draw on it if you don't hire a professional.

I took a quick look in emails to check for the latest hauler we used and it turned out well, but I've tried freightquote and not really happy with them (very hit/miss on being happy - we used them several times but finally dropped them). Also done a lot of shipping with DB Schenker - as I recall, seems they were really good, but for some reason we quit using them as well. I've used locals from the phone book and many different carriers - can't say there is any one that is 'perfect', nor any other than freightquote that I would only choose as a last resort. Most of my requirements on this have been 'get it here' - we know it is 'scrap' and no matter what, something will be broken or not working and when it is all dumped on pallets, the only thing you can count is when it gets there and you unpack it, clean it and test it yourself.

 

[Captobvious]

Wow! Thanks for the info! Should be helpful should I dive into these auction sites once I get some bank going on my free scrap electronics.

 

[MMFJ]

By the way, when I was just starting out, I looked at every penny and found it "slightly" cheaper to fly (and/or sometimes drive!) out and pick up the load myself.

More than once, I drove from Las Vegas to Denver, Phoenix, LA..... those 'road trip' days were fun, but a LOT of driving! You have to really be counting the pennies (which I was) and figuring your time was worth 'nothing' (which it isn't, but when all you have going is that load, it becomes the most important thing in the world!).

SAFETY DISCLAIMER - NEVER TRY THIS YOURSELF!!!
I recall one of the early, 'desperate' days when I rented a truck in Vegas, leaving at 8:30 am, driving to Denver (a 10 hour drive in a fast car - no so quick in a truck!) and getting in just around 10 PM - wondering if I should just sleep in the truck to save some bucks..... but, I got a hotel room (HIGHLY suggest you take care of your body first!)... At 7:30, I was at the pick up location, got loaded by 9 and was back in Vegas that night by 11 PM (had to stop a few times on the road to grab a short nap!)

Another one, I was visiting my family in OK and a load came up in Wichita, KS and another nice one in Manhattan, KS, plus some were coming up in Denver, OKC and Dallas. I arranged for a friend to work my shop in Vegas and stayed with family until I won the KS loads and waited to see about which 'route' to take back - through Denver, OKC or Dallas (hoping I would not win all three!

Wound up all I got was the KS ones (which was ok, but not great - I much prefer to have a LOT of stuff to go through, you never know what might work and what won't!). Went to rent the truck and all they had was a 24 ft-er! So, I took off from Tulsa and up to Wichita, then Manhattan and "the long and winding road" cutting across KS in a southwesterly direction to catch I-40....... That trip took me just over 2 days of super-hard driving and cost a small fortune (those trucks sure can eat some gas!) - so much out-of-pocket that I slept in the truck and wound up cashless when I got home! The good news is that, even with the small load (less than 5 feet taken up in the truck - very loosely loaded!) and all the expenses, I made about $4000 on that run - took several months to sell the stuff off, but well worth it!

I will finish this up with "those were the days" - or, so it seems...... So many people are now bidding on gov't auctions that they are really difficult to find a good one that you can buy at a reasonable price and make any money. Note that $4K is a nice day, but it was not made in one day - I had to outlay cash, do a lot of work advertising, cleaning, etc. and store the stuff as well until it sold, plus all the labor involved in all the steps. You have to figure all that in - BEFORE you bid!

I don't want to discourage you in any way from bidding on gov't stuff - deals are still out there, just not "good" ones being as plentiful as they were even 5 years ago (and even then, they were getting 'slim' at times). Best thing is just like doing the refining side - RESEARCH and be sure of the steps before you get into it (and also have a decent 'Plan B'!)

 

[element47.5]

Excellent post, MMFJ. Good color commentary!