We were delighted to host the Directors of Wellers Auctions Ltd at our East Sussex Headquarters last week. Chris Sykes Managing Director, Andrew Snelgar Commercial Director & Auctioneer, and Andy Stubbs, Marketing Director visited The Bid Building to meet with Jonathan Burnside, Managing Director of Easy Live Auction, and to meet members of our wider team who support the day to day running of the Wellers Auctions account.
The experts for selling “anything, anywhere, anytime”
Established in the 1970s, Wellers are proud to hold up to 7 auctions a week.
From agricultural, architectural and antiques sales to stock clearance events, with a major focus on retail including returns, end-of-line stock, lost property and undelivered parcels. There’s not much they haven’t seen sold from their rostrum. Listing more than 10,000 lots per week and managing more than 30,000 legacy bidders is no mean feat for the Wellers team. Andrew tells us that behind the scenes at their Guildford office there is a “constant buzz” of live-streamed auctions, admin processes, new deliveries, and sold item departures.
The Wellers business is growing steadily and there is a premises expansion on the horizon thanks to increasing consumer appetite for bulk buying general goods from auction. The Covid-19 pandemic drove auctions online when it wasn’t possible to meet in-person. For Auction Houses like Wellers selling online has revolutionised the way they work. Historically only trade customers would attend auctions, but, with the capability to run online-only Live and Timed sales with integrated Back Office software to handle invoicing, payments and buyer profiles, Auction Houses are now open to a diverse bidder audience and a greater range of lots. Constantly evolving software development means that our clients can handle a heavier volume of sales across their team.
A full suite of functionality is a breath of fresh air
During the visit here, discussion included a review of the full package of Easy Live Auction’s software and Client Services. Wellers take advantage of our White Label Website option, integrated with our AUCTIONEER Back Office system and online card payments. Our software allows clients like Wellers to streamline and automate their pre-sale and post-sale processes, saving hours of time. The Wellers website is incredibly detailed and informative for bidders and vendors alike, and alongside their website, Wellers carry out extensive marketing activities via social media. With such a large business operation, there is a strong reliance on a comprehensive Back Office software package with impeccable customer support.
Chris Sykes explained the procurement journey he and his team had taken over the last few years, having tested or investigated most of the main software providers for Live Auctions and Back Office functions. Wellers originally chose an alternative product but were recommended to Easy Live Auction via one of their vendors who praised us for “a better bidder experience”. Chris explained that of all the auction software tested, Easy Live Auction provided the most versatile integration they had found. Chris told us that the software was a breath of fresh air compared to more cumbersome working practices the team had endured with “bolted together” solutions from other providers. Wellers certainly had no regrets in taking up the recommendation to use Easy Live Auction.
“We were fed up with messing around with troublesome admin processes and were spending a disproportionate amount of time looking for workarounds when the software we were sold wasn’t doing what we wanted it to, and development requests were taking years to resolve. We were looking for simplicity and a better customer service experience”
“The Client Services team at Easy Live Auction are magic. The phone is always answered promptly and calls are answered with a human touch. We feel valued as a Client.” Said Chris.
Andrew added “It’s so refreshing that the team is UK based with no time difference to navigate, and are always available for support if needed at crucial times during a live sale.”
How can we grow together in 2024?
Our discussions turned to predictions for the industry for 2024 and how as Auction Houses and Online Bidding Platforms we can better support our customers. At times the financial complexities of the auction industry can be confusing for bidders, causing a number of queries to the Auction House. Varied VAT categories across different goods and varying buyer premiums can sometimes lead to uncertainty about the true cost of an item. Chris explained that a feature he found useful was that “Easy Live Auction allows us to tailor our Buyer Premiums for different kinds of sales”.
Between us we all agreed that it is our duty to better educate the new wave of auction consumers about the industry and the differences between buying from an Auction House versus the experience of Amazon Prime – for one the customer is at the heart of what both Wellers and Easy Live Auction do.
For more information on Wellers Auctions Ltd please visit their website: Wellers Auctions | Retail, Agricultural, Architectural, Antique & Specialist Auctions
For more information on any of the Easy Live Auction services mentioned in this case study, please contact [email protected] or call 01323 638603.
Left to right – Andrew Snelgar, Andy Stubbs, Jonathan Burnside, Chris Sykes.