The 10 Most Promising Online Auction & Bidding Companies

Vol.04
Issue 15
2022
Transforming Industries
Revolu onizing Retail
Through Social Commerce
and Online Auc ons
Online Auc on
How the Internet and
Technology are Changing
Auc ons?
Equipment – Real Estate - Consignment
Corey Sekura
Chief Execu ve
Oﬃcer and President
The 10 Most Promising
Online Auction & Bidding
Companies

editor
Bhushan Bhad
Managing Editor
hat does your mind picture instantaneously as
Wyou hear the words “auction” and “bidding”?
Most of us have an idea about how auctions are
conducted in the world of cinema. We’ve seen auctioneers
describe an item and then prospective buyers raise their
paddles to place a bidding price on them. For the most part,
auctions take place the same way, obviously with a much
less flare of dramatics and suspense that happens in the
films.
Like many global businesses pivoted to online mode during
the pandemic, the auction and bidding space also followed
the trail and online auctioning became a much more
common phenomenon during this period. There came
numerous advantages in the sector with most of the
auctioning business happening online, from more buyers
coming to bid a promising price on a particular commodity
or service because of the accessibility factor or cost-
effectivity of the business activity due to its online mode.
Online auction and bidding have undoubtedly reached a far
greater audience during this time and recognizing this
growth many companies have leveraged the opportunity to
make optimum of it. These companies are providing a
fitting platform for potential buyers and sellers to conduct
auctions online with much ease and efficiency.
Enabling Auctions to
Be More Accessible!

To recognize such proﬁcient platforms, we at Insights
Success have come up with an edition called “The 10 Most
Promising Online Auction & Bidding Companies”. The
cover of this edition features Team Auctions which is a
complete Auction Center for Real Estate, Equipment, and
Consignment Auctions.
Lined up in the list are more such disruptive platforms that
are trailblazing the auction and bidding space. Flip through
the pages of this edition to know their stories and get
enlightened on the latest insights from the industry given by
the industry experts themselves. Also, make sure to read the
articles written by our dedicated in-house editorial team.
Have an interesting read!
,
,
Online auction and Bidding
platforms is the future proof road
map that is advancing the industry
to its deserving success.
- Trishika Rokade

08

Maxsold
A Promising Name in
Online Auc on and
Bidding Space 16
24
36
30
Proppy.co.nz
Buy and Sell Property
with Transparency
JANE PEYTON
CxO
MONTE M. WYATT
CxO
Articles
20 34
Revolu onizing Retail
Through Social Commerce
and Online Auc ons
How the Internet and
Technology are Changing
Auc ons?
Online Auc on

sales@insightssuccess.com
April, 2022
Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade
Research Analyst Eric Smith
Editor-in-Chief Mary D’souza
Anish Miller
Senior Editor
Kelly, David
Business Development Executives
Managing Editor
Sherin Rodricks
Business Development Manager
Bhushan Bhad
Art & Design Head
Art & Design Assistant
Visualiser David King
Co-designer
Rohil Shinganapurkar
Revati Badkas
Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza
Technical Consultants Prachi, Rajeshwari
Technical Head Jacob Smile
Assistant Technical Head
SME-SMO Executive Gemson
Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege
Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni
Copyright © 2022 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not
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Assisting Editors Trishika, Shrutika
Paul Belin

Featuring Brief
Company
Andrew Binstock
Director and Auctioner
BVAAuctions
bva-auctions.com
Classic Car Auctions
classiccar-auctions.com
Auctim
auctim.com
Bertolami Fine Art
bertolamifineart.com
Auction House London
auctionhouselondon.co.uk
Auctim is an international auction house network. It is the largest
online auction platform connecting buyers and sellers in over 160
countries.
Auction House London has residential and commercial property
auctioneers servicing London and the rest of the UK.
At Bertolami Fine Art, people take part in auctions where they can
bid, buy and collect modern or contemporary art, old masters,
jewelry, antiquities, watches, coins, and medals.
BVAAuctions is a European marketplace in e-commerce. It has
140,000 online lots every month with dormant inventory,
returns, overstock and business closures.
Classic Car Auctions is making auctioning specialty in vehicles
since 2010. Through its personal and ‘full service’ approach,
auctioning and bidding on classic cars got easier.
Christophe Moyersoen
CEO and Founder
Scarlett Matassi
Social Media Manager
Taco Valk
Bidder Marketing
Manager
Max Van Der Pluijm
Online Marketeer
Barry Gordon
Founder
Shipshewana Auction
& Flea Market
shipshewanatrading
place.com
Spink & Son
spink.com
Proppy
proppy.co.nz
MaxSold
maxsold.com
MaxSold connects sellers to an existing pool of interested
bidders and buyers.
Proppy is a smarter way to buy and sell real estate online. The
company offers online property auctions, negotiations, tender,
signing of legal agreements digitally, and streamlining the
property transaction online.
Shipshewana Trading Place / Shipshewana Auction Inc. is a
destination in Indiana’s Amish Country famous for hosting the
Shipshewana Flea Market. It is the Midwest’s Largest Flea
Market with over 700 vendors.
Spink & Son are an auction and collectibles company known
principally for their sales of coins, banknotes, stock and bond
certificates and medals.
Hannah Walker
Co-Founder
Brian Lambright
Business Development
Director
Mira Adusei-Poku
COO
Team Auctions
teamauctions.com
Team Auctions serves Western Canada's industrial and
construction equipment, farm sales, real estate and auction
industries handling all types of sales.
Corey Sekura
CEO and President

C O V E R S T O R Y
Corey Sekura
Chief Execu ve
Oﬃcer and President
Team Auc on

It’s ever-expanding
buyer population and
easy-to-execute
consignment and buying
experience will continue
to grow this company in
the future.

he 21st-century is blessed with innovations and
Tdigitization. A clear shift can be seen from the
industrial revolution to the new economic
domination of information technology.
Today, digital technologies have emerged as a major player
in shaping the future. An excellent example of the same is
the phenomenon called e-auction portals.
The online auction platforms have made everything
possible and easier for people today, from reaching out to
the most buyers to selling different assets for the best prices
in the shortest time.
This edition, The 10 Most Promising Online Auction and
Bidding Companies, emphasizes the companies that have
leveraged the capabilities of innovation to deliver
fascinating new ways of auctioning. A prominent name
among those companies is Team Auctions.
Team Auctions, also known as Sekura Auctions, is one of
the fastest-growing auction companies in Canada, servicing
off-site and on-site, real-estate, industrial, and farm
auctions. This company has been operating for over 60
years with great achievements.
In the following interview with Insights Success, Corey
Sekura, Chief Executive Officer and President at Team
Auctions, briefed us about the company's global ascension,
his opinions on the present, and his vision for the future.
Why TEAM Auction?
Team Auctions is an original family-owned 'live and online'
auction house that currently intensively services Western
Canada. Team Auctions was founded by Corey's parents –
Wendell and Helene Sekura, in 1958 and is now owned and
operated by Corey Sekura, his wife Lorena Sekura, and
their daughter Tiffany LaRose.
Team Auctions started as a farm equipment, real estate, and
cattle auction company. Over the past 60 years, Team
Auctions grew, expanding livestock sales to three locations
and selling over 250,000 heads annually. The livestock
divisions were sold, and the focus was put on Real Estate
and Equipment Auctions.
Since 1965, Team Auctions has had locations throughout
Western Canada, with the head office remaining in Drayton
Valley (approximately an hour west of Edmonton, AB).
For over 20 years, Team Auctions has promoted online
bidding and, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, has
converted all Real Estate and Equipment Auctions to an
online timed format. Team Auctions can design an auction
proposal to fit any client's needs and is not bound by a rigid
structure (which doesn't work for all sellers). This
Team Auctions
is one of the
fastest-growing
auction
companies in
Canada.
The 10 Most Promising Online Auc on & Bidding Companies

flexibility, along with the company's intensive marketing,
procedures, and service model, makes Team Auctions very
successful in the industry.
The Inspiring Visionary
Corey Sekura grew up in a family of auctioneers. His
parents – Wendell and Helene Sekura, his three brothers –
Tim, Ron, and Travis, and two sisters – Cherry and Tania,
are all licensed auctioneers or have worked in the auction
business.
Corey gained his Auction License at the age of 15, being
the youngest in his graduating class to do so. His entire life
has been working in auctions before working his way up to
manage them.
In 2003, Corey and his wife Lorena purchased Sekura
Auctions from his parents, becoming proud owners of
Team Auctions.
Corey's honesty, transparency, integrity, and adaptability,
along with his work ethic, leadership skills, and intense
marketing knowledge have vastly contributed to the success
of Team Auctions.
Sharing his motto, Corey says, "We are first and foremost
more of a marketing company and secondly an auction
company because if no one knows what you are selling, it
won't sell well."
After high school, Corey received his degree in Business
and Marketing (as did his daughter Tiffany) and has used
his education and experience, along with his fortitude and
common sense, to surround himself with a great team of
employees that are a large part of the company's success.
Today, Corey's daughter Tiffany LaRose runs the company
along with a strong management team who all have a lot of
experience in the auction industry. In total, Team Auctions
has approximately thirty-seven employees, all of whom are
dedicated and keen on doing all they can to help in the
company's ongoing success.
Passion driven workplace
In the past, Team Auctions has provided 'Subject to Owners'
and 'Reserved' Auctions. However, the business model now
focuses on 'Unreserved' Auctions which allows for stronger
buyer participation and, therefore, improved results for our
sellers.
While technology has paved the way for fewer hands-on
approaches in a lot of industries, Team Auctions believes
that when liquidating assets, customers deserve 'boots on
the ground' and the ability for human interaction, making it
a more personal service that is becoming increasingly rare
these days.
Dynamic offerings
Ÿ Talking about unique offerings of Team Auction, Corey
Sekura elaborated that Team Sekura Auctions' continued
growth comes from three aspects:
Ÿ Experience - With over 60 years of experience in the
auction business, Team Auctions' stability and
reliability in representing assets provide their customers
with a trust that not all auction houses can provide.
Ÿ Continued advancement – Team Auctions prides itself
on being a leader in the industry. From being one of the
first modern-era auction companies to selling real estate
Team Auctions is an
original family-owned
live and online
Auction House that
currently intensively
services
Western Canada.

Ÿ via auctions in the late 50s, Team Auctions has
transitioned from live bidding to all online bidding, and
broadcasting technology recognizing the importance of
being a leader in all facets of marketing.
Ÿ Adaptability - Team Auctions' willingness to adapt to
any situation as well as its solid business model, allows
us to design and execute successful auctions. This can
be any scenario from selling unique assets, real estate,
and livestock to location challenges, on and oﬀ-site
auctions, leases, and many more.
Opinion that matters
Sharing his vision on how the inclusion of technology in the
auction world is impacting all the stakeholders of the
market, Corey says, “Technology has absolutely changed
the auctions industry and Team Auctions has led the auction
industry in technological advancement with online bidding,
marketing, and logistics.”
“The presence of COVID-19 has really forced consumers to
join the world of technology regardless of experience or
preference in all facets of life. The combination of Team
Auctions' already being technologically advanced and
consumers becoming more engaged in online purchasing
has exploded the size of audiences attending each auction
and altered how each transaction is completed,” Corey
Sekura added.
Overcoming adversities
Team Sekura Auctions has adapted to many challenges in
the past and will continue to adapt in the future. Whether it
be auction legislative changes, livestock disease (such as
B.S.E disease – commonly known as Mad Cow Disease),
technology, and now COVID-19, Team Auctions have
always and will continue to use common sense,
adaptability, and endurance as its keys to deal with any
situation.
Enlightening upcoming entrepreneurs
When asked about his advice to budding entrepreneurs who
aspire to venture into the auction and bidding industry,
Corey said, “Team Auctions currently sits on various
auction associations and committees, and I see a lot of new
online auction companies popping up everywhere.
Currently, the auction industry is trying to adapt live
auction legislations into online laws that currently don't
exist.”
“My advice to young auction entrepreneurs would be to
learn the industry through experience, be well-versed in the
rules and regulations of our industry, and most importantly,
always operate with honesty and an incredibly hard work
ethic. This industry can be exhausting and stressful, but it
can also be exhilarating. Manage yourself well,”he stated.
The future holds progress
We asked Corey how he envisions scaling his company's
operations and oﬀering in 2022 and beyond, to which he
said, “Team Auctions continues to apply our auction model
to our incredible growth in the auction industry. The
company's growth across Canada is based on building and
adding experienced team members, more locations, and
acquisitions of smaller 'similar minded' auction
companies.”
“Team Auctions' latest acquisition has been Lambert
Premier Auctions and Precision Auctions in British
Columbia, an elite real estate auction company that will
increase the quality of Team Sekura Auctions real estate
division and expand its market share in all auction asset
liquidations in British Columbia and Western Canada.”
“Team Auctions is one of the fastest-growing auction
companies in Canada. Its ever-expanding buyer population
and easy to execute consignment and buying experience
will continue to grow this company in the future,” he
concluded.

Team Auc ons conducts full-scale, broad-based adver sing campaigns and is proud to have won various awards in the past
for excellence in adver sing as well as 'Best Marke ng Website.' It is also apprecia ve of the following tes monials from just
a few of many sa sfied customers:
“I wanted to send out a huge thank you to Team Auc ons for the awesome job they did on Saturday with the complete
dispersal of Cor-Ex Vacuum Services. Their professionalism and the marke ng team was out of this world.”
—Cordell Skinner, Drayton Valley, AB
"Thank you, Team Auc ons! From the first discussion of my farm sale to se lement day, excellent adver sing, machinery
knowledge with set up and display, everything went well. Sale day far exceeded my expecta ons as to financial results
achieved in a mely fashion. From start day to se lement day, thank you Corey and your team of professionals. All the best
to you all in the future."—Marc Beland, GATORS Lawn Care, High Level, AB
"The Team Auc on crew were efficient throughout the auc on prepara on, and they showed great respect for dad's
equipment, tools, and other items. They were sincere and understanding with the family, and our concerns and specific
details were addressed right away. The pace they set during the auc on gave the results we wanted. They did their job with
the communica on and exper se we needed and were looking for. Great job and highly recommended!"—Audrey Nikiforuk
and family Dwayne, Cindy, Terry, and Cliff
Appreciation of excellence

Barry Gordon
Founder
Maxsold
| April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
16

A Promising Name in Online Auction and Bidding Space
Today, for a business to beat the competition and
achieve great success, e-auction and bidding play a
vital role. It benefits both, buyers as well as
suppliers by streamlining the procurement process. It also
saves time and allows smaller businesses to compete in the
process.
The availabilities of the internet among people have clearly
given a great advantage to the e-auction portals. As a result,
online auction platforms have made everything possible
such as reaching out to the most number of buyers to selling
different assets for the best prices in the shortest time.
These platforms are always required to stand at the
forefront to offer full-fledged solutions to their clients
besides trust, reliability, integrity, transparency, and
satisfaction.
One such leading platform in the online auction and bidding
space is MaxSold. With an ambition to empower buyers
and sellers to extend the life of things for new generations
to love, Barry Gordon founded MaxSold.
MaxSold is evolved from a 50-year auction legacy. It firmly
believes that sellers deserve transparency, ease of use, and
profitability. The company also has a point of view that
sellers should not have to be a technology expert, marketing
expert, or logistics expert to sell their goods.
Eventually, consignment shops, antique stores, estate
buyers, and many 'estate sale' companies use MaxSold
regularly to sell extra products, thereby providing a mix of
options for buyers and sellers.
In the following interview with Insights Success, Barry
Gordon, the Founder, sheds light on the company's journey,
the current industry scenario, and his vision for the
company's future.
Please describe MaxSold in detail.
MaxSold's purpose is to empower buyers and sellers to
extend the life of things for new generations to love.
MaxSold solutions leverage technology to bring the benefits
of an auction marketplace to homeowners when they go to
downsize or have an estate to settle.
As the value of household contents declined and the cost of
providing professional solutions increased, homeowners
faced poor alternatives to clear the goods that often missed
out on value, pushed too much into landfills, and were
vulnerable to security issues.
By reinventing both auctions and estate sales with a tech-
enabled platform, anyone with a volume of goods to clear
can enjoy a competitive, transparent, safe, and finite way to
capture something for everything and virtually avoid the
cost of disposal personally and to the environment.
Eventually, consignment
shops, antique stores,
estate buyers, and many
'estate sale' companies
use MaxSold regularly to
sell extra products
thereby providing a mix of
options for buyers and
sellers.
17

Tell us about the featured person(s) and shed some light
on their professional journey in the auction and bidding
niche.
Barry Gordon, the Founder, is a second-generation
auctioneer with 45 years of evolving industry experience
selling everything from livestock to houses and everything
in between. His experience also included being on the
National Auctioneers Association and Auction Marketing
Institute boards and getting to know professionals
throughout the industry.
Knowing what others did, helped reveal what they did not.
There was a significant growing gap in the marketplace
where average estate downsize homeowners were being
abandoned by the auction industry for economic reasons.
5% of estates have the kind of merchandise most
auctioneers can afford to serve other than a few valuable
pieces. The other 95% need a relevant solution that will
gladly sell everything in their home- and that is why
MaxSold exists.
What were the initial challenges that MaxSold had to
overcome, and how did you pivot those?
The challenge from the beginning was to figure out how to
deliver the benefits of online auction at scale, so it would be
economical enough for everybody with a volume of goods a
bit of time to use. Event auctions generally require a high
dollar value threshold to finance the work that takes place.
Building for and at scale makes MaxSold a practical
solution for the largest portion of the marketplace.
At the same time, every seller wants their goods to have a
good bidding audience, so investing in buyer marketing
needs to lead to the actual income obtainable through
commissions and fees.
Auctioneers always faced the challenge of attracting both
buyers and sellers but building a solid product across wide
geography with very tight margins meant selecting markets,
building momentum in those markets, simply saying no to
some until later. MaxSold will serve every market in North
America eventually, but the journey requires the discipline
to build on a schedule.
What was your inspiration behind venturing into the
auction and bidding space?
MaxSold evolved from a 50-year auction legacy that
started at the live auction and after testing all the hybrid
options before settling into the most relevant way for estate
and downsized clients to clear their goods.
Online auctions, almost exclusively, began as item auctions
– like eBay, where people sold one item at a time and
shipped it to the buyer. As bandwidth increased, live
auctions – where most 'real auction' merchandise was sold
began to partner with online so local merchandise could be
sold in front of a live bidding audience and simultaneously
through internet bidding.
And while this process remains prevalent, it really doesn't
help the average homeowner. The best buyer for your
grandmother's teak dining set probably lives down the street
rather than across the country. We wanted to build a product
that simply allowed everyone to sell all their home contents
fairly and quickly, so the house could be empty when the
buyer moves in. Everything, from the lawnmower to the
sterling silver, to those collectibles, can and is sold daily
through MaxSold.
What is the current scenario of the auction and bidding
market?
People gain more comfort in online shopping and the wide
range of alternative platforms every day. This trend will
continue for every kind of merchandise. Buyers gain
18

confidence and preference in one or more brands based on
the relevance of that brand to the customer's needs, and the
brand's ability to evolve with demand for frictionless
commerce from their preferred brands.
MaxSold connects previously enjoyed items directly from
the client's home to the buyer, at the buyer's price! As
MaxSold builds out a marketplace, buyers become sellers
too.
COVID has accelerated the online marketplace by forcing
people to shop more from home. Online auctions easily
evolved into safer pickup protocols than live events while
allowing contents to flow into the community throughout
our robust housing markets. As a result, online auctions
have become ubiquitous across North America, if not the
globe.
What can equipment buyers do to ensure proper
preparation for bidding at an auction?
While MaxSold has a very small footprint in the equipment
world, all auction buyers want good reliable photos and
descriptions commensurate with the value of the product.
Every auction platform needs to cultivate a relationship
where buyers can become comfortable with the descriptions
so they can decide confidently how much they are prepared
to pay.
What is your opinion on the adoption of modern
technologies in the auction and bidding sector, and how
is your company leveraging these modern technologies?
Tech evolves daily, and online auctions must remain current
in the race to bring ease of experience to customers and
clients alike. MaxSold enjoys diverse investor support and a
board and CEO with broad expertise in online commerce,
so understanding what's next and being able to fund the
appropriate development and integrations are always on the
radar.
Big tech companies are continually raising the bar on
customer convenience, which requires all players to be
engaged in creating a great customer experience.
What would you like to advise the budding aspirants
who are willing to enter the auction and bidding niche?
Specialize in something and serve the customers and
marketplace well. Product experts can easily take their
knowledge online and use the platform to develop their own
marketplace.
Being ethical and committed to transparency are staples in
an unregulated industry. They also need to understand that
the auctioneer must always attract both sellers and buyers in
order to be successful.
19

Revolution ing
Retail Through
Social Commerce
and Online
Auctions
In the business world, Retail plays a vital role in
increasing the sales and availability of products. A few
years ago, the supply chain logistic process operated
from manufacturer to distributor and retailer to end
consumers, which was lengthy. The conventional method of
selling the product has changed now. It has arrived on
social media platforms and is mitigating the role of the
intermediaries.
As we know, Retail is the oldest industry that brings the
products to the end-users; sometimes, consumers buy the
products to fulfill their desire or out of necessity from the
retail stores. But the industry has constantly been changing
and adapting to technological advancements. Amazon is
one of the retail giants, leading the growth of e-commerce
and converting the consumer's preference from shopping in
retail stores to online.
With innovative technologies, industries and corporates are
revolutionizing themselves. It innates the changes that lead
to global development, and most of the social commerce
growth has been witnessed by countries like India and
Brazil.
According to Accenture's recent report, by 2025, the
shopping on social media platforms will be expected to
reach up to $1.2 trillion globally, which is three times more
growth from the traditional e-commerce.
It is expected that the retail industry will bear more changes
that will result in the growth of social commerce, where the
consumers form a group to receive discounts from the
suppliers.
This will prove to be a viable tendency to use online
auctions to discover the lowest bidders to accomplish
garments, shoes, and other merchandise orders.
How did the Retail Evolve?
The retail industry evolved in the 18th and 19th centuries
when there was a rise in metropolitan covered markets,
specialty shops, and departmental stores. By the late 1800s,
catalogs brought an opportunity to buy remotely, facilitating
a hassle-free shopping experience.
As the telephone was invented, Montgomery Ward
acknowledged the written orders through their mail-order
catalogs and startled the norm of shopping from home.
Rolling the ball in the computer age, the late 90s' witnessed
the internet to view and buy products online. By the early
2000's retail combat depressed brick-and-mortar shops
against online stores.
But now, the retailers are also adopting new strategies to
reach out to the customer by providing online and offline
services. Today, the retailers have advanced to this mark,
where the customers can't perceive the difference between
online and offline shopping. Shopping is the most loving
thing that people like to do; because they can buy anything
from anywhere and complete the transaction from their
mobile phones due to easy access to the evolved retail
market.
People are no longer dependent on catalogs or sales
associates to buy the goods, as they can select the products
of their choice, check the features or reviews before buying
20

21

them, and retailers can list their products to millions of
people with retail apps.
Every retailer can use online auctions and social commerce
for their businesses by speculating that they have a platform
with appropriate technology. Let's discuss a few online
commerce platforms which can transform the retail
industry.
• Google
We all know that Google is a search engine, but it is not
only a search engine; it is also an online marketplace. The
retailers get customers on their website through Google's
organic and paid search services. If you want massive web
traffic on your website, you can also pay Google and benefit
from its paid search option.
If your product brand is renowned in the market, and the
customers are searching for your products or your website
on Google, it will increase the rank of your website, which
is known as organic search.
The retailer must optimize Google shopping and bring more
online visibility to the product.
• Social Media
Everyone uses social media platforms to connect and share
messages and pictures with relatives, friends, and many
more. But due to technological advancement, social media
platforms are also getting advanced and using it for their
business purpose.
Some social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube,
Instagram, and many more make it accessible to shop the
product directly from the ad posts.
• Chatbots
A chatbot is one of the best AI tools which helps in
increasing revenue. It is specifically made to solve the
customers' queries, which saves the employee time.
Chatbot engages more customers on the landing page of the
websites, finding customers' requirements. It also improves
the company's sales and customer engagement, retains the
existing customer, and boosts the shopping experience.
• Utilize more AR and VR
Many people still hesitate to shop online; one of the main
reasons is that they cannot anticipate a product according to
their desire which is a big challenge for online retailers to
sell apparel, furniture, and other accessories online.
So, the utilization of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual
Reality (VR) is a new social commerce trend that sets the
demand-supply at the customers' might, where the customer
can try or choose the products.
Concluding Words
As technology is upgrading every day, various industries
are adopting technological advancements, providing their
customers with the best goods and services.
With the help of online auctioning and social commerce, the
customers are getting a variety of choices while shopping. It
also helps online retailers to retain their customers by
presenting their products to the global market using social
commerce and online auctions.
- Madhu Guleria
22

Proppy.co.nz
very individual on this planet has dreamt about
Ebuying a house or property some time or the other.
The idea and the process of buying property are
challenging. It includes saving money, finding a suitable
property as per requirements, contacting the owners or
realtors, negotiating the budget, and finalizing the
paperwork.
All this old-school work has become easy with
digitalization, where everything is done online. Even the
auctions and bidding for properties are done online with
zero chaos and accessible from any place that has Internet.
Many companies and agents associated with the real estate
industry help people buy and sell properties through online
and offline services. Proppy.co.nz. is one such website
based in New Zealand, where people can buy and sell their
property smoothly. They have reduced all the unnecessary
costs that help their clients save a truckload of money with
transparency.
Hannah Walker, Co-founder of Proppy.co.nz. shared
with us how her organization operates and how helpful it is
to run a business online.
Below are the highlights of an interview:
Please describe Proppy.co.nz.
Proppy.co.nz is a New Zealand-owned real estate agency
established in 2015. Proppy has eliminated the need for the
traditional brick-and-mortar offices, allowing us to reduce
our costs and pass on the savings to our clients.
Proppy.co.nz is smart enough to buy and sell real estate. We
have a safe and secure online platform that allows people to
negotiate, sign sale and purchase agreements online, and
hold online auctions. And the icing on the cake is that we
only charge 1.75% + GST commission compared to
competing agents who charge you approx. 3.95%.
Proppy.co.nz is not only a website but also a real estate
platform allowing sellers and buyers to transact real estate
in a safe and secure manner with the assistance of licenced
real estate professionals. As such, we have incorporated
rigorous systems and processes in the platform, allowing
for the transaction to occur according to current Real Estate
Authority rules, REINZ best practice, and the law. Our
platform is innovative, and we believe we are one of the
only companies in NZ or even the world which allows you
to list a property online and then sell property online.
Hannah, tell our audience about you and shed some
light on your professional journey in the auction and
bidding niche.
My name is Hannah Walker, and I wear many hats! Mum,
business owner, friend, teacher, nurse, referee, IT
professional, wife, chauffeur, cleaner, laundry maid, and
sales weapon - just to name of few of my daily hats!
My business (my third child) Proppy.co.nz was born in an
24

Hannah Walker
Co-Founder
Proppy.co.nz

auction room in Auckland when my husband and I were
trying to upgrade our house and move into something
bigger before the arrival of our first child. As most people
have experienced, buying a property is a stressful time. As
the auction was in full swing with my husband (Tyson)
bidding, I went into labour.
We knew there had to be a better way, and so we got
thinking. We did a whole bunch of research, looked at what
was happening overseas, spoke to some super-smart people,
and realised that this old-school way of doing business
could, in fact, be taken online and could save everyone a
whole lot of time and money.
And so, in 2016, just one year after our son arrived (for the
record - not in an auction room!), Proppy was born.
Before I started Proppy.co.nz I had different sales jobs
involving technology and have always been interested in
new and innovative things. Creating the first NZ online
auction real estate platform has been challenging but
rewarding, knowing that we are making a difference in
people's lives.
What were the initial challenges that Proppy.co.nz had
to overcome, and how did you pivot those?
When we started the business, we thought our easy-to-use
online platform might appeal mainly to the people more
familiar with online transactions and younger customers. As
our marketing strategy developed and feedback from our
customers started coming in, we realised that we appeal
more to mature customers, especially people who have
bought and sold properties already. It was a challenge
educating them on the new way to buy and sell property,
but we have overcome this now, showing them how
technology and innovative ways of selling can get them
great sale prices.
Our main customer base, at present, is first home buyers
and baby boomers. Our marketing and branding are
uniquely designed to engage with that segment of the
population. We use the usual marketing materials like all
other real estate agencies such as signs, brochures,
maildrops, TV, Radio, etc. However, we have a big focus on
social media where we can target and retarget customers
and create innovative campaigns to help us excel.
Another challenge when we started was trying to get sellers
to believe in our technology which was early for NZ'ers.
They had to take a risk and trust that we could get the best
price for their house using online auction technology. Hard
work and perseverance got us through. We held our heads
high and believed in our technology, and are proud of what
we have achieved.
What was your inspiration behind venturing into the
auction and bidding space?
My personal experience in buying and selling property
inspired me, and I realised that the real estate industry
needed a "shake up". My husband and I tried to buy
numerous properties in Auckland and failed to be successful
through the traditional auction method. There was no
transparency in the industry. This was something we wanted
to change. After going into labour in an auction, we decided
online auctions were the way forward, and we started our
journey into launching proppy.co.nz.
What is the current scenario of the auction and bidding
market?
The real estate market is starting to change in NZ currently,
and it is becoming more of a "buyer's market". There are
more listings, and the banks have tightened up on their
lending. Because these auctions are not as popular in the
current market as to buy at an online auction, your buyers
26

need to be unconditional (escrow) to bid and buy property.
This is becoming harder in this NZ market. It's cyclical,
though, and this will change again.
What can equipment buyers do to ensure proper
preparation for bidding at an auction?
All our buyers are educated about online auctions, the best
strategies on bidding, and how to be successful at securing
a house. We teach them how to use the auto-bid
functionality and how important it is to bid strong to secure
the house of their dreams! How-to videos and live
demonstrations are provided by the agents selling the house
so that buyers are prepared and know what to do during a
live online auction.
We also ensure that our vendors are protected by ensuring
that the buyers create a login at proppy.co.nz and then
verify their identity online to make sure we know who is
bidding.
Ÿ How is Proppy.co.nz leveraging modern technologies
for auction and bidding?
Ÿ
Ÿ All users of the platform (Buyers and Sellers) are vetted
and have their identities conﬁrmed according to the Anti
Money Laundering Legislation through an integrated
third-party provider-www.cloudcheck.co.nz. This is
streamlined and innovative.
Ÿ Once veriﬁed, clients can participate in listing their
property or purchasing a property.
Ÿ All documents, including Listing Agreements and Sale
and Purchased Agreements, are signed electronically
online through another integrated partner, Secured
Signing.
Ÿ Third-party auditors perform our Anti Money
Laundering audits on a regular basis.
Ÿ All transactional deposits are held according to REA
requirements with Public Trust-NZ Real Estate Trust ,
independently audited by third party.
Ÿ Our day-to-day accounts and performance are monitored
through Xero, with a dedicated local accountant
responsible for our business.
Ÿ Our online auction process is unique and innovative.
What would you like to advise the budding aspirants
who are willing to enter the auction and bidding niche?
It's a tough road when starting a new company, but at the
same time, it is rewarding. Online auction technology is
exciting, and technology is always changing. So, it's
important to keep on top of "new" things coming to the
market and being able to adapt.
Awards
Proppy.co.nz - Winners of the 2019 Digital &
Technology Innova on Award
(Westpac Tauranga Business Awards)
Finalist in the Outstanding in Innova on Award for
Ignite Wanaka Business Awards.
27

Leadership and management are
terms frequently interchanged
within the workplace. Both
concepts are interconnected, but they
do not mean the same thing. By
understanding the differences between
them, you will learn the importance of
leadership in management and how
leadership development will allow you
to be a better manager overall.
"Leadership is not about position. It's
about action." – Pulling Profits out of a
Hat
As a business executive, management
is handed to you along with your job
title. A manager's job is to plan,
organize and coordinate. Leadership,
however, is a responsibility where
managers innovate, challenge, and
inspire their employees. You manage
processes; you lead people.
In business, we need both leaders
and managers:
"Leadership creates passionate and
focused people, management oversees
processes, so the team is competent
and productive." – Pulling Profits out
of a Hat
Within a business, we need both
leaders and managers. Leaders inspire
people to take action. Managers hold
people accountable for those actions.
Anyone in the organization has the
potential to become a leader, but
managers must be leaders. A leader
who cannot manage has a vision of
where they want to go but no idea on
how to get there. A manager who
cannot lead is not able to build trust
and create engagement within an
organization to get to where they need
to go.
To better understand the differences
between management and leadership,
think about the daily routines of the
managers and leaders in your
organization. Managers facilitate 1-on-
1's with their direct reports, creating
clear expectations and holding their
team accountable for meeting them.
Managers also hold team meetings for
direction and communication,
revisiting and tracking progress
towards quarterly goals. Lastly, a
manager reviews the actions and
results of each individual and team to
determine their performance.
A leader's daily routine is different –
they focus on the big picture of the
company, helping to inspire others
through support and consistency. A
leader shows appreciation to team
members, gives awards and accolades
when deserved. A leader also focuses
on the personal development of each
individual and team, working to foster
the communication and feedback
needed to make the organization
stronger.
Behind every innovative company lies
a charismatic leader who pushes and
inspires his or her employees to be the
best. As Steve Jobs was to Apple and
Jack Welch to GE, great CEOs are
known for more than their
management skills. They offer a
different approach outside the norm
and motivate their followers to execute
their vision to reach their business
goals.
Executive leaders instill a corporate
culture in their organizations that
encourage employees to stay engaged
in their work. Employees are given
recognition and are shown
appreciation. By focusing on
employees as well as the overall big
picture, executive leaders help their
people play to their strengths to reach
their organizational goals.
Keys for leadership development:
As a manager, are you a leader?
Leadership can be learned, and you
should continue to grow as a leader
through education and coaching. As an
executive, you spend a lot of time and
valuable resources training your staff
on how to be managers. It is important
to also teach executives how to be
leaders.
All growth companies must be training
and development companies. Every
person in your organization should
have a personal development plan,
including yourself!
31

How
the &
Changing
are
Internet
Technology
AUCTIONS?
Online auctions have emerged to be a popular trend
in the business world.
We have seen the auctions primarily in the movies, where
the artist sells his art to the highest bidder. In such movies,
we see a man standing on the stage and asking for high-
priced bids to sell the products, which might be unique art,
cricket tournaments, and much more.
But technology or the internet never segregates anything; it
pervades every industry from manufacturing to marketing.
Moreover, the auction house has changed momentously and
resulted in the technological potential of the internet
bidding.
An online and newscast auction brought a new and exciting
journey for the bidders or auctioneers in the house, but it
has a few ups and downs when technology changes.
The recent Trend - Online Auction!
Online auction is nothing but bidding online for the price of
products, art materials like paintings, houses, or antique
showpieces.
So, where do you find access to these websites conducting
these auctions?
E-bay was the first player in online auctioning, and it has
set the mindset of the people for online auctions. Other
websites like WordPress provide the Woo Auction software
for sellers and buyers to bid on products, where many
bidders use the traditional bidding approach, like waiting
till the last minute to bid. But now, the method is not
preferred, so those who use the conventional system are
known as "snipper bidders."
Snipper bidder was the one who had the agile internet, or
else they sent two or more bids simultaneously.
The Participants Objective!
As the trade object has a diverse context for auctioning, this
segment will shed light on the participants' motives.
• To Co-ordinate Mechanism
The participants co-ordinate with a mechanism to
increase the efficiency for establishing an equilibrium
price of anything they are bidding on. It includes
automation auctions among the software agents, auctions
on power, and the auction for allocating
telecommunication bandwidth worldwide.
• Social Mechanism to Determine a Price
The things that are randomly available in the country,
rare or traditional heritage, may initiate the auction and
fascinate potential buyers. These auctions cater to larger
audiences, bringing more exposure to the sellers or
buyers.
• The Highly Visible Distribution Mechanism
This auction is quite different from others, providing
various offers to grab the attention of the buyers. It is
probably for those customers who like bargaining while
shopping or who have gambling preferences.
The online auction has increased the demand and supply of
34

Online Auction
Benefits of Online Auction
Nowadays, the buyer orders anything from the online
shopping sites, and the products are delivered to their
doorsteps; if you are a seller, you must be aware of the
online selling process. Apart from online shopping, have
you ever tried online auctioning? If not, you should know
the benefits of online auctioning because it has been
recognized globally as many corporates utilize digital
platforms.
If you are not sure about online auctioning, these benefits
may help you clear your doubts about the online auction.
• Free from Geographical Restrictions
Online bidding completely eradicated traditional
auctioning. In classic mode, an individual had to
physically be present where the auction had been
conducted, and sometimes the buyer didn't know whether
they would buy anything in the auction.
The online auction provides opportunities for the sellers
to bring their products and services to millions of
prospects worldwide. The seller can list out their products
and services from one corner of the world, and the buyer
can prevail the products and services from another.
• Captivating Deal from All Around the World
The online auction received an excellent response
worldwide, and it has inevitable and alluring deals from
all over the world. You may feel bliss when you get to
know that the out-of-budget item you desire is now
available at a meager price. The cost of an item reduces
because there are no middlemen, agents, suppliers, or
brokers involved to increase the cost of the items.
Online auction also prevents the buyer from undue
exploitation and features the aspects of equality and
decency.
• Quick Feedback with Online Auctions
Traditionally, whenever the seller puts an offer on any
item, the seller has to wait for the lead to give the
feedback, and sometimes the process of waiting takes
time. But with the help of the internet and technology,
online auctions surpassed the traditional approach.
However, online auctioning helps the seller to get instant
feedback, and with the help of it, they can make changes in
the bid or the prices accordingly, without waiting for
months altogether.
Wrapping Up
As we all know, the internet and technology are changing
the world rapidly; today, we can see technology in every
industry, whether it is education, manufacturing, marketing,
or auctioning.
Facilitating an excellent platform for the buyers to bargain
for the listed products, the sellers also receive the benefit
from online auctioning. This has reduced the cumbersome
process of the classical model and provided an opportunity
for remote-based auctioning, providing a hassle-free
experience while catering to the global audience.
- Madhu Guleria
35

Jane Peyton
Founder
School of Booze

Jane
Peyton
The Accidental Entrepreneur
Iam an accidental entrepreneur who built one of the
world’s most unique companies by not following the
rules of business. Having my own company was not
something I thought about when I entered the job market
after graduating from university. Several careers later as a
PR executive, TV producer, and journalist I felt dissatisfied
that I was spending so much of my life working really hard
for the benefit of a corporation and that I was not really
doing what I wanted to do. So what did I want to do? I
wanted to work at something that gave me great satisfaction
and that I excelled at, where I could use my personal as
well as professional skills in a job where each day would be
different, but more than anything I wanted to work in an
organisation that treated employees with kindness, offered
flexible working hours, cared about the issues that I did, and
had a company culture of consideration for others. A
company that ticked those boxes did not exist in real life so
instead of just dreaming about this mythical business entity,
I founded it! School of Booze offers events, education,
consultancy, speeches, copy writing, London (UK) pub
tours and so it has multiple income streams. This diversified
offering was a saviour during the pandemic when all my in-
person group events and training ceased.
As an accidental entrepreneur, I have done things my way
in founding School of Booze to suit how I want to work,
and how I want to work with others. I have created a niche
and succeeded in it. Nascent entrepreneurs, and people
considering starting their own company but thinking they
have to conform to business norms might be interested in
what works for me.
Graduates of business school may hold their hands up in
horror if they looked at how I run the business and my
motivations, but happiness, integrity and respect for the
people I work with is more important to me than relentless
profits. I purposely keep the company structure and my way
of working flexible, including not having employees, but
instead hiring people on a project-by-project basis with the
expertise I need. They are content to work as contractors as
it gives them flexibility too. My job has never been 9-5 and
neither is the schedule of the people I hire. Unless there is a
specific deadline, they do the work in the hours that suits
their personal commitments.
I often think about the tyranny of the 9-5 model of working
and wonder when people who work that way manage to get
to the dentist, do the shopping, and other necessary
activities. There is something else about 9-5 working.
Within those hours people may not be productive or at their
peak when an employer expects them to be. Some
employees may flourish at other times of the day like I do -
my most productive work hours are between 2pm and 9pm.
If their employer permits them to do the work in the hours
that suits them then the employee is likely to be more
productive. I realise that not all jobs and companies can be
flexible and 9-5 might be non-negotiable in many cases, but
as long as the work gets done, the employer that can offer
that flexibility and treats their staff as humans with lives
outside of their job will have a happier work force.
Not only do I not have employees, but I do not have a board
of directors or stockholders either so I can make decisions
37

q
uickly, accept or decline opportunities,
use my instinct as to what is best for the
company, and operate in a way that is
true to my principles. Look away now if
profit and year-on-year growth is the
most important factor in business because
it is not for me. Being kind, having fun,
and offering the best experience possible
for the staff and clients I work with is what
motivates me.
For me kindness, empathy, and consideration are
essential qualities in business. As the saying goes you
get further with honey than vinegar. I pay above the market
rate for staff (and I pay student interns although many
companies do not) because the market does not give value
to those intangible and priceless aspects of a person that
cannot be monetised – their personality, their essence as a
human, their loyalty. I appreciate what the staff I hire do,
how they do it, their skills, their reliability, and the pleasure
it is to work with them. In any case most people deserve to
be paid more than they already are! I also ensure that
invoices are settled within a day of receiving them.
Companies (usually big corporations) that refuse to pay
invoices for months for goods and services already
provided are using suppliers to subsidise their businesses
and that is pure exploitation. Imagine if that person who
enforces the delayed payment of invoices paid for a meal in
a restaurant but did not receive the food for months?
My first employer after graduating from university was
highly unpredictable, would regularly shout, and acted
unreasonably. It was such a stressful atmosphere to work in
but I thought that must be what a high-powered job
entailed. Back then an employee’s mental health was not a
consideration, it is now, and rightly so. No job should make
a person feel ill. It was only when I left and found other
employment where all was calm that I realised it was not
normal to feel highly stressed in the office so I made the
pledge never to work in nerve-jangling situations again and
this informs the way I do business today. I have seen how
friends employed by corporations have become stressed by
the company culture, the inflexible hours, the pressure to
reach targets, and if they do reach them, the targets are
increased the following year. As a business owner I am
fortunate to have none of that, but it was an active choice I
made. Most people spend the majority of their waking
hours commuting and being in work so it should give them
enjoyment.
Being a small-business owner does not suit everyone,
neither does my attitude to doing business, but for anyone
considering starting their own enterprise I say do it! And
do it in the way you want it to be. Inventing a niche and not
following the traditional methods of running a company has
not stopped me from being recognised and rewarded for my
business acumen. Since I founded School of Booze in 2008
I have won numerous awards, but two in particular stand
out for me. In 2021 I was a finalist in the Great British
Entrepreneur Awards, and in another competition School of
Booze was included in the Top 100 Small & Medium
Enterprises in London & South-East England. Starting my
business was against all odds and the newly graduated me
looking into the future at the mature me and seeing the
accolades would not believe it. Building and expanding
School of Booze gives me so much joy and knowing that I
am doing it in a way that matches my values makes me very
content.
Jane Peyton Biographical Details for Box-Out
Jane Peyton is an award-winning drinks educator, writer,
broadcaster, pub expert, and public speaker. She is the
founder of the School of Booze – a training, education,
events company, and consultancy specializing in alcoholic
drinks.
Jane was the UK’s first accredited Pommelier (cider
sommelier) and Britain's first Beer Sommelier of the Year.
She is a former Imbibe Magazine Drinks Educator of the
Year. For her beer work she was awarded a Lifetime
Achievement from Britain’s Parliamentary Beer Group, and
has won several other professional awards.
Jane is the author of several non-fiction books including
‘Drink: A Tippler’s Miscellany’, ‘Beer o’ Clock’, ‘The
Philosophy of Gin’ and ‘The Philosophy of Beer’.
38

The 10 Most Promising Online Auction & Bidding Companies

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