Posted by: Charles Stewart - Livestock

Online Machinery & Sundry Clearing Sale a Success

9th April 2020

Followed by the success of their property at Winchelsea South being sold by Charles Stewart & Co’s rural sales specialists Michael Stewart and Brian Wood. The online auction via AuctionsPlus of John Vella & Rosie Portelli’s machinery & sundries also had a noteworthy outcome.

It was the first machinery clearing sale held in Victoria on AuctionsPlus. Over a 140 lots drew buyer interest from all over the country, reaching all states and much local interest from the Western District. Vendor John Vella suggesting “his phone has never been so busy” with enquiry, with 95% of lots selling online successfully and the remaining lots sold after sale by negotiation, resulting in total clearance of big machinery and sundries. A total of 762 registered bidders and an additional 332 guest viewers. Online interaction with the catalogue was strong, with over 10,372 views. If we had a clearing sale under normal circumstances of this quality we would have expected a crowd of 700-800 people.

John and Rosie are on the move to Echuca, downsizing from almost 400 acres to just over an acre in the northern Victorian regional city to enjoy life by the Murray River, John is happy to “do a bit of fishing”.

After months in preparation of what was set to be an extensive onsite clearing sale auction, following the outbreak of Covid-19, the crowd restrictions and the laws around social distancing it required the teamwork of Charles Stewart staff and John and Rosie to rearrange the format of selling the items and decided on AuctionsPlus as a good alternative. John praising the efforts of all those involved as a “really-really good team effort”.

Charles Stewart agent Peter McConachy said “the presentation of the machinery was excellent, numerous items as good as new”. Given the season, location and the line-up of quality items, the online sale was deemed a great success. The Vella family are “excited” with the result suggesting they are “really-really glad they went with Stewarts” and they “would recommend Stewarts and AuctionsPlus to anybody”. John and Rosie had some reservation on the last minute change of plans but those doubts were eliminated.

A very positive outcome for all concerned given the environment that we are working in at present.

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