The Dangers of buying Warehouse Shelving at Auction

Many warehouse owners choose to buy their shelving by way of auction. When a company goes out of business or perhaps changes its operations, it may auction off its unwanted equipment. As a result, warehouse shelving if commonly found at an auction in different shapes, sizes, quantities and specifications.

This is why it represents an ideal opportunity for new and existing businesses to grab what they need at an affordable price. However, there are many reasons why buying commercial and industrial shelving isn’t as great an idea as it may seem.

We’re not saying you cannot find a bargain that will truly benefit your business. But it is important to factor in potential problems and overlooked issues that can sometimes end up costing you more than you bargained for. Here are some things to consider:

Commissions

To start, it’s worth thinking about the fact that the auction house itself may add a commission/fee to the overall purchase price of whatever you wish to buy. This could be as high as 20 per cent of the total purchase price!

Transportation

Remember, wherever the auction takes place, this is where you will need to transport your shelving from in order to get it to your warehouse. If you do not already have the necessary transportation available, you will come face to face with shipping costs. These could be higher than you’d first anticipate.

Quality

Whatever you do, do not allow yourself to fall into a false sense of security and make assumptions about the quality of any shelving. If you do not carry out a comprehensive inspection and evaluation before placing your bid, you could find yourself with shelving that is of poor quality, missing certain parts or is, in fact, completely useless to you.

No Warranty

It is also worth remembering that if you buy something at auction, you will be doing so without any guarantee, warranty or recourse if it turns out to be not as is first seemed. As soon as you become the owner of whatever you have purchased, it’s your problem and no one else’s.

Inaccuracy

Those who are selling the shelves you wish to buy may not actually be experts in the matter. This would mean that the description of the product is, in fact, inaccurate, or lacking in detail, which means you could walk away with something you didn’t actually want.

Shopping elsewhere

Finally, it’s worth remembering that it is easy to find high-quality preloved storage solutions for your warehouse in other places than an auction room. These are also available at low prices and even come with peach of mind that there will be quality warranties and guarantees available. For more information on second-hand shelving or any of the products listed on our website, get in touch with the Monarch Shelving team today.