Mart group ramps up online offering
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THAINSTONE-BASED auctioneering firm ANM Group launched a new online market platform this week.
Launching www.thainstoneonline.co.uk, the firm said it believed live online auctions will grow in impact and influence even beyond the coronavirus crisis.
The new online hub offers real-time bidding, not just for livestock sales, but also for machinery, vehicles and other equipment through the Thainstone Specialist Auctions platform.
Access restrictions imposed to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 mean that only buyers are currently allowed around the live ring as livestock sales take place. No buyers are currently permitted to be in attendance at vehicle and machinery sales.
However, interest is being boosted significantly by a growing number of online buyers bidding remotely during live online sales.
ANM Group chief executive Grant Rogerson said: "We have for a long time been market-leaders in staging online sales and were the first mart in Scotland to offer live online bidding for livestock.
"It was always our intention to expand this side of our business, having hosted live online auctions for plant, machinery and vehicles for over a decade.
"The understandable restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic have, however, encouraged us to accelerate our plans.
"We are in no doubt that the resilient trade we have seen across all classes during the spring sales has been helped by live streaming, which has meant that not only buyers can bid remotely but that sellers have been able to see their stock through the ring. This has been vital in ensuring that our marts have been able to deliver for our members and customers during the peak selling season, while also having public health at the forefront of our minds.
"Even after lockdown restrictions are eased, we see this part of the business becoming more significant as we continue to offer our members and customers options to effectively and efficiently market their stock."
Statistics show that the online bidding system enabled as many as 500 registered buyers at the firm’s recent sale of plant, agricultural and commercial vehicles on Wednesday, June 10.
