Online auctions trending for Kramer Auction

By Ted Pennekamp

Online auctions have become quite popular in recent years and continue to grow each year. At Kramer Auction of Prairie du Chien, the trend has also been skyrocketing.

“There is more and more participation each year,” said Curt Kramer who runs Kramer Auction. “Within the last six to eight years, we have doubled the size of our auctions and the amount of merchandise we can hold.”

Kramer said there are various reasons why online auctions have taken off. “You can participate from the comfort of your own home,” he said. “You don’t have to be at a particular place at a particular time to bid. It’s a convenience for buyers and sellers.” Kramer also noted that online auctions give bidders privacy and anonymity.

Online auctions have opened up the market for Kramer Auction as well. Curt said people are bidding from across the country and internationally. “We keep pushing our list of online registered participants which continues to grow every year,” he said. “It’s been huge. So many more people see us.”

Curt said Kramer Auction now regularly sends trucks and trailers to pick up items from within a five-hour radius of Prairie du Chien. “It’s opened up a whole new market,” he said.

Sporting and firearm sales make up a big part of Kramer Auction’s online auctions, as do real estate auctions, machinery and equipment sales, specialty auctions such as restaurant equipment, and collectibles.

Sporting and firearm sales are done both live in the Kramer Auction building and online at the same time on auction day via a simulcast computer system. Catalogues of auction items are available well in advance.

Real estate auctions are conducted over a specific period (usually about a month) with a starting date and an ending date and time. The highest bid at the closing time buys the property. Curt said, however, that real estate auctions are extended sometimes due to a bidding frenzy towards the end. Curt said online real estate auctions have become quite popular for unique properties such as a home with a spectacular view, and also for distressed properties that buyers can fix up.

Crawford County recently delved into the online real estate auction world with the selling of three properties.

Sales of wildlife mounts and a variety of collectibles such as military collectibles have also become huge, said Curt.

Curt now promotes five national firearms auctions each year, annually selling more than 4,000 firearms both online an at their Prairie du Chien auction gallery. 

In fact, Kramer’s 2020 Winter Gun and Military Auction is right around the corner on Saturday, Jan. 11 beginning at 9 a.m. Kramer Auction will be selling more than 750 great estate firearms, including Civil War, World War II, Winchester, Colt, and many more.

“You put good merchandise in front of the right people and everything works out well for everybody,” said Curt, who noted that people can find out more about online auctions and the various ways of bidding at www.kramersales.com or by calling (608) 326-8108.