Biz Of The Month: Old School Auctions, Belle River

OF THE MONTH

Going Once, Going Twice, SOLD . . . By Old School Auctions

By Dave Hall

When Andrew and Melissa McCormick launched Old School Auctions (OSA Auctions) in their garage in November 2018, they had no idea how quickly the family business would grow.

Now, they occupy a 10,000 square foot warehouse, and five family members — including Owen, 19, and twins Emma and Jaxon, both 16 — have been joined by four employees.

“We’ve had to move three times already, just to accommodate the growth,” explains Andrew who worked as an auctioneer for a different auction house before striking out on his own with wife Melissa. “The growth has been amazing and we can only see it getting bigger.”

Despite the business name traditionally meaning “old fashioned,” Old School is immersed in the new age of technology with the vast majority of its auctions conducted online with a live auction thrown into the mix, from time to time.

From estate sales to business closures, and from fundraising charity auctions to a few odd items or collectables lying around a home, Old School handles it all and helps take the stress out of downsizing.

Items can be sold online or by auction, either at their 2177 County Road 42 Belle River warehouse, or onsite where the client’s possessions are located.

“The pandemic has really helped us because a lot of people still aren’t comfortable with strangers coming into their homes to view items for sale, so they have turned to us,” indicates Andrew, who recently retired after 24 years at Plant Products Inc. in Leamington. “Unfortunately, we’ve also had to deal with a number of business closures because of the pandemic.”

With Old School’s assistance and expertise, clients and customers can participate in an auction from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

When a client gets in touch, the first step for Old School’s staff is to catalogue and photograph every item being sold before the online auction is scheduled. Auctions generally open on Wednesday nights via their website — OSAuctions.ca — and run for a full week before bidding closes.

“It’s a largely painless, efficient way of dealing with unwanted items,” says Melissa. “It can be an emotional time and very difficult for families to downsize, especially if it’s an estate situation.”

She adds: “Not everyone is comfortable haggling over the price of something once owned by a loved one and our auctions eliminate that stress and discomfort.”

Melissa also points out that clients can pull any items back off the sales list before the auction begins, because there are times when people give it more thought and decide they want to keep something after all.

Auction items come in all shapes and sizes. For example, they recently handled the sale of a garage full of sports memorabilia, all done online.

“The client didn’t have to invite 20 or so strangers into his home, he didn’t have to visit people and he didn’t have to spend all that time worrying about how to get it all sold,” states Andrew. “We were able to sell half the memorabilia one week and the rest the following week.”

As Andrew and Melissa McCormick of OSA Auctions know, every item has a value. So give them a shout before you throw it out! Their online auctions can help you maximize profits by putting your goods in front of millions of customers on the web. Photo by Rod Denis.

On another occasion, Melissa says their business was able to help family members who were arguing over possessions to sort out their problems.

“We suggested they put it all in the auction, bid on the items they really wanted and then we split the proceeds equally between the family members,” Melissa recounts. “It worked and put an end to the fighting.”

Old School generally charges a 25% commission, but will negotiate a flat rate fee for larger auctions involving hundreds of items.

“A lot of people are collectors, but when they pass away, their family is left to deal with what’s left behind,” says Andrew. “What are you going to do with dozens of salt shakers, for instance? Well, we help them deal with all those possessions.”

If there are too many possessions for a client to handle, Old School staff will catalogue each item and transport it all to the company’s warehouse in preparation for the auction.

The company’s online approach also opens up the world for their clients and potential customers.

“We’ve shipped auction items across Canada and to Australia and New Zealand,” Andrew notes. “It’s amazing to see where the interest in our auctions is coming from each week.”

They also work with charities and help them sell donated items to fund various activities and programs. Among the organizations they’ve supported is the Allie Sunshine Project.

With business still on the rise, in September 2021 the McCormicks opened OSA Liquidators Inc. at 540 Notre Dame Street in Belle River. While closed at times due to pandemic restrictions, the store reopens in the spring. Here customers can buy new items for a fraction of their original price. This expansion proves their future is promising as they continue to expand their online presence and ensure all their auction items are going, going, gone … to the highest bidder!