Online sales have been increasing at a ferocious rate in recent years and have had a dramatic impact on both industry and society.

Initially, we considered this as a threat to our company. In fact, we noticed that many purchasers at our traditional auctions were buying Lots to then resell them online. We were convinced this should be a benefit our clients should derive.

We have adopted a comprehensive inventory management tool which allows us to schedule and control strategic integration with online marketplaces including eBay, Bidspotter, Google, and Amazon (amongst others), backed up by the necessary offline infrastructure.

ASSETtrail (as a trading style) was created to handle online sales and the systems introduced provide a semi-automated platform which facilitates accounting requirements, with automated invoicing, payment management and shipping reports. This system interacts with the Sage accounting software to allow us to prepare detailed reports to clients.

Although we will continue to sell using the traditional sale methods of auctions, tender and private treaty, the establishment of ASSETtrail provides us with an unrivalled ability to sell stock to end users for dramatically increased realisations, sometimes in excess of cost price, by using online auction-style and fixed-price Buy-It-Now listings, as well as the virtual rostrum environments like Bidspotter.co.uk and iBidder.co.uk.

The practicality means that some instructions where the costs of sale would outweigh anticipated realisations are now resulting in a significant surplus of funds for our clients.

Results achieved by ASSETtrail have exceeded expectations. We have completed many sales internationally including sales to USA, Canada, Singapore, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Australia and Thailand. We are excited to be able to demonstrate this functionality to the clients of JPS Chartered Surveyors.

With our move to WORTH House, we scaled our capability and the volume of assets for sale online, as well as welcoming potential purchasers to attend at our premises and inspect before they bid, which is almost unique when compared to our peers.

For further information or to arrange for a demonstration, please email ASSETtrail@JPSsurveyors.co.uk or call 0161 767 8001.