Most universities have a means for selling old or surplus items. In the 1980s, Virginia Tech began holding auctions. Computers, lab and shop equipment, furniture, and even vehicles – they’re all part of common lots available through the auctions.
Ron Barrett is surplus property manager at Virginia Tech and oversees the procurement and sale of items through the auctions, “Most of the items we bring in here have useful life left. And that’s our main goal, is to get items back into use. We pick up all the assets that the university has that the departments no longer need.”
Barrett explains that departments at Virginia Tech get “first dibs” on shopping, but what’s left over becomes available to the public, “The result is an auction and that’s university policy. A public auction. We don’t donate. We don’t give away. It’s a fair way of selling the items because each individual sets their own price.”
Nowadays, the auctions happen online. But they used to happen live on Saturday mornings, starting bright and early – and lasting deep into the afternoons. All of that changed with the pandemic.
“It changed our model. And it changed it for the good. So, we stuck with it", says Barrett.
I attended probably more than a dozen of those auctions over the years. It was a lively, energetic, and frequently competitive event. With the advantage of hindsight, Barrett can now reflect on what those days meant to the people in attendance.
Barrett looks back with fondness, “We have a lot of our old-timers, if you will, that came to the auctions in those days. For us, it was work and we didn’t see it as the social event that it kind of was for a lot of the individuals that came. They made connections and friendships over the years. So, they miss that and that was the part that we didn’t see from our perspective.”
The former site of the live auctions is still utilized for storage and organization of lots. We took a walk on the floor through the items to see what was coming up for the next auction.
Barrett speaks as we look out over the floor, “There’s a lot of things we always tend to have. Chairs, furniture – that sort of thing. You know, a lot of computers come through. Technologies changing. Six months, whatever you have today is brand new, it’s a dinosaur in six months.”
I make an observation about the deals to be had, “It’s a great place for folks, if they’re knowledgeable, they can find some great bargains.”
Barrett agrees, “You said the key word. They’ve got to be knowledgeable. So, we give them that opportunity to come in the day of the auction, get the serial numbers, whatever they need to make their best decision.”
I asked Barrett of any unusual items that come to mind from over the years.
Barrett recalls, “Probably the most unusual thing was a Richard Petty NASCAR, number five car that was donated to the university. They outfitted one with Virginia Tech colors and all that. We did sell that and that was a lot of fun.
After the lots have been listed online, you can place advance bids through the auction website. But the real excitement happens on the day of the auction, when all of the lots close out over just two hours!
Barrett explains the process, “It’s all automated. That night, when the auction sells the last item, then the winning bidders can go in and they can manually pay by hitting the button and paying. Then, just like in the old days, Saturday is the first day of pick-up, and then that following Monday and Tuesday.”
As for whether the live auctions will ever make a comeback…
Barrett says it's a common question, “We’ll get a couple questions about every auction. Someone will say let’s just have one for old time’s sake.”
I press him, “But that’s not going to happen.”
Barrett's answer is firm, “No.”
The online auctions are held eight to ten times per year.
Virginia Tech's Surplus Auction schedule and information can be found here.
