Enabling producers to bid on livestock sales all over the nation from the comfort of their home was the motivation behind Chris Norris’ idea to launch the online selling platform, Elite Livestock Auctions.
The business first showcased its Stock Live selling system at the Big Country Brahman Sale held in Charters Towers in February this year.
A former Young Auctioneer winner, Chris Norris said the company launched the bidding platform with the aim of broadening the buyer base for sales and helping the time poor.
"When we sold a bull at Big Country for $25,000 to a bidder who was 600km away I think it set the precedent as people took notice of the possibilities that our platform offers,” Mr Norris said.
“Buyers embraced it from the word go, they still normally go and inspect the cattle in person at some stage of the year but now they can then go home and bid with confidence from the comfort of their home or office,” he said.
Mr Norris said since Big Country the service has seen a swift uptake which has seen the business involved in close to 20 stud and commercial sales to date.
“Within the cattle industry primary producers, vendors and agents have embraced technology exceptionally well, its really taken off.”
Droughtmaster Stud Breeders Society CEO, Neil Donaldson approached Mr Norris about using the service for the upcoming Droughtmaster National Sale being held at the Gracemere Saleyards on September 13-14.
“Neil told us that a lot of repeat buyers have to travel from the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Far West Queensland to attend the sale and wanted to give them an option that would allow them to bid from home.
“They are really promoting the value of the service, they’re getting great photos, videos and extra information about the bulls going under the hammer to equip their online buyers with the belief that they can bid with confidence if they can’t attend.
He said Stock Live will allow buyer to be engaged during the entire auction.
“Neil wants to capture a much wider audience over the entire time of the sale, so if an online bidder doesn’t pick up a particular bull he had ticks on, he might purchase his second or third choice.
Mr Norris said lately he’s finding that at most of their sales, clients aren’t even ringing to find out how to use Stock Live, they’re getting really savvy with it.
“If you can’t get there, you don’t have to miss out, we facilitate online bidding while still promoting the traditional live auction, we don’t want to take away from that.
“The major differences that sets us apart from other online bidding options is that we offer live audio and video, live bidding and we are on-site at the sale, which I think is crucial; I’m an auctioneer by trade, I know how an auction runs.”
Mr Norris said the company had great success with the Murray family from Kindee Pastoral Company when they offered their annual run of over 1000 multi-breed weaners at the Roma Saleyards.
“Out of the entire Kindee yarding 54 per cent of catalogue sold through us online and 87pc of the weaners attracted online bids. We had people logging on to bid from all over the country.
Buyers and sellers can bid or view auctions at http://elitelivestockauctions.com.au/ from the comfort of their home or office in real-time using a computer or iPad and now iPhone.