During my quiet time Mason Gray Strange Auctioneers and Valuers Pty Ltd (of Condell Park NSW) appointed a voluntary administrator. They owe us less than $50.00 so it’s not worth attending any of the creditors meetings. I’m too busy with my own legal defense to pay attention to someone else’s restructuring.

The sloppy reporting on the results of my stock sale should have rung alarm bells. I certainly got paid quickly, but it took forever to get a reconciliation out of them. The auction was successful for some categories, but awful for books.

I do wonder however, if traditional auction houses will be casualties of online technologies such as eBay. The quantity and quality of general auction bidders is getting worse. They’re looking for a bargain, but if general auctions cease to be a reliable clearance channel the stock will go elsewhere.

Over the last few months we’ve cleared so much stock that I can see diagonally across my warehouse! That’s saying something. I think I’ll take a photo on Monday. We’ve sold to wholesalers, retailers, market stall holders, the general public, you name it – the auction set the floor price.

My warehouse manager is worried, every time he’s emptied a warehouse he’s been made redundant. Now he’s looking at vacant shelves. I keep telling him there is no way I’m driving a forklift, but he doesn’t believe me.