More Antique/Vintage Sellers Doing YouTube/Facebook "Auctions"?

Has anyone else noticed this? An increase of "Live-Streamed Auctions" on YouTube channels and on Facebook with users placing their bids with a comment in the stream. Please note that I say "Auctions" since these people are not licensed professional auctioneers. I first noticed this on YouTube several years back with a few channels selling coins/numismatics but now several small antique/resale/consignment shops in my area have gotten into the act selling a wide range of goods.

I expect that many more will continue getting in on the action since the prices realized seem to range from really good for the seller to insanely good for the seller. For example $20 silver dollars normally sell for $35/$45 on these platforms and I know one of these YouTube "auctioneers at the local coin show where he is always purchasing tons of junk to sell to ravenous online buyers.

Has anyone else seen this? Your thoughts? Will the states crack down on these "auctions" since they are currently totally unregulated and likely unlicensed.

 

I watch some storage auction people who resorted to it. Most of the bidders were already watchers, so it seems to work out OK. For the sellers anyway - prices tend to be pretty stiff. I guess if you can't sell locally it's not the worst option.

 

A lot of the YouTubers are using their "brand" as content producers to sell stuff for inflated prices. It is easy to get to "know" these people in a sense based on their online persona and that drives lots of buyers willing to pay inflated prices to them. It is really clever actually and with what YouTube pays them to produce content if they are big enough, what $$$ they get through third party sites like Patreon through sponsors, and these auctions they have a very profitable venture going if they are personable, good at sales. Many of the "flippers" link to their eBay stores where they sell their finds and often sell a high percentage of their stuff to channel viewers.

 

One guy I watch was selling on Ebay well before he ever had a Youtube channel, and sells out of his warehouse too. (this isn't some guy in a garage "office") Others don't have the official sales channel.

 

Interesting I will have to take a look see.