Government Garage Sales: Online Auctions as Tools for Asset Management

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By

David C. Wyld

Merritt Professor of Management, Department of Management and Business Administration

Southeastern Louisiana University dwyld@selu.edu

This report presents examples of how government agencies are succeeding at selling both everyday items and high-end goods via online auctions. It provides a comprehensive review of online auction sales by discussing the theory and practice of auctions. Five case studies of how online auctioning is now being employed are presented: eBay and the Public Sector; the Department of Defense and Liquidity Services, Inc.; Bid4Assets--Taking Tax Sales off the Courthouse Steps; Property Bureau--Transforming the Police Auction; and the Demolition of Three Rivers Stadium. This report concludes with lessons learned and provides a road map that government executives can use in making decisions about the management of surplus, seized, or forfeited assets in the public sector via online auctions. defense, pennslyvania, pa, california, ca, bid4assets, ebay, property bureau Innovation Technology and E-Government