ST. LOUIS — By now we're all familiar with online grocery shopping, but have you ever considered online grocery bidding? There's a place in St. Louis that is helping people make ends meet one click at a time.
From heavy machinery to professional lights and cleaning supplies — anything and everything is up for grabs at BCL Auction. It's Bill Cockrum's family business that's at least six decades old and helps others liquidate their assets. BCL Auction also runs regularly scheduled auctions and surplus and overstock sales.
"There'll be a lot of like daycares and different things like that buy from us," Cockrum said. "They'll buy canned goods, juices, coffees, you know."
Cleaning supplies tend to sell well to organizations and small businesses looking for a deal.
On the other hand, Cockrum also sells big-ticket items like excavators and forklifts, which can save a small or startup business tens of thousands of dollars. It really depends on what business he's working with.
"When we do an auction, there might be things for anybody and everybody," said Cockrum. "When we sell a whole business, there's going to be 1,000 to 2,000 different items -- from cleaning supplies to their machinery to their office equipment. When we sell restaurants, we sell their sound equipment, neon signs, all that stuff. It crosses over to a lot of different industries."
It's good for the average shopper, too.
Trey Baur, of Belleville, Ill., says he likes getting a good deal and has amassed quite a haul which he stores at his house. He even jokes that he might have to start auctioning off his winning bids. His most recent prize was a 60-inch cooking grate that he bought with the intent to make a giant grill for a pig roast. His winning bid was $13. Brand new the grate would cost more than $100.
"I have not missed the auction since September of last year," boasts Baur. "Everything you get is like pennies on the dollar compared to if you buy it at the store."
The most recent hot auction at BCL appeals to many shoppers since it is a grocery store. BCL Auction does not share the name of the store it's helping liquidate, but if you scour through the items posted online, you will see Fields Foods reusable bags on the auction. Fields Foods has closed all five of its stores in the St. Louis area amid lawsuits over back rent and taxes.
Bottles of wine for $2, lotion for a quarter, even Travis Kelce Hallmark Christmas ornaments are up for grabs. Sometimes they come in a lot of six to a half dozen. Other times you might have to bid on a lot of 20 pickle jars for a dollar each.
"It's everything you would see in a grocery store," said Cockrum. "Even their cleaning supplies."
It's certainly tough to see neighborhood stores disappear, but the inventory still needs to be sold. BCL Auction will empty out the store's inventory first and then hold another auction to clear out the equipment, giving business owners and people a chance to save money at a time when many are faced with financial struggles.
"We, on average, add 100 to 200 new bidders every month," Cockrum said. "So there are new people finding us. Once they find us, they realize that there is a great opportunity for them to have savings and also to find unique items or just something that they're needing and that they can afford."
Baur said he is picking up an item he won on BCLauction.com once a week. Not only does it bring a little joy when money is tight, it helps people feel a small win to seize a deal of the day.
"We have people that have been bidding with us for 30 years," Cockrum said. "And then we have people that it's their first time, and they become literally addicted to it."
"Uh, that's me," laughed Baur. "I definitely have a problem, but I am saving money."