Bob’s Market Message: What’s Happening at McConkey Auction Group

December 12, 2020

 

The Pacific Northwest car market remains strong as we head into mid-December and the end of what has been a hell of a year.

While we are all looking forward to the end of 2020, the New Year will find us in the same reoccurring COVID nightmare – for a while. Thankfully, there is now light at the end of the tunnel as we look toward a vaccine and the return to a life full of social interaction, auction lanes, Rock & Roll Sales, and normalcy. Until then, all of us in the car business need to count our blessings and be thankful that we are in an industry that continues to roll along while many others are struggling or ceasing to exist at all.

I’d like to give you all an update on what has been happening at MAG:

  • DAA Northwest continues to attract good levels of consignment – including some of the best truck inventory anywhere – with a large buyer base that is eager to take advantage of the selection.
  • DAA Seattle is also healthy with consistent 600+ unit consignment and a growing customer base.
  • DAA Las Vegas, now only 3 months in the MAG family, is gaining momentum anchored by American Honda and a great core group of local new car dealers. The sale is running 300-400 units per week and is adding fleet consignment as well as more quality dealer consignment. I get a sense that things will really get going in Vegas at the first of the year.
  • MAG Now is selling 50-70 vehicles every Wednesday and is progressing well. While the core auction business is our bread and butter, we are moving forward aggressively with our digital auction strategy…Which leads me to our latest venture…

Last month MAG acquired ABS Auto Auctions. ABS is a digital auction business headquartered in Southern California. Tom Harmon started the business in 1992 and is a pioneer in the digital auction game. Tom is a friend, a real car guy, and a true innovator.  He and his entire team are staying on, joining MAG to manage the business with us. ABS quietly sells over 800 units per week by way of four unique weekly digital auction events. The company has 10 individual (lots) locations positioned throughout the Southwest to handle vehicle inspections, sales, and transport logistics. ABS’s operational headquarters is in Corona, California in the heart of the Los Angeles basin.

As time goes on, our systems will integrate and all of you will be able to take advantage of this significant market expansion more seamlessly.  We will have AuctionACCESS integration after the first of next year. In the meantime, please take a minute to check out ABSautoauctions.com. The site is not fully integrated with MAG yet, but it includes a lot of great information. If you would like to individually register right away, contact your sales rep and we will make the arrangements, or better yet just click the REGISTER link on the ABS website.

Thanks for your business and good selling to you!