A New Online Leader

The "Information Superhighway" is littered with the burned-out hulks of once high-octane business models that thought they would control the used machine tool and metalworking machinery channels. Once thriving, they are now in various stages of atrophy; many, if not dead already, are circling the drain.

But something funny has happened to the used equipment channel for metalworking. A major online player is beginning to turn on the afterburners, turning traffic totals on their ear, empowering our industry with a potential previous online models only dreamed of.

So who is this giant of the machine tool industry that has captured the imaginations (and revenues) of traditional used equipment dealers and manufacturers, and made auctioneers and asset managers sit up and take notice?

It's eBay.

That's right—the same eBay that built a reputation on selling baseball cards, golf clubs and other collectibles has launched eight "marketplaces" to serve business communities. One of the eight—the fastest growing of all—is a Metalworking Equipment Community.

But before you discount this as popular but not powerful enough for the needs of your business, consider these capabilities offered by eBay's model:

Sell Your Excess Equipment—eBay offers exposure to a market that is active and growing. The time to get rid of that Brown & Sharpe or Bridgeport might be now.

Purchase Used Machines—The eBay Metalworking Community has just under 2,000 units listed under its "Machines" category, and traditional used machinery dealers are using eBay as a channel by which to market and sell their machines.

Support Your Business—Aside from machines, the eBay model offers auction channels to support other areas of your business such as Manuals, Tooling, Inspection & Measurement, Replacement Parts (for older machines), Consumables and Raw Materials.