ANM Group has expanded its online sales offering to include the option to bid remotely for machinery, vehicles and equipment.
The north-east farmers’ co-operative, which runs marts at Thainstone near Inverurie and at Quoybrae in Caithness, has launched a dedicated online sales hub in response to a growing demand for remote bidding during the Covid-19 crisis.
The hub – found at thainstoneonline.co.uk –is in addition to an online livestock sales package launched earlier this year in partnership with SellMyLivestock.co.uk
ANM Group CEO Grant Rogerson said the hub would ensure the entire sector benefits from the competitiveness and transparency offered by the auction process, while also ensuring social distancing requirements are met.
“It was always our intention to expand this side of our business, having hosted live online auctions for plant, machinery and vehicles for over a decade,” added Mr Rogerson.
“The understandable restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic have, however, encouraged us to accelerate our plans.”
He said “resilient trade” across all classes of livestock during the spring sales had been helped by live streaming, with buyers and sellers tuning in online to watch sales remotely.
“Increasing numbers of people are seeing the advantages of trading this way, giving them the opportunity to benefit from the fairness you only get in the live ring but without physically having to be there,” added Mr Rogerson.
“Our online hub means that our members and customers can continue to benefit from the live ring without leaving their premises.
“Even after lockdown restrictions are eased, we see this part of the business becoming more significant, as we continue to offer our members and customers options to effectively and efficiently market their stock.”
He said 500 buyers registered online for the group’s last plant and machinery sale, held on June 10.