264: A good problem to have?

Several of my clients in the equipment space have been buying shipping containers of Chinese mini excavators, loaders, and attachments to supplement consigned inventory. After one recent auction of this type, the auctioneer told me our Facebook campaign (1) drove lots of traffic and bidder registrations, but (2) his buyers proved almost exclusively local. He mentioned this intriguing reality to another vendor who helps multiple auctioneers across multiple states, and the vendor told him that it was because the equipment had sold for prices higher than you can buy it at auctions in surrounding states. “Why would a buyer drive farther to pay more for the same unit?” [paraphrase]

I don’t know if this is indicative of most Chinese equipment liquidations. I’m intrigued by the market saturation of these units. For those of y’all who’ve experimented with this asset category, I’m curious what your experience has been and welcome your feedback.