Odds of Hanging On
Overall, the future of auctioneering is positive, and job outlook is stable. This is doubly true for those who have expertise in a particular area. For example, the art market overseas is really booming...check out the new auction house which just opened up in Hong Kong. However, auctioneers are very much at the mercy of the overall economy, which can affect the amount of spending money available to consumers, sales price for foreclosures, and other factors.
Auction houses have seen growing competition from online auction sites, which encourage some sellers to bypass professional auctions in favor of an amateur listing. Still, live auctions are the method of choice for sellers who want fast cash and an empty garage. With live auction streaming, there are more ways to marry the drama of a live auction with the convenience of an Internet auction. And there really is no substitute for a pro, as anyone starting a charity auction from scratch will tell you.