Luedtke Versteigerungen

Luedtke runs online auctions of business clearances in Germany from several locations, and one item in its navigation is unusual enough to be worth noting: a section aimed at Räumer — the clearance contractors who empty premises. A house that courts them is a house whose supply comes from the physical business of clearing sites, which tends to mean varied, unglamorous and often cheap stock.

What you can buy

• Business clearances: the contents of premises being emptied.
• Machinery and workshop equipment: the industrial part of a clearance.
• Office and household goods: furniture, appliances and fittings.
• Residual stock: whatever remains when a business closes.

How the bidding works

Register for an account to bid. Alongside the auctions there is a direct-sale channel (Freier Verkauf) for assets sold at a fixed price rather than by bidding — check which a listing belongs to before assuming you can bid on it. Sales are tied to specific locations, listed separately on the site.

What to check before you bid

Clearance stock is exactly what it sounds like: the practical value is in buying well below replacement cost, and the risk is that nobody described the lot in detail because nobody had time to. Inspect where you can, and treat photographs as indicative. Collection is from the premises being cleared, on the deadline the clearance contractor is working to — which is usually tighter than an auction house's own schedule. The site is German-language.