Kirk Witcher on Building a Buyer-First Auction Business

Kirk Witcher of Witcher Auctions joins hosts Tim Peters and Andy Harbick on location in Wynne, Arkansas for this episode of the No Reserve Podcast. Kirk shares how Witcher Auctions grew from a small family business founded in 1972 into a fully modern, online-only operation.

Kirk helped grow the company by focusing on farm and heavy equipment, seller trust, and the buyer experience. He explains why they shifted from simulcast and drive-through events to timed online sales that often close at night, and why convenience and clear communication beat a long day under a tent.

Kirk discusses moving from marketplaces to a white-label platform to control brand, data, and the customer journey. He talks about replacing expensive print ads with targeted digital marketing, turning satisfied customers into paid “auction advocates,” and why the quality of registrations matters more than the raw count. You’ll hear practical coaching he gives sellers, like ignoring early bid totals and trusting the late surge, plus what his team watches to gauge auction health.

The conversation closes with where AI fits in the auction world, from quick valuation checks to training models on your own sold data. There are risks to manage, but the upside is real for bidders and auctioneers who learn by doing and keep their focus on honest descriptions, clean processes, and relationships that last.