proebayer

The answer for Purdue University's materials management and distribution department may be a bit different than what it would have been 10 years ago.

"We sold it on eBay," said Ken Alling, Purdue fire chief. "The people over in materials told us we might be able to get more out of it on eBay, so I said, 'What the heck?' "

The truck sold for $12,000 to the small town of Butler, Ky., south of Cincinnati, and will help the volunteer fire department there put out fires in rural areas where hydrants aren't readily available as a water source.

The truck is just one of the items that Purdue has sold online since it began its eBay experiment in June. School officials say it's part of the changing times and helps bring in more money for the university.

Incoming items at Purdue's warehouse and surplus facility are evaluated and then either placed in its retail store or written up for an eBay auction, said Mike Wilkins, general manager of materials management and distribution.

"We have to keep a happy blend to satisfy the local customers that come in" to the surplus store at 3601 Sagamore Parkway North in Lafayette.

Purdue will sell items for its departments on eBay for the rest of a six-month trial period. At that point, they'll assess their success and determine whether to continue, but officials say business has been good so far. The University of Iowa and Michigan State University already have similar programs in place.

Mike Grenat, manager of Purdue Warehouse and Surplus, said certain items sell for more online than they would in the store, increasing the monetary return for departments.

Items which have done well on the online auction site include high quality small furniture pieces, newer model or well-equipped computer hard drives, boxes of plumbing equipment and even old research pieces, such as a tabletop cell production roller now up for bid.

"My office has kind of become eBay central," said Grenat. "We're still in learning mode. Some things go and some things don't."