Our thoughts are with all those affected by the recent devastating fires in Los Angeles, CA. At EstateSales.NET, we understand the challenges that natural disasters pose to both personal lives and businesses. While the following guide offers practical advice on preparing your business for natural disasters, we want to approach this topic with sensitivity and empathy. At EstateSales.NET, we understand the importance of being prepared for unexpected challenges. Our goal is to provide you with valuable information to help safeguard your business and ensure continuity during these difficult times.

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and tornadoes are occurring more frequently and causing greater damage, putting both property and business operations at risk. No matter the scenario, a solid plan is key to safeguarding your business and keeping operations on track.

How Natural Disasters Can Affect Your Business

Disruption of Scheduled Sales: Natural disasters can strike without warning, interrupting scheduled estate sales or auctions. Events like hurricanes or wildfires can make it unsafe for clients to attend or force temporary closures, leading to canceled or delayed sales—and, ultimately, lost revenue.

Damage to Property or Inventory: Severe weather can cause significant damage to the physical location of your sale, or the items being sold. Flooding, fires, and wind can ruin inventory or the property itself, completely changing the course of the sale, or making it impossible to conduct.

Low Customer Turnout: When natural disasters occur, life can be complicated and challenging for the entire community with road closures, transportation delays, and power outages. This can deter potential shoppers from having the ability, or maybe even willingness, to attend sales. Fewer attendees mean reduced sales and missed opportunities for you and your clients.

Logistical Delays: Even after the immediate danger has passed, ongoing recovery efforts can cause delays. Closed roads, supplier disruptions, and other logistical obstacles may make it difficult to resume normal operations, further complicating your schedule.

Reputation Impact: Customers expect professionalism and reliability, even during challenging times. Poor communication about delays, cancellations, or rescheduling can erode customer trust, leading to negative feedback and long-term reputation damage.

Steps to Prepare for Natural Disasters
  1. Develop a Disaster Response Plan

    2. Creating a disaster response plan is a must for any estate liquidation business. Include the following:

    • Emergency Contacts: Maintain a list of key contacts, including staff, emergency services, and suppliers.
    • Action Steps: Outline clear procedures for evacuations, inventory protection, and client communication.
    • Communication Plan: Prepare customer notification templates for schedule changes. Keep your contact information up to date on EstateSales.NET to ensure timely updates.
  2. Update Your Insurance Coverage

    3. Ensure your business is insured for natural disaster risks:

    • Property Insurance: Covers damage to inventory, equipment, and other assets.
    • Business Interruption Insurance: Protects you financially if a disaster halts operations.
    • Flood and Fire Insurance: Often excluded from standard policies, these are critical for disaster-prone areas.

    Review your policies regularly to confirm you’re covered for the specific risks in your region.

  3. Secure Your Inventory and Premises

    4. Take steps to safeguard inventory and property before a disaster:

    • Elevate Items: Protect inventory from flooding by storing it off the ground.
    • Pack Fragile Items: Use protective materials to minimize damage.
    • Emergency Supplies: Keep essentials like flashlights, batteries, and first aid kits readily available.
  4. Diversify Your Marketing and Sales Channels

    5. To reduce financial losses from canceled events, consider alternative ways to sell inventory:

    • Online Auctions: EstateSales.NET offers online auction and estate sale services through our Marketplace, a great backup option during disruptions.
    • Virtual Sales: Use live streaming to showcase inventory and accept bids remotely.
    • Social Media Updates: Keep your audience informed and engaged with updates on sales schedules and promotions.
  5. Prepare for Post-Disaster Recovery

    6. Once the disaster has passed, focus on recovery and rebuilding:

    • Assess Inventory: Check for damages and determine what needs repair or replacement.
    • Reschedule Sales: Communicate new sale dates or alternative options to affected customers.
    • Support the Community: Offer discounts or donations to help those impacted by the disaster, building goodwill and community ties.
  6. Stay Informed About Local Risks

    7. Monitor potential risks and stay updated on weather alerts through local and national services. Being informed will give you the time needed to act decisively. Below are two reliable sources for information and updates on weather, natural disasters, and emergencies in the United States:

Keep Your Customers informed about changes to sales on EstateSales.NET

It is important to relay any potential changes to your advertisements as soon as possible to ensure your own safety as well as the safety of those who plan to attend your sales. In the situation of a natural disaster or emergency, just contact our Customer Support team by phone: (888)-653-8468, and we’ll handle any required - changes to sale dates, sale titles, adding verbiage to sale descriptions along with many other services to aid you in complicated times. You’ll have enough on your plate, so you can rely on us.

List on Marketplace

Listing your sales on the Marketplace can be a way to ensure that you and your customers do not need to leave safe locations to shop for items. We are happy to run you through the steps to get set up if you are not already. If you would like to take a proactive approach, here are some steps you can take on your own to set up your account on our Marketplace.


Quick Guide
  1. Sign into EstateSales.NET, then select “Marketplace” on the side of the screen. For mobile device users, you will select the Menu button first, then select “Marketplace”.
  2. Select “Marketplace Settings”.
  3. Set up an account with a payment processor, Stripe or Square, by using the “Connect with” options on the screen. Both services ae trusted by us and many other large companies like Amazon, Shopify, and Hewlett-Packard (HP).
  4. Optional: Set up shipping by connecting to Shippo. This is a service we have partnered with to assist with managing shipping, calculating costs, and printing pre-paid shipping labels.
  5. List your Marketplace Sale by using the “Add My First Online Estate Sale” button on the same page, or the “Add a Sale” button on your Account Home.

Natural disasters can disrupt your business, but with proactive preparation, you can reduce the impact on your sales and operations. By developing a disaster response plan, securing your inventory, diversifying your sales channels, and maintaining open communication with customers, you’ll be better equipped to navigate even the most challenging situations. With these strategies in place, your business can weather any storm and continue serving your clients with professionalism and reliability.