I don’t know about you, but I like to watch auction programs for relaxation. There’s one such program in the UK called Bargain Hunt. In it, a couple of experienced auctioneers wander around with some contestants at a fair or a store to buy antiques that will then be sold at an auction.

As most seasoned bargain hunters will tell you, the best buys are at car boot sales. But, these seem to be “off limits” for this particular program, probably because there are at best only a few treasures among a lot of junk.

There certainly was a time when auctions commanded higher prices; but recessions usually dramatically knock things down. This past recession is no exception.

I’ve noticed a reversal, however, in recent months. The bargains are at the auctions, not at the fairs or anywhere else. Instead, the profits are made at the fairs where retail prices are not uncommon. This reversal seems to have been missed by the producers of this program. They continue to take contestants to stores, of all place, to find their “bargains.” Very occasionally, the contestants make some money, but rarely is it enough to cover the expenses they would have incurred if they were using their own money, and sometimes they lose almost as much as they spend.

There’s another surprising thing about this program. Each of the experts is given the money the contestants don’t spend to obtain their own bonus buy. Almost without fail, these lose money as well. You’d think that any self-respecting expert would do his or her utmost to turn a profit; but you get the definite feeling that instead they’re treating this venture as a bit of a joke. Is this any way to do business?