By Michelle Giluso

AuctionDrop, which recently opened a branch in downtown Los Altos, may give local residents inspiration to rummage through their closets, garages and attics.

Community members can deliver their unwanted goods at AuctionDrop, a company that sells customers’ items on eBay for a variable commission of 20 percent to 38 percent.

Bill Rollinson, chief marketing officer, said the new store will make it convenient for members of the “vibrant” Los Altos community to sell items on eBay.

“A number of our customers have been coming to our San Carlos store from Los Altos,” Rollinson said. “Since AuctionDrop’s mission is to make eBay easy and convenient for people, we decided to better meet our customers’ needs by opening a Los Altos drop-off store.”

Chief Executive Officer Randy Adams originated the concept of the company, which he said is now the leading eBay consignment service.

“His wife had been asking him to clean out the garage and suggested he take some extra things they didn’t have any use for and auction them off on eBay,” Rollinson said. “Randy wished there was someplace he could just take everything and drop it off — someplace that would make selling on eBay easy and convenient.”

In 2002, Adams, Rollinson and Andy Jeffrey made the privately owned AuctionDrop a reality.

Customers can submit new or used items to an AuctionDrop location. The company will administer the necessary eBay requirements to sell the goods, including listing, photography, customer service, payment processing, shipping and returns.

The staff formulates a unique listing for each item posted on eBay.

“These listings are designed to attract buyers and focus on the key attributes of each item,” Rollinson said.

Rollinson said AuctionDrop will help raise money for local schools and non-profit organizations by “letting people turn their unwanted items into cash donations that fund important programs at their children’s schools.” The school of their choice will receive the net proceeds of the sale in the form of a tax-deductible cash donation.

AuctionDrop is located at 200 Main St. in Los Altos, at the intersection of Third Street.

For more information, call 941-4365 or (866) 376-7486, or logon to www.auctiondrop.com.