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#1
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Auction bidder nightmares
Seems like 99% of the bitching here (myself included of course) is customers detailing issues with AHs. Big and small. I was wondering if anyone who runs auctions here (Al,Jeff,Scott) could give us a feel for how much nonsense they have to put up with in a typical auction. How many no shows and non payments? How much buyers remorse? How many attempted returns? How much pleading to cancel sales. I think it would be interesting to see the other side of the coin. Sure there is more than a fair share of hijinks and aggravation to go around.
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#2
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Not what you're asking for but this has been my AH experience so far as bidder...all of which has occurred in the last year....and maybe 7-8 transactions total. The names have been changed to protect the guilty.
AH #1 sold me an $1800 pennant that they failed to disclose had a tip held on by tape. Then after lying to me for a week, proceeded to lecture me for posting about the experience here. AH #2 decided to make an origami swan out of a rare New York Titans pennant I won so they could cram it in the smallest bubble mailer they could find...damaging the painted on graphics to the point they chipped off. AH #3 sold me a pennant describe as Near Mint that really had an inch long rip in the top edge AH #4 Notified me after the win that one of the pennants I won had been chewed through by a mouse and asked if I still wanted it. For these experiences I have to pay a premium? Are you kidding? These are true stories. I think the only positive experiences I've had so far been with Huggins & Scott, twice.....and Clean Sweep once....though Clean Sweep holding my check (which is the only payment method they accept) for two weeks so it can "clear" seems a little 1950's-ish. So this I why I say...Mediocrity appears to be standard operating procedure in this industry. But the bidders don't seem to care.
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R0b G@@13t |
#3
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Rob you have to switch to cards. No mice have eaten a slab yet.
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#4
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Funny you say that...See my last post in the Heritage thread. I'm already coming around to that line of thinking.
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R0b G@@13t |
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Moral of the story...shipping penants is a bitch!!
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#6
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Actually very little problems with any of the above. In 10+ years, less than a handful of no pays, all very small items, and all were banned from bidding.
During the course of the auction there are usually a few questions on lots and people needing to reset passwords as they can't log in, all of which are part of the job and easy to handle. While I try to describe every lot accurately, there is always the missed wrinkle or large group with condition that might not match the exact percentages. These are few and far between, I believe I can recall only one return and a handful of adjustments in the entire decade. The real surprise for those that think anyone can do this, is the need to constantly find material for 500-700 lot auctions and the mammoth task of sorting and shipping all of the winning items. I can't imagine doing 2000+ like the big AH's but I don't have any help either, this does put me at a disadvantage as some people, especially ones that use ebay, expect their winnings almost instantaneously. It takes time to find all of the lots and package them correctly. Scott |
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So is quality control apparently.
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R0b G@@13t |
#8
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Actually only 1 out of the 4 scenarios Rob described were "shipping" related. The other 3 were just lazy/negligent/irresponsible write-ups. And the person who shipped the Titans Pennant should've been fired on the spot. Even the most naïve person would know not to mutilate a $300 pennant like that.
My experience has been far better with the auction houses. Most (if not all)know how ship pennants. I won't bore everyone with the proper procedure, but suffice it to say it is NOT rocket science. |
#9
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Quote:
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#10
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These are all interesting stories, but I think the original poster was asking for horror stories from the auction houses' viewpoint.
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