What would YOU like to see in a online auction?

[sterlingfox]

1) Charge actual shipping. No extra fees.

2) Make the buyer's premium reasonable. No more than 12.5% (SSA and Brockelman are that low). Also, don't charge a minimum buyer's premium like Heritage.

3) Let the auctions end at a specific time, like on eBay. No extended bidding. At all. None.

4) Very short and to the point descriptions. No bios (someone already mentioned this).

5) Don't over exaggerate the scans. A few AHs have scans so bright it makes my eyes hurt (SportsCardLink come to mind, but there are others too). Make the scans high quality, but realistic.

6) Allow smaller $ value lots. I hate AHs where nothing is under $200.

[packs]

Extended bidding is the absolute worst. I don't buy into the theory behind it. I think if you've bid on something and get outbid at 4:00 am, there's little chance you're going to wake up and place a bid on something else you'd set a placeholder bid on earlier. My ideal auction house would close individual lots after each lot has had 15 minutes of inaction, not after all lots.

[sycks22]

I'd love to see all AH's end in a lot by lot basis. I realize this has been discussed in the past a lot. I'd also enjoy the cheap / free shipping that most AH's have adopted.

[Mark70Z]

1. No seller fee
2. Reasonable shipping/free shipping
3. Low buyer premium
4. Quality photos of the item
5. An auction end time
6. PayPal option
7. Quick turnaround

[packs]

Paypal option is a good one. I don't like being held hostage by my payment.

[oldjudge]

I'd like to see proper English.

[1952boyntoncollector]

I like to see honest descriptions of wrinkle/creases. After the auction i would like to know what was not actually paid for and is being returned to the consignor or put up for another auctions.

Also want to see some type of username (can be coded etc) so i know who the unique bidder but dont know who it is so can see if its just between me and one guy or many guys and also fights shilling... plus can see if an item was not paid for..i can see who the bidder was (can be coded etc)

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Mark70Z

1. No seller fee
2. Reasonable shipping/free shipping
3. Low buyer premium
4. Quality photos of the item
5. An auction end time
6. PayPal option
7. Quick turnaround

How do people think businesses work? so basically you want him to collect almost no fees and have stellar customer service. Have collectors really gotten this spoiled that they think that's a viable option? Combine that with the guys who want cheaper lots (which I agree with) that take nearly as much work as expensive lots while generating less revenue and basically you guys want auction houses to be charities. I'd like to poop gold coins too, but c'mon man.

EDIT: And yes, Leon, I realize your first post was facetious, I wonder if other people do though!

[Topnotchsy]

- Make sure website is easily searchable (not like Hunt etc)
- display actual price with BP (like heritage)
- only items authenticated by respected 3rd party authentication (or at least be very clear on what is and what is not authenticated and by who)
- accurate titles (If mears says that they cannot State it was used by the player don’t refer to it as “Player x game used” etc)
- offer PayPal/CC options (I don’t mind paying a small premium that way though I’m not convinced it’s cheaper for the auction house to have to staff people to deal with checks and the like)

[keithsky]

No hidden reserves. If you need a reserve on an item mention it. I think Iconic Auctions are the worst for that. Not sure anyone ever wins anything because most of it is on ebay then ends up back on there.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

How do people think businesses work? so basically you want him to collect almost no fees and have stellar customer service. Have collectors really gotten this spoiled that they think that's a viable option? Combine that with the guys who want cheaper lots (which I agree with) that take nearly as much work as expensive lots while generating less revenue and basically you guys want auction houses to be charities. I'd like to poop gold coins too, but c'mon man.

EDIT: And yes, Leon, I realize your first post was facetious, I wonder if other people do though!

Auction houses aren’t non profit charities. If their fees are disclosed stop doing business with people whose standard terms you don’t like.
My pet peeve is long delays in shipping. But that horse has been sufficiently flogged I think.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

My pet peeve is long delays in shipping. But that horse has been sufficiently flogged I think.

Now that I can get behind 100%

[sb1]

Originally Posted by Mark70Z

1. No seller fee
2. Reasonable shipping/free shipping
3. Low buyer premium
4. Quality photos of the item
5. An auction end time
6. PayPal option
7. Quick turnaround

Quite happy that I believe I fit 5 of the above 7,(1,2,3,4 &7). On #5 having each lot end individually comes close to that, which we started using several years ago. I don't ever see Paypal as an option at my 12 1/2% buyers premium(which it always has been, another post was in error stating it was 10% at one time).

Further I pay the consignors the second Monday after each auction ends(or before). While I do have the low budget advantage to enable the low BP of no employees, it does get me behind on shipping ocassionally. Other than that the model seems to work. Will I ever be as big as Heritage or REA? No...that was never the goal when Leon and I started the business, it was to give the smaller guys a place to consign their material without it all being tossed into one lot and the smaller buyer to buy cards one at a time under $50-100 and not have to buy an entire group for a single card. Also for sellers we tried to provide an alternative of not having to go the ebay route and spend all of the selling time of scanning, listing and packing, and paying 13-15% of the take to ebay/paypal.

Thanks for the kind words from the folks that both buy and sell through my auctions.

Scott

www.brockelmanauctions.com

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by sb1

Quite happy that I believe I fit 5 of the above 7,(1,2,3,4 &7). On #5 having each lot end individually comes close to that, which we started using several years ago. I don't ever see Paypal as an option at my 12 1/2% buyers premium(which it always has been, another post was in error stating it was 10% at one time).

Further I pay the consignors the second Monday after each auction ends(or before). While I do have the low budget advantage to enable the low BP of no employees, it does get me behind on shipping ocassionally. Other than that the model seems to work. Will I ever be as big as Heritage or REA? No...that was never the goal when Leon and I started the business, it was to give the smaller guys a place to consign their material without it all being tossed into one lot and the smaller buyer to buy cards one at a time under $50-100 and not have to buy an entire group for a single card. Also for sellers we tried to provide an alternative of not having to go the ebay route and spend all of the selling time of scanning, listing and packing, and paying 13-15% of the take to ebay/paypal.

Thanks for the kind words from the folks that both buy and sell through my auctions.

Scott

www.brockelmanauctions.com

I hope it didn't get lost in my post how much respect I have for you. I think you do it right, to the point where I don't understand how you can do it!

[sb1]

In response to Scott's post above Barry's

No not at all.

Firstly I don't do it to make a living, could I? yes, I would just have to get more consignments and do more auctions, which would be more travel and shows, being in TX rather than the NE I am at a huge disadvantage, to the proximity and cost of attending most of the shows. So I rely on my network of consignors and the several new ones I get each auction for material. My advantage there is my long time in the hobby as a collector, so many people are familiar with me on that basis and choose to sell thru me, by shipping to me and not dropping off at the shows.

By and large the format works, it would just need more volume to be my only source of income, as it does generate a profit each auction. Keep in mind I am also really tight. I reuse a lot of mailing boxes and take advantage of postal flat rate boxes and use Collectible private insurance etc. You won't get a fancy triple boxed single card wrapped in tape with my name on it

[edjs]

Originally Posted by packs

Extended bidding is the absolute worst. I don't buy into the theory behind it. I think if you've bid on something and get outbid at 4:00 am, there's little chance you're going to wake up and place a bid on something else you'd set a placeholder bid on earlier.

I do just that all the time.

[packs]

Well I applaud your dedication to your hobby but it's a nightmare for me.

[cardsnstuff]

All above +
How about you & consignors reach a reasonable agreement on what opening bid should be. there is nothing worse than seeing your $200 item go for less than 30 bucks {before sellers fee}

I understand it's worth what someone is willing to pay; but if someone thought their item would go for cheap they probably would of just kept it.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by sterlingfox

1) Charge actual shipping. No extra fees.

2) Make the buyer's premium reasonable. No more than 12.5% (SSA and Brockelman are that low). Also, don't charge a minimum buyer's premium like Heritage.

3) Let the auctions end at a specific time, like on eBay. No extended bidding. At all. None.

4) Very short and to the point descriptions. No bios (someone already mentioned this).

5) Don't over exaggerate the scans. A few AHs have scans so bright it makes my eyes hurt (SportsCardLink come to mind, but there are others too). Make the scans high quality, but realistic.

6) Allow smaller $ value lots. I hate AHs where nothing is under $200.

1. So he's supposed to get a shipping department to work as volunteers?

4. Never understood the hate for Bios. On rare occasion I have learned something interesting, and there are lots of less knowledgeable folks out there that probably appreciate the info, especially if we're talking someone like Joe Wood who doesn't have the HOF recognition. What I WOULD like to see is the important info and the bio info consistently separate and consistently located. Make the first paragraph, condition comments, pop report remarks and the like, don't make me wade through a bunch of extraneous info if I don't want to, especially on someone like Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb.

[sterlingfox]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

1. So he's supposed to get a shipping department to work as volunteers?

4. Never understood the hate for Bios. On rare occasion I have learned something interesting, and there are lots of less knowledgeable folks out there that probably appreciate the info, especially if we're talking someone like Joe Wood who doesn't have the HOF recognition. What I WOULD like to see is the important info and the bio info consistently separate and consistently located. Make the first paragraph, condition comments, pop report remarks and the like, don't make me wade through a bunch of extraneous info if I don't want to, especially on someone like Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb.

1) AHs make their money on the buyer's premium. There's absolutely no need to gouge on shipping.

4) Those of use buying at an AH usually know what we want and don't need the lengthy bios. That's what Google, books, Wikipedia, etc are for. It's just cluttering up listings at an AH.

I also agree about having Paypal and/or a CC option available for payment. Preferably without any extra fees.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by sterlingfox

1) AHs make their money on the buyer's premium. There's absolutely no need to gouge on shipping.

4) Those of use buying at an AH usually know what we want and don't need the lengthy bios. That's what Google, books, Wikipedia, etc are for. It's just cluttering up listings at an AH.

I also agree about having Paypal and/or a CC option available for payment. Preferably without any extra fees.

I am still waiting for anyone (from a post in another thread) who runs a business to come forward and tell me they can succeed on gross margins that you guys think an auction house can make it on. In this thread I have seen suggestions of no commission and low buyer's premiums coupled with free shipping. What is a low buyer's premium? 15 %, 10%???

You can't run a business with gross margins that low, and I don't anticipate anyone who actually owns a business of any sort, to contradict that.

[sterlingfox]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I am still waiting for anyone (from a post in another thread) who runs a business to come forward and tell me they can succeed on gross margins that you guys think an auction house can make it on. In this thread I have seen suggestions of no commission and low buyer's premiums coupled with free shipping. What is a low buyer's premium? 15 %, 10%???

You can't run a business with gross margins that low, and I don't anticipate anyone who actually owns a business of any sort, to contradict that.

Brockelman Auctions has a 12.5% buyer's premium and VERY cheap shipping. They are still in business, and doing very well I suspect.

[Snapolit1]

I do like the intelligent informative write ups that some AHs have. Al of course comes to mind immediately. What I don't need is breathless hyperbole about "breath taking pasteboards," "one of the greatest extant" and claims that things are one of the hobby's best examples when it's the 15th one PDA 7 I've seen for sale since June. Good informative write ups are good. Hype and long recitations about how important Babe Ruth was to the game of baseball are a little silly. If you are using a thesaurus, bad.

[T205 GB]

delete.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by T205 GB

They used to be 10% with 0% for consignments.

There's a reason they "used to" and even then they weren't shipping for free. And please don't think I'm somehow ripping them, their margins are pretty much the smallest I've seen. If they can make it work at those numbers they are paragons of efficiency or something.

Let's look at their September auction.

Approximately 650 lots, let's say they averaged $200 per item, and I think that's more than fair when you see how many no sales they have, that means they took in $130,000.

so if the 12.5% is all they're taking in, they grossed $16,250.

How much did their custom platform and website cost? Shipping costs besides labor? How much does their real-estate cost them, office, warehouse etc...

How many salaries have to be paid out of that. Graphic designers? Shippers? Customer Service? How about the owner?

How many auctions do they run each year four? That's a GROSS profit of $65,000 That's not a business, that's a hobby. Out of that comes ALL the aforementioned expenses before any profit is made.

Again I'm waiting for any business owner to tell me that's a sustainable model. How many of you would be willing to work for $65,000 a year, let alone try and run a business off of it???

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by sterlingfox

Brockelman Auctions has a 12.5% buyer's premium and VERY cheap shipping. They are still in business, and doing very well I suspect.

A. Very Cheap isn't free

B. do they charge NO seller's commissions on all items???

[sterlingfox]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

A. Very Cheap isn't free

B. do they charge NO seller's commissions on all items???

A. Very cheap shipping (at or near actual cost) is what I'm looking for - not free
B. No seller's commission on all items, YES! Here's a quote directly from the website:

Sellers win with Brockelman Auctions. We offer a sellers fee of zero % on lots consigned. The result being sellers receive more net dollars due to lower commissions and higher bidding activity.

Goes to show that this type of business model (low buyer's premium, no seller's commission, and cheap shipping) exists and works well. Wish others would follow suit.