A Tale of Two Auctions Houses (The GOOD and the BAD)
 

I bid in pretty much every Auction House in the country. I win so many items that it seems like I am writing checks to them almost every day (although that is certainly not actually the case or I would be divorced). I have seen it all and experienced many different examples of customer service in the last decade or more but this week I had the weird opportunity to have a small issue with two companies at about the same time and my experiences could not have been different. In a market where there are auctions every week and plenty of people to choose from when thinking about buying and consigning, I wanted to share these with you guys.

HUGGINS AND SCOTT: I purchased a lot in their most recent auction for a decent sum of money, primarily for one photograph I really wanted which was described as a "Type I" photo. Upon receiving the lot, I realized immediately that the photo was not from the original negative and was pretty disappointed. I e mailed them and Josh Wulkan got back to me immediately. Within two days he resolved the issue and I am very happy with what they did to do to make me happy. Regardless of items or prices, this is how customer service should be!

CLEAN SWEEP: I have bid in Clean Sweep's auctions since as far back as I can remember. I have probably participated and won items in 30-50 of their auctions going back well over a decade at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars. My address on file with them is my PO Box and I have successfully received items at this address in every auction. This time however, they decided to try and mail an item to my PO Box using either UPS or FED-EX. I had no idea this was happening but they should have known that this was going to be an issue before it left their office. Big shocker, the item got returned. My wife called and actually spoke to Steve Verkman on the phone (Owner of the company and not an employee customer service rep) who was cold and quite rude. He informed her that this was somehow our mistake for not having a street address on file and that we needed to send him another check for $25 or they would not be sending me my winnings. They are essentially holding a customers items hostage over a shipping fee that wouldn't even cover a couple of Hot Dogs and drinks at the National. Needless to say I think my bidding in their auctions (which had been substantial for years) will no longer be a priority in my life. I hope that Steve frames that $25 because he will not be seeing much of my money anymore.

I just thought that you guys would enjoy hearing two polar opposite stories about how customers are handled by two of the larger auction houses.

Have a great day and I appreciate all of you!

Rhys Yeakley

thanks rhys...it's a shame this was handled in such a manner...and I'm sure Steve will regret his behavior/decision.

Fed Ex packing slips explicitly state that they will not deliver to PO Boxes. So if using Fed Ex there is no reasonable expectation that the package would be delivered. They should have asked for a different address if it was sent via Fed Ex.

.

I've talked to Steve a couple of times, and I think that he's just one of those bruque New Yorkers that tells you exactly what's on his mind without any window dressing. I've actually had pretty good customer service from Clean Sweep in the past, so it's unfortunate to hear about your experience.

Based on your post, I now wont ever bid with Clean Sweep again..too many other places to bid with..

He just praised Huggins and Scott. Myself, I am having a difficult experience with them. So who do you listen to - someone who said they were awesome, or someone else who is going through a rough patch with the exact same auction house? There are two sides to every coin.

Extremely unprofessional in my last communication with Clean Sweep last year. Add the fact that initial bids must be placed before 6pm unless you are a VIP and an additional buyers premium on bids after 1am. I will never deal with him again.

Why not say he'll never see another dime?

Stuff trumps all.

Rhys, I'm really surprised at this. I've been buying from Clean Sweep for years, and he's been extremely easy to work with. My last communication with him was over an April Fool's email he sent me which was very impressive and completely got me. We aren't personal friends or anything, but he likes to have fun with the hobby as much as the next guy, and that earns points with me.

As far as business communications, he once saw a thread on here about high shipping costs and either sent me a refund or a new invoice - I forget which - despite the fact that his auction house was not specifically mentioned. He's not perfect, but I have no problem dealing with him.

I think your situation was an anomaly, as Steve is generally easy to get along with. Some small AH's are notoriously hard to deal with, and you always have to wear kid gloves, but even the worst of them are actually EASY to get along with if you adjust your communication to their idiosyncrasies.

I have to also say that Rhys is very easy to get along with and probably has zero issues dealing with people who the rest of us have to be careful with, so my response here is no reflection on him - I just feel that I should give Steve a little backing since he's been helpful to me in the past.

I have never written off an AH because of one bad transaction, and I certainly would never write one off because of one post on an internet discussion forum. There have been too many times where one significant element of the communication was a little different from what was described. Most of us have gotten extremely upset at one point or another in our lives, regarding a communication that we simply didn't hear the way it was intended.

On a side note with my incident, it is unfortunate, but Josh at Huggins and Scott explained it well......That is why they remain one of my favorite auction houses.

Personally, I've had good experiences with both of those auction houses as a buyer. Huggins & Scott has always made good on any issues and Clean Sweep is usually able to accommodate whatever I need. I'm certainly not one of their biggest buyers but all has been fine by me.

Response
 

Rhys,

Your wife DID NOT speak to me, she spoke to the other Steve in our office. Your items are going out today on us, sorry for any error, this was a miscommunication, I will email you privately.

Thanks much - Steve Verkman

Since we're talking about the good there is one fairly recent event that stands out to me. Back in December I won a lot with Sterling Sports Auctions, received my invoice and paid it. Not long after that I got an email stating that $4 had been refunded to me with this note:

$4 might not seem like much in the grand scheme of things... but it's little gestures like that which make a big impression on me.

You're not alone, I have also received the same type of refund from Sterling.

DJ

Looks like we might be having a Kumbaya moment very soon here!;);)

An auction house owner should always hire someone with their same first name, so as to have a convenient scapegoat when something goes sour and the customer gets upset.;)

Brian Parker

Last year I accidentally bid on a lot at giant Heritage--if you can believe it, this was a real accident, not simply a change of heart, really--and ended up winning it. I called them but it was a weekend. On the Monday a woman called and said they'd contact the under bidder, no problem, and then the next day said I was off the hook (presumably they took a slight hit on this). Adding, if it happens again in the next year they will take away my bidding privileges, certainly fair.

Is this the usual experience people have had?

Does it really matter who Rhys spoke to at Clean Sweep...it still falls on the boss to train employees in good customer service. I think it is actually worse...if Steve wants to look good, he just would have come on, said he made a mistake and said he will take care of it...not throw one of his employees under the bus. Just my opinion.

Joshua

+1

The Other Paul S
 

I do this all the time when the ex calls me:cool:

I won't rehash my negative experiences with Steve Verkman and CSA.
But, I will say that Steve acts a certain way (not in the positive) and then changes his tune when a person calls him out in public. My opinion is that customer service is not their strong point. I would never bid with them, but I will give them credit for posting the estimated shipping costs in their auctions.

Jeff

I apologize to Steve V. as I had no idea there was another Steve working there. My wife asked to speak to "Steve" and that is who they handed the phone to. It does not change the fact that the person I spoke to was pretty rude and told her that my items would sit at their office until I sent them another $25, but I do apologize that I thought that was the owner of the company acting this way and not a new employee (that does make a difference).

So, I apologize for calling out the real Steve and moving forward...

On another note, Steve Verkman did apologize to me for how my wife was treated and I accept the apology as it was much appreciated!

My post was not intended to have people boycott Steve or Clean Sweep, but just relay an experience I had in which my wife was treated badly over the phone because of a very small amount of money. Mistakes happen and I am sure in the future they will be better about treating people with dignity when situations like this happen. This is the only bad experience I have had with them and I will let it go. Its all about people at the end of the day.

Happy Collecting.

have bought from Clean Sweep before with absolutely no issues. Not big purchased but items shipped quickly and professionally.

I am of the opinion that if you work in retail or customer service there is only one unforgivable sin...a bad attitude.

I think some dealers forget this. If you want to be grumpy and/or rude you picked the wrong line of work. People enjoy this hobby and you signed up for their stupid, repetitive and sometimes ignorant questions and conversations.

I have spoken to Verkman twice in my life and both times he never looked up, was very short and pretty much assured me that I would never bid in his auctions. That young 20-something that asked a simple question about T206's only to have the above attitude thrown back at him has taken his business to many AH's but never purchased anything from Clean Sweep.

You never know who the person you find annoying might grow up to be.

+1. My experience with him over several decades has been quite good.

Hope this gets satisfactorily resolved,

Larry

Based on my personal experience, there is another "Steve" in Clean Sweep's office in the accounting department, whom I have actually spoken to. I can only reiterate several decades of very positive experience with Steve Verkman and Clean Sweep.

Highest regards,

Larry

I have only won one card from Clean Sweep, but my experience with their customer service was extremely poor. Upon getting someone on the phone after trying several times, I was rudely greeted with: "How did you get this number?!", to which I replied: "It is on your website". Not the end of the world for me, but unfortunately those kinds of experiences can really sour your taste for a certain auction house.

With that being said, I did receive my item in a timely manner so in that regard everything was perfectly fine.


Derek

I have been dealing with Clean Sweep for years. Have always had positive experiences with Steve.

Had a minor problem with an order several years ago. Steve took care of it with no questions asked.

Leave the good guys alone. There are other AH's out there that I have plenty to say about.

Howard,

He might be a good guy to you, but to some of us he is NOT! My story (which I would share privately if anyone wants to hear it) involves a situation that I almost needed an attorney to resolve. I am not the only one who has had a problem with CSA and I won't be the last.

Jeff

I'd agree on the training.

But....If someone is a shipper receiver and isn't new at the job and tries to Fedex or UPS something to a PO box they deserve a bit of time under the bus.


Steve B

Love to hear if it's similar to mine but I d not know how to private message!

What, a third thread???
 

Mr. Patterson,

this is the third separate thread you have resurrected about Clean Sweep Auctions -- from as many as 12 years ago= Enough already!

You have made your point about the Auction/LOA business and if Steve is smart he'll make his listings clearer so there is no ambiguity about what type of LOA buyers are getting.

But the more you beat this drum the more likely people are going to believe Steve when he says you're unreasonable - you seem bent on some kind of vendetta against him.

Like many I have dealt with Steve for many years with no real issues. He is not the warmest guy in the world but he's running an honest business. Mistakes and less-than-ideal descriptions happen even with the best-run businesses. It's not like he sold you a bunch of forgeries.

IOW, give it a rest, please, and let some other threads occupy the front page for a while-

Your friend,
Tim

Amen!!! +1 - from a Clean Sweep bidder with never a problem!

+1.....the dead horse is still dead......