What are all the reasons you might have a person/entity bid on your behalf?

[BigJJ]

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

What are all the reasons you might have another person or entity bid on your behalf at auction? I can think of a few. Curious what others' thoughts are.

(i) Anonymity - if you do not want the particular auction house to know who you are during bidding. (Why? if you do not want them to know you have deep pockets - or a history of buying whatever it is you want no matter what the price?)

(ii) Sales Tax - if the auctioning entity and buyer are residents of the same state, though if this is the sole reason for bidding by proxy this may be improper.

What other rationales are out there?

[HRBAKER]

3. Out of righteous indignation you have stated that you will never do business with so and so again - but they got something you just gotta have

[Scott Garner]

There are a few scenarios that come to mind. All of these have actually played out in the past:

1) You are not registered with an auction house as a valid bidder, but your friend is
2) Not being able to bid late and not trusting the ceiling bidding process
3) Someone bidding for you in a live auction to avoid last minute technical snafus

[BigJJ]

Ooo that's a good one Jeff - righteous indignation. and interesting additional three Scott, thanks. Getting a good list.

[batsballsbases]

On Vacation and the wife doesnt want you near a phone or computer!

[HRBAKER]

You've had a very public disagreement with an AH and they have banned you from bidding.

[drc]

My mom has an eBay account but is 72 and isn't savvy with the process so once in a while has me buy stuff for her on eBay on my account. I swear it's all on the up and up when I win wool yarn for her.

I suspect there are some well healed collectors who aren't into bidding at 3am or are not familiar with bidding, so have someone do it for them. I think there are some very well healed collectors who have others do the whole buying process.

If it involves fellow collecting relatives, I can see a brother bidding for a brother or something like that. Maybe they want to combine shipping costs.

Jeff's is a good one, and I have no doubt has happened before. I also imagine there are collectors who are in the doghouse with an auction house and isn't allowed to bid.

If you are in good status, I don't buy #i (I mean letter i?). You would want an auction house to know you're a big bidder with lots on money, because then you will get favors and considerations from them.

I can imagine the sales tax avoidance, but that doesn't sound like a wise idea. You don't want to go to jail because you have a taste for baseball cards. If you are a busy seller too, you can get a state business/tax/reseller license and not have to pay sales taxes for stuff for resale. And I'm talking legally.

In conclusion, in summary and upon quiet reflection while gazing upon the sunset, I can see both legitimate and dubious reasons for having someone else bid for you. Anything I listed where I was involved is cataloged under legitimate.

Yes, I know there is no sunset at noon. Quit being so literal. I was being rhetorical.

[thecatspajamas]

Playing devil's advocate (not saying these are valid/ethical reasons or anything I myself would engage in, but you didn't specify):

1. You have been banned from the auction house in question and are unable to place a bid yourself.

2. The item being sold is yours and you want to increase the price on it, but the auction house has a policy against consignors bidding on their own items (i.e. shill bidding)

3. You have a friend who is also very interested in the item, and you want to own it but don't want your friend to see you bidding against him (in other words, you value your friendship more than the item, but only just barely). You'll just have to hide it whenever your friend comes over

[Forever Young]

NOT TRUSTING THE AUCTION HOUSE in tipping off the consigner on who is bidding on the item. That is, if the bidder had seemigly limitless pockets... there might be some thought of potential shill bidding.

[bcbgcbrcb]

I'm wondering if the underlying reason for this post in the first place was the very coincidental occurrence earlier this week of the $4.4MM Babe Ruth jersey that just sold and was picked up by an auction house with an immediate client in mind for it.

[murphusa]

For live auction you as the bidder can give a first hand description of the item so you are not relying on the catalog.