AH guys - ask me anything?

[parkplace33]

How negotiable are consignor fees? I have heard some consignors getting 0 or negative fees?

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

I rarely get calls on closing night. I do have one customer that likes to talk with me and always places his bids by phone.

I don't think I have ever had anyone make an offer on a sold card after the auction.

I have never done a theme auction, partly because I believe you are missing out on potential bidders that the theme is not there major focus. Doesn't mean I may run one in the future.

Always open to any questions, feel free to call or email.

Lee Behrens
320-219-1372

[whiteymet]

I am sure AH's know what they are doing, but I have asked a few over the years to contact the underbidder on another of the same item that I own to see if the underbidder would buy mine for their top bid.

I offer the AH the normal consignment fee, and they would get the normal Buyers premium. No adverting, photography, etc. A quick easy sale in my eyes.

But every time I have been told that that never works. They have tried it in the past and the underbidder never accepts. They say we collectors get involved with the auction and when the adrenaline wears off they won't pay the same price they offered during the auction.

I can't believe that is always true. I know if I was bidding on something and I lost it I would in most cases be willing to purchase it. I may have some reservation if I could see the bidding history and if I see only myself and one other guy going at it at the end, I may not want to pay my last bid as the next next (third high bid) is much lower, but who knows, I may if it is a card or item I really want.

Wish they would at least pick up the phone and try....

[perezfan]

Fred:
This was my exact question as well. I bet there have to be a few Auction Houses that would at least give it a try.

[whiteymet]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Fred:
This was my exact question as well. I bet there have to be a few Auction Houses that would at least give it a try.

Hi Mark

Yeah, and those that have the option of making an offer to past winners, I don't get the feeling the few times I have asked them to try that they put too much effort into that either. I never get a reply unless I press them then I get a generic reply saying just that it didn't work out etc. Like they never REALLY checked with the winner.

[Lucas00]

Originally Posted by whiteymet

Hi Mark

Yeah, and those that have the option of making an offer to past winners, I don't get the feeling the few times I have asked them to try that they put too much effort into that either. I never get a reply unless I press them then I get a generic reply saying just that it didn't work out etc. Like they never REALLY checked with the winner.

I would imagine a generic blank fillable box of text with a send button that is linked to an auction winners email isn't too difficult to implement. Obviously the member would have the option to enable or disable the feature. And their email would be private unless they decide to reply.
I am not sure but I believe HA has this feature but I assume it only goes through the website? Could be dead wrong, I'm not certain.
But who's checking the website on their 5 year old auction winnings for offers? Not many people I would bet. And if it's heritage staff relaying messages themselves then that's even worse. But nearly everyone is checking their emails.
As somebody who is a single player collector I have scowered easily 100 auction houses for rare, unique and one of a kind items. Many I have found I would love to reach out and make an offer. But none give the option.

If you read this and own an auction house, please add this feature.

[ALBB]

interesting topic, but sadly the " juicy " questions or crazy stuff that has happened...might not be in " best interest" of AH guys

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Lucas00

I would imagine a generic blank fillable box of text with a send button that is linked to an auction winners email isn't too difficult to implement. Obviously the member would have the option to enable or disable the feature. And their email would be private unless they decide to reply.
I am not sure but I believe HA has this feature but I assume it only goes through the website? Could be dead wrong, I'm not certain.
But who's checking the website on their 5 year old auction winnings for offers? Not many people I would bet. And if it's heritage staff relaying messages themselves then that's even worse. But nearly everyone is checking their emails.
As somebody who is a single player collector I have scowered easily 100 auction houses for rare, unique and one of a kind items. Many I have found I would love to reach out and make an offer. But none give the option.

If you read this and own an auction house, please add this feature.

Lucas,

Are you thinking of the Heritage feature that allows registered members to go on their site and view past auctions, and then make offers to past auction winners? I know that during the height of the pandemic's card price surge I got a few offers at close to double what I had paid for items I had won in prior Heritage auctions. The email offers came through Heritage and allowed you to accept or decline each specific offer, or opt out of ever receiving any such offers at all. There was no cost to the auction winner receiving the offer, if I remember correctly, but I assume they weren't doing it for free and were charging people making the offers some type of buyer's premium if an offer was accepted.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by whiteymet

I am sure AH's know what they are doing, but I have asked a few over the years to contact the underbidder on another of the same item that I own to see if the underbidder would buy mine for their top bid.

I offer the AH the normal consignment fee, and they would get the normal Buyers premium. No adverting, photography, etc. A quick easy sale in my eyes.

But every time I have been told that that never works. They have tried it in the past and the underbidder never accepts. They say we collectors get involved with the auction and when the adrenaline wears off they won't pay the same price they offered during the auction.

I can't believe that is always true. I know if I was bidding on something and I lost it I would in most cases be willing to purchase it. I may have some reservation if I could see the bidding history and if I see only myself and one other guy going at it at the end, I may not want to pay my last bid as the next next (third high bid) is much lower, but who knows, I may if it is a card or item I really want.

Wish they would at least pick up the phone and try....

Back in the early days of eBay I made WAY more sales offering bidders a chance to buy the item(extra) they didn't win at their high bid. Now I still sometimes make that offer but it is rarely taken by the bidders.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Back in the early days of eBay I made WAY more sales offering bidders a chance to buy the item(extra) they didn't win at their high bid. Now I still sometimes make that offer but it is rarely taken by the bidders.

People just assume they got bid up. No one wants to buy at their high bid when they were competing against a deadbeat bidder. It sucks, but it's just a fact of life.

[rand1com]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

How negotiable are consignor fees? I have heard some consignors getting 0 or negative fees?

Depends entirely on the value of the consignment and how bad competing auction houses want the item. A few years ago I had a sealed case of 1979 Topps Cello baseball that I offered to several auction houses to see how low of a consignment fee I could get. We're not talking an extremely valuable item but the last couple that had sold prior to this auction brought about $24K at the hammer price. I actually got a 2.5% fee in my favor from one auction house. I was extremely happy but the night of the auction the site went down during extended bidding and they did not carry over to the next day. They claimed they got the system up around 10 PM although I could never get in and ended it at midnight. Needless to say, the case went out at $15K which was a grand less than I had in it. So, the great consignment rate in my favor was worthless. Of course, the auction house still made $2625 on the item collecting a net 17.5% fee. I know why so many auction houses keep popping up.