Online Auctions
We are hosting online auctions to provide an option for buyers to find unique items, and sellers to efficiently sell their collections and antiques.
How do online auctions work?
Just like live auctions, online auctions consist of sellers (us) and bidders (you). An online auction usually consists of several hundred lots. Each lot is photographed and a description provided. Please inspect the photos carefully as they provide the best details about the item. Every auction is scheduled to begin closing at a specific date and time, and individual lots have staggered ending times after the auction begins closing. Whoever has the highest bid at the time the lot closes has won the item or lot and must pick up their item(s) on the designated pick-up days.
Registration
As a bidder, you must register for an account before bidding so that we may keep track of all of yours bids and which auctions you win. Register well in advance of the auction. You will receive updates when you place a bid, when you are outbid, and when you have won an auction.
How to Keep Track of an Auction
To see if you are winning or losing an auction, simply log into your account, find the item you are bidding on, and there will be an indication of the item(s) you are winning. You will also receive email notifications when you are outbid.
Terms to get familiar with:
- Starting Bid: the minimum amount the first bidder must bid.
- Current Bid: The current highest bid on an item. You must surpass this bid by the end date in order to win.
- Bidding Increment: the minimum amount the current bid must be increased by to place a higher bid. For example, if the bidding increment is $5 on an item and the current bid is $50, your next bid must be $55 or higher.
- Reserve Price: An amount higher than the starting price that the highest bid must reach before the item can be sold. If an auction expires without having reached the reserve price, the item will not be sold unless we decide to relist the item or extend the expiration date.
Winning an Auction
As stated above, every auction has an expiration date. Lots or items will begin ending at a staggered time . The highest bidder at that specific time will be the winner, unless the reserve price has not been met. If the reserve price has been surpassed and you are the highest bidder, you will see "Item Won." If the reserve price has not been met, the auction will close without a winner unless we relist it and extend the expiration date. We will send you an invoice within 24 hours of the auction's closing.
Payment Options
As a winner, you can pay with cash or credit card when you pick up your item. We will issue send an invoice by email within 24 hours of the auction's close. Those needing shipping will receive a second invoice with shipping costs. Any items that are failed to be picked up will be considered forfeited, and we will charge the card on file.
Receiving your Auction Item
After the auction concludes, we'll send all winning bidders a form to indicate what time they will arrive on the designated bidding days, or indicate the address for items to be shipped.
Bid Sniping
Bid sniping occurs when a user tries to outbid all previous bidders in the last seconds before the auctions expires so that no one has the chance to outbid them. Our auctioning site prevents this from happening by automatically extending the expiration time by a few minutes if someone tries to bid in the last few seconds of an auction. That way, everyone gets an equal chance to bid on the item.