sthoemke
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posted on May 6, 2007 01:29:50 PM new
Does anyone have any experience selling their items at auction houses?
There's a local auction house that has auctions 1 or 2 times per month. The commission is sliding scale, but for anything under $50 the take is 50%, but figuring ebay and paypal fees, and postage costs suppressing the bid price, I'm thinking it might be a good and easier way to go for larger items.
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toolhound
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posted on May 6, 2007 03:17:33 PM new
I have sold a lot of stuff at local auction houses and the most I have ever seen is a 35% commission. That was for box lots. Most charge around 20% to 30% in my area. Best thing to do is go to the auction and see what kind of prices they are getting for the type of items you sell.
The auctions around here are bringing as much or more for most items than I can get on eBay so I find I can justify 30% but 50% would be hard to live with.
I have found some auctions will cut you a break on commissions if you start bringing them good items for every auction.
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mamachia
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posted on May 6, 2007 04:17:48 PM new
have you tried Craigslist? I have had great luck selling on Craigslist.
mama
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pixiamom
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posted on May 6, 2007 05:04:51 PM new
I think they want to keep low-end stuff out of their auction. 50%? - whew!
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otteropp
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posted on May 6, 2007 05:09:52 PM new
Our local auction house charges 50% too for any lot that sells for less than $50.00.
While on the subject ours has a 15% Buyers commission.
I am interested to know whether auctions in your Country have a Buyers Comm. too.
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zippy2dah
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posted on May 6, 2007 06:06:29 PM new
What do they charge you if your stuff doesn't sell? Some auction houses charge for photography, advertising, etc, no matter what, some don't. Check first.
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merrie
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posted on May 6, 2007 08:07:33 PM new
Auctions I have sold at charge 20% to the seller and 10% to the buyer, plus tax. Many will not take an item with a reserve. They do not want to haul anything back. It is a good way to get rid of everything at once if that is your aim, rather than waiting a week and listing things over a period of time.
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sthoemke
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posted on May 7, 2007 10:46:13 AM new
"I am interested to know whether auctions in your Country have a Buyers Comm. too."
"What do they charge you if your stuff doesn't sell?"
Good questions! I'll have to keep those in mind this weekend when I go to the auction.
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birgittaw
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posted on May 7, 2007 11:27:33 AM new
I've never heard of a 50% selling commission. Never. Unless the auctioneer comes into someone's home, cleans, packs, hauls and then sells -- 35% generally.
My auctions here charge 20% on lots under $100, 15% $100 and over. No buyers' premium at one, 5% at another. Both country auctions with items selling from a dollar to many thousands. No reserves, or very rarely.
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cherishedclutter
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posted on May 7, 2007 11:53:16 AM new
Also check to see if there are any "extra" charges. For example are you responsible for paying for all or part of the advertising or labor for the auction help.
I've had much better luck buying at auctions than selling at them.
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otteropp
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posted on May 7, 2007 01:34:05 PM new
"I've had much better luck buying at auctions than selling at them."
Me too! Several months ago I had finally decided that amongst other things I would part with 12 framed original ink drawings of buildings in London, England. I had brought them back from a trip in 1979. I was emotionally attached to them although they had not hung on a wall for at least 10 years.
We took them to the auction with other items and happened to be there when they went 'on the block'. They sold for $12.00!
I wanted to jump up and say..NO...I want them back!
I netted $6.00 from that sale!
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niel35
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posted on May 7, 2007 02:05:45 PM new
Too bad Otteropp. The auctions I used to go to let you put a reserve on the price. Also if you put any glass or china on you risk getting it chipped, cracked or broken. By the time everyone handles it and then it is put aside for the winner or you if it doesn't sell, the item may not be as you original entered it. I have had this happen and you have no recourse.
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otteropp
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posted on May 7, 2007 10:28:18 PM new
After that experience I decided to only buy at auctions..not sell.
Now if I have something to sell that is not EBay worthy or is heavy and would make the shipping cost too high...I sell it at our local Flea Market.
I agree about the damaged goods too. Our auctions are on Thursday nights and we preview on Tuesday or Wednesday. We usually buy china so we arrive early on Thursdays and I re-check the items I had planned to bid on just to make sure they have not been damaged in the previous couple of days.
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Damariscotta
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posted on May 8, 2007 05:58:47 AM new
I am less surprised at the commission rate, than at the fact that they will take such low-value lots to begin with. These rinky-dink auctions are only good for a seller if you don't want to bother with a yard sale.
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roadsmith
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posted on May 9, 2007 09:27:27 PM new
Sometimes those wide-ranging auctions can be fun to attend. The one I used to go to every Wed. night in Utah had items ranging from maybe $5 to hundreds. At the time we were furnishing a cabin we'd bought, and that place was almost entirely decorated from that Wed. night auction.
However, the sellers frequently got almost nothing for the items they'd placed with the auctioneer.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
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sthoemke
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posted on May 13, 2007 12:26:32 PM new
Here are the commission fees:
$50 or under = 50%.
$51-$300 = 35%
$301+ = 25%
And there is a 10% buyers premium.
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Damariscotta
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posted on May 13, 2007 01:18:24 PM new
At those rates, if the stuff is decent, why not put on consignment somewhere, if you have one local? At least get a little more control over prices, and you are in the range of consignment shop fees at this point.
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Damariscotta
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posted on May 17, 2007 06:51:46 AM new
Apparently the major auction houses are no longer accepting lots valued under $5K. According to the trade paper, this may be an opportunity for lower end auction houses (and I suspect, eBay).
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hwahwa
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posted on May 17, 2007 09:15:28 AM new
There is also Ebay live auction,I believe one of us used it last year,cant remember her name-
you go find a local auction house for your items and you sign up with Ebay live,both ebay bidders and live aution bidders will be able to bid on your items live.
Ebay charges a closing value fee and your auction house needs to have PC and help you load photos to Ebay.
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Lets all stop whining !
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jewl1
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posted on May 18, 2007 07:51:27 AM new
Our local auction house charges a sliding fee, which ranges between 35% and 20%. I have never been to an auction house that charges 50%.
You may want to call other auction houses in the area to find out the rates they are charging. It may mean that you will have to drive a distance to drop off your stuff.
I know some of the regulars will buy at one auction house and haul it to another auction house. Sometimes it is several miles away and other times it is several states away. They must really like doing it and be making a profit because they have been doing it for years.
I think there are a lot of factors to trying to sell it at a local auction opposed to trying to sell it on eBay ~ mainly what you are trying to sell and who is at the auction house bidding.
Normally I find live auctions are better for the buyer and not the seller. However, I took up a box of hard to package items last month and received more than if I would have tried to sell them on eBay. I checked the completed auctions and some of the stuff didn't even get a bid. The ones that did receive bids were so low that I figured it wouldn't be worth my time to have to make a box for them.
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