frequently asked questions...
WHY SHOULD I USE YOUR SERVICES RATHER THAN ANOTHER SERVICE OR WHY SHOULDN'T I JUST DO IT MYSELF?
Our on-line auction experience dates back to May 2000 and we have been internet professionals since August 1995. At considerable expense and through a great deal of trial and error, we now have systems and procedures in place that help us leverage the power of the internet to your advantage as well as our own. We are quite familiar with auction policies, we have an impeccable reputation, buyers and sellers can rest assured that their transactions will be handled diligently and proficiently... and we do all the work while you sit back and wait for your check.
WHO MAINTAINS POSSESSION OF MY ITEM BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE AUCTION?
We do... after the digital photos are taken, we package and store your item for prompt shipment. Once the auction has closed and we have received and verified full payment, we will ship your item by the next business day. Keeping your item in our possession minimizes delays in shipping – allowing us to diligently render our services. In special cases such as listing large antiques, furnishings, vehicles, equipment and such, we will come to your home or office, take digital images and contact you once your auction closes to arrange pick-up, transport, delivery, etc.
IS MY MERCHANDISE INSURED WHILE IN YOUR POSSESSION?
Yes, your merchandise is insured for its market value while on our premises and during shipment. We have never once had an incident resulting in the loss or damage of a client's merchandise while on our premises and on the rare occasion an item was damaged during shipment, refunds and/or replacements were promptly issued by the carrier.
WHO PAYS FOR THE SHIPPING AND ARE THERE ANY DIMENSION OR WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS??
The buyer usually pays for all shipping, handling and insurance charges unless otherwise agreed upon and dimension or weight restrictions will be determined by the carrier such as UPS, USPS, FEDX, etc. If your item is extremely heavy, long or unusual in shape, please let us know and we’ll research the feasibility of shipping. In some cases, we will list items that are difficult to ship as “pick-up only” for regional buyers.
HOW DO I GET THE MOST OUT OF MY AUCTION?
Depends on the item, of course. For example, you’ll get more for a halloween mask during the September and October months rather than January or July. Or, you’ll get more for a winter coat... in the fall and winter months rather than the spring or summer months. Less obvious to the novice seller might be a shortage in “RamBus” memory chips causing a spike in auction prices. That’s where we come in!
WHAT IF THE BUYER FAILS TO SEND A PAYMENT?
We won't ship your item until we receive verified payment in full. In the event that payment isn't received within three business days, we will contact the second place bidder or automatically re-list the item. You will be promptly notified of any difficulties or unusual circumstances regarding your auction. Please keep in mind that your check will not be issued until we are certain that the buyer is satisfied with the item purchased – usually 72 hours after the item has been received.
WHAT OPTIONS DO I HAVE IF MY ITEM DOESN’T SELL?
We will automatically re-list your item after the initial 7-day auction unless you request otherwise. If you do not wish to re-list it or if it doesn't sell during the second auction, you must pick up the item within 10 days after we notify you that the item didn't sell, or we will dispose of it at our discretion.
WHAT IF A POTENTIAL BUYER HAS A QUESTION ABOUT MY ITEM?
We answer buyers' questions via e-mail during all hours, but primarily during normal business hours. If there is a question we can't answer, we will contact you. We never give your contact information to potential buyers.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD BUYER FEEDBACK RATING?
Much like the way a bank uses your credit history to determine your ability and potential to repay a loan, the “buyer feedback” rating lets potential buyers gauge a seller's reliability and integrity. It's just one of the checks and balances built into on-line auctions. We strive to maintain an impeccable rating and reputation so that potential buyers can feel confident buying from us.
WILL I BE ABLE TO SEE MY LISTING ON EBAY?
Yes. When your item has been listed we will send you an e-mail with a link to the auction site and your listing. Any changes you wish to make to your listing must be made before any bids are placed and will require a “change order”. Change orders are billed at $5 per incident or an additional 2.5% surcharge based on the final value. Please make sure you have all the information you want listed on your auction clearly detailed on your Merchandise Receipt.
HOW LONG DOES A TYPICAL TRANSACTION TAKE?
We normally have your item listed within 48 hours of receiving the item. Once your 7 day auction closes, we expect to receive payment from the buyer within 3-5 days. Once payment has cleared, we ship the merchandise, wait 3 days after the item has been received for positive feedback or a claim... then mail you your check. 12 to 30 days total.
WHAT IF I WANT TO SET A MINIMUM OR RESERVE PRICE FOR MY ITEM?
Once an auction starts, the price and terms of the auction can't be changed. So, if you want to guarantee yourself a minimum return for your item, you should use our Premium service where you pay $15 upfront and set your own minimum or reserve price. For example, if you have a camera that you think is worth $200 but you would accept $100 for it, you can pay us $15 upfront to list it for $150 and if it doesn’t sell during the first auction, we will relist the camera a second time for $100 with no additional upfront fee and deduct the first $10 fee from our commission when your camera sells. Although our goal is to net you the highest sale price, we are legally required to accept the highest bid an item receives and we are unable to return it to you if it sells for less than you think it's worth.
WHY IS THE COMMISSION SO HIGH ON ITEMS VALUED BETWEEN $1-$50?
Most auction managers don’t bother to list items in that price range because there is no profit in it. However, some of our new customers prefer to “test” our services with less expensive items before they trust us with more valuable items. Fair enough – so long as they understand that the time involved in taking and posting digital images, researching and writing product descriptions, responding to buyer inquiries, managing the auction and paying the auction fees out of our commissions doesn’t help us keep our doors open. In the spirit of developing trust, we will gladly invest the time it takes to foster a long term relationship with those customers. Keep in mind that commissions can be reduced by combining less expensive items that are similar in nature.
