Holts

[Binners]

Sure there is. It's factored into the price and hidden. I don't really get worked up of auction fees. I factor it into the cost and work back to what my upper hammer price is.

I tried to do this and go one more bid, then one more. I just can't stop myself. I then tried leaving commission bids and seem to win, but at my max

[JimmieDee]

It is very tempting for sure. I noticed on quite a few item that people had already bid online above the minimum bid and winning it at a price higher than they needed to. It seemed rather unscrupulous of the auction house not to sell it to them at the minimum estimate considering they appeared to be the only biddder.

[Binners]

It is very tempting for sure. I noticed on quite a few item that people had already bid online above the minimum bid and winning it at a price higher than they needed to. It seemed rather unscrupulous of the auction house not to sell it to them at the minimum estimate considering they appeared to be the only biddder.

What finished me off, was leaving a com bid of £40 on a boxed starting pistol with a catalogue est of 20=30. I later spoke to a mate that attended and he said the opening bid was £40

I know not all auctioneers are unscrupulous, I just don't bother looking anymore...

[JimmieDee]

What finished me off, was leaving a com bid of £40 on a boxed starting pistol with a catalogue est of 20=30. I later spoke to a mate that attended and he said the opening bid was £40

I know not all auctioneers are unscrupulous, I just don't bother looking anymore...

That's exactly what I was seeing. They're assuming that you would not find out as they don't keep a record of how many were bidding.

[Garvin]

I've bought quite a few airguns from auction houses over the past 35 years or so and apart from the David Swan auction, have never really got much of a bargain. What seemed cheap enough at the hammer, by the time all the extras were added, ended up expensive - or so it felt.

I think that psychologically you think of the hammer price as being the price that's due, however much you know intellectually that the real price is much higher. (I'm obviously not as calculating as you, Jimmie Dee!)

I feel the same way about auctions as a seller - not a good way to do it unless you have a very good reason to have someone else take the strain, and boy do you end up paying for that service.

Interesting how internet-only auctions (ie. which just act as intermediaries between buyer and seller) charge a minimum of commission/fees, reflecting their low overheads, whereas physical auctioneers have just incorporated the internet into their business model as a way of expanding their reach, while operating much the same as they always have done.

There must be a niche for sporting auctions to be conducted live exclusively over the net from an out of town warehouse (ie. without the expensive high street premises, staff etc), and with low commission to match... it couldn't come quick enough for me.

[draitzer]

In the US, there are some auctions (for all sorts of merchandise) that are run by normal auction houses but in "online-only" mode...however they usually still have a buyers' penalty of 15 to 20%. The online platform apparently takes around 3% but the rest is profit, after the costs for photographing, writing descriptions, billing, and collecting payments. It seems like a sliding fee scale would be more fair, considering a $20 item generates as much administrative cost as a $1000 item. But that's not the way the game is played! In my experience it's the shipping charges that can turn a bargain into a bust after the pack-n-mail place tacks on for pickup, cardboard box, bubble wrap, labor, postage, etc. A package I could send for $15 may cost me $60 in total.

Don R.

[micky2]

Bet there's a few of us wish we could go back in time to that auction, Jim. I bought a couple then, but if I could do it again I'd probably get into serious debt.

Hi Danny me too. there was a lot of bargains at that one. and it seems like someone has made a right killing on some of them already.

[JimmieDee]

Hi Danny me too. there was a lot of bargains at that one. and it seems like someone has made a right killing on some of them already.

My thoughts are that there was too much on sale at the David Swan auction. So much that people may have run out of money and so items were going at rock bottom prices and could achieve their true potential.