TIPS FOR FIRST TIME AUCTION ATTENDEES
Have you ever thought of attending an auction— but not done so?
Auctions are easy to understand and once you have some knowledge of how they work we promise that you will have a fun and rewarding experience. This page was designed with you, the First Time Auction Attendee in mind. If you have any further questions that any of our staff can help you with, please ask!
We want you to know all about our auction service and what auctions are all about, how they're conducted, and to provide you with tips to make auctions an exciting and rewarding experience!
With this guide you'll get the inside scoop on auctions, so sit back, relax and most of all — HAVE FUN!
You've taken the first step, if you're reading this chances are that you're considering attending your first auction! It is important to start off your first auction by attending The Preview. Most auctions will start with a viewing period in which you will be able to inspect the items to be sold. Inspect the items thoroughly as most items are sold “as is, where is” with no returns or refunds. It is important to Ask Questions. When you attend our auctions our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have about any articles that you are interested in.
At our auctions, you must also Register, which means providing your drivers licence to the cashier who will enter your information into our computer and give you a Bid Card. Your bid card is very important and you must keep it with you at all times—you wouldn't want someone else to end up with it and buy items with your number. When you register it is also a good idea to confirm with the cashier what our Terms are for the auction that you are attending. You will want to know which method of payment is going to be acceptable before you have purchased any items.
Before you bid on your first item it is advisable to Set A Limit. It is possible to get caught up in the excitement of bidding and suddenly you have gone over your limit.
Remember your limit, and stick to it! At any new auction experience it is wise to Observe the first few items so that you can understand how that particular auction house operates—are you to bid fast and furious with items being sold at a quick pace, or can you think about your item for a few seconds before bidding again.
Listen to the Auctioneer—to understand what they expect from you. The auctioneer will call out the lot number, a brief description of the item and how it is being sold. It is very important that you understand that if the auctioneer says “On Choice”, that when you bid $30 each for a cup and saucer that you get to choose one or as many as you like, but you will be paying $30 each cup and saucer.
Don’t be afraid to Bid! Make sure the auctioneer can see you and that they know that you want in on the bidding—wave your card in the air and confirm that you are in on the bidding. If you want to drop out of the bidding, shake your head firmly ‘no’. Don’t be afraid to move at an auction! Despite what TV and the movies show we won’t include you in on the bidding if you’re just scratching your nose!
Now that you’ve had a fun-filled day at an auction and hopefully you have some treasures too—it’s time to Finalize Your Purchases. If you have been the successful bidder on any items make sure that you watch them—items become your responsibility when the auctioneer says sold to your number. Don’t forget to pay for your items at the end of your auction experience.
Have you ever thought of attending an auction— but not done so?
Auctions are easy to understand and once you have some knowledge of how they work we promise that you will have a fun and rewarding experience. This page was designed with you, the First Time Auction Attendee in mind. If you have any further questions that any of our staff can help you with, please ask!
We want you to know all about our auction service and what auctions are all about, how they're conducted, and to provide you with tips to make auctions an exciting and rewarding experience!
With this guide you'll get the inside scoop on auctions, so sit back, relax and most of all — HAVE FUN!
You've taken the first step, if you're reading this chances are that you're considering attending your first auction! It is important to start off your first auction by attending The Preview. Most auctions will start with a viewing period in which you will be able to inspect the items to be sold. Inspect the items thoroughly as most items are sold “as is, where is” with no returns or refunds. It is important to Ask Questions. When you attend our auctions our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have about any articles that you are interested in.
At our auctions, you must also Register, which means providing your drivers licence to the cashier who will enter your information into our computer and give you a Bid Card. Your bid card is very important and you must keep it with you at all times—you wouldn't want someone else to end up with it and buy items with your number. When you register it is also a good idea to confirm with the cashier what our Terms are for the auction that you are attending. You will want to know which method of payment is going to be acceptable before you have purchased any items.
Before you bid on your first item it is advisable to Set A Limit. It is possible to get caught up in the excitement of bidding and suddenly you have gone over your limit.
Remember your limit, and stick to it! At any new auction experience it is wise to Observe the first few items so that you can understand how that particular auction house operates—are you to bid fast and furious with items being sold at a quick pace, or can you think about your item for a few seconds before bidding again.
Listen to the Auctioneer—to understand what they expect from you. The auctioneer will call out the lot number, a brief description of the item and how it is being sold. It is very important that you understand that if the auctioneer says “On Choice”, that when you bid $30 each for a cup and saucer that you get to choose one or as many as you like, but you will be paying $30 each cup and saucer.
Don’t be afraid to Bid! Make sure the auctioneer can see you and that they know that you want in on the bidding—wave your card in the air and confirm that you are in on the bidding. If you want to drop out of the bidding, shake your head firmly ‘no’. Don’t be afraid to move at an auction! Despite what TV and the movies show we won’t include you in on the bidding if you’re just scratching your nose!
Now that you’ve had a fun-filled day at an auction and hopefully you have some treasures too—it’s time to Finalize Your Purchases. If you have been the successful bidder on any items make sure that you watch them—items become your responsibility when the auctioneer says sold to your number. Don’t forget to pay for your items at the end of your auction experience.