Quote:
Originally Posted by Duckfarmer27
I've been on both sides of the block selling things - I'm not an auctioneer but was an owner in a business that heavily used auctioneers. There are disreputable auctioneers out there who will use a shill - or those who will bump you without a shill. You had better have your wits about you and be observant, no matter what you are buying at an auction
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I've been to a lot of auctions as well. A number of the auctioneers will guarantee a minimum price to the seller in order to get the consignment. The shills then bid it up until the minimum is met. This is essentially the same thing as a "reserve" price on Ebay.
The shills are very good at it, and I found it impossible to watch the entire crowd when the bidding is rapid. I know what I'm willing to pay as it's a business transaction, not a hobby. If it goes over my price I move on. The auctioneers would frequently know me, and they would cajole me to try to get me to bid one more time. Once I cajoled them into shutting down the bidding when they were milking it on and on for another bid on my last bid. "
Hey is this an auction or what?" I yelled. "
Sold", cried the auctioneer, smiling in my direction. We had an understanding. He took my personal check, and I didn't believe a thing he said other than my bidder number and the invoice.
There were many auctions when the price on an item I would bid on got bid up into retail plus. I felt like yelling out "We all drove here and invested the time in order to get a deal. Did you seriously come this far to over pay?"
Some times due to exchange rates or other factors foreign buyers would just outbid you. Sometimes that swung the other way when I was in Canadian auctions.
I felt those auctions were the wild west. Bid accordingly.