Warning to bid by Schuler auctions Zürich

Kmaddock · 24th March 2019, 03:58 PM

Hi
In Ireland I find shipping all very casual and easy from auction houses.

I have had 3 swords shipped and packed for 12 euro,
A pistol for 10 and lots of other such food deals, some even next day delivery.

I find the approach of ringing them directly being pleasant and not at all pushy works well.
I ask them to post or courier whichever is most convienent to them and never demand or ask for Quick delivery. Generally they are v prompt

I have never being refused and have several times when paying offered the auction more to pay for a bottle of wine as a thank you, some accept some don’t.

As for auction house fees in Ireland sellers fees after some negotiation come in at 15 % ,I have been quoted 25% but have gotten them down a bit and have stuck with my favorite auction house for several years and they have always honored our negotiated price.

For their commission the auction house I use, do in my opinion, do a good job, great publicity, very good photos and v good front of house staff with great access to professional experts in their field

I sell approx 15 items a year and they get good prices and have never given me any issues, they expose what I am selling to a very diverse international audience which I feel 15% is a v good price.

I bought one item for 50 euro from one auction house, put it in the car drove 3 km down the road got an expert opinion on the item and they sold it for 2100. Definitely worth the 15 % as it gives the stamp of approval and authority to the items you are selling. Sometimes I know more on what I am selling so I give them the facts which once they check it out gets included in the description. A symbiotic rather than a parasitic relationship.

Regards

Ken

Jens Nordlunde · 24th March 2019, 05:06 PM

Ken,
You are a very lucky man, to live where you live - besides from the lovely countryside.

Tapani,
I have never heard anything like what you describe, it is quite chocking.

Alan,
I think you have a very valid point - it is business for the auction firms, and for the firms packing and sending the items as well. Maybe they charge too much, I dont know, but as they still excist the buyers must have accepted their prices.
I have a feeling that the buyers concentrate too much on the price they are willing to pay for an item, and less on the extras. The extras you can find out before you start bidding, so you know how high you are willing to bid - a kind of belt and suspenders thing.

Sajen · 24th March 2019, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

The extras you can find out before you start bidding, so you know how high you are willing to bid - a kind of belt and suspenders thing.

Hello Jens,

I can understand the business they want to have and they should have it. But when you have to do the first time with this auction house you run in a dilemma you can't imagine before. The reason why I start this thread and to give a warning to others.

Regards,
Detlef

A. G. Maisey · 24th March 2019, 08:45 PM

Jens, yes, precisely so:-

selling things for other people is a business

packing and sending things is a business

a business will die if it charges either too much, or too little

Do auction houses and those who do the shipping for them charge too much?

Frankly, I do not know, but I decided a long time ago that as far as my pocket was concerned, yes, they did.

But maybe the people who still use them think their charges are reasonable.

However, if I lived in Ireland, maybe I would still be looking at auction catalogues, and selling things I no longer wanted by auction.

24th March 2019, 03:58 PM	#1
Kmaddock Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 543	Hi In Ireland I find shipping all very casual and easy from auction houses. I have had 3 swords shipped and packed for 12 euro, A pistol for 10 and lots of other such food deals, some even next day delivery. I find the approach of ringing them directly being pleasant and not at all pushy works well. I ask them to post or courier whichever is most convienent to them and never demand or ask for Quick delivery. Generally they are v prompt I have never being refused and have several times when paying offered the auction more to pay for a bottle of wine as a thank you, some accept some don’t. As for auction house fees in Ireland sellers fees after some negotiation come in at 15 % ,I have been quoted 25% but have gotten them down a bit and have stuck with my favorite auction house for several years and they have always honored our negotiated price. For their commission the auction house I use, do in my opinion, do a good job, great publicity, very good photos and v good front of house staff with great access to professional experts in their field I sell approx 15 items a year and they get good prices and have never given me any issues, they expose what I am selling to a very diverse international audience which I feel 15% is a v good price. I bought one item for 50 euro from one auction house, put it in the car drove 3 km down the road got an expert opinion on the item and they sold it for 2100. Definitely worth the 15 % as it gives the stamp of approval and authority to the items you are selling. Sometimes I know more on what I am selling so I give them the facts which once they check it out gets included in the description. A symbiotic rather than a parasitic relationship. Regards Ken

24th March 2019, 05:06 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Ken, You are a very lucky man, to live where you live - besides from the lovely countryside. Tapani, I have never heard anything like what you describe, it is quite chocking. Alan, I think you have a very valid point - it is business for the auction firms, and for the firms packing and sending the items as well. Maybe they charge too much, I dont know, but as they still excist the buyers must have accepted their prices. I have a feeling that the buyers concentrate too much on the price they are willing to pay for an item, and less on the extras. The extras you can find out before you start bidding, so you know how high you are willing to bid - a kind of belt and suspenders thing.

24th March 2019, 08:45 PM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,017	Jens, yes, precisely so:- selling things for other people is a business packing and sending things is a business a business will die if it charges either too much, or too little Do auction houses and those who do the shipping for them charge too much? Frankly, I do not know, but I decided a long time ago that as far as my pocket was concerned, yes, they did. But maybe the people who still use them think their charges are reasonable. However, if I lived in Ireland, maybe I would still be looking at auction catalogues, and selling things I no longer wanted by auction.