Auction sales

Because sometimes they are used for larger items, such as a house.

It’s certainly not worth doing it for one low value item . But I sold a lot consisting of many small related items and received nearly £1000. All the various deductions ( including VAT) came to about 25%. The auction house were lovely, collected the goods and paid out very quickly after the sale. No way would I have wanted to do it myself via eBay or whatever with all the possible problems

The £1000 was after deductions

When I was moving house I left quite a few items with a local auction house to go in their next sale. I received a message from them to say the sale had been delayed as they had been burgled and many lots taken. None of mine were taken apparently so does that tell me something when even the burglars don't want my stuff.

It is important to check the T and Cs before using an auction house. They do vary.

Better using Vinted or eBay

We used a local auction house after clearing out my in-laws' house and were pleasantly surprised. We had previously advertised a lot of it on places like FB Marketplace and eBay, to little avail. The auction house was very helpful and almost everything did sell - some of it for much more than we had anticipated, other items for less. The commission wasn't that bad either, but I probably wouldn't bother if you were only selling one or two things. As Cabbie21 advises though, do check the T&Cs beforehand.

I’m with Tuliptree. I’ve always donated my unwanted items to various charity shops, usually on a monthly basis, often with differing results!
However, I’ve some bits and bobs I’m going to take to auction soon, including a Victorian doll, a mandolin and a metronome. I think they could be totally undersold in a local charity shop, possibly to someone buying them to sell on, so I’m taking a chance at auction, despite the fees involved. Personally, I’ll be pleased with whatever I get, but certainly can’t be bothered with eBay or Vinted.

With respect, the various charges would have been listed in their terms before you entered the item.
Most auction houses would have given you an idea of how much it was likely to sell for so you could work out if it was worth selling. Round here auction houses won't accept items for less than £10 pound - I believe some now say £20 minimum.
We find Facebook market place very good for selling stuff.

We are constantly buying and selling at auction. Most auctions have a % fee for selling items, but subject to a minimum fee.

It costs as much to do all the paperwork for handling the sale of a £20 item as it does for £2, 000 item - and you should always read the terms and conditions because some auction houses have higher charges than others.

You do need to shop around with auction houses, as with everything else. Some are very much bottom of the market, others high class. Our local auction house is very low rent as well as house effects it sells bankrupt stock. We went today and saw a couple who were probably market traders going through a box the size of a builders large sack full of boxed shoes and there were lots of boxes like that.

We viewed the local auction sale today and left a bid on one item. We also have 2 items in the sale, and 2 more selling at another auction house next week.

The items we are selling at another auction are a couple of small solid silver items I inherited from my mother. For those I have gone to an auction company that sells mainly good antique furniture and is having a specialist silverware auction next week.

It’s just not worth putting small lots in … our local auction house charges £15 per Lot to enter it … then charges a sellers commission and your final bill includes VAT on the commission and administrative fees!
I had a lot of bric a brac y items plus masses of boxes of books, a great guitar and some Antique Chinese clothes… I only JUST persuaded a lower end auction to take the Lot due to the couple of VG items … They didn’t want the books etc, The whole lot sold for a smidgeon over £3,000 …I got a smidgeon over £2,000! Small individual items that sell for £20 will net you next to nothing!

Badgerboy

Why do we use an Auction ?
I have just sold an item at Auction for £20..but do we receive that amount ? No.
After the Auction people took £3.60 for commission , Lotting fee of £10 and VAT of £2.00 they sent me £4.40 !
So total deductions of 75% which is ridiculous.
Has anybody else had this experience ?

I was so disgusted I put the remainder £4.40 in a charity box.

As said ..you got lucky… here I would have got £2.!
I sent a list first and they did have the courtesy to tell me that if a lot sold for £20 … I would end up with £2! They should have told you first.

Badgerboy Gosh those add ons were a bit steep, what sort of suction was it?

yes, all auction rooms do this, some are as much as 35%, plus the extras thats almeost half , thats why auctuioneers all have big houses and cars Gerrards at Lytham, Warren and Wignall leyland etc. always read the small print, sometimes its cheaper to sell at a lower price on sites like Preloved, and e bay

The kind of lots that sell at auction are usually the kind of items that do not sell well on ebay or other sites. Brown furniture is currently a drug on the market, if you buy on ebay, unless you are lucky you then have to pay for transport home.

Many years ago, before internet and telephone bidding, DD bought a an exceptionally good uality bedroom suite at aa country auction for £5. She then paid £150 to get it home. She said that doing that was cheaper than buying something similsr from her local trendy antiue shop.

Georgesgran, l can understand you entering your Victorian doll and mandolin into an auction but I am not sure you would get what you wanted for a metronome. Most charity shops are aware of values and I bought an almost brand new metronome with a bell in a box from Age UK for £35. A new one would be around £100. Unless your metronome is in really good condition and a good make, you are unlikely to get very much for it.

Auction houses don't run on water. The costs of their premises and business rates, energy etc will be high plus the costs of staff needed to lot goods, produce catalogues, hold the auctions and so forth will also be expensive. our local auction house seems to have about 15 staff in various front of house and back office work.

Lots of £10 lots earn very little for them, they need a good spread of goods at higher prices to cover their costs.

i worked in a salvation army shop and they had a stream of people that would come to value items, anything from jewellery, china and football shirts. not everything goes out for sale on the shop floor, i think most charity shops do this.

nexus63

i worked in a salvation army shop and they had a stream of people that would come to value items, anything from jewellery, china and football shirts. not everything goes out for sale on the shop floor, i think most charity shops do this.

Yes, I have bought books from Abebooks that came from charities and a friend used to manage an Oxfam shop. She was, herself, well versed in the antique market, but, as you say, most charities filter out the valuable donations for sale at auction ir online. My friend was dealing with this 30 years ago, so I suspect it has been happening since the start.

Recently we sold a cabinet for £500 and got back £400 after fees, other items if they dont think it's worth £30 they wont accept it. Read the T&Cs before you send it.

I've done well on eBay selling unwanted furniture etc. Just take lots of clear photos. Doesn't cost anything to sell so you keep all the money

I had to clear a lot of stuff after DH died. He had many collections. I sent some quality items, silver, clocks, watches to a high end auction house, being the best way to sell such things. After hefty fees, they did quite well.

His specialist collections were sold within specialist organisations.

The rest of the stuff included things most people would put in a skip or recycling centre, but they raised between £20-120 per lot. Overall we netted £2500 via an auction house which accepts anything from antiques to old radios, power tools. Yes there were fees, but the overall sum to clear the garage was well worth it.
My son took a few items to sell on ebay or local online page but he said it was more trouble than it was worth. People not turning up to collect. Items returned for no reason.

Why do we use an Auction

I've used it to save lugging things about to shops or to advertising it directly.

If I had something that might raise £30 I wouldn't use an auction house.

Good for house clearance too.

Georgesgran

I’m with Tuliptree. I’ve always donated my unwanted items to various charity shops, usually on a monthly basis, often with differing results!
However, I’ve some bits and bobs I’m going to take to auction soon, including a Victorian doll, a mandolin and a metronome. I think they could be totally undersold in a local charity shop, possibly to someone buying them to sell on, so I’m taking a chance at auction, despite the fees involved. Personally, I’ll be pleased with whatever I get, but certainly can’t be bothered with eBay or Vinted.

A friend of ours specialises in selling dolls. You’d be amazed at how much some of them are worth and they’re very sought after. He often buys a job lot at a toy fair and finds dolls worth a lot of money in them.