Internet auctions

Well after the smoke cleared and the steam died down slightly, mainly off me, I'm ready to vent about the new wave of selling equipment due to covid-19, all over the internet. So far having mixed results and to be honest, not really happy about any of the companies doing it lately. I think personally its the greatest scam ever devised by anyone, but we'll let that slide for a few minutes.

First few purchases went pretty smoothly, as a matter of fact, they went off without a single issue, but most know that can't last too long.

Now to the one creating smoke and steam with me at the moment, came across a machine I was interested in, called the auction company selling it and asked questions, such as do all the accessories pictured go with the machine, was told twice yes, was even told its printed in the writing section of the machine listing, [which it was] called the seller and asked to see the machine in person and do an inspection, no issues there at and during the inspection, figured out what it needed for repairs and also what the accessories were worth to me and a few days later bid and won the item, paid the bill, fees, buyers premiums, sale tax, beer and hookers taxes and everyone else's taxes and fees they could think to tack on, got my receipt and headed out to pick up my purchase. Got there got it loaded and chained down ready to head home and asked who was going to get a forklift to load my accessories.......... was told they don't go with the sale......... WTF, why not, never got an good answer, time was limited to get on the road, considered my options at that point, which were not many, some phone calls later and it was decided to leave with what I had and start in with the auction company when I got home, actually it took about that long for the steam to settle enough to actually get me user friendly enough to make the call. Well **** skippy, yes it was my stuff they refused to let me have, yes I did pay for it, yes its legally mine, yes I could have loaded it up and left, which is what I should have done looking back, no the way it went down wasn't right, but the upside is, the auction company will make it right?? ?? ?? ?? But to pay for new to replace the items I didn't get isn't an option for them, to give me my money back and cancel the deal isn't really good for them, its not their responsibility to replace the items I didn't get and no I never got an answer as to why I wasn't allowed those items, but they are working on it?? ?? ? ? ? So is it considered stealing if those items I paid for were not turned over to me, since I paid for them and have a receipt?? get this, they are not sure, for real, they don't know. But now the seller claims he doesn't know where they are.......................... Now I might be somewhat understanding if the items were misplaced and could not be found, but fact is, they were all there and present when I got there, I was told in no uncertain terms they stayed and were not going to be loaded, that's about the time steam started to roll out of my ears. Luckily the wife was along and reminded me I had a more pressing appointment the next day I had better not miss and she was not going to post bail if I did anything close to what was on my mind at that moment to those who had taken my paid for property away and out of my sight.

So hows your guy's experience with internet bidding going?? Turns out bidding, buying and paying seem to be pretty easy, actually getting what you buy, might be a tad tough at times, right now it seems down right impossible and I'm not really sure why, it seems buyer beware isn't really the issue, truck driver picker upper beware carry your own lube might be a bit more fitting.

I feel your pain Randy. In my opinion if it said in the item description that the accessories were included then as soon as you paid for it they were rightfully yours. Unfortunately the door swings both ways. A good friend of mine has an auction company and has been dabbling in the online thing for a year or two now. A couple of days ago he told me about a recent older straight truck that was sold online. This particular sale was both live and online. My friend (the auctioneer) agreed to meet the wining bidder of the truck a few days after the sale at the sale location. They met and talked a little bit and the wining bidder asked if he could take it for a little drive around the block to see if it was going to run ok before he headed home. My friend thought that was a little odd but agreed to it. So he took it for a little drive and got back and preceded to say " your lucky this is a good running truck because what would you have done if I decided I didn't want it? My friend said " It was an auction.... you bought this 4 days ago. This isn't Craigslist where you have that option." The guy, with a confused look handed him the cashiers check and my friend handed the new owner the title and bill of sale etc. He then said to the new owner that from now on it would be in his best interest to go and inspect something before the auction.

I got taken a few years ago, a "parts" piece of equipment was advertised with pictures. Was a old RT with a boom and some other parts I wanted, so I bought it.

Well in the pictures it was all together, setting in a field. In reality, it was disassembled with parts scattered all over the field. I never even went and got it. It was down on the gulf and with everything open and exposed to the salt air, I didn't throw good $$ after bad.

In your case, I'm going to guess the seller was pi$$ed that the item didn't bring what he thought it should, and he's already sold the extra parts to someone he knows. You are out of luck.

Its theft from you, but the auctioneer "buyer is responsible for all items after auction" typical small print probably gets them off the hook.

You could try the sheriff but he's going to probably say its a civil matter, and small claims court means nothing.

I always figure they are a thief, and they will get to meet their maker someday. I couldn't live with being a thief on my conscience, but most dirt balls don't care.

I have had good experience with ironplanet, ritchie, and purplewave, and the sellers have been good straight up guys.

I think you probably should have got the auctioneer on the phone that day, and if it was laying there and you really wanted it, told them you were getting it loaded and called the sheriff and a tow company to load it for you.

That opportunity is now gone and you are never getting that stuff. Any steam now, just damages you. It stinks, but that's the way it is.

Auctions are just that-you want reality go to a farm or better yet livestock auction, full of turd birds.

Years ago when i was kid on our dairy-the neighbor bought ten calves at the local livestock auction
the next day or 24 hours later all ten were dead. The a$$hole who sold them stuffed rags in the bowels
of the calves to keep them from crapping all the calves had scowers . I trust no auction.

Never bought equipment thru an online auction. Everything I've won has all been shop equipment for a few hundred bucks and been as advertised, in one case much better than I thought.

Only scare was my 15 ton arbor press, couldn't get the ram to move, it was frozen from all the ancient grease on it, looked like some cowboy used open gear lube on it, at least it wasn't rust.

Ed

Have been called on by a few to inspect at auction lots where some would allow in the good old days but not so much anymore. Do not want chance infections, will not speak to anyone that shows up that do have questions, make no efforts except to sell the pieces. Hear horror stories of Faked photos or Incorrect photos used to sell machines, would not trust any further than could see the real machines these days.

I got a call this morning from the auction rep, here's the status of updates so far, the seller was upset over what the sale item brought so he though he'd recoup some of his cost by keeping the small items, legally he couldn't do that, they belong to me since I bought everything complete. Apparently it took some negotiating on the auctioneers part and his people to get my items from the seller but everything was stated in writing at the time of listing what went with and what was included. They claim the auction company has my items and is arranging shipping them to me at no cost, they also claim they are the correct items and I will get all my stuff as soon as they can arrange it, should be this next week sometime.

Personally I'm sort of speechless I even got any results, we'll see if the stuff is correct once it shows up, if its not, I guess I'm out those items, if they are my items, guess I'll get what I bought, just took a lot of doing to achieve it.

So far they have handled the issue I guess you could say, time will tell for sure how this all goes down, but for today anyhow, things are looking up at least.

I asked some questions as to what would have happened if I'd have called right from the sight at the time this whole ordeal arose, it got pretty quiet for a while and then I was told I'd have wasted my time by contacting them as it went down. It took the listing agent to take paperwork and photos to him and some calls to lawyers to get him to admit the stuff was indeed mine and to hand them over, nothing over the phone the day I was there would have achieved anything. They told me legally those items were mine, if I'd have loaded them and left with them on that day, a sheriff would have been called on me and my truck, trailer and load would have been impounded and me sitting in jail until this whole thing was worked out and I'd been released from jail.

The auction rep did apologize profusely as to what I've gone through to get the items I legally bought and paid for through them.

About time to hear someone stood up for a customer.

That's great news. I figured it was to do with the $$ that it brought.

I'm also kinda shocked that the auctioneer stood up for you, but they have their reputation on the line also.

Somewhat on topic: (Meaning I get to tell a story now)

Years ago I was at a welding shop auction. He sold everything, and on the sale bill it said they would provide a forklift for loading. I bought a couple fab tables and a engine pulling gantry on wheels. I don't remember what I paid for the gantry and tables, but it wasn't much. The tables were 20' long and the gantry had to be cut down to get hauled, so no one wanted them.

I talked to the owner, and scheduled to pick up the gantry and tables the next day, because it was such a zoo at the end of the sale. "no problem" just call me when you want to come get them.

Next day I call him to come get the stuff "I read through the sale tickets last night and you "stole" that gantry and those fab tables" the seller complains.

"Those items were worth way more than you paid for them, so its not even worth my time to go over there with the forklift and load it for you, with no more than you paid for them."

I just told him that the sale bill said "loading would be provided", it sure hadn't said anything about a reserve or minimum price for items, but if he didn't want to load it, I was showing up with my own forklift and loading myself, I didn't care. He mumbled and blustered and cussed around for a little while, lucky for me it was close to my shop, not 3 hours away or anything. He did send his boy down with the forklift to load me up. But he wasn't happy.

On the road like you were, you actually dealt with it the best way. It could have been really expensive if you were dealing with trucking a long distance and it would have cost you a extra load. That's really great that the auction company is coming through for you.

Good for the auction company looking after you. Years ago at a farm auction site I bid and won on a galvanized water tank about 1000 gallons on skids to fit on a truck. I was looking to see what some other stuff at the sale was going for and just hanging out. I walked by the tank a little later to confirm the lot number so I could pay for it and there was now a note on it, "Not in Sale". I went to the office and made the mistake about asking what that was about. Apparently the owner of the tank had bought it a few month's previous and never picked it up. I said it should never have been auctioned in that case. Your auction rules even state items to be removed within 30 days. The guy that bought the tank originally, showed up at this auction after it was auctioned and got them to put the Not in sale on it. He was just fuming that they sold it. The auction company was generally pretty good to deal with and said they'd make sure nothing like this ever happens again. They told the guy to go home and get a truck or trailer pronto and they'd load the tank. They also banned him from future auctions. They said they had had other issues with him in the past. I didn't get the tank but I could have fought harder to get it. In hindsight I should have just paid for it. Then I think legally it would have been mine (completed contract) and the other guy would have been SOL. Glad you are getting the attachments you paid for.

I've bought three pieces of equipment on an Iron Planet auction, the only issue I had was with a lying freight broker on my dozer purchase, he called it "just verbiage" - he was a lying sack of crap. Since then IP has really cleaned up the shipping part of the purchase process.

John Canfield said:

he was a lying sack of crap

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I like it when someone is called that, it makes my day.

I've only bought one piece of equipment at auction. It was a Gardner Denver 3100 air track drill, and it only ran me $55.00. At that price, I'm not complaining.

Randy88 said:

I got a call this morning from the auction rep, here's the status of updates so far, the seller was upset over what the sale item brought so he though he'd recoup some of his cost by keeping the small items, legally he couldn't do that, they belong to me since I bought everything complete. Apparently it took some negotiating on the auctioneers part and his people to get my items from the seller but everything was stated in writing at the time of listing what went with and what was included. They claim the auction company has my items and is arranging shipping them to me at no cost, they also claim they are the correct items and I will get all my stuff as soon as they can arrange it, should be this next week sometime.

Personally I'm sort of speechless I even got any results, we'll see if the stuff is correct once it shows up, if its not, I guess I'm out those items, if they are my items, guess I'll get what I bought, just took a lot of doing to achieve it.

So far they have handled the issue I guess you could say, time will tell for sure how this all goes down, but for today anyhow, things are looking up at least.

I asked some questions as to what would have happened if I'd have called right from the sight at the time this whole ordeal arose, it got pretty quiet for a while and then I was told I'd have wasted my time by contacting them as it went down. It took the listing agent to take paperwork and photos to him and some calls to lawyers to get him to admit the stuff was indeed mine and to hand them over, nothing over the phone the day I was there would have achieved anything. They told me legally those items were mine, if I'd have loaded them and left with them on that day, a sheriff would have been called on me and my truck, trailer and load would have been impounded and me sitting in jail until this whole thing was worked out and I'd been released from jail.

The auction rep did apologize profusely as to what I've gone through to get the items I legally bought and paid for through them.

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They are bluffing and don't know the laws. If you loaded up the items and left, if they got really lucky a cop might have come and checked you out, but nothing would happen as long as you had the paperwork with you. In your position I would have told them here are your options, you load the attachments for me, I load the attachments myself, or you try and stop me. Either way, i'm leaving with my stuff.

It's good they took care of it, they want buyers to be happy. And the thing is, most don't pay the sellers for weeks so they have recourse that way.

It all depends on how aggressive the seller is if he doesn't want you to load stuff whether it's technically yours or not. I'm sure there have been some serious incidents involving disputes between buyers and sellers. No use getting beat up or worse over something that could be straightened out by all 3 parties involved. A good auctioneer could hold back money to the seller if they don't release the items to the buyer. Have heard of this before where the seller takes items out of a lot because they wanted more money. Sell it privately if you think it's worth more.

Sounds more like a seller issue instead of auction.

Welder Dave said:

It all depends on how aggressive the seller is if he doesn't want you to load stuff whether it's technically yours or not. I'm sure there have been some serious incidents involving disputes between buyers and sellers. No use getting beat up or worse over something that could be straightened out by all 3 parties involved. A good auctioneer could hold back money to the seller if they don't release the items to the buyer. Have heard of this before where the seller takes items out of a lot because they wanted more money. Sell it privately if you think it's worth more.

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I've never picked up stuff where the seller is present, only auction company employees, and when it comes down to it they don't care too much. Even virtually all sellers, if you took the machine and loaded up attachments that they know you bought, are they going to try anything? I doubt it. I guess everyone is different, but i'm at the point where I don't tolerate BS from anyone anymore, and if i'm really pissed off no one gives me any grief, one of the benefits of being 6'6". If you were going to leave the attachments, you'd be much better off not picking up everything and demand full money back.

Auctions are funny things like that have witnessed my share of horror stories over the years

A local guy who pretends to be an equipment broker got bounced from Ritchie's I think permanently for bringing in garbage and trying to pass it off

watched a sales man from the local dealer get greedy he had a buddy bump a rather expensive loader and got away with it so then they tried bumping a hammer my dad was bidding on and dad figured it out and hung them with it needless to say no salesman from that dealer were allowed there for a long while

But I have never heard of a story like that and am glad to hear that they are coming thru for I am really not surprised cause if they are halfway serious they wont let some attachments torpedo there reputation nor will they let that customer back

That's why I like richie's and iron planet your at substantially less risk or buyer beware with them now shipping is another story but a f rd fiend of mine brokers equipment and he has a really good freight broker and they have done well for me

AzIron said:

Auctions are funny things like that have witnessed my share of horror stories over the years

A local guy who pretends to be an equipment broker got bounced from Ritchie's I think permanently for bringing in garbage and trying to pass it off

watched a sales man from the local dealer get greedy he had a buddy bump a rather expensive loader and got away with it so then they tried bumping a hammer my dad was bidding on and dad figured it out and hung them with it needless to say no salesman from that dealer were allowed there for a long while

But I have never heard of a story like that and am glad to hear that they are coming thru for I am really not surprised cause if they are halfway serious they wont let some attachments torpedo there reputation nor will they let that customer back

That's why I like richie's and iron planet your at substantially less risk or buyer beware with them now shipping is another story but a f rd fiend of mine brokers equipment and he has a really good freight broker and they have done well for me

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Ritchies is better for things like that but far from perfect. One piece of equipment I bought and went to sell nearly a year later still had lien from previous owner, Ritchies did get it removed but their stance on it was not their problem at all. Bank just forgot to remove there was no problem, but if there was a problem it could get expensive. If I ever buy equipment there again which is really unlikely, I will be checking for lien and if it has one getting in writing from them it will be removed before I pay for it. I don’t trust ritchies one bit anymore.

Sometimes you don't have a choice if the seller is there. Maybe the auction was on his property? I'm sure if you look there are hundreds of cases of altercations between buyers and sellers at auctions. Doesn't matter how big or how tough you think you are if the other guys is carrying a bat, a knife or worse a gun. Yes people have been shot over what should have been a simple transaction. Randy did the right thing and it looks like the auction company is too.