Stamp Auction Dilemma, This Is Weird But True......

I have purchased auction lots (non-eBay) over the past 25+ years. Some names are Regency (now out of business) Sandafayre, Spinks, Corin-Phila so I've had some experience over the years.

Sometimes I've even forgotten to pay an invoice (couple weeks, not much later after receiving invoice) and invariably the auction firm either ship the lots I won (some companies) or the owner or higher-up manager will call and gently remind me to settle payment.

Well this past couple weeks I've received partial shipments from two different auction houses. Very strange coincidence indeed! There are some other strange circumstances involving these auction houses as well, but I'd like to find out other frequent bidders' experiences.....

Jay

My question, has this ever happened to you?

It does not matter what country you are in stamping community is so small now all players basically know each other in some form or other!

Get some strange phone calls from other dealers who make out they know me and it is just weird.

Jay.

Please clarify your question.

Is it: Do auction houses (dealers) occasionally send partial orders on "trust" to long-standing clients?

Or is it: Do auction houses (dealers) occasionally withhold full orders pending receipt of payment?

Thx

Jim

Hi Jim,
sorry to be unclear. TWO shipments of auction lots arrived, one from each separate company. BOTH times were sent WITHOUT ANY INVOICE, note, or paperwork.

Whatsoever.

And to top it off, BOTH shipments came, are you ready for this......

TUCKED INSIDE an auction catalogue!

I am actually quite upset about this; it happened TWICE within ten days, from TWO different auction houses.

And I am WAITING now for an invoice. Or a phone call. WHEN might the rest of my winning lots arrive? Will they too be sent INSIDE a new auction catalog?

What if this happened to you, or if I threw away the auction catalogues thinking they are just auction catalogues.....

So many questions, and I am holding off calling each auction house because the exact same weirdness happened, with TWO DIFFERENT FIRMS, the same week almost.

-J

For what its worth:

Both shipments had philatelic material which invoice (not catalogue) value in the hundreds of dollars, but under $1,000 each.

Neither shipment came registered.

Over 25 years I'd guesstimate that I have won, received, and sent payment for approximately 200 to 250 lots from all Stamp Auction houses over the years (non-eBay).

This past week was an anomaly, or some sign of auction houses sharing mailrooms, I don't know.

THAT'S why I'm posting this. Very perplexing, and the more I think about it VERY UPSETTING.

-J

I also know Auction House A sometimes sells my address to Auction House B.

Firms buy and trade mailing lists or addresses of clients, I understand and accept this!

-J

Much clearer. Thx.

You're right. One could have easily tossed the catalogue, unaware that it contained the winnings.

Sound like poor quality control.

And, yes, businesses sell customer list. (Given my perverse sense of humor, change middle initial regularly to track source of mailings.)

Actually that's how this strange story happened. Let me correct myself, as this post definitely is NOT a story. NONFICTION, really happened, exactly as I explain

Couple three weeks ago (not sure exactly when but let's say early April 2019) I get an auction catalogue in its normal envelope= tons of discount used USA postage. I toss the catalogue on my "to read sometime later" pile and throw the envelope in the box of stamp "junque" to donate to the scouts. Like many collectors I get a dozen catalogues, sometimes more a year.

Last week I casually opened the last few catalogues I hadn't had a chance to look through. Sometimes I even give the auction catalogues to stamps collecting friends or even donate to my local library.

We all do these things as collectors, right?

Well, last week, I browse the beautifully printed catalogue.....

THREE SMALL BUNDLES fall right out of the auction catalogue.

Real, actual high value stamps! I blink my unbelieving eyes.....

I actually PINCHED myself, because this is like a dream (I'm tired, late at night, etc etc)

NO DREAM.

I flip through the auction catalogue v e r y. s l o w l y

again and again!

I look closely at the beautiful stamps all neatly packaged tightly in cut-down black dealer cards the type Vario sells......

I flip two of the three packets over and they say "Lot so and so number this or that"

I then immediately realize these were auction lots I'd won and were sent to me. Tucked within auction catalogue pages, no note, invoice, explanation, nothing! Just like receiving catalos, except with a "gift"

UNBELIEVABLE, no?

By this time last week I was upset, to put it mildly, for couple reasons

1. Valuable stamp auction winnings were sent tucked inside auction catalogues. Unacceptable to me. What if I had thrown them out? I would of course truthfully say I never received them (not knowing) and probably landed on a deadbeat stamp collector blackball list.

2. Nothing came registered. This happens a lot in my experience, but for under $1,000 invoice value (not catalogue value) I understand even can accept this, as it's happened many times before to me and others. I always expect tracking and signature at the least for $500 or $1,000 lots. Over the years there have been much fewer than the under $500 lots, as I am your average income bloke, not rich by any means.

3. NO-ONE has called, or invoiced me, or ANY followup.

As I use Stamp Auction Network I look up auction results and realize there are more lot's I've recently won, and I haven't yet received them. A little disconcerting to me, or am I paranoid.

4. Earlier this week I get my SECOND auction catalogue, from a DIFFERENT company, and the SAME THING happens all over again! The second catalogue also served as the ONLY PROTECTIVE BARRIER except this time they were all covers as I won several postal history lots. These covers, however, had better packaging in that they were physically bigger and easier to spot than last week's smaller, 3 x 5 inch index-card sized display cards so less chance I would overlook them.

-J

to be continued as I have work to do. I just getting this off my chest. I want a chronicle so the Auction houses (NEITHER of whom have yet called NOR emailed NOR other-wise invoiced me!) won't think I'm trying to stiff them for payment. One auction closed in FEBRUARY 2019 the other in APRIL 2019. This is early MAY! I do NOT want to p*ss any one off as there me a logical explanation. I am just note at all sure what that possibly could be!

Did the houses already have your payment information?

Time too change who you buy from!

I've stopped buying from one Canadian auction house as they don't notify me of what lots I've won until they just show up in my mailbox (properly packaged at least) and don't update SAN either, so you can't tell there.

Have you tried the obvious? Calling the auction houses??

Sorry I don't know how to quote but to the question did they have my payment info. One did not I usually mail a check and I've bought from them before three or four times past few years spent in total with them $3,000 to $4,000

The second unrelated firm I have bid often but never won a lot from them before . I might add the second firm auction owner may have recognized my last name A rather uncommon one, and decided to ship me the lots and then bill me. I might also add I have have traveled to stamp shows based in USA and have often viewed larger lots at their tables as auction firms sometimes bring lots for inspection especially if requested . This time however the second auction firm didn't know I viewed their lots but that was over two years ago and I never, until this week, won ANYTHING at that auction firm so l NEVER had any relationship with them other than viewing their lots YEARS ago at a stamp show, and of course bidding—but never winning—with them often through Stamp Auction Network

Maybe I should be flattered that both auction firms felt I was credit-worthy (my last name has been associated with the very occasional dabbling in philatelic writings over the years; maybe someone recognized my name.....) but I'm really upset with both firms; before I call them (eventually I will) I am waiting to see:

A. If more lots show up from either company (yes, both shipped only PART of my total lots, weird!)

B, Waiting on two invoices, one from each company. Shouldn't they eventually invoice me???

C. Neither have called me thus far, nor emailed me I. I checked my spam filter too.

D, Waiting to eee if these unusual happenings are widespread, in which case I think group complaints aired publicly here would have better chance of been by resolved to bidders' and owners' advantage. I followed the horrible news as it unfolded regarding Mr, Kol at l Regency/Superiour a couple years back and the main victims were the consignors.

As a fairly frequent buyer I want ultimately to do the right thing, Pay my bill and get the consignors paid.

But if that involves embarrassing an auction house or two here online by exposing wreckless behavior (mailing lots stuck inside auction catalogues being the most egregious, I feel) then so be it.

I fully intend to call BOTH auction houses, but want to see if either of them are even aware of the extremely poor service BOTH have provided me recently. And WHY would the same weed things happen t two supposedly unrelated auction houses, both located in the northeastern USA. Are they sharing mail rooms? Co-mingling sellers' (consignors, could be you maybe!?!?) lots?

I guess I just want some answers, and any leverage I may have is by demanding I receive proper service (invoices within three months, simple notification of partial or other impending shipments--SOMETHING other than loose lots arriving willy nilly stuck inside auction catalogues. I will eventually name the auction house's names if things continue, but only if I don't get answers after calling.

Just imagine this was you, you work hard, save and scrimp, maybe win that nice Penny Black on cover you'd always wanted but couldn't afford.

You win the bid, get it sent to you, stuck inside a catalogue, and presto it's mailed to you with no communication, no invoice like in my case.

Or, alternately, you never knew you won an item, get billed but never receive it. (My fear with the remaining lots I'm waiting for) THEN the invoice comes. Now maybe you'll wonder, was it maybe mailed in those auction catalogues I donated to the library? Threw in the trash?

Inquiring minds want to know.

-J
I.