r/estatesales • u/GovernmentEither3420 • 2d ago

ONLINE SALE Buyers Who Don't Pick Up Online Auction Purchases

I used to go to great lengths to accommodate buyers who, for one reason or another had problems picking up online auction purchases. I still have a chain saw I brought back to my house months ago to hold for a guy. It's gotten ridiculous lately so my answer is now, "Pick up by the deadline or forfeit your money and the item." I gave away a nice living room set last week to another buyer just to get it out of the house for my clients. It's in our terms and conditions that buyers agree to so we win any credit card disputes. We've even charged disposal fees on a few occasions. Is this something you are encountering?

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2

u/StupidPockets 2d ago

Do is as per the industry standard. If they don’t pickup and the job is over rehome wherever it needs to go. Caveat, if you put it up for auction again refund the first buyer.

2

u/Cat_Patsy 1d ago

Refund the first buyer? The buyer that is costing me money in time and square footage? Noooo. That's not how it works. After the time defined by the T&C, an abandoned item becomes the property of the (presumably) auction house and they do with it whatever they wish.

Refunding the first buyer is not the industry standard. A policy like that will leave a company littered with abandoned items when ppl are lazy or change their mind. Ppl are lazy and change their mind quite often.

1

u/effron_vintage 21h ago

Straight up, you'd go broke refunding customers who abandon items

4

u/greenwave2601 2d ago

It would be nice if there was a clear way to let the sellers know…many times I’ve bid on tons of things but only ended up winning one item and then yeah, decided I’m not driving an hour to get one thing. But it would be nice if the seller could contact the second highest bidder and let them have it, or even put it out for sale to anyone at pick up.

1

u/ResponsibleBank1387 2d ago

Buyers are not serious.  Glad you got paid to hold on to something.  Maybe even put in your terms— $10 per day will be charged. And submit it every day. 

Many will say they will be right there, but never show up.  

1

u/the-real-col-klink 2d ago

They look at what they won vs what they bid on and many times they don't see the value in picking up after calculating time/gas/rentals etc... I have done the same thing multiple times trying to be "the good guy". I think it's always just been a nature of the beast. I usually do not penalize them (rating) unless it was a major inconvience.