Tips for 1st Time Auction Attendees:

Have you ever thought of attending an auction— but not done so?

Auctions are easy to understand and once you have some knowledge of how they work we promise that you will have a fun and rewarding experience. This page was designed with you, the First Time Auction Attendee in mind. If you have any further questions that any of our staff can help you with, please ask!

We want you to know all about our auction service and what auctions are all about, how they're conducted, and to provide you with tips to make auctions an exciting and rewarding experience!

With this guide you'll get the inside scoop on auctions, so sit back, relax and most of all — have fun!

You've taken the first step, if you're reading this chances are that you're considering attending your first auction, whether you're attending an on site Live Auction or bidding from the comfort of your own home at one of our Online Auctions!

Live Auctions:

It is important to start off your first auction by attending The Preview. Most auctions will start with a viewing period in which you will be able to inspect the items to be sold. Inspect the items thoroughly as most items are sold “as is, where is”. It is important to Ask Questions. When you attend our auctions our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have about any articles that you are interested in.

At our auctions, you must also Register, which means providing your drivers licence to the cashier who will enter your information into our computer and give you a Bid Card. Your bid card is very important and you must keep it with you at all times—you wouldn't want someone else to end up with it and buy items with your number. When you register it is also a good idea to confirm with the cashier what our Terms are for the auction that you are attending. You will want to know which method of payment is going to be acceptable before you have purchased any items.

Before you bid on your first item it is advisable to Set A Limit. It is possible to get caught up in the excitement of bidding and suddenly you have gone over your limit.

Remember your limit, and stick to it! At any new auction experience it is wise to Observe the first few items so that you can understand how that particular auction house operates—are you to bid fast and furious with items being sold at a quick pace, or can you think about your item for a few seconds before bidding again.

Listen to the Auctioneer—to understand what they expect from you. The auctioneer will call out the lot number, a brief description of the item and how it is being sold. It is very important that you understand that if the auctioneer says “On Choice”, that when you bid $30 each for a cup and saucer that you get to choose one or as many as you like, but you will be paying $30 each cup and saucer.

Don’t be afraid to Bid! Make sure the auctioneer can see you and that they know that you want in on the bidding—wave your card in the air and confirm that you are in on the bidding. If you want to drop out of the bidding, shake your head firmly ‘no’. Don’t be afraid to move at an auction! Despite what TV and the movies show we won’t include you in on the bidding if you’re just scratching your nose!

Now that you’ve had a fun-filled day at an auction and hopefully you have some treasures too—it’s time to Finalize Your Purchases. If you have been the successful bidder on any items make sure that you watch them—items become your responsibility when the auctioneer says sold to your number. Don’t forget to pay for your items at the end of your auction experience.

Online Auctions:
Our Online Auctions are a great way of participating in an auction right from the comfort of your own home! 

From our Current Online Auctions web page, you must REGISTER to bid. Simply answer a few basic questions, you will need a valid credit card (Visa or MasterCard) to register for the Online Auctions. It is ABSOLUTELY FREE. We collect credit card information to verify that you are of legal age and that you are who you say you are. Please note that this is a secure site. All data is encrypted and PCI compliance is in place and up to date SSL certificates are maintained.  If you have any problems with registering for the online auction, please contact us - we have a very detailed form that goes step by step through registration. 

You'll notice that we post multiple photos with each lot description. We make all efforts to note any defects prior to the auction close. Please view all photos for each item before you bid and bid accordingly. We strongly suggest that if there is a PREVIEW time noted for this auction, that you attend and view the items in person prior to bidding.

Now that you've registered (you'll receive a confirmation email) - you can start to bid once the auction is OPEN.  You can Watch Items - that way you'll get notices on activity and be able to decide when you want to get in on the bidding.  You can place a Maximum Bid on each item that you're interested in. Your initial bid will increase automatically, each time you are outbid, up to your maximum bid. If a competing bid is above your maximum bid, you will be required to bid online again, if you want to be the successful bidder.

We will post a note stating when the Online Auction will end.  With our Online Auctions we have a Soft Close.  What does “SOFT CLOSE” mean? Items close every second. Any bids placed in the last minute of the auction will cause the auction item to stay open for an additional 3 minutes. This will continue until all bidding has ceased.  This is probably the most exciting part of the Online Auctions, most of the bidding activity happens within the last hours.  If you want to absolutely guarantee that you win your items we recommend logging into your account and be prepared to bid within those last few minutes - we've seen bidding wars last for a while.  The auction isn't done until you are!  Have fun!

You will receive an email after the auction is officially done, this will confirm the PICKUP date and address as well.  Settlement for payment for purchases can be made by cash, interac/debit, Visa or MasterCard. All sales are subject to 13% HST (Harmonized Sales Tax). All sales are subject to a 15% Buyer’s Premium of the Purchase Price and payable by the Buyers. Full settlement to be made at the conclusion of the sale. If you are planning on paying with cash or using another credit card upon pick up of the items purchased, please notify the auctioneer in the Notes section when registering.

Please read the Terms & Conditions before placing any bids. 

Auction Glossary:

Absentee Bid: Allows a person to bid without attending the sale. The person submits, in advance, a written or oral bid that is the top price that they are willing to pay for any given property. Only the clerk knows this amount and bids on behalf of the absentee bidder until the bidder either takes the item or his highest price is exceeded.
“As Is”: Selling the property without warranties as to the condition of the property. Buyers are solely responsible for examining and judging the property for their own protection.
Auction: A method of selling in a public forum through open and competitive bidding. Also referred to as a public auction or auction sale.
Bid: A prospective buyer’s indication or offer of a price he or she will pay to purchase an item at an auction. Bids are usually in standardized increments established by the auctioneer.
Bidder Number: The number issued to each person who registers at an auction.
Buyer’s Premium: An advertised percentage/fee added to the highest bid to determine the total contract price to be paid by the buyer.
Preview: Specified date and time property is available for buyer viewing and examination of items to be offered at the auction.
Reserve: The minimum price that a seller is willing to accept for property to be sold at auction. Also known as the Reserve Price.

buying at auction

705-726-2120

PO BOX 614, LEFROY, ONTARIO, Canada

(OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)