BUYING AT AUCTION
After you have looked through our catalogue, examined and asked questions about the items being offered, you are ready to bid. Live auctions are held in our showroom, with an audience and auctioneer present. We also broadcast in real-time over the internet - allowing registered bidders to participate and bid regardless of where they are.
Our online auctions operate in very much the same way as our live auctions except that they are conducted entirely over the internet. In effect, the software system is taking the place of the auctioneer in controlling the bidding and closing of the lots being sold.
More and more so, we find buying clients fully embracing our online bidding system. We still have showroom previews of all goods being offered through auction and clients always have the opportunity to attend a showroom preview and inspect anything they might be interested in bidding on. Plus, there are always coffee and cookies available.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO BID WITH HALL'S AUCTIONS
IN PERSON
ABSENTEE BIDDING
TELEPHONE BIDDING
ELECTRONIC BIDDING
BIDDING IN PERSON
On the day of a live sale, follow the procedures for bidder registration. If you are a new client, you will be asked to provide suitable id and a major credit card to secure your bids. Once you have filled out the bidder registration form with your name and address, you will receive your bidding number.
When the lot that you wish to bid on comes up, simply raise your bidding number so the auctioneer may acknowledge your bid. Contrary to what you might have seen in movies or on TV, scratching your nose or coughing is not acknowledged as a bid, so you need not worry!
ABSENTEE BIDDING
Don't worry if you are too busy to attend an auction. Hall's Auctions can bid on your behalf. With absentee bids, simply decide on your maximum bid for a particular lot and complete the absentee bid form. We will attempt to buy the lot for you at the lowest price possible, and never for more than the maximum amount you indicate.
Complete the Absentee/Phone Bid Form (found online or available in-house during our showroom previews), list your maximum bids, and return the form to us by fax or email. Please read the 'Guide to Absentee Bidding' prior to completing the form. A staff member will administer your bids during the auction, bidding only up to your instructed maximum against competing bids.
This option for absentee bidding is available for both live and online auctions.
TELEPHONE BIDDING
Complete the Absentee/Phone Bid Form, writing "PHONE" in the Maximum Bid column. Submit the form to us. A staff member will call you during the auction shortly before your desired lot(s). This representative will relay information and your bids during the sale. You should provide a backup home number and/or a backup Absentee Bid in case we are unable to reach you.
Telephone bidding is not available for our online auctions. We will be happy to assist with with alternate means to bid however.
ELECTRONIC BIDDING
Our live auctions feature a WEBCAST. This means that during the live auction prospective bidders can listen to real-time audio. Also, bidders can place their bids electronically. There are two ways to do this, but first you must create a user account (or log in to your existing account) and register for the auction. When you register to bid through our Web Catalogue you will receive a confirmation email. Approximately one half hour prior to a live auction a "Bid Live" button will appear in the Web Catalogue.
All bids during an online auction are electronic bids, whether left a week prior to the close of the auction, or left during the closing moments of the auction.
Electronic bidding has quickly become the preferred means of participating in our auctions. So much so that most of our auctions are now web based online auctions.