Q. Are online auctions really the best way to sell my merchandise? A. We believe it is the best way to get the value for your merchandise. We used to do the regular stand up (outside) or sit down (inside) type of auctions. Today people are more mobile and on the move. They really don’t have or take time to attend an all day event to bid on the one to twelve items they may be interested in buying. The online auction brings a larger audience needed for your merchandise to bring the best possible results.
Q. How long do you run an online auction? A. We run our online sales for 10 days. This allows for plenty of time for buyers to make an informed decision on what they are bidding.
Q. We have a complete estate or household to dispose of is that something you do? A. Yes, we prefer to do complete estate or personal property sales. We realize that you may not want to sell “everything” but we are equipped to handle larger sales.
Q. Will you do an online auction at our home or business? A. Yes, providing you and we have the time and space to accommodate the process.
Q. Why is there sales tax on some auctions? A. Sales tax is applicable on auctions where the owner (usually a business) had purchased the property with the intent of re-sale for a profit and business liquidations or a government entity.
Q. Do you have a Federal Firearms License? A. Yes, Oberman Auctions is a Federal Firearms Licensee and is required to perform NICS background checks on all firearm sales.
Q. What is a buyer’s premium? A. The buyer’s premium is a commission paid by the buyer. This is in addition to a commission paid by the seller. Our buyer’s premium is currently 10%, but we have seen buyer’s premiums as high as 20%.
Q. What do you charge for selling items? A. That really depends on what you have to sell. What we charge for personal property/estate sales will be different than what we charge for a large equipment sale.
Q. We only have a few items to sell will you handle that? A. To answer this question we need to ascertain what type of items you are trying to sell. If you have 5 gold coins, then yes. If you have a boat, motorcycle, RV or ATV of fair value, then yes. If you have 5 pieces of glassware, 2 pieces of furniture and a TV, then no.
Q. Do you accept reserve selling prices? A. We will, but we prefer not too. It has to be a pretty “special” item in order to receive a reserve. We trust that our thousands of loyal buyers will determine the correct price for an item.
Q. How do we know if we have enough for Oberman Auctions to handle our sale? A. Contact us via phone or email and we’ll set up an appointment to take a look at your merchandise.
Q. I have a car, boat, snowmobile, RV, ATV to sell, will you accept that type of item? A. Yes, we will accept larger items of this nature if that’s all you have to sell.
Q. Are there items that are illegal to sell? A. Yes, there are items that are not legal to sell. For instance, sawed off long barrel guns, taxidermy migratory waterfowl, most but not all types of ivory, taxidermy endangered species (unless you have certificate that provides proof it was done before it was listed) plus other items.
Q. I lost or can’t remember my bidder number and password? A. Click on the “Register” button. Then at the top of the next page click on “Lost Bidder Number/Password”. Then enter your email address and click submit. The system will email you your bidder number and password.
Q. Why do you charge 3% for credit/debit cards? A. Retail businesses like Target, Sears, etc. have this charge already built into their selling price. You the buyer are determining the final price of the item. We don’t have any influence on that price and therefore are not able to build the charge into the final price.