Registration Questions

Do I need to register again if I have bid in previous auctions?
No! You should not register again. Use the Sign-In where you will only need to provide your user name and password. Click here to register to bid.

I've bid in previous auctions, but this is my first time using the on-line system. Do I need to register?
Yes. You can either register online and provide all required information, or contact our office at 800-664-7757 or 928-282-3944.

What do I do if I forget my user name or password?
We have a program to help you recover your user name and password. Click here for here for help.

How do I update my address, phone number or other personal information?
You can easily change any personal information, email address, provide special shipping instructions, etc. in the Customer Center.

What if I submitted the registration form but didn't get a confirmation email?
If you didn't get your confirmation email please contact us directly either by email marti@oldworldauctions.com or by telephone 800-664-7757 or 928-282-3944.


FINDING INFORMATION AND ITEMS

How can I find a particular item?
First, you can browse the catalog by using the Table of Contents, as the catalog is organized by subject or geographical region. Second you can use our powerful Search Center to find items matching your specific criteria.

How can I find out more information about an item?
We are available to provide additional information and condition reports. You may telephone 800-664-7757 or 928-282-3944, fax 928-282-3945, or email marti@oldworldauctions.com. Please be sure to obtain this information prior to the closing date. We have a small staff and are all fully committed to receiving telephone bids on the day of the sale.

How can I find the items I have bid on?
Once you have placed bids you can monitor your bidding status in the Bid Status Page.


BIDDING

Why was the next bid increment larger than I expected after I placed my bid?
The bid increment gets larger as the bid price increases. Please refer to the Bidding Increments table.

Why did my bid jump so high?
There are two instances where your bid will be entered above the next bid increment. First, if another bidder has placed a higher maximum bid, your bid will then be increased to one increment over his maximum. Second, if there is a reserve on the item, your bid will be entered at the reserve, or the lowest price for which the consignor is willing to sell the item.

I bid against myself to raise my maximum and the high bid increased. Why?
The system will not allow you to bid against yourself. However, there are two exceptions where it may appear that you have bid against yourself. First, if another bidder has placed a bid that ties with your bid and then you place a higher maximum bid, the system will increase your bid by one increment. Second, if your first bid is under the reserve, your next bid will be accepted at face value up to the reserve amount.

Why do I get a message telling me I've been outbid when the current high bid is the amount of my bid?
This will happen if another bidder has placed a proxy (maximum) bid for exactly the same amount that you bid. Because the other bid was received first, it becomes the current high bid. You must place a higher bid in order to become high bidder.

Why doesn't the website show who has the high bid?
We protect the confidentiality of all bidders. This prevents collusion among bidders and protects our consignors. You can monitor the status of all your bids on the Bid Status Page.

I bid on an item and got the message that my bid is under reserve. But there isn't a reserve shown. Why?
Reserves are kept confidential unless they are set higher than 75% of the low estimate. You can assume that items with an estimated value above $25 have a reserve. Typically reserves are set between 50% and 75% of the low estimate.

What is the QwikBid button for and why don't I always see it?
Our QwikBid feature lets you quickly place another bid if your last bid is not high. It will only appear after you bid on an item and you are not the current high bidder. The box above the QwikBid button tells you the amount of your bid using the QwikBid button, which is one increment above the current high bid.
The QwikBid feature is also available from your Bidding Status page. Smaller QwikBid buttons will appear next to all lots where you are not the high bidder - both in your Bid Status and the Watching sections. Clicking on this button will immediately place a bid at the next increment. From the watching pane, the QwikBid button will place the bid at the published starting amount if no bids exist.
A few important notes regarding QwikBid:
   · QwikBid only works when you are not the high bidder.
   · You cannot use QwikBid to place a higher 'maximum' bid if you are the high bidder. You must place this type bid in the regular way, e.g. either from the lot detail page or from the Bidding Status page using the Express Bidding System.

How can I cancel a bid?
If you have placed a bid in error you will need to contact our office either by email marti@oldworldauctions.com or telephone 800-664-7757 or 928-282-3944.

Can I monitor lots without having to bid on them?
Yes, you may 'Watch' up to 100 lots from the Bidding Status page. Simply enter the lot numbers in any order and press the Go button. Separate each lot number with a space. You may add and delete lot numbers from your Watch List at anytime. If you use the QwikBid button from a Watch List item, that lot will automatically be removed from the list and be added to your bidding status.


AUCTION CLOSING - ("10 Minute Rule" now applies to individual lots)

The auction begins closing 10:00 PM Eastern Time when all bidding activity has stopped for 10 minutes. Again this simulates what may happen in a floor auction. The auctioneer signals the impending close of an auction, but does not bring the final hammer down until there are no more bids. This eliminates the problem of sniping often associated with Internet auctions.

Beginning at 10:00 PM the computer will check each item at 10 minutes intervals. If there has been no bidding activity for the last 10 minutes the computer will close the bidding on that item. If there has been a bid in the past 10 minutes, that individual item will remain open, until there have been no bids received for 10 minutes. You may check your status at anytime through the Customer Center and observe when each item closes.

We strongly suggest that you simply enter your maximum bid early and let our Proxy system competitively enter your bids. This way you are relieved of closely monitoring the auction with the chance of losing the item. We get heavy traffic on the website, and on the telephone, at the close of the auction. For this reason some lots in the auction may not close for as much as an hour after the auction begins closing.


AFTER THE AUCTION

I had the high bid at the closing time, but was then outbid. How can this happen?
We are not just an "Internet Only" auction house. We accept bids from a wide variety of sources: Mail, Phone, Fax, Email and our Website. The auction does not close immediately at the designated closing time; it begins closing at that time and continues until no bids have been received for 10 minutes. Although we always try our very best enter bids immediately; we simply can not keep up with the flood of bids to be entered near the end of the auction. Always bid your highest, most competitive bid if you are serious about winning! Your bid will always be reduced to one increment over the next highest bid. See Proxy Bidding for more information.

How do I find out what I won after the close of the auction?
Immediately after the close of the auction your bidding status will be shown in the Customer Center. This information is preliminary and may change if you have bids under reserve, which are subsequently accepted by the consignor. It takes 2-3 days to complete shipping calculations. At that time your completed invoice will be posted in the Customer Center.

I am the high bidder on an item, but it says my bid is below reserve. What happens now?
You may immediately place further bids until your bid is equal to the reserve. The day following the auction we contact all our consignors and give them the option of accepting offers below their reserves. If accepted, we will change the reserve and the item status will change to show you as the winning bidder. Please note consignors are under no obligation to accept bids below the reserve. Please contact us via email if you are the under-reserve high bidder on an item that you do not desire to purchase.

What is the Buyer's Premium?
The Buyer's Premium is 15%. This will be added to the total amount of all your winning bids.

How can I pay for my purchase?
When you register or sign-in to bid in the auction you will be asked what type of payment method you prefer. We accept payment by all major credit cards, check, or bank transfer. Your invoice will be posted in the Customer Center as soon as we have calculated the shipping charges. This normally takes 2-3 days after the close of the auction. You will receive an email asking you to review and approve the shipping address and payment method on your invoice. We will not process the invoice until we receive your approval.

When will my items ship?
Your items will be shipped as soon as you have approved your invoice and we receive payment. If you need to request priority shipping or have special instructions, please contact us immediately following the auction. Once the items have been shipped we will post the ship date and tracking number in the invoice section of the Customer Center.

How will my items be shipped and what is the cost?
Unless we receive special instructions we will determine the best method of packaging and shipment. We generally ship via USPS Priority Mail, or UPS depending on the value of the package. You will be charged the actual costs for packaging, insurance and shipping, with a minimum charge of $7.50. Once your shipment is complete the ship date and tracking number will be posted to your invoice in the Customer Center. For your convenience we have provided links to both USPS and UPS to assist you in tracking your shipment.

If I purchase something in the auction and decide afterward that I don't want it, can I return it?
Bidding at auction is a binding contract to purchase the item. You are not purchasing on an approval basis. Therefore all sales are final. A sale may be rescinded only if it is determined that the lot is significantly different than described in the catalog.

When are the Prices Realized available?
Immediately following the auction the website catalog will display the winning bid for each individual item. Those items that are unsold will be shown as "Available for Purchase". The official Prices Realized will be posted to the website about one month following the auction, after all payments have been received. They are also included in the next auction's printed catalog.

Purchasing Unsold Lots
Lots that were not sold during the auction are available for sale at the consignor's reserve immediately following the auction close. A link from the home page lists all available lots. From the lot detail page simply click on the Buy button to add the lot to your purchases. These lots are available on a first come basis. Please keep in mind that the high (but under reserve) bidder does not have a hold on the lot - anyone can purchase it at the reserve.


CONSIGNMENT

I have items I would like to consign. How should I proceed?
Old World Auctions welcomes your inquiries and is happy to provide a free preliminary evaluation. For more information, please click here to go to our Consignment Information page.