Services | Sisters In Charge Online Auction
From inheriting a home full of memories to needing to downsize, being an avid collector of various items or simply gradually accumulating far too much “stuff”, there are numerous reasons why people end up with far more possessions than they want or need. No matter what your individual circumstances may be, if you or members of your family feel it is time to get rid of goods in you home, we are here for you.
Through our years of experience in the job, we understand that it is not simply a case of “getting rid” of your possessions. In many cases, our clients will want to select specific items they wish to keep, or may have alternative provision for some of their goods already lined up. We work with each client on an individual basis, consulting with them throughout the process to ensure that nothing gets overlooked at the same time as making sure their wishes are respected throughout.
How the process works?
Our knowledgeable, trained team will come to your location, catalogue and photograph your items and upload them to our innovative online platform for a 14 day auction style sale period.
The online auction format opens your items up to a competitive bidding environment in which prices are determined by the consumer, and often exceed expectations due to unforeseeable factors, such as bidders willing to pay more for reasons such as convenience or nostalgia. Plus, the competitive and timed bidding environment tends to excite bidders and move prices upward at an unbelievable rate the last hour of the sale.
Our marketing team will ensure your items receive maximum exposure in the proper local and specialty markets.
Upon completion of the sale, we will organize the items and get them ready for our one day facilitated pickup.
All payments are made by debit or credit card, pre-approved when bidders register, within 4 hours of the close of the sale, eliminating the risk of bad checks & counterfeit cash. Your items are paid for before the buyers even arrive to pick up.
Since all the items are sold online you can follow the bidding live, and once the sale is complete you will receive an itemized summary report and settlement check within 14 days or less.
Contact Us Today To Speak With Our Auction Experts
516-287-1222
BASIC AUction
Questions & Answers
Sometimes I am immediately outbid. Why?
Because all maximum bids are "masked" (hidden from other bidders), you do not know what any other bidder39;s maximum bid may be or when they placed it. Sometimes you will be outbid as soon as you enter your bid. This only occurs when another bidder had a higher maximum bid than yours already "on the board". Your bid set in motion automatic bidding system which raised the other buyers bid above yours. The other bidder may have placed their max bid days, hours, or mere moments before you placed yours.
However, if you place a bid and there are no competing bids against your bid, the system WILL NOT immediately go to your maximum bid. In fact, if you are the only bidder by the time the lot closes, you will win the lot for the lowest possible dollar amount (based on whatever the opening bid was for that item), not your max bid. So if you place a max bid of $25 on a lot with an opening bid of $1 and there are no other bidders vying for that lot, you will win it for $1. NOTE: This only happens when there are no competing bids.
Why was I outbid by an amount less than the next minimum increment?
Occasionally our bidders are outbid by an amount lower than the minimum bid increment (see bid increments in our Terms & Conditions). All bidders may place their max bid at anytime. As a result, you may be outbid by what seems to be an incorrect increment. The AuctionNinja system will not default to strict increments like a traditional auction if an "odd" maximum bid was left prior to meeting the bid price which would engage the next bid increment.
For example, lets say you place your maximum bid of $100 on a painting but another buyer wins the lot for $101. As stated in the bidding increments, you know the next bid should have been $105, not $101. The system will accept the $101 bid because that max bid of $101 was placed before the auction got to that next increment level.
My max bid was the same as the winning bid (tie bid), yet someone else won it. Why?
In the case of a tie bid, the hammer will always fall to the first bidder. For example, the current bid is $50 (placed by someone else). What you do not know is that their max bid (which is masked from other bidders) is $200. You join the bidding and and place a maximum bid of $200 and are immediately outbid in favor of the other bidder. Even though two people have the same max bid, only one person can win the lot. That is automatically determined by bidding order -- the person who placed that maximum bid first.
I am the winning bidder and now realize that I don’t want my items. That’s ok, right?
In short, no. No, it’s not ok. When you bid on any items in an auction, it’s a legally binding agreement to purchase the item(s) if you are the winning bidder. Once the auction closes, if you’re the high bidder, per the terms of use / bidder agreement, you are obligated to follow-through on your purchase. Auctions do not work like retail stores where you can return an item if you have “buyers remorse.” So you must be sure that you are able to uphold your end of the agreement before placing your bid(s). You must do your own "due-diligence" in researching the items you plan to bid on -- before bidding -- per the terms of bidding. Items are sold "AS-IS, WHERE-IS," meaning there are no guarantees, warrantees, etc. Reneging on your agreement as the winning bidder in any auction will result in the permanent revocation of your bidding privileges on the AuctionNinja platform.
Here is how: It is 4 p.m. on closing day and the painting is currently at $15. At 5:10 p.m. you place a maximum bid of $100. There are a few bidders at play and so by the time 5:45 comes around, the current bid is at $78 with you as the highest bidder. At 7:05 p.m. a new bidder joins in and places his maximum bid of $101. Since this new bidders bid of $101 is above the minimum increment at the time she placed the bid, it is accepted by the system. Since there were no additional bids placed before the countdown clock ran out, the $101 bidder wins the lot because it is higher than your $100.
Contact Us Today To Speak With Our Auction Experts
516-287-1222
Sisters In Charge Terms and Conditions
1. USE OF SITE
You may use the Site only in accordance with and subject to these Terms of Use. Once you complete and submit your registration you have opted-in to receive email communication from us and in order to remain a member of this Site, you must agree to receive email from us.
You must also authorize Sisters In Charge to charge the credit or debit card you have entered on this site for the hammer price of an item which you were the high bidder plus the buyer's premium and all applicable sales tax. Your card will be charged within 24 hours of auction end. Failure to keep valid credit card information on file will result in your use of the site being terminated.
To initiate your ability to bid with Sisters In Charge, an initial $1.00 pre-authorization transaction will appear on your statement. This pending transaction will not settle and will drop off after 5 -7 business days.
You certify that you are an authorized user of this credit card and that you will not dispute the purchase payments with your credit card company provided the transactions correspond to the terms indicated in this authorization outline.
2. MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY
The Site is available to members who are 18 years and older and who have not been suspended or removed by Sisters In Charge for any reason. By becoming a member you represent that you are of legal age. As a member, you agree to provide true accurate, current and complete information about yourself as prompted by the Site’s registration forms. In addition, as a member, you agree and acknowledge that you will maintain valid credit card info within your membership profile so long as you maintain an account with Sisters In Charge.
3. BUYER’S CONTRACT
Bids placed on the Sister In Charge website are a binding contract and you are responsible for paying all amounts due to Sisters In Charge including sale price, buyer's premium and all applicable taxes. Please do not bid if you are unable to pay and take possession of the items in the specified time periods for each auction, sale or event. All sales are final. No returns, credits or exchanges.
4. ITEM DESCRIPTIONS
All items are sold as-is, where-is. While Sisters In Charge will do its best to list any damage, repairs or restorations, the absence of these descriptions or conditions must not be taken to imply that the lot is in perfect condition. Most of the items Sisters In Charge sells are antique, vintage or used. You should expect signs of wear consistent with age. All sales are final. No returns, credits or exchanges.
5. BUYER’S PREMIUM
A buyer’s premium of 18% will be added to the final price in all auctions and will be charged along with the hammer prices and applicable sales tax to the credit or debit card you have on file with Sisters In Charge within 24 hours of the auction end.
6. SALES TAX
All sales are subject to appropriate sales tax laws. Tax exempt buyers must provide the appropriate state sales tax exemption certificate prior to the end of the sale. Upon receipt of such information by Sisters In Charge, your future purchases will not be taxed. Tax resale forms can be submitted in your membership profile. Your profile name and address must be the same as your resale certificate.
7. RETENTION OF CREDIT CARD INFORMATION
By providing your credit card information to Sisters In Charge, you authorize Sisters In Charge to charge your credit card for the purchase amount of any successful bid plus the buyer's premium and any applicable taxes.
Your card will be charged within 24 hours of auction end. Failure to keep valid credit card information on file will result in your use of the site being terminated.
To initiate your ability to bid with Sisters In Charge, an initial $1.00 pre-authorization transaction will appear on your statement. This pending transaction will not settle and will drop off after 5 -7 business days.
You certify that you are an authorized user of this credit card and that you will not dispute the purchase payments with your credit card company provided the transactions correspond to the terms indicated in this authorization outline.
Sisters In Charge does not store your credit card information for security purposes. It is held by a reputable third party processor, Stripe.com
8. PICK-UP
Successful buyers must pick up their items at the designated sale location within the assigned time frame as stated in the sale details page.
If after winning an item you determine you are unable to pick up your items during the scheduled removal times and dates, you must contact Sisters In Charge within 24 hours prior of the pick-up date and we will determine if alternate arrangements can be made. These arrangements will be at the sole discretion of Sisters In Charge and will be subject to transport, labor and/or storage fees.
9. FORFEITURE OF ITEMS
Any items not paid and / or not picked up during the specified pick up time in accordance with the Site’s Terms & Conditions will be forfeited by you. Sisters In Charge at its sole discretion will re-offer the items or donate them to a charity of Sisters In Charge’s choosing. Sisters In Charge reserves the right to report your account to collections for the combined total of the original invoice amount and any moving or disposal charges. Your membership with Sisters In Charge will be revoked unless past due invoices and any additional charges are paid in full.
10. PROHIBITED USE
You agree not to sell, license, rent, modify, distribute, copy, reproduce, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, publish, adept, edit or create derivative works from content or materials on the Site. Use of the content and materials for any purpose not expressly permitted in these Terms of Use is prohibited. You may not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or otherwise reduce the Site to a human-perceivable form, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law, and in that case, only if you notify us in writing in advance . You may not copy, frame-set, enclose or otherwise distribute any part of the Site.
Contact Us Today To Speak With Our Auction Experts
516-287-1222
