RIA this weekend

Geo99 · 09-15-2013, 10:05 PM

I decided to phone bid live this time because everything I've ever won from RIA was magically bid up to exactly my highest limit.

So I did the live bidding for Lugers and other stuff at auction this weekend. It was interesting to hear how fast the bidding would go up. I couldn't seem to get anything, even bidding over what I knew was a fair price.

Some guy in the back was buying everything German - especially Lugers. I mean no matter how high the bidding went, he would not let up on every Luger until he won. He didn't seem to care about the price, he just would not let anyone else win. He got some really good deals, I think because everyone else got sick of bidding (95% Swiss 1906 for $1500), but a lot of the time he also paid way too much. 96-97% 1914 I was bidding on went for $2300 - no way it was worth that.

I figure he must have spent between 1-2 million dollars! He probably inherited a lot of money or won the lottery. It was Unbelievable.

- Geo

Geo99 · 09-15-2013, 10:07 PM

Moderator - should you move this to "Gun Shows"? I think I put it in the wrong forum.

alvin · 09-16-2013, 07:23 AM

Is that one guy with name "o***e" spent millions on everything German?

If that's the one, then that's not one person, that's a group -- "on site", abbreviated to "o***e".

I love Interarms Mauser 9mm. Need one. Putting $1000 on it, but looks like they bypassed the $400-$950 bidding process, started from my $1000 directly, asking others to beat me. So, I had no chance at all.

Probably, they had other bids on $950. So it started at $1000. No surprise either. It's an easy item, no win, then no win.

lew1 · 09-16-2013, 12:56 PM

The person that wins is RIA

cirelaw · 09-16-2013, 01:15 PM

Just interested, If you win have much is added on for fees and costs? Eric

lew1 · 09-16-2013, 02:23 PM

1 - Well, the buyer's premium is 15%.

2 - Then if you use a credit card to pay, there is a 2-1/2% surcharge. (That amount used to be correct unless they have changed it in the last year or so.)

3 - Then if you use a proxy site bidding service, there is a 2-1/2% surcharge. (That amount used to be correct unless they have changed it in the last year or so.)

4 - Then there is shipping and handling.

In essence, all charges incurred are passed thru to the buyer.

cirelaw · 09-16-2013, 02:27 PM

And I thought being a lawyer was a good deal! Tks Charlie~~~

lew1 · 09-16-2013, 02:52 PM

Also, in addition to what the buyer pays, the seller pays up to a 22% commission (depending on what is negotiated).

Add the two together.

NoncomRetired · 09-16-2013, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lew1

1 - Well, the buyer's premium is 15%.

2 - Then if you use a credit card to pay, there is a 2-1/2% surcharge. (That amount used to be correct unless they have changed it in the last year or so.)

3 - Then if you use a proxy site bidding service, there is a 2-1/2% surcharge. (That amount used to be correct unless they have changed it in the last year or so.)

4 - Then there is shipping and handling.

In essence, all charges incurred are passed thru to the buyer.

The above is one of the reasons I decided not to bid. I just couldn't bring myself to pay out the extra fees, call me a pessimist, just can't do it.

cirelaw · 09-16-2013, 03:43 PM

Are there comparable services out there?

tenbears · 09-16-2013, 04:01 PM

Geo,
This happened to me at a local auction where I put in a write in bid and decided to go to the auction, only to watch two auction employees shill bid up to my high bid. I could have won this item for $150 less. To say the least, I was not happy.

lew1 · 09-16-2013, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoncomRetired

The above is one of the reasons I decided not to bid. I just couldn't bring myself to pay out the extra fees, call me a pessimist, just can't do it.

Well, if it is something I "really" want bad, then I will do it.

But with my past experiences with them, I then have Kroh do the bidding for me and pay him a fee. The fee is well worth it, considering how I was stuck by RIA a couple of times in the past.

alvin · 09-16-2013, 07:08 PM

The major problem with auction house is ..... it's hard to return item with uninformed problem back to them. I returned some items back to sellers in the past, all sellers were cooperative, except auction house. The loss was much much more than shipping cost.

Geo99 · 09-17-2013, 02:28 AM

I wouldn't say it's hard to return an item - I would say it is impossible.
Auctions are auctions - I would never expect to be able to return anything. That's why I get the auction house on the phone with gun in hand and ask them questions about it. And after all that, you still have to bid low so you don't get ripped off from some hidden problem they missed.

The fee is 15% as long as you pay cash or check. All the other fees are waived. I always bid low with the 15% fee in mind too.

There is a newer auction now "Carol Watson's Orange Coast Auction". They only charge 12%
(did I just say ONLY?).

Yes, it was the name "o***e". If that means "on site", then I may have misunderstood. But when I was bidding on Friday, I was on the phone with a live agent. Every time I lost one, she told me it was the same guy in the back who won. Maybe I just had a run of bad experience with wanting the same stuff as this guy. Anyway the whole thing was an eye-opener.

- Geo

alvin · 09-17-2013, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geo99

I wouldn't say it's hard to return an item - I would say it is impossible.

That's the biggest problem. Auction house sells thousands of guns each time. It's impossible for them to pay attention to everything. I save my $$ for many months to buy a nice gun of a few grands, but gun like that is nothing for them.... they did not even bother to disassemble it to check for correctness. For exterior finish, I bet they did not pay attention to many details on everything. No time to do that. Sold as is. If they grant buyer 3-day inspection, world will be different. I heard people successfully returned a rare bolt action rifle back. But that must be very exceptional case.

Viewing from another angle -- if an individual lists a gun asking a few thousand, posting one or two pictures in ad, and long text describing gun's standard features, will it sell? Most likely not. But for auction house, that's business as usual.

lew1 · 09-17-2013, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geo99

I wouldn't say it's hard to return an item - I would say it is impossible.
.

I have a friend who has been able to return a couple of items to RIA - but - he is a very good customer. But for the rest of the 99.99 percent it is impossible.

Dwight Gruber · 09-18-2013, 05:46 AM

I returned a gun to RIA once. It took a several-page forensic analysis with photos and a personal resume which could not be ignored.

--Dwight

Sergio Natali · 09-18-2013, 06:13 AM

Maybe he was a russian tycoon :-)

I've never been to an auction.
In any case to me Lugers are items that first of all "must be loved" before you buy them. When I fall in love for a new Luger I seem to transform myself in some sort of "tormented soul" and the initial "infatuation" is generally followed by:

b) hundred of doubts about the item/price asked for it
c) wondering if it is a good idea to get it for the collection

So generally it takes a pretty long time before I decide to buy it.
Probably just I'm not made for auctions.

alvin · 09-18-2013, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luger.parabellum

So generally it takes a pretty long time before I decide to buy it.
Probably just I'm not made for auctions.

Obviously not. In this mood, even join an auction, most likely you won't win anything. One strategy is putting a group of low bids (I mean low, much lower than their low estimate) on the items that you like, if no one wants it, then you win. if not win, normal. I tried that strategy, but be honest, I won nothing.

There are some items do not sell and ask for offering.... that's another chance to give an offer. Auction house will pass that to the owner. So far, I got nothing this way either.

The only way to win is to be competitive. But that's the cost. If it's a great gun, more dollars than I planned to pay and I paid it, I can accept that, a few times in life we are crazy, fine. Worst thing is paying high price for a wrong gun.... and cannot return it

sheepherder · 10-01-2013, 09:10 PM

I wanted to audit this auction, but was unable...

By my last count, 249 Lugers were offered...I copied some of the more interesting ones...

09-15-2013, 10:05 PM	#1
Geo99 User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Whidbey Island WA Posts: 398 Thanks: 102 Thanked 125 Times in 74 Posts	RIA this weekend I decided to phone bid live this time because everything I've ever won from RIA was magically bid up to exactly my highest limit. So I did the live bidding for Lugers and other stuff at auction this weekend. It was interesting to hear how fast the bidding would go up. I couldn't seem to get anything, even bidding over what I knew was a fair price. Some guy in the back was buying everything German - especially Lugers. I mean no matter how high the bidding went, he would not let up on every Luger until he won. He didn't seem to care about the price, he just would not let anyone else win. He got some really good deals, I think because everyone else got sick of bidding (95% Swiss 1906 for $1500), but a lot of the time he also paid way too much. 96-97% 1914 I was bidding on went for $2300 - no way it was worth that. I figure he must have spent between 1-2 million dollars! He probably inherited a lot of money or won the lottery. It was Unbelievable. - Geo __________________ "Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie, until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers

09-15-2013, 10:07 PM	#2
Geo99 User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Whidbey Island WA Posts: 398 Thanks: 102 Thanked 125 Times in 74 Posts	Moderator - should you move this to "Gun Shows"? I think I put it in the wrong forum. __________________ "Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie, until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers Last edited by Geo99; 09-15-2013 at 11:36 PM.

09-16-2013, 12:56 PM	#4
lew1 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,108 Thanks: 82 Thanked 204 Times in 112 Posts	The person that wins is RIA __________________ charlie

09-16-2013, 02:23 PM	#6
lew1 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,108 Thanks: 82 Thanked 204 Times in 112 Posts	1 - Well, the buyer's premium is 15%. 2 - Then if you use a credit card to pay, there is a 2-1/2% surcharge. (That amount used to be correct unless they have changed it in the last year or so.) 3 - Then if you use a proxy site bidding service, there is a 2-1/2% surcharge. (That amount used to be correct unless they have changed it in the last year or so.) 4 - Then there is shipping and handling. In essence, all charges incurred are passed thru to the buyer. __________________ charlie

09-16-2013, 02:52 PM	#8
lew1 Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,108 Thanks: 82 Thanked 204 Times in 112 Posts	Also, in addition to what the buyer pays, the seller pays up to a 22% commission (depending on what is negotiated). Add the two together. __________________ charlie

09-16-2013, 07:23 AM	#3
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Is that one guy with name "o*e" spent millions on everything German? If that's the one, then that's not one person, that's a group -- "on site", abbreviated to "o*e". I love Interarms Mauser 9mm. Need one. Putting $1000 on it, but looks like they bypassed the $400-$950 bidding process, started from my $1000 directly, asking others to beat me. So, I had no chance at all. Probably, they had other bids on $950. So it started at $1000. No surprise either. It's an easy item, no win, then no win.

09-16-2013, 01:15 PM	#5
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,133 Times in 2,173 Posts	Just interested, If you win have much is added on for fees and costs? Eric

09-16-2013, 02:27 PM	#7
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,133 Times in 2,173 Posts	And I thought being a lawyer was a good deal! Tks Charlie~~~

09-16-2013, 03:43 PM	#10
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,133 Times in 2,173 Posts	Are there comparable services out there?

09-16-2013, 04:01 PM	#11
tenbears User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 370 Thanks: 3 Thanked 26 Times in 15 Posts	Geo, This happened to me at a local auction where I put in a write in bid and decided to go to the auction, only to watch two auction employees shill bid up to my high bid. I could have won this item for $150 less. To say the least, I was not happy.

09-16-2013, 07:08 PM	#13
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	The major problem with auction house is ..... it's hard to return item with uninformed problem back to them. I returned some items back to sellers in the past, all sellers were cooperative, except auction house. The loss was much much more than shipping cost.

09-17-2013, 02:28 AM	#14
Geo99 User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Whidbey Island WA Posts: 398 Thanks: 102 Thanked 125 Times in 74 Posts	I wouldn't say it's hard to return an item - I would say it is impossible. Auctions are auctions - I would never expect to be able to return anything. That's why I get the auction house on the phone with gun in hand and ask them questions about it. And after all that, you still have to bid low so you don't get ripped off from some hidden problem they missed. The fee is 15% as long as you pay cash or check. All the other fees are waived. I always bid low with the 15% fee in mind too. There is a newer auction now "Carol Watson's Orange Coast Auction". They only charge 12% (did I just say ONLY?). Yes, it was the name "o***e". If that means "on site", then I may have misunderstood. But when I was bidding on Friday, I was on the phone with a live agent. Every time I lost one, she told me it was the same guy in the back who won. Maybe I just had a run of bad experience with wanting the same stuff as this guy. Anyway the whole thing was an eye-opener. - Geo __________________ "Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie, until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers

09-18-2013, 05:46 AM	#17
Dwight Gruber User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,890 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,282 Times in 424 Posts	I returned a gun to RIA once. It took a several-page forensic analysis with photos and a personal resume which could not be ignored. --Dwight

09-18-2013, 06:13 AM	#18
Sergio Natali User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy Posts: 2,646 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts	Maybe he was a russian tycoon :-) I've never been to an auction. In any case to me Lugers are items that first of all "must be loved" before you buy them. When I fall in love for a new Luger I seem to transform myself in some sort of "tormented soul" and the initial "infatuation" is generally followed by: b) hundred of doubts about the item/price asked for it c) wondering if it is a good idea to get it for the collection So generally it takes a pretty long time before I decide to buy it. Probably just I'm not made for auctions. __________________ "Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list.

10-01-2013, 09:10 PM	#20
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,182 Thanks: 1,398 Thanked 4,440 Times in 2,328 Posts	I wanted to audit this auction, but was unable... By my last count, 249 Lugers were offered...I copied some of the more interesting ones... Attached Thumbnails __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...