Orlando Auctions

AUCTION GLOSSARY:

Buyer’s Premium: A percentage that is paid to the auction company which helps pays for software/platform fees and related business expenses.

Hammer Price: 

The final bid price before taxes and buyer’s premium fees.

Hard Close Auction:

This means that no time is added after the clock ticks down to zero. Each lot closes 30 seconds after the previous lot.

Max Bid: 

The highest amount you’d be happy to pay for an item which the system can place on your behalf faster than you can. Scroll down to see the bidding increments chart.

Proxy Bid:

An automated bid the system enters faster than you can, incrementally, without having to manually enter it yourself.

Reserve or Reserve Bid:

Minimum price set for items.

FAQ

Auction Information:

Q: How do I keep track of what I am watching and bidding on?  

Under the "MY ACCOUNT" tab at the top of the page, you can create a "watch list" where only the items you are watching are all in one place.  Each listing has an "Add to my watchlist" button. My account is where users manage their account, watched items, auctions you are bidding on, view bids, view invoices, pay invoices, send a support request, and update account information.

Q: How will I know when the online auctions happen?

A: Sign up to receive newsletters or register to bid. If you have signed up for newsletter, you will receive an email prior to the auction starting date. We are always posting new auctions so watch the up-and-coming listings.

Q: How do I bid?

A: First, you must register and create a user account before you can bid. Credit card is required for verification of identity, we do require a valid email address and phone number, both will be verified during the registration process. Please enter accurate information. DO NOT CREATE MULTIPLE USER ACCOUNTS TO BID. You only need one account to bid. Our system monitors and verifies new users. Any suspicious activity will cause the data to suspend your account, so please enter information correctly and keep it updated. Most of the auction lots will start with no reserve and sell to the highest bidder regardless of price. Please see bidding increments below.

Q: What is a Buyer's Premium?  

The buyer's premium is an additional percentage added to the hammer price at an auction and is standard industry practice.  It is typically a fee for the expenses behind creating an running an online auction. Auction Software is sophisticated and costly to maintain.  Each seller on this platform sets their own Buyer's Premium which is stated in each individual auction.    

Q: How was I outbid immediately?

Another bidder had a max bid that was higher than your amount. You can try to outbid them by entering the highest amount you'd be willing to pay for an item. Many winners have won items by using this feature.

WHAT ARE "MAX BIDS"? 
Max bids are you telling the system the maximum amount you are willing to pay for an item, then letting the system bid on your behalf.  Why use this? Because most bidders win lots by using this feature.  Basically, the system types and enters bids faster than you can.  When you place a max bid, the system keeps you in the lead but only up to the max bid you entered.  The system stops bidding for you when your limit is reached.  

• Question: Where do I put my max bid, I don't see a place to enter it?  Answer:There is only one bid bar and is used for everything.  There is no separate area for max bids.
• Question: An auction is currently at $7 and I am willing to pay $20 for that.  If I put $20 in the bid bar, will it jump up to $20?  Answer: No, it will go up one increment to$8 and you will be the current winner.  If another bidder places a $9 bid, the system will immediately enter your $10 bid and you will be the current winner at $10.
• Question: If I place, for example, a $100 max bid on an item that is currently at $10, is it possible for me to win it at $10?  Answer: Yes! If no one else bids on that item, then it's yours for $10!
• Question: Can anyone see my max bids?  Answer: NO, they are secret.  But keep in mind you cannot see other bidders' max bids either.
• Question: What if I place a max bid on an item and other bidders already have max bids on the same item?  Answer: You will most likely have your answer right away. Example: An item is currently at $7 and you put in a $20 max bid, and almost immediately the item is at $21 with someone else being the winner.  What happened is another bidder put in (for example) a $25 max bid, which was higher than yours, the system bid on behalf of the other bidder and kept them in the lead.  Example 2:  An item is at $7 and you put in a $20 max bid.  Later, someone else comes and puts a $15 max bid, which is lower than yours, the current bid jumps to $15 with you still in the lead.   
• Question: Can I change my max bid?  Answer:  Yes, you can put in a higher amount or even a lower amount and the system will know you changed your max bid and adjust accordingly. 

Q: What does HARD CLOSE mean?

This is a “HARD CLOSE” auction. No time is added after the clock ticks down to zero. Each lot close is 30 seconds after the previous lot.

Q: Can I preview the items before I bid?

A: There is an online preview for most auctions. In the event you are unable to preview items you can always count on Orlando auctions to never knowingly misrepresent an item. If you have questions regarding an item, please submit a support request or email from the contact us page.

Q: How do I pay?

A: After the auction is closed, you’ll receive an auction win notice in your registered email address. You can also look in your account for an invoice. Log onto your account and go to my account and view your invoice. All items must be paid in full by the removal date. There is a 3% discount off of the buyers premium for cash payments at pickup. All items are sold as is where is. No refunds.

Q: WHY IS A CREDIT CARD REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR ME TO BID? 

Our platform only accepts bids from people whose credit cards are valid, registered and vetted by our credit card processing platform STRIPE. This also allows you to be confident you are not in a bidding match with an insincere bidder who is driving up the price yet never intends to pay.   

WE CANNOT SEE ANY CREDIT CARD INFO AS OUR PAYMENT PROCESSING IS THROUGH STRIPE.

INTERNET/BUYER PREMIUM: 13% buyers premium will be charged on all lots sold. All bidders pays the same buyers premium and should bid accordingly. For example, if your bid wins the lot at $100 you’ll be charged 113+ tax for the item on your auction invoice. When calculating the final price, the buyers premium is added to the selling price before sales tax is calculated. Remember there is a 3% discount off of your invoice for cash at pick up.

FLORIDA SALES TAX:

SALES TAX RATES VARY BY COUNTY. ORLANDO AUCTIONS is bound by state law and state licensing to collect all applicable sales tax on behalf of sellers. Buyers with resale licenses or tax exempt status should submit documentation prior to invoicing to be exempt. Out-of-state purchases may qualify for sales tax exemption. Orlando Auctions does not collect sales tax on title vehicles. Purchase prices for vehicles listed on this website do not include licensing, registration and sales tax fees.

IF I WIN AN AUCTION WHEN AND WHERE DO I PICK UP ITEMS?

Pick up dates and times will be posted in the item description. The address of the property is only sent to CONFIRMED BUYERS once the auction is completed. It is your responsibility for removal of all items at the posted location. If you can’t pick up on that day contact us prior to bidding to see if other arrangements are available. The pick up address will be on your invoice in the upper right hand corner. If you are having someone else pick up your items other than yourself, please contact us. 

Here is our bidding increments schedule:

Q: What do I do if I can't remember my password or username?

Go to the login page and use the "I forgot password" option, if you still have trouble submit a support request with your email address you used to sign up for your account. We will ask for your security answer you made at the time of registration. Once you have been verified we will email your information to the email you provided at the time of registration. 

Q: CAN I HAVE MY ITEMS SHIPPED?  

There are items that would be available for shipping but not all. Ask first prior to bidding. On occasion we will make special arrangements prior to auction closing, depending on the auction item and location.

Q: WHAT IF I BID AND DONT PAY or PICKUP?

Bidding constitutes a legally binding agreement to purchase the item. You are responsible for all bids placed from your account, Keep your passwords protected and don't leave your account unattended. You credit card will be charge a 40% restocking fee. 
There is a 40% of the selling price re-stocking fee for all items not-picked up. If you fail to pickup you items during the advertised pickup time your items are considered abandoned. Unfortunately, you will force us to permanently ban you from using this website. 
One strike and you're out- Please do not bid if you don't intend on paying. 9 times out of 10 this website will have a family estate listed. Please show them the same respect here on this website as you would standing in their home. Please use this site with respect and courtesy.

NO RETURNS ALL SALES FINAL : It is the responsibility of the Bidder/Buyer to inspect the item(s) prior to the placing a bid. All bidding and purchases are at the bidders / buyer’s discretion. Absentee bidders / buyers are subject to the same terms. All the items are sold "as is" “where is”. There are no warranties expressed or implied. There are no guarantee or warranty as to the authenticity, nor shall any description of condition, size, quality, importance and / or provenance is validated as a guarantee. Once the buyer makes payment or takes possession of the listed  personal property all sales then become final. 

REMOVAL OF ITEMS/LOTS: All items, lots will be forfeited if not removed by the bidder on the deadline set forth on the auction details of each item. Orlando Auctions is not responsible for lost or stolen items. By using this website you agree to the term and conditions. 

Q: WHAT IF I HAVE A PROBLEM? 

Go to the Contact Us, We will always try to be proactive and provide a high level of customer service.

Consigning Information:

Q: Can I drop off items to sell? 

A: Please text pictures of the items to 407-603-1020 or email them to [email protected] and ask about our convenient drop off location near MCO airport. We can consign valuable items in good condition with no chips/cracks/rips. Your initials will be assigned to your lots and you will receive a printout with final paperwork and check. It could be a few boxes or a truckload. Please contact us to inquire. 

Q: Do we pick up items? 

There are times we will load and transport depending on the quality and size of the load. Sometimes there is a fee taken out of sale proceeds for labor, transportation and storage. There are no upfront costs.

Q: Can you set up an online auction at my location?

Yes on site or offsite as we are a remote service. We are able to reach more local buyers through this method than other in person estate sales that could be limited by weather, availability, health, parking or any number of constraints in-person sales face. Guns, vehicles, boats, RVs, tractors, and golf carts can all be listed through our service. We can provide liquidation to specific items separate from our online auction experience. An example would be a grand piano that we sold through another site that marketed to specific buyers and brought a sizable return for the client.

Q: What are the fees for our service?

There are no upfront fees for our service. Our fee is based on a percentage of the selling price. The determining factors would be the level of service you desire, the amount of labor required to process the property and the quality/quantity of items you wish to sell.

Q: There are items/family heirlooms in the home that are meant to go with our loved one/ need to be picked up by our relatives- can you still consult? 

A: Yes- but what would help is if you can go through the home and put blue painters tape on anything that isn't for sale or whatever you are wishing to sell- whichever is less. This way I am able to determine if there is enough value to offset the labor for a sale. If there is a significant amount to be withdrawn I would consult after those items are picked up or removed. Otherwise I would need to verify before the contract is signed that there is still enough value to hold a sale. The alternative is paying for the home to be cleared and our goal is to offset those costs and hopefully put some money back in your pocket. 

Q: Our family member is still living and transitioning to assisted living/retirement community- can we still have an estate sale?

A: Maybe. The downsizing/moving process can be stressful and in an effort to try to minimize the impact, we will consider this on a case by case basis for both the client involved as well as our team.

Q: What do we need to do to prepare for a consultation? 

A: Give relatives a firm deadline or date and time for picking up heirlooms before our consultation.

• Don't throw anything away
• Don’t donate anything -We often hear of items being donated that were the most valuable items that seemed commonplace to the client. During our consultation we will give feedback regarding whether there is enough for a sale, what challenges we might face (parking, access, HOA etc) and an estimate of what amount of time it will take for processing. 
• Don’t take items out of cupboards or closets- we'll handle all the processing one room at a time. We've often had clients empty clothing into plastic bags thinking they were helping when we really needed it hanging or folded neatly so it was easier to photograph. Emptying areas will only give us more work and the labor of resetting items to photograph could cost more in labor fees.
  Instead open drawers/closets/pantries and take out what you're keeping and close it. We'll do the rest! 

Q: We had a liquidator come through already and purchase several select items. Can we still have a sale?

Maybe. Often times a liquidator or family has picked over a house or "cherrypicked" leaving little value to attract buyers for the more everyday or large furniture items to sell. Believe it or not- the furniture is not usually where the value is in a home. Bulky, dated and cloth furniture can be tough to sell especially if there are odor issues. There may still be enough for an auction but we will advise you whether the property still has enough value to support the labor of a sale.

Q: There is so much within the house and outbuildings- how would we even have an auction?

A: We have experienced many "overflowing" properties where someone might have gotten carried away in their collecting- we will discuss strategies to accommodate this type of auction with potentially pre-selling items and/or multiple auctions to tackle areas separately if necessary. 

Q: We have gold coins, jewelry, guns, vehicles, guns etc that need to be sold for the estate but we have a jeweler/pawn store/liquidator/dealer who has offered to help with that. Can you do the rest?

Maybe. If there are items that do not hold enough value it could limit the return at auction. Often times jewelry will go for more than what percentage was offered from a liquidator. 

Q: How do you advertise the sale?

A: We have an extensive email list we provide the sale link to, we will post the sale to Estatesales.net, Craigslist, Facebook, Marketplace, and Instagram.

Q: What about all the photos or family memory items? 

A: Our team is trained to carefully separate and set aside family pictures and items that may be memorabilia. We designate an area and all the items are left for family members to pick up after the sale or in some cases shipped. 

Q:We have a business to liquidate or storage unit to clear is the process any different? 

We offer customized services depending on the type of liquidation we are facilitating. We are able to provide business liquidations as well. Please reach out for more info with pictures.

Q: Why should we choose your company?

A: Our team has experience with many different types of sales from loaded workshops, to packed houses to vast collections requiring community partners to evaluate and assisting research to maximize your proceeds. We care about our clients and we still have contact with many as they become like family friends and refer others to us knowing we will provide the same level of care and compassion. Through our website you’ll have transparency that you wouldn’t achieve with a traditional estate sale. 

Q: What happens with any items leftover that didn't sell?

A: We have a variety of solutions as every situation is different:

• Clear out-one of our community partners could clear all remaining items. Depending on items and labor involved there may be a fee which would be disclosed beforehand.
• Donation-one of our community partners or other donation entity will pick up items.

• Left in Place-very rarely one of our clients will request everything not sold is left in place. This is not always a desirable scenario for example if there is a deadline with a closing date or tenant move-in but we will honor our clients wishes if they prefer this option.