How to tell someone their business is a Mickey Mouse operation? Of course it's the auction house I've tried to work things out with. They have the poorest communication and worst customer service I've ever dealt with. They put the last 5 axles in an auction a few month's ago and didn't even inform me. The last I heard I thought they were going in a fall auction. I happened to see them listed but wasn't doing too good at the time at a couple appeared to sell for peanuts. I didn't want to deal with their BS at the time. I never received a cheque so finally tried calling them. Had to talk to Ethan. Ethan apparently called back but didn't leave a message. I tried calling back but the phone was transfered to someone out of the office and he couldn't transfer the call. I asked if Ethan would be in this week so I could talk to him in person. In the mean time I did talk to the owner and said I never heard anything about the axles and had some more to sell. He seemed OK with selling more axles and said they had an industrial sale coming up with a bunch of attachments and also agreed the axles brought decent prices in the first industrial sale. He also said to talk to Ethan. I went today and of course Ethan wasn't there despite bring told I was coming this week. The only guy there was the one that told me Ethan would be there. He had a different view than the owner. He thought there was only 2 axles left and I was apparently supposed to come and get them. He said they've been in 5 or 6 auctions and aren't selling. I said they were only in 3 but the wrong auctions. He was adamant it was 5 or 6. I looked at some stuff outside and when I came back in he asks how many times do think we should try to sell them. Fact of the matter is that 4 of the 5 axles were sold close to $100ea. but the buyer backed out. Being an internet auction there's absolutely no rules on bidders backing out and it wasn't worth their trouble to do anything. I'm done with this place. I need to pick up at least 3 axles and get paid for the 2 that did sell. How incompetent can a place be!!! Is there a politically correct way to tell the owner he runs a Mickey Mouse operation and it's amazing he stays in business if he treats his consignors like this? His web page says "We put 110% into everything we do". More like they put 110% into feeding customers BS! Communication is non existent!!! Once I pick everything up I feel like setting up a blog on social media to tell of my honest dealings with this fly-by-night organization. It's unbelievable how incompetent they are.
Feel better now ? Joe H
I don’t blame you Dave.. BUT.. you have to keep in mind that anyone else u take them to, might have read your statements/blog and formed their own opinion OF YOU.?? It’s frustrating as all he11 and u know you’d be doing a disservice to the community by not sharing your story.. but like I said…
What is really absurd is online auctions don't have ANY rules they have to follow, none! I think the owner is fake and just leading me on. There's no way there can be such a lack of communication. It's one screw up after another. Unprofessional is an understatement. There is an auctioneers association and they do require a license but I doubt filing a complaint would do anything. I brought in over $10K worth of axles and I'm treated like I brought in $2 worth of junk. It's in his best interest to try and get the most money. I'm sure he brushes it off as he has lots of auctions but not smart enough to realize he could make more money if he treated the consignors better. I was thinking there could be an annual axle sale. The trailer shop already has over 20 good axles, some new. The axles in the industrial sale brought decent money. It only makes sense to put other axles in an industrial sale. I've got over $150K in tools and equipment I could be looking at selling in the near future. I'm certainly not going to be talking to him about selling it. I think it's a forest through the tree's kind of deal. He doesn't realize he could be making more money if I brought more items in.
I'm going to be picking up 3 axles and expect a cheque for the 3 I didn't give away. I talked to the owner and he says there should be a cheque somewhere. I need to call ahead to make sure there's someone to run the forklift but more importantly make sure there's a cheque ready. The lack of communication is beyond belief! I can put a review on Google. My sister said I should just say I'm disappointed at the lack of professionalism if I talk to the owner. I think 4 or 5 of the axles were only in the last sale because a previous high bidder never paid for them at $100ea. It was too much trouble to see if the 2nd bidder wanted them at $90 but somehow I'm being unreasonable not letting them sell for $15ea. in the wrong auction. The axles brought way better prices in an industrial sale than over crowded tools and misc. sales. They knew that but somehow it didn't register to put them in an industrial sale with a lot less lots. It's baffling that they don't want to try and get the most money for them. ???