Why I Despise Auction Houses - the Latest Chapter

harasha

8/4 - I pay for a winning bid.
8/23 - won lot is picked up by DHL. (I am used to this sort of delay, so I am not annoyed. Yet. 0

I note the DHL website:

Monday, August 27, 2018 Location Time Pieces
5 Clearance event VIENNA - AUSTRIA 8:14 PM
1 Pieces

Friday, August 24, 2018 Location Time Pieces
4 Clearance event VIENNA - AUSTRIA 7:48 PM
1 Pieces

Thursday, August 23, 2018 Location Time Pieces
3 Clearance event VIENNA - AUSTRIA 8:17 PM
1 Pieces
2 Processed for clearance at VIENNA - AUSTRIA VIENNA - AUSTRIA 8:11 PM
1 Pieces
1 Shipment picked up VIENNA - AUSTRIA 2:43 PM
1 Pieces

The DHL website informs me that it lacks a "specific certificate" needed to process the shipment.

I notify the auction house. They respond: "DHL has not (yet) notified us of a missing certificate.
As soon as we learn something we will submit the missing documents.
DHL should have all the necessary documents."

I call DHL. They insist that the proper certification was not provided. They also advise that the auction house has not responded to their requests.

I email auction house that DHL needs action from them. No response. And yes, I am aware of the time difference, but it still should be working hours.

I will look for a response tomorrow, but I have this ill feeling that I am going to be the monkey in the middle while auction house and DHL argue about certification.

Timbuk3

Yikes, terrible, hope it works out for you, keep us posted !!!

Namvet69

I can't believe that the auction house didn't just send another full set of all documents. That is what you paid for. I hope someone steps up for you. Peace Roy

YQQ

the Austrians have their "always right" way... and they stick to it!
hope it works out for you. Call them and speak to "the boss".

pruebas

Vienna..... I suspect I know who that is. I swore them off years ago.

WillieBoyd2

I received an email from a Vienna (Austria) coin dealer, not an auction house, that they were waiting for a permit from the Austrian Federal Monuments Office before they could ship a coin to me in California.

The coin is a low-value non-Austrian coin.

harasha

UPDATE:
I again inquired about resolution of the issue, at about 7:30 this morning.
Auction house responded about 1.5 hours later, apologizing, stating that people had been on vacation. (!!)
Long story short (thank g-d), DHL shows that by about 11 AM (EST), the issue must have been resolved because my coin appears to be on its way! Currently in Linz. Time for some torte!

Washingtoniana

Stork

@pruebas said:
Vienna..... I suspect I know who that is. I swore them off years ago.

Could you PM me who that is? I've been buying a few things from overseas via sixbid mostly and it would be nice to know which are the user friendlier sites.

messydesk

@harasha said:
...

I will look for a response tomorrow, but I have this ill feeling that I am going to be the monkey in the middle while auction house and DHL argue about certification.

And they won't argue with each other, they'll argue with you.

Tibor

Sorry to hear about all the trouble. I checked both
SIXBID and Numisbids and there was only one auction
house who had an auction end near time you mentioned.
I have dealt with them several times purchasing multiple
coins on three occasions. I never had any issues with
them. I hope everything works out for you.

harasha

Ultimately, things did work out, once auction house personnel came back from vacation, whatever that was all about. PIcked up my winning this afternoon, from the DHL depot, after a harrowing drive on the LIE. Got lost only once, this time!

jgenn

Many Europeans take most of the month of August off for their annual vacation. Something to remember when doing business there at this time of year.

SYRACUSIAN

@harasha said:
Ultimately, things did work out, once auction house personnel came back from vacation, whatever that was all about.

I remember a certain August in my mid 20s, I was driving from Greece back to Belgium for my studies. I was driving a Fiat 124 convertible and I needed a spare part for it, and yet, all the Fiat branches in every Italian city that I was going through was closed till the end of August. It was the time of United Yugoslavia, which drivers avoided like the plague,preferring the longer route via Italy.

Finally, I decide to go to Turin itself where the Fiat factory was located, not that far from Milan, only to find out that the entire factory was closed for the month of August! The irony is that once I’ve arrived in Brussels, I’ve ordered my spare part and I had it within a few days.

Yep, August is not a good month for business in Europe, unless your business is tourism related.