My SB online experience
EVillageProwler
Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭✭✭
Folks,
There has been a lot of critical commentary about their online experience with StacksBowers. And, to be fair, some of the comments are on the mark. I just wrapped up my NYINC 2015 activities, and would like to share my experience with SB as a whole, and with specific details about my online experience with them...
First, I think their people are fine folk: professional and friendly. Some forum members like to make comments about dealers, and how some dealers just rub them the wrong way... Well, for SB folks, that is not the case. I find them to be fine folk.
On Friday late afternoon, just before Session 1 was to start, I realized that I left my catalog *and* bidder paddle at my hotel (not the Waldorf). They took care of me without a missed step. Then, a friend was skittish about a lot that strongly grabbed his attention, and insisted I view it. This was well after lot viewing had finished. I ran from the auction room to the lot viewing area and asked. They allowed me to view that one lot, and everything worked out well because my friend bid strong for it and won it. Win-win situation, right?
Saturday I came home. I was nervous about online bidding with SB because I wasn't sure if I'd have any browser issues. Normally, I switch between Chrome and Firefox when using SB, but last night I used Safari and everything went smoothly. In fact, it went a teeny, tiny bit smoother than my online HA experience from the previous weekend. And, it went so smoothly that I won two modest lots. From home. Because I'm a crazy person.
Then, just now, I went online again and notice that my invoice was already posted with an easy way to pay (which I did). I mention this as a contrast to last year when it took forever for my invoice to get posted, and I had to jump through hoops to pay, etc. (Disclosure: my bill last year was well above $2500, compared to this year's bill of being below $2500. Not sure if that made a difference.)
IMO (I'm an IT person, btw), the online SB experience is second only to HA's, and far ahead of many of their sizable competitors: Goldberg's, CNG, Spink's, etc.
I'm encouraged by SB's progress. They still have a long way to go, but let's keep in mind that HA in its infancy was FAR less of a product than it is now. They are being pushed by HA, and also by the smaller sites like DL and Legend (auction and retail are separate sites). I encourage every site to keep on improving and innovating: SB as well as the others. It can only be good for us, the consumers.
EVP
There has been a lot of critical commentary about their online experience with StacksBowers. And, to be fair, some of the comments are on the mark. I just wrapped up my NYINC 2015 activities, and would like to share my experience with SB as a whole, and with specific details about my online experience with them...
First, I think their people are fine folk: professional and friendly. Some forum members like to make comments about dealers, and how some dealers just rub them the wrong way... Well, for SB folks, that is not the case. I find them to be fine folk.
On Friday late afternoon, just before Session 1 was to start, I realized that I left my catalog *and* bidder paddle at my hotel (not the Waldorf). They took care of me without a missed step. Then, a friend was skittish about a lot that strongly grabbed his attention, and insisted I view it. This was well after lot viewing had finished. I ran from the auction room to the lot viewing area and asked. They allowed me to view that one lot, and everything worked out well because my friend bid strong for it and won it. Win-win situation, right?
Saturday I came home. I was nervous about online bidding with SB because I wasn't sure if I'd have any browser issues. Normally, I switch between Chrome and Firefox when using SB, but last night I used Safari and everything went smoothly. In fact, it went a teeny, tiny bit smoother than my online HA experience from the previous weekend. And, it went so smoothly that I won two modest lots. From home. Because I'm a crazy person.
Then, just now, I went online again and notice that my invoice was already posted with an easy way to pay (which I did). I mention this as a contrast to last year when it took forever for my invoice to get posted, and I had to jump through hoops to pay, etc. (Disclosure: my bill last year was well above $2500, compared to this year's bill of being below $2500. Not sure if that made a difference.)
IMO (I'm an IT person, btw), the online SB experience is second only to HA's, and far ahead of many of their sizable competitors: Goldberg's, CNG, Spink's, etc.
I'm encouraged by SB's progress. They still have a long way to go, but let's keep in mind that HA in its infancy was FAR less of a product than it is now. They are being pushed by HA, and also by the smaller sites like DL and Legend (auction and retail are separate sites). I encourage every site to keep on improving and innovating: SB as well as the others. It can only be good for us, the consumers.
EVP
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
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Comments
Still somewhat concerning that you need 3 different internet browsers to use the site effectively, but presumably they are working out the kinks