Complaint Review: Live Auctioneers LLC - New York New York

I MISUNDERSTOOD POSTING PROCESS AND BELIEVED UPDATES WOULD GO BELOW ORIGINAL POST THAT IS WHY I SAID THE ABOVE>  LET ME CLARIFY THE BELOW IS MY OPINION AS A COMIC ART EXPERT OF 20 YEARS.

THE ABOVE IS MY OPINION AS AN ART EXPERT OF 20 YEARS REGARDING SCHULZ FORGERIES

LIVE AUCTIONEERS HAS SCHULZ FORGERIES>

THEY HAVE A DRAWING OF LINUS WHICH IS A TRACING OF THE THIRD GOOGLE IMAGE FOR LINUS.  I HAVE SEEN THIS SAME IMAGE TRACED AND SOLD ON EBAY, IT WAS RETURNED AFTER BUYER DISCOVERED IT WAS FAKE.  THIS IMAGE SEEMS TO BE A FAVORITE OF FORGERS

THEY HAVE A PIC OF LUCY WITH SNOOPY-SCHULZ NEVER DREW LUCY WITH A BLACK DRESS_FORGER WAS OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO COVER UP DEFECT.

THEY HAVE A PIC OF SNOOPY WHERE THE FORGER COULDNT EVEN DRAW HIS PAWS, AND YOU CAN SEE THE SCHULZ SIGNATURE WAS TRACED FROM THE SAME SIGNATURE AS THE LUCY/SNOOPY PIC.

THEY HAVE A PIC OF CHARLIE BROWN AND THE HANDS ARE A DEAD GIVEAWAY-SHCULZ DID NOT DRAW HANDS LIKE THAT.  THE HEAD SHAPE OF CHARLIE AND CLOUDS ALL WRONG TOO>

THESE ARE EXTREMELY LAME FORGERIES AND EMBARASSING TO BEHOLD.

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LiveAuctioneers
220 12th Avenue 
2nd floor 
New York, NY 10001 

I called to file a complaint with the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs only to learn that this is an unregistered business.  They have no record of the company at that address.  Definitely no auctioneer at that address.  

You can file a complaint online at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/resources/complaint.shtml

The respondent that thinks live auctioneers is a legitimate site is obviously an agent of live
auctioneers!!! I only participated in a few auctions on live auctioneers.tried
to participate in many but realized that shill bidding was the rule when the
same items were constantly being placed back in future auctions. I started googling
item numbers and realized the same item by the same auctioneer was ending at the
same price in every auctionabsolutely Impossible without shill bidding and auction manipulating!!!

Auctions on live auctioneers are an extension of the wild, wild, west!! Auctioneers are able to
make up their own rules and the rules differ GREATLY from auction to auction..the
whole thing is a sham and live auctioneers knows it. Live Auctioneers only allows
complaints about bidders to be made public while they conceal complaints about the auctioneers.

Buyer beware and protect yourself by just not participating, I too found that ebay was a much
more honest and reliable venue ebay offers the buyers protection instead of
hiding behind a veil and taking a hands off approach all the while protecting the auctioneer.

Be sure to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

The NYC DCA:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/licenses/036-071.shtml

The BBB:
https://odrcomplaint.bbb.org/odrweb/public/NewComplaintForm.aspx?Qualified=y&BBBID=16&BusinessID=123530

as well as the attorney general of the state  you live in, the state of the Auction House and the state of New York.

I've been buying coins for almost 30 years through every method.  The salesmen (I don't call them auctioneers because I bet most aren't licensed) are obviously manipulating bids through shill bidding.  Their prices, not even including the exorbitant bidders premiums and S&H, are always much higher than eBay.  And I don't mean for high value items - I mean a lot of basic items that wouldn't be counterfeit.  The issue I have with them setting a minimum price for their auctions is that this is NOT clear to the bidders who think this is a live absolute auction.  What the sellers are effectively doing is setting a reserve price and all the bidders think it's other people bidding.

I have contact Live Auctioneers and they have confirmed that they do nothing to detect or deal with shill bidders (fake bidders that just bid up the price).  There are MANY technological solutions that would add transparency to the process and protect the bidders.  They just choose not to implement them.  This is disingenuous at best, fraudulent at worst.  I'm actually going to look up the auction governance body and attorney general for the state in which they operate and file formal complaints.  I believe the FTC may also have jurisdiction.

And with regards to the seller that likes the way they operate and says eBay is going down because they protect bidders - duh.  Of course you'd like an unfair advantage.  The complaint here is that the LiveAuctioneers people are manipulating prices behind the scenes and not transparent to the bidders.  This is what hurts the auction industry - and why it is not allowed in real live auctions.

Over the past several years I have bought nearly one hundred lots valued at more than 200,000 dollars using Liveauctioneers. I also use Artfact, Auctionzip, and Proxibid. All these services offer the same type of service and many auctioneers use more than one. There are demonstrably crooked auction companies that sell forgeries, heavily altered pieces, even outright trash, and market them as genuine. I agree with the comment that all these online companies should take complaints more seriously and deny service to offenders who continue their fraudulent activities. Buyers must depend on their own expertise or consult with experts if their knowledge is insufficient but Liveauctioneers is a wonderful forum on which to acquire great collectibles unavailable elsewhere and often for a fraction of their true value.

I have been using Liveauctioneers among other auctioneer sites because I enjoy historical and political memorabilia and autographs.  They represent some of the best auction houses around the world and most of these houses have warranties on the items you win.  The winning bids you get from these auctions on historical memorabilia are usually 10 to 50 times less than you see at online retailers and Ebay.  I just recently won a bid on a typed John Wayne letter for $634 which included the buyers premium and shipping.  This same type of letter was being sold on Ebay and other retailers for $15,000 to $25,000.    You get far better prices at these auctions than you will ever get on Ebay and they are almost always authentic.

I am also registered to top notch Auction houses that use Liveauctioneers to run there auctions online. These auction houses would never use a corrupt or disfunctional company to promote there auctions.

Before I bid on any item I always do my research to see what these items have sold for in the past. This gives you a great barometer on how much you should spend.  There are hundreds of auction companies on Liveauctioneers and obviously not all are created equal but a vast majority are legitimate businesses.

I have 100% confidence in Liveauctioneers and I would never buy an item from Ebay or any other online retailer.  Auction sites like this are definitely the way to go to get authentic items at great prices. 


   

I have been using Liveauctioneers among other auctioneer sites because I enjoy historical and political memorabilia and autographs.  They represent some of the best auction houses around the world and most of these houses have warranties on the items you win.  The winning bids you get from these auctions on historical memorabilia are usually 10 to 50 times less than you see at online retailers and Ebay.  I just recently won a bid on a typed John Wayne letter for $634 which included the buyers premium and shipping.  This same type of letter was being sold on Ebay and other retailers for $15,000 to $25,000.    You get far better prices at these auctions than you will ever get on Ebay and they are almost always authentic.

I am also registered to top notch Auction houses that use Liveauctioneers to run there auctions online. These auction houses would never use a corrupt or disfunctional company to promote there auctions.

Before I bid on any item I always do my research to see what these items have sold for in the past. This gives you a great barometer on how much you should spend.  There are hundreds of auction companies on Liveauctioneers and obviously not all are created equal but a vast majority are legitimate businesses.

I have 100% confidence in Liveauctioneers and I would never buy an item from Ebay or any other online retailer.  Auction sites like this are definitely the way to go to get authentic items at great prices. 


   

The auction method of selling is a Rubic's Cube of sorts.  In other words, it depends on how you look at it.    Personally, I have sold tens of thousands of items (art, antiques, furniture, watches, precious metals etc.) over the last twenty plus years, using Ebay, live auctions from local to Sotheby's and Christie's.  The most expensive item I've sold was a painting which fetch over $1.5 million.  Yes, I also have used Liveauction.com on more than a few occasions.   So, I do believe I am qualified to make a statement here.

The complaint and complainer states that the Live Auction system is a rip off because the prices are manipulated.  Without a doubt, prices in most cases are manipulated and sorry to say it is nearly impossible to regulate or stop this manipulation without destroying the entire auction industry.  Ebay tried to regulate this manipulation in their own amateur way and ended up destroying what once was a wonderful place to find real treasures.  Ebay is now only a shadow of what it once was and in my opinion is going down for the count.  Stand back people and look at the system in general because the more you regulate it, the more you close the door to real true buying opportunities.   

What is important, is the price a seller or auctioneer is willing to let it go for.  If you think that you are going to routinely sit on your fanny and buy $5000 to $5,000,000 works of art for a few hundred dollars, then you are truly misguided.  If you are asking for the Guvmint to hold your hand and make this possible, again you are delusional.

What is important is your own knowledge and research about the authenticity (ask questions, seek answers, do your research), market price and condition.   If the auction house or person auctioning the item is willing to sell it for less, then you will come out a winner, if not, you will not be able to buy the item.  Stop the cry baby antics because you are just shooting yourself in the foot (a common problem in the USA which is a self made prophecy).   Simply select what you want to buy and hang in there, for if you do, you will get your share and at your price.   Stop complaining that nobody wants to give you a free lunch because there is no free lunch.  Nobody is going to make your day.

I have been been going to auctions for more than 50 years,  I have both bought and sold on eBay and have bought on LiveAuctioneers.  The auction business at all levels has more than a fair share of people who will push the envelop as far as they can, but the vast majority of auctioneers are honest hardworking businessmen and women who work hard to maintain a profile of honesty.  They have to to remain in business.  The complainant above assumes that seeing similar items at the same price means they are offering the same item twice, but a more likely explanation is that the auction house is selling new items. 

I currently collect Asian antiques.  Most of the items in this category I see being auctioned are with high probability, reproductions.  The Chinese have been making reproductions for thousands of years and are currently working hard to make very difficult-to-identify reproductions.  Many auctioneers do not know much about Chinese antiques and their ignorance often shows in their descriptions.  The same is true for many other categories on live, eBay and LiveAuctioneers.  Most auctioneers will answer email questions.  My advise to anyone going to live auctions, eBay or bidding on LiveAuctioneers is "Buyer Beware."  Of course, that advise applies to many categories of items we all buy frequently.

The liveauctioneer site is a major scam. Some of the auctions that i have partiipated in were legit......the majority of them ARE NOT!!! Auctioneers (loosly used term) make up their own rules and will jack you for every fee they can!!! You can google items that are "auctioned" off and see that they are always "auctioned" for the exact same price every time that "auctioneer" has an auction......and it is an impossibe task for the same item (jewelry to be specific) to be auctioned week after week for the exact same amount.

When you have an issue with an auctioneer (loosly used term) you are led around in circles.

The AG's office needs to investigate liveauctioneers, It is one unscruptilous site with no way to resolve problems