Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Petroliana News Vic's auction

Cash....you sound like a reasonable guy, so this probably wouldn't be an issue with you, but let me explain why I began to frown upon the whole parking lot sales thing. (The die-hards have read this story before, so for those, bear with me). I used to not give it much thought, but about 7 years ago I got burned pretty badly. Obviously, when you promote an auction like mine, it's in your best interests (and the interests of your consignors, which my sale is 75% consignments) to attract the best (& most deep-pocketed) buyers that you can. Anyway, like I said about 7 years ago, we had a lot of unrestored visibles in the auction. I had a relationship with a new, rabid, retail buyer who was only interested in pumps, from Arkansas. I encouraged him to come to sale, I even comped him a room & got one of our local steakhouses to give me some free meal-tickets that I in turn gave to him. So, he shows up with an empty trailer ready to buy. All day saturday, he sits there and barely bids, and buys one pump. I was surprised to say the least. Later, I found out that just before the auction started two guys pulled into the parking lot with trailers full of pumps and he basically bought everything they had thus leaving no room to purchase anything during the auction.

I have also had people come to the auction and immediately begin bidding heavy, say, on dealership signs. The next thing I know, a "dealer" has asked them to come out into the parking lot and look at the signs they have in their trunk, then said bidders tell me later that they were interested in X, Y, Z items in the auction, but after the little side-swap in the parking lot, they ran out of $$$.

Look, it's a free country, with lots of public places & parking lots where side deals will go on at every auction and every gas show & swap in the country. When I dealt original stuff full-time for living, I never went to an auction/show/swap without something(s) for sale in my truck & trailer, but I always tried to follow the rules and/or respect the promotors to the point that I didn't take away from there event and was always discreet about side-deals. Unfortunately, a lot of people wouldn't care that by Feb. 16th I'll have spent easily between $25K-$30K getting ready for this auction, or that I'll have worked for months personally taking pictures, travelled thousands of miles to pick up consignments, and spent many sleepless nights thinking about what the consignors are going to do to me if the whole things tanks and they have to send Junior to community college instead of Stanford.

So because of the blatant disrespect of a few, I hire an off-duty cop to patrol the premises and make sure nobody sets up a swap space in the parking lot. A few years ago, he ran some guys off that had set up a canopy like it was Iowa Gas. They simply went into town to an abandoned restaurant parking lot on the main drag. They ended up getting fined $500 for vending without a permit or tax #.

To wrap up this long-winded, diatribe, if I were you Cash, I'd throw the signs in the back of my truck and come on down. If someone is interested, they'll find you, trust me. Just don't put a FOR SALE sign on them and you'll be all right where I'm concerned.

Thanks, Seth, I will do better than that. I will just leave them at home so that I have a empty truck so maybe the few pennies I have can bring something new home from your sale. Thanks for answering my question I have heard of so many good things about you over the years, but being a poormans collector I just always got to look in your windows at night and dream. Look forward to meeting you soon. Thanks Cash

Cash...I look forward to seeing you there. Be sure to try and make it on friday night...I guarantee there will be some steals.

Hey Seth, I sent you an email to the one off of your answering machine. Is that the correct one or the one on bidspotter.com. I was wanting to see about getting a catalog. From what I have seen so far it looks amazing, that is a great quality auction. Also, do you hold these auctions 2X per year? Thanks-
Matt Jamison

Jamison...e-mail info@vicsplace.com. I'd be glad to get a brochure & store catalog out to you tomorrow.

Even though we know Seth makes "some" money on his auction, those of us that have been watching the work he's had to put in the past two days inputting all the items on bid spotter owe him a BIG thank you and he's still not done. WAY TO GO SETH.

Shoot Ray...If I didn't make some money, of course I wouldn't do it. But what I can't put a price on, is bringing 300+ people into my store in one weekend and the exposure/future business that that brings. Please, it's a pretty dang fun weekend. After I get the 500 items uploaded for Saturday, I'll then put the 150 in for friday nite. Keep watching.

We all love you Seth and want to see you make a lot of money to help support that growing family of yours. You need to post a picture of the family on here so the people who can't make it to the auctiion can ask that famous question "how did a guy like him get so lucky to find a beautiful woman like Meline"

Someone has a man crush.

Received my flyer yesterday. WOW. Cool.

It's just a little far to drive, unless you can fly me in on your private jet!!!

We have a airport pretty close to here, and I am sure I can round up a few more oldgassers so the trip just won't have to be for me! We can serve as your security for the event.

Seriously, nice job on all this hope you and your cosigners make lots of $$$$$$$$$.

Friday Night's Warm-Up Auction stuff is up on bidspotter. It's listed as Day 1. Obviously not quite as exciting as Saturday, but some hidden gems nonetheless.

HI Seth, What size is the Ford Service neon arrow sign (#67 in friday nights auction). Can you deliver to the Peotone show??? Thanks, Daniel

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Just registered for both. I may place a few bids. Some nice stuff, to say the least.

I never really bid on bidspotter. I am guessing it's in real time?

Seth, will the winning bids display on bidspoter as the auction progresses or at the end? A few items in this auction that I actually have.

You can register on bidspotter.com right now, by registering for one auction, you are registering for both. You can leave bids now, that will be performed as proxy bids by the bidspotter personnel on site. OR you can bid in real time....although we've never (knock on wood) had much problem with bidspotter, we upgraded the auction facility with high-speed cable this year, which should provide for less of a delay AND maybe, just maybe a video-feed to go along with the audio-feed. The technician from bidspotter that will be at the sale, has to check how "clean" the cable is, and if it is sufficiently "clean" you may be able to watch the auction in real-time.

I put a link on my homepage that will take you directly to the auction. I've had some guys say that are having a tough time navigating bidspotters site to find the sale, so simply go to www.vicsplace.com and click on the link that at the top of the page that says 2008 Auction. It will take you directly to the auction catalog.