I had a terrible experience with Auction at Showplace and LiveAuctioneers…read moreI had a terrible experience with LiveAuctioneers. I collect large, limited-edition sculptures by Carlos & Albert, and I purchased one through an auction house called Auction by Showplace in Astoria, NY, which LiveAuctioneers facilitated. I won the auction for $425, and with shipping fees, buyer's premium, and taxes, the total came to about $760.
For those unfamiliar with these artists, each piece is one of a kind. LiveAuctioneers packed the item and shipped it out. However, Auction by Showplace uses a different company for shipping sculptures, so I don't understand why they didn't use a professional packing service. Instead, they relied on their own in-house packing, which led to several mistakes.
The sculpture was placed in a box that was too small and packed too tightly. If you look up the "Africa Egg" artwork, you'll see that it has many elongated parts. A professional shipper knows you cannot put these in a box that is too small, nor can you overstuff them. The packing was so tight that one of the elongated parts broke off, which was due to the packing rather than shipping.
The auction house refused to take responsibility for the damage. After many refund requests, I had to dispute the charge with American Express. Fortunately, they reviewed the negative feedback about the company and quickly closed my case in my favor, ensuring that the company could not recharge me.
This company has a history of shipping problems. Although I, as a customer, paid promptly and correctly, they treated me as if I had a contract with the insurer. However, that is not the case--the contracted insurer makes them whole, not the customer. LiveAuctioneers and Auction by Showplace should resolve the issue. They seem to use every possible delay tactic, which eventually leads customers to give up.
Please be very cautious when dealing with them. I will never use their services again.
