Frequently Asked Questions

ONLINE AUCTION BIDDING

* How do I bid?

You will first need to register for an account. Once you have verified your email as part of the registration process you can bid in any auctions that are open for bidding.

Once you find an item you want to purchase simply select the maximum you wish you bid from the dropdown list labeled "Place A Bid". Once you confirm your bid the system will let you know if you now have the highest bid, or if you need to place a higher bid to beat somebody else's bid.

* What if I am outbid?

If somebody places a higher bid than you then you will need to place a higher bid. You will be notified by email if you are outbid, and the lot page will inform you if you have been outbid.

* What amount should I bid?

We recommend placing a bid up to the maximum amount you are willing to pay for an item. Our system will bid on your behalf up to that amount, but will try to win you the lot for the lowest amount possible.

For example, if you place a maximum bid of $100 on an item that is currently at $50, you will win the item at $55 (the current bid plus the next increment) if there are no competing bids.

* When does bidding end?

Bidding typically runs one week starting on a Wednesday. Bidding usually begins at 9AM Toronto / Eastern time, and begins closing at 2PM.

Lots in auctions have staggered closing times, with a minute between each lot. This means lot 1 would close at 2:01PM, lot 2 at 2:02PM, lot 3 at 2:03PM, and lot 60 at 3:00PM. This allows bidders bidding on more than one lot in an auction to easily bid on multiple lots.

Note, however, that our system will extend the close time of a lot by 3 minutes if there is a bid within 3 minutes before a lot closes, and it will continue to extend the close time until there are no more bids for a period of 3 minutes.

* Can I "snipe" a lot?

Sniping is a situation on some online auction platforms that allows a bidder to place a bid at the very last moment before bidding closes, thereby becoming the winner.

Our system automatically extends bidding by 3 minutes if there is a bid within 3 minutes before a lot closes, so sniping is not possible.

We recommend placing a bid at the maximum amount you are willing to pay, and placing it early to avoid missing your opportunity to bid.

* What are the bidding increments?

To keep the auction proceeding in a reasonable fashion bids must be placed according to set increments. The system automatically calculates what the next bid / increment will be.

Our increments are as follows:

Under $20: $2
Between $20 and $99: $5
Between $100 and $199: $10
Between $200 and $499: $20
Between $500 and $999: $25
Between $1,000 and $1,999: $50
Between $2,000 and $4,999: $100
Between $5,000 and $9,999: $250
Between $10,000 and $19,999: $500
Over $20,000: $1,000

* What are watched lots?

Watched lots allow bidders to keep track of multiple lots in one place. To view your watched lots visit https://www.murraysauctioneers.ca/lots/watched/

The watched lots page details the current bid for each of your watched lots, and when the bidding closes.

* Are there any additional fees?

Each lot is subject to an industry standard 20% buyer's premium on the winning bid. For example, if you win a lot at $100, the final price of the lot would be $100 plus $20 premium, or $120. We are also required to charge HST on the final price, unless exempted by law, such as out of province or out of country residency.

* I no longer want what I bid on. Can I retract my bid?

Unfortunately no. Placing a bid means you intend to purchase the item, and are entering into a legally binding contract to buy the item, per our conditions of sale.

Additionally, you are responsible for all bids placed on your account, even if placed in error. Please make sure to keep your account credentials safe and secure, and to log out after you finish bidding.

* Why didn't I receive a notice that I was outbid?

While email often seems instant, it is not, and delays can sometimes be introduced outside of our control. Additionally, email can sometimes be erroneously labeled as spam, especially near the end of the auction when we are sending out large volumes of outbid notifications.

Despite this, our emails are rarely delayed. However, if there is an item you absolutely must have, we recommend placing a bid for the maximum amount you are willing to pay, and watching the lot page to monitor competing bids arriving in realtime.

INVOICES

* I won a lot. How can I pay?

Invoice notifications are sent the following business day to the email address we have on file.

Invoices can be paid online using credit cards, or can be settled at our offices. Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions paying for invoices at our offices may require an appointment or other special considerations. If you do not wish to pay online please contact our offices.

To view or pay an invoice online simply go to your account section on murraysauctioneers.ca and click the Invoices link (https://www.murraysauctioneers.ca/accounts/invoices/)

To pay an invoice simply click the PAY NOW button.

* Is paying online secure?

We do not collect or save credit card numbers. All payments are processed by a third-party payment processor that is fully PCI-compliant and processes $50 billion USD annually.

PICKING UP / SHIPPING

* I have paid. How can I pick up my purchases?

You can schedule an appointment to pick up your purchases, or arrange to have items shipped.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions our offices are not open to the public without an appointment. Please contact us at info@murraysauctioneers.ca or 416-886-4167 to arrange a pick-up appointment. Please note that due to demand it is important that you arrive on time. If you can't make your appointment please contact us as soon as possible to reschedule.

* I would prefer to ship my purchases. Do you ship?

If you cannot pick-up your purchases during business hours, Murrays will pack and ship small purchases (ie. jewellery or small painting) via Canada Post; a surcharge for packing/handing of $15.00+HST will be added and please allow up to seven days for items to be packed and shipped.  If you wish to choose another carrier such as FedEx, UPS or DHL please make this request when you pay.  Unfortunately Murrays cannot ship large items such as furniture or chandeliers but may be able to recommend a reliable delivery service.

* Do you provide packing materials?

Please bring your own packing materials when picking up items. We do not provide boxes, bubble wrap, moving blankets or other packing materials.