Auction Consignment Referral Form: Fill & Download for Free

I disagree with the other answer, and follow-up comment, and do not find the response to be informed. Auction houses are frequently and actively seeking consignments for their auctions. I don’t know of any top auction house that isn’t actively looking for consignments and solely relies on potential consignors to solicit their property.If you are asking how auction houses incentivize consignors to sell at auction, I think the biggest incentive to sell goods at auction is that life happens. I don’t mean to sound unrefined, but stuff becomes surplus when major life events happen. Examples include when people divorce or face financial woes or when relatives die. Selling by public auction is a transparent and straightforward process. Major life changes aren’t the only reason people sell at auction, but I would rank it as the most common reason someone would sell this way. By consigning to an auctioneer, you let them handle what they’re best at, while you’re able to go about your life when you most need to. Instead of offering a flat rate or buying outright, auction houses typically charge a consignment fee, so the better an object does at auction, the better off both parties are.Auction houses are typically very knowledgeable of potential collections and objects, and do their best to form good relationships with people they may be selling for in future, and often sell to them or their families when they are in the collecting phase. Auction houses also maintain relationships with trust and estate bankers and lawyers, and with many specialists across the field. Auction houses are always actively reinforcing their passive referral sources. Some auction houses even offer referral fees.I’ll try to go over some other incentives to selling at auction, most of which are intrinsic to the method as opposed to selling by other means. Auction houses are typically the first place that people look when they are attempting to buy or sell. Auction houses provide a certain level of expertise, along with a transparency about the sale of goods, along with privacy to their clients. When it comes to getting your object in front of the most potential buyers, from a reputable voice, selling at an auction house is often your best bet for many objects, including watches. Also, auction houses typically offer pre-sale estimates, and can give you a good idea of secondary market value based on comparables in the market.Extrinsically, yes, auction houses may slightly waive their sellers premium, or omit it entirely in some cases if it is an especially rare or desirable collection. If the collection is valuable enough, auction houses can still make money this way since buyers are also charged a premium. However, I would note that these instances are more rare than not, and typically only happen with massive collections when there is a strong level of active competition. You’re paying for a service, and it’s extremely rare that anyone will work for free, and if they do, there’s always a reason.As for why you would pick one auction house over another? Premiums differ depending on the auction house. Premiums also can change at different monetary values at different auction houses. Some auction houses also only deal with certain monetary values of goods. Physical location is often of great importance, since transporting objects is a significant cost. Different auction houses have expertise in different areas, so you may want to go with a more reputable voice. Timing plays a part, and some auction houses can act much faster than others. Promotion is important, and a $20,000 watch may be nothing to one of the big NY houses, but would be promoted heavily by one of your regional auction houses. Also, sometimes you just prefer doing business with one company over another. Auction houses use these unique traits as competitive advantage to incentivize potential sellers and source their goods.I hope this starts to answer your question. I am happy to follow-up if you have any other questions.

Gemstones come in all shapes, forms and colors. With multiple record-setting gemstone sales occurring in the past few months, it’s clear that the secondhand market for designer gemstone jewelry is only continuing to grow.POPULAR GEMSTONESSome of the most popular gemstones include:Diamond – The most popular gemstone on the market, diamonds come in a wide range of colors, cuts, shapes, and sizes.Ruby – Found all over the world, including Myanmar, Vietnam, Mozambique, and Brazil, rubies are desired for their red color and durable nature.Sapphire – Ranging in color from blue to pink to yellow and more, sapphires are prized for their rarity and historical significance.Emerald – Made from the mineral beryl, emeralds are best defined by their green hue, which stems from trace amounts of chromium and vanadium within the beryl.Amethyst – A form of the gemstone quartz, amethyst was known as the “Gem of Fire” in Ancient times.Topaz – Topaz gemstones, found in colors such as blue, green and orange, are well-known for their hardness and durabilityCitrine – Especially popular during Roman times and the Art Deco period of the 20th century, citrine is the golden-yellow variety of quartz.Aquamarine – The green/blue variety of beryl, aquamarine stones are often found in very large uncut sizes.Quartz – Quartz, a popular stone since antiquity, comes in many different forms, including citrine and amethyst.Rubellite– Found in Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Brazil, rubellite is the pink and red form of tourmaline.Tourmaline – Thought to promote healing, tourmaline gemstones are found in a variety of colors.Tanzanite – Mined at only one location in Tanzania, Tanzanite is a rare and stunning gem.Tips to sell your Gem stones1. How much should I ask for my item?If you do not know how much money you should be asking for your item, we suggest that you get a fair market value appraisal first. Fair market value is the appraiser’s opinion of what a willing buyer will pay a willing seller.A trained appraiser will take into consideration the various factors that go into pricing: the quality of the gemstones or the jewelry, availability on the market, and desirability for that particular stone or piece of jewelry in your area. When the gemstone is mounted in a piece of jewelry, current fashion can also affect the price. Fair market value will give you a baseline price, to help you decide how much to ask for the stone or jewelry piece.2. Where can I find an appraiser?To locate an independent appraiser, consider contacting the various appraisal associations: Appraisal Associations.You will find contact information for each association’s headquarters in its particular country. Each association will have nationwide membership for that country. If none of these associations have appraisers in your area, then you will need to do more research in your country.3. Are there GIA-certified appraisers?No, GIA does not certify appraisers. GIA teaches students how to identify gemstones and grade diamonds, but we do not teach them how to write appraisals. An appraisal is a legal document and an appraiser should have specialized training in this area. You should inquire about the education and experience of the appraiser that you are considering.4. Can a Graduate Gemologist (GG) write appraisals?Any person can write an appraisal. However, we suggest that you choose an appraiser who has training in writing appraisals along with gemological education and jewelry manufacturing experience or knowledge. GIA’s Graduate Gemologist (GG) program educates students to identify and grade diamonds and colored gemstones. After our students graduate, they may decide to continue their education and become appraisers, often through one of the appraisal associations. When you contact these associations for a referral, you can confirm whether the appraiser also has a GG.5. What do I do after the appraisal? Where can I sell my gemstones or jewelry?After you have an appraisal, here are a few suggestions on how to sell your items. Read through these options to see which course of action is the best choice for you:Auction the itemYou could try selling your gemstones or jewelry through a local auction house or through an online auction site. If a gemstone or piece of jewelry is of high quality, you might consider selling it through one of the larger auction houses. Have a look at the gorgeous, noteworthy pieces in Auction Report: Gemstones of Fall 2014.Sell it backYou could try selling it back to the person or jeweler who sold it to you. Most jewelers will offer you less than the wholesale value for the piece because when they buy from a private party, they must pay up front for an item that might remain in their inventory for some time before they find a buyer. When a jeweler buys from a wholesaler, they can purchase the item only when they need it and often spread the cost over several payments.Trade it inThe jeweler you purchased the item from may also be willing to take it in trade. Often you will receive more money as credit toward a new piece of jewelry or another item from the jeweler’s stock. If it’s a piece of jewelry and its style no longer suits you, ask about trading the precious metal from the old mounting toward a new mounting for the gemstones.Sell it on consignmentYou can sell the piece through an estate jeweler or a jeweler who takes pre-owned items on consignment. Usually you will not be paid for the item until it sells, and it is customary for the jeweler to keep a percentage of the sale as commission. Don’t forget to ask about this important detail when you visit the store.Approach other businessesFind other businesses that purchase pre-owned jewelry or gemstones for resale. Approach them and see if they are interested in purchasing your piece, using the price point from the appraiser as a barometer.

Downsize and Declutter: Sell Your Unwanted StuffBefore you really roll up your sleeves and monetize your personal or professional skills, why not right-size your life? Selling your unwanted stuff is a great way to downsize and declutter your life while earning some income on the side. If you’re transitioning to full-time work-at-home status, that income could provide a critical boost to your plans for a proper home office, or allow you to maintain your lifestyle during lean times without resorting to voluntary simplicity.When it comes to at-home income, selling your unwanted stuff is the definition of “low-hanging fruit.” Even if you’re resolutely intentional in your purchasing habits, you surely have possessions that you can do without old kids’ clothing and toys, disused sporting goods, out-of-fashion wardrobe accessories, electronics, entertainment, valuable but non-sentimental keepsakes such as watches and jewelry, broken-in furniture, dusty tools, and outdoor equipment, and perhaps even big-ticket items like a motorcycle or second car.The real question is: how and where do you sell all that stuff?Sell Your Old Stuff Online With DecluttrStart online.One of the best places to sell unwanted personal possessions is Decluttr, a website that buys used items directly from consumers. Unlike trade-in marketplaces such as Gazelle and auction websites such as eBay, Decluttr doesn’t act as a middleman between buyers and sellers. Rather, it’s best understood as a bulk buyer: an enterprise with deep pockets and an insatiable appetite for used consumer products.Decluttr specializes in entertainment (digital and analog) and consumer technology: books, DVDs, CDs, Blu-rays, games, tablets, laptops, smartphones. That makes it an excellent choice for folks looking to reuse and recycle technology products and reduce electronic waste, which is particularly damaging to the environment and human health.Decluttr is easy to use. Grab an unwanted item, check that Decluttr buys it (for instance: CDs are great, old clothing is not), and enter its barcode into Decluttr’s “valuation engine” or use your Decluttr smartphone app (iOS and Android) to scan your item directly. You’ll receive an instant price quote that you can accept or decline with no obligation. If you accept, just pack your items into a box large enough to fit them, slap a free Decluttr shipping label on it, and bring it to any authorized UPS location (including drop boxes, if your box contains fewer than 25 items). Decluttr issues your payment the day after your item arrives by PayPal, direct deposit, or paper check. There’s no practical limit to the number of items you can sell: each order is technically limited to 500 items, but you can create as many orders as you like in any given timeframe.Decluttr has some crucial advantages over other online selling platforms:Next Day Payment: When you sell on Decluttr, you receive a payment within 24 hours after the sale completes and the item arrives at the new owner’s address. That’s substantially faster than many online consignment platforms, which tend to have more flexible payment terms. And it’s much more predictable than auction sites or venues for third-party sellers (including Amazon), which typically allow buyers and sellers to work out their own payment arrangements.No Sales Commissions or Auction Fees: Since it acts as the sole buyer of products sold through its website, Decluttr doesn’t have to charge commissions on completed sales, nor auction listing fees. When you sell on an auction site, you need to accept both types of fees – and, in many cases, a steep haircut on your take-home earnings.Free Shipping: You don’t have to pay to ship your sold items to Decluttr. Shipping costs are factored into the price Decluttr is willing to pay for the items it buys. All you need to do is box up your item and drop it at a UPS location.Bulk Selling: For all practical purposes, you can sell as many items as you like on Decluttr. If you reach the 500-item-per-order limit, just start a new order. This is a big advantage for folks staring down huge boxes of old DVDs, CDs, and textbooks. And it’s a distinct competitive edge on retail trade-in platforms, which may require users to enter their items one at a time.User-friendly App: Decluttr is a mobile-ready platform made for selling on the go. The mobile app is a great help when you’re hunched over miscellaneous boxes in your dank basement or sweltering attic. You can use the app to scan in your items directly and utilize Decluttr’s “valuation engine” to quickly and easily see exactly how much you can earn. Many popular online selling platforms, including eBay and Amazon, are designed first and foremost with desktop and laptop users in mind.Other Digital OptionsDecluttr is a great way to quickly offload large volumes of old stuff at a fair price, but it’s not the only digital selling option in town. Depending on the amount of effort you’re willing to give and your preferred sales model, these alternatives are worth considering:eBay: eBay is one of the most popular websites in the world, period. That means it’s a great way to attract lots of eyeballs to your unwanted items, fast. Initially designed as an auction site for DIY sellers, it’s now primarily a venue for fixed-price (though often heavily discounted) sales by professional merchants. Still, as long as you include high-quality photographs and thorough descriptions in your product listings, you can likely break through the noise. eBay’s fee schedule is complex, but as a general rule, expect to lose 10% of your final selling price to the site’s commission.Amazon: Many people don’t realize that Amazon is a haven for third-party sellers, including regular Joes and Janes cleaning out their attics and garages. If you plan to sell more than 40 items per month on Amazon, consider registering as a professional seller. You’ll need to pay a $39.99 monthly subscription fee, a referral fee that usually ranges from 6% to 20%, and a $1.35-per-item closing fee for media items. You won’t pay the $0.99-per-item selling fee, however. Alternatively, register as an individual seller. The fee schedule is the same as for professionals, except you do have to pay the selling fee and don’t have to pay the subscription fee.Craigslist: Craigslist is definitely the scrappiest of the major online resale options. The advantage of Craigslist is its enticing profit potential, thanks to the total lack of listing and selling fees for most items. The disadvantages are many but include potential safety risks and higher chances of nonpayment. If you do choose Craigslist, keep your wits about you and use the buddy system.Trade-in (Resale) Marketplaces: There are plenty of other places to sell your stuff online, especially if they’re electronic. Popular and reputable online resale marketplaces include USell, Gazelle, and MaxBack. Major retailers such as Best Buy have extensive trade-in programs as well, as do national carriers such as Verizon and AT&T.Hold a Yard or Garage SalePrefer to do things the old fashioned way? Sell whatever you can’t or don’t want to offload online at a garage sale instead.Follow these tips for a successful garage sale:Set a Popular Time and Date: Most garage sales happen on weekends, and for good reason – that’s when most people are out and about, seeking great deals on great finds. To maximize your exposure, consider a three-day event over a long weekend. If you live in a cold climate, wait until the weather warms.Make Sure You’re Legal: Before setting up your sale, make sure it’s legal to do so in your community. There’s a good chance you’ll need a permit, but getting one is usually a formality and rarely requires a substantial financial investment.Advertise Locally: Advertise your garage sale in appropriate local venues: your city’s Craigslist page, community social media sites such as Nextdoor, your local newspaper (online and in print, if applicable), and any relevant local publications (such as neighborhood magazines or your Patch outlet).Put Up Wayfinding Signs: Don’t assume that every prospective buyer will find his or her way to your place via Google Maps or Waze. Put up wayfinding signs in visible locations around your neighborhood, ideally on main roads leading to your street and multiple street corners in your home’s immediate vicinity.Research Pricing (And Set Fair Starting Prices): Before setting prices for each item, research your local Craigslist website and (if possible) nearby yard sales to get a sense of how to price them. Remember that many buyers will try to haggle – so set prices a bit higher than your bottom dollar, but not so high that you’ll scare off first bids. 10% to 15% is a good rule of thumb. Consider bunching low-value items, such as old CDs, into lots of five or 10, or offer x-for-$y deals.Accommodate Multiple Forms of Payment: Many deal-seekers carry cash, but you want to accommodate every potential buyer. So, in the days leading up to the event, consider purchasing a point-of-sale system that can accept credit cards. Square is a popular and relatively cost-effective option: it doesn’t cost anything upfront and bundles credit card processing fees into its own per-transaction fees, resulting in a net expense of 2.75% for most transactions (net of $97.25 for every $100 charged). This is a small price to pay to capture the ever-growing cashless consumer demographic. On the day before the sale, visit the bank and grab $100 in small bills and coin rolls to ensure you’ll have enough change for buyers who do prefer cash.