MEARS Auction Rules and Policies
Registration
To bid on any auction item, you must be a registered bidder. You may register for the auction up until 10PM CST by clicking on the “register” link at MEARSOnlineAuctions.com. A credit number will be used to authorize all potential auction participant. To register over the phone, please call 414 828 9990. If you forgot your password, please email info@mearsonlineauctions.com or call 414 828 9990.
Buyer’s Premium
There is a 20% buyer premiun added to the hammer price of each sold lot. Please be advised that there is a 24% buyer's premium for payment made with credit card or paypal. If you pay by a cashiers check, money order, wire transfer, or check within 10 days of receipt of invoice, a 4% discount can be applied to net a buyer's premium of 20%.
Sales tax
Wisconsin sales tax will be charged to any order collected, delivered in or shipped within the state of Wisconsin unless the purchaser has provided MEARS Auctions with a proper sales tax exemption certificate issued by the State of Wisconsin.
Bidding
Bidding can be executed at MEARSOnlineAuctions.com. Bids cannot be retracted. Once a bid is placed, the customer is legally obligated to purchase the item if their bid is indeed the successful high amount.
30-Minute Rule
MEARS Auctions utilizes the 30-Minute per lot closing method. Initial bids must be placed before 10:00 CST. Starting at 10:00 CST, when a single lot receives a bid(s), the 30-minute clock resets and begins to count down for that individual lot at that time.
If a lot has a single bid at 10:00 CST, the lot will sell to the single lone bidder and that lot will close. Once a single lot receives a bid during the 30-minute countdown, that specific lot’s auction clock resets for another 30 minutes. During that time, other bidders have a chance to enter another bid. If another bid is placed, the 30-Minute clock resets again. Once nobody places a bid on that specific lot during the 30-minute countdown, that lot closes.
If not bid is registered before 10:00 CST, the lot closes. Bids must be placed before 10:00 CST.
Once nobody bids during the 30-minute count down on any active lot, the entire auction closes.
NOTICE: If you are bidding on multiple items. The 30-minute countdown may be ending simultaneously. Please keep track of all your lots and place maximum bids to ensure that your lot is protected.
WARNING: Bid traffic may get very heavy at and around the 10:00 CST mark. It is highly recommended that max bids are placed beforehand.
Payment
An invoice will automatically be emailed to all winning bidders to their on-file email address. In the event the winning bidder does not receive the email invoice, you may log in and then go to "my account" to view your own invoice. Payments are due within 10 days of invoice notification. We accept:
-personal check
-money order/cashier’s check
-bank wire
-credit card
-paypal
Paypal and credit card purchase limits are set on a case by case basis by the staff of MEARS. We have the right to refuse those types of payments at the sole discretion of MEARS Auctions.
Non-Payment
If a buyer’s purchase is not paid in full by 30 days from the invoice date, MEARS Auctions reserves the right sell any/any/all the items privately or resold via MEARS Auctions, at a future sale. The original buyer is responsible for any difference between the price when the item was resold versus the original invoice price. In the instance that MEARS Auctions is forced to consult a collections agency, the buyer will be responsible for all MEARS Auctions legal fees that may be a result in MEARS Auctions’ collections attempt. Non-Payment will also result in the suspension of the account for a period of no less than 24 months.
Shipping of lots won
The timeframe for the shipment of items is approximately 5-7 business days after payment is received (if paid by check, items will be shipped after your check clears). Customers interested in picking up items, please send an email request to kimberly@mearsonline.com or call 414-301-9536 (if picking up, winning bidder will be responsible for paying Wisconsin sales tax). Pick-ups must be made within 7 days of the end of the auction, Monday through Friday by appointment only.
In response to our customers, we will now be offering priority mail shipping for those that request. Our standard method of shipping is Fed Ex, but for lower valued lots, we will work with our customers to provide the lowest shipping prices possible. We are also able to ship on your FedEx account with a handling fee. Please contact our office at kimberly@mearsonline.com, we will be happy to work with you to ship in whatever manner works best for you.
Although we do our best to accurately calculate shipping costs, we reserve the right to update the shipping costs after the invoice has been paid.
Delivery confirmation: MEARS Auctions does not include delivery confirmation with your order. In the event delivery confirmation is requested, written consent and prior approval must be obtained. MEARS Auctions is not responsible for items left unattended.
We do not refund shipping or insurance fees for any reason.
Preview
Items will be available for preview at the MEARS Research Center and Auction Showroom, which is located at 1234 Manitoba Ave., South Milwaukee, Wis., by appointment only. We are more than happy to assist all potential bidders with questions via phone and will provide additional requested scans, faxes and if needed, will send additional information via USPS mail (time permitting).
Errors
MEARS Auctions reserves the right to remove an item from our auction at any time, including after it has closed. Any error in a MEARS Auctions listing or lot description, whether typographical, photographic or technical, will be dealt with at our discretion. Additionally, MEARS Auctions also reserves the right to amend lot descriptions. In the case of amendments being added to a lot or item description, those comments will appear in a separate font and color. In addition, bidders on the lot in question will be informed of the change and offered the opportunity to rescind those bids placed before the amendment.
Authentication
MEARS Auctions contracts with JSA (spenceloa.com) to evaluate autographs for the auction. Those lots will be noted in the description as having JSA LOA. Autograph auction house letters are available for upgrade to full letter within 30 days after auction end. MEARS Auctions will provide winning bidders 30 days from auction end to have autographs inspected or the autograph letter upgraded. After 30 days, the consignors are paid, and all sales are final. With respect to grades provided by other evaluators other than MEARS, we do not accept returns or cancelled sales due to a difference of opinions with respect to a grade given by another firm.
Additional Notes About Authentication
Bat grading and authentication can be subjective and MEARS Auctions is committed to providing all collectors the ability to be fully confident with the items they are bidding on. MEARS Auctions also encourages bidders to discuss and review any item featured in our auctions with any respected experts of their choice. We will offer to take additional pictures, detailed scans, provide more history regarding the provenance of the item, or in some instances, send the actual item for physical review to pre-approved experts for a second opinion if requested.
Periodically, collectors request to have items purchased in MEARS Auctions evaluated by John Taube of PSA / DNA. During the auction, MEARS Auctions will work with you to facilitate these requests. MEARS Auctions will offer to provide PSA / DNA bat authentication services to any interested party during the auction. Any cost/fees will be paid by the interested party and not by MEARS Auctions.
A word about autographs: MEARS utilizes the professional autograph authentication services of Jimmy Spence & staff of JSA Authentication, www.spenceloa.com . During the auction, MEARS will work to facilitate any second opinions that may be requested. Meaning, if you would like PSA / DNA to provide a second opinion, we will work with you have your item reviewed by PSA / DNA. The person making the request is responsible for all cost associate with the authentication, shipping, packaging, insurance, etc. Once a sale is final and the auction is complete, MEARS will not recognize the opinion of any authenticator besides JSA.
Refunds
MEARS Auctions prides itself on accuracy in all lot descriptions with respect to authenticity and condition. For items outside of the category of equipment and game used memorabilia, no refunds will be made unless the item is shown to have been improperly described. As such, bidders are highly encouraged to ask questions about items and their lot descriptions before bidding.
Shill Bidding
MEARS Auctions prohibits knowingly escalating or attempting to escalate bidding through false bids, shills or through collusion with another. An example of a false bid is the practice of placing a bid or working with an individual or organization to increase the price of a lot without the intention of finalizing the sale. MEARS Auctions prohibits bids placed by any person to drive up the final price paid and realized when there is no intent to take ownership of the lot. Shill bidding is strictly prohibited.
Reserves
MEARS Auctions encourages the open market process of online bidding to establish a final selling price. In limited cases, certain lots may have non-published reserves which were set by the consignor or determined at the sole discretion of the auction house to protect approximate or estimated market value. MEARS Auctions reserves the right to raise any bid, which in the auctioneer’s opinion, is not congruent with the market value of the lot being offered. Consignor’s reserve bids may be executed on these lots only up to the point of the established reserve, but not past it. Since as part of the auction contract a reserve may have been established, an item with a reserve is not considered for sale or transfer until that established reserve has been met. Bids up to the reserve may be executed confidentially on behalf of the seller in a manner like the execution of absentee bids.
Framing & Displays
Framed items and display holders are sold "as is" and MEARS Auctions is not responsible for condition of framing, display cases, etc.