The Spink "e" auction commencing 12.6.19 - access issue

[1949threepence 3,368]

It's now 2nd June and the auction commences at 11am on Wednesday 12th June, just 10 days time. But the lots aren't visible. The bidding instructions advise that the lots may be viewable beforehand, (but obviously not biddable before the commencement time). 

I did e mail Spink about this last week, asking when the lots would be viewable, but received no reply.

Maybe it's me not "managing my expectations" properly, but I would have thought, not unreasonably in my opinion,  that a) they'd be visible by now, or that b) that Spink would give a date and time when they will be visible.

link to Spink auctions  

Quote

 

START TIME:

The Start time indicates when the sale will be open for bidding. The sale may be visible on our website beforehand, but not open for bidding before this date. Once open the PLACE BID buttons will appear with each lot.

 

   

[secret santa 2,384]

I've tried to look at these auctions before with no success - another un-user-friendly cock-up.

[1949threepence 3,368]

I'll keep an eye on it, and if I don't receive a reply from Spink by Friday, and the lots are still not appearing, I'll call them and find out what the hell is going on.

[Peter 615]

If they can't manage this they ought to at least send printed catalogues out to clients. 

[1949threepence 3,368]

Reply received as follows:-

 

Quote

 

FW: e auctions



DS









Dora Szigeti <dszigeti@spink.com>

Mon 03/06/2019 11:37

• You;
•  Gregory Edmund



 

Dear 

 

Thank you for your email and for your interest.

 

The 19005 auction lots will be uploaded to our website a few days before the auction opens. Then the lots can be viewed but the bidding opens only from the start time (12^th June 11am) – that is when the bid button will appear and you can submit bids until 25^th June, the bidding progress is public, similarly to eBay.

The lots will start closing on 25th June at 11am with 30 seconds interval.

For bidding instructions please click here:

https://storage.spink.com/source/Docs/e_Auction_Bidding_Instructions.pdf

 

Please note that once you confirm your bids, they cannot be deleted or decreased.

 

You can download the new Spink Live App from the App Store.

It’s quite easy to use.

 

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

 

Kind regards,

Dora Szigeti

Head of Auction Team

 

69 Southampton Row

London WC1B 4ET

United Kingdom

 

Tel: 020 7563 4005

Fax: 020 7563 4037

http://www.spink.com

P          Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?

 

 

Begin forwarded message:

From: Michael 
Date: 30 May 2019 at 18:39:57 GMT+9
To: Concierge <concierge@spink.com>
Subject: e auctions

Hello there,

 

I note you have a coin and medal e auction commencing 12th June and ending on 25th June.

 

How do I view the lots on this auction, or when will they be available to view? The title in "19005", which you'd normally click on to view the lots, is greyed out. 

 

The auction is due to start on 12th June, which is only 2 weeks away, so surely we should be able to view the lots at this stage? 

 

I've downloaded the app, but still no further forward.

 

Thanks,

 

Kind Regards,

 

Michael 

 

Sent from Outlook

 

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By the way, the app is also on Google Play if, like me, you have an android device. 

 

Edited June 3, 2019 by 1949threepence

[secret santa 2,384]

Do you know if one can view/bid from a desktop PC ?

[VickySilver 883]

I guess I really don't understand why they wait so close to the auction to release information about the coins coming up in the sale.

[oldcopper 286]

I think it's

16 hours ago, VickySilver said:

I guess I really don't understand why they wait so close to the auction to release information about the coins coming up in the sale.

I think Spink is just understaffed so the coins side is often a last minute job. The stamps catalogues seem to go up far earlier but I think stamps are bigger hitters than the coins for Spink on the whole. In my experience Spink are generally the last ones to get their coin catalogues ready in contrast to the other auctioneers. So a Spink catalogue will sometimes only turn up a week or even a few days before an auction as compared to several weeks for the typical DNW cat for example.

Still, you've got 2 weeks to think about it from the start date. Hopefully that will be enough time!

[oldcopper 286]

19 hours ago, secret santa said:

Do you know if one can view/bid from a desktop PC ?

Should be similar to their normal auctions, customer number, password and internet connection.

[1949threepence 3,368]

1 hour ago, oldcopper said:

I think it's

I think Spink is just understaffed so the coins side is often a last minute job. The stamps catalogues seem to go up far earlier but I think stamps are bigger hitters than the coins for Spink on the whole. In my experience Spink are generally the last ones to get their coin catalogues ready in contrast to the other auctioneers. So a Spink catalogue will sometimes only turn up a week or even a few days before an auction as compared to several weeks for the typical DNW cat for example.

Still, you've got 2 weeks to think about it from the start date. Hopefully that will be enough time!

Yes, I notice that the stamp e auction lots are now available to view.

That one is due to start on 11.6.19, the day before the coin e auction.    

[1949threepence 3,368]

On 6/4/2019 at 4:57 PM, secret santa said:

Do you know if one can view/bid from a desktop PC ?

I wouldn't worry - it isn't on the app at all. In fact comparing the app with the main site, there is a disparity. Every upcoming sale is shown on the main site, even if not yet available to view, whereas some of the sales, even ones available to view on the main site, don't appear in any form on the app - eg: the two Philatelic Collectors series sale.

Aka a hotch potch mess.

Moreover, we're now just 4 days away, and still the coin e auction remains greyed out. 

Not good. 

 

   

[secret santa 2,384]

Starts tomorrow and still not there..............

[1949threepence 3,368]

I don't get what the problem is. Surely they're not still adding further lots at this late stage.  

[secret santa 2,384]

There was a previous e-auction that never appeared and was never heard of again.

[1949threepence 3,368]

I've taken a screenshot of the page, so if it does vanish into thin air, I can send an e mail with an attachment, asking what happened to it. 

[secret santa 2,384]

Well, it starts today and still no access.

[secret santa 2,384]

Lo and behold - it's been postponed; bit like Brexit - maybe we'll never see it !

[oldcopper 286]

51 minutes ago, secret santa said:

Lo and behold - it's been postponed; bit like Brexit - maybe we'll never see it !

Doesn't say anything about that on the website, don't forget it's the 11th today. I'd expect it to be up tomorrow as it's a timed auction.

If not, then we need to worry...

[1949threepence 3,368]

56 minutes ago, secret santa said:

Lo and behold - it's been postponed; bit like Brexit - maybe we'll never see it !

Certainly no indication of that on the website. Did you call them, Richard? 

[secret santa 2,384]

No, the website says it now starts on the 17th.

[1949threepence 3,368]

3 hours ago, secret santa said:

No, the website says it now starts on the 17th.

That's "The 'Esseight' Collection of World Coins e-Auction". The other one: "Coins and Commemorative Medals: Summer e-Auction" is still flagged up for starting tomorrow, but the way it's going, that too will probably be postponed. 

[Peter 615]

Maybe being postponed until Monday I can convince my daughters of an ideal Fathers day present...although I doubt it.🙄

[JLS 210]

Quite annoyed by this as I have a lot consigned for sale...

[1949threepence 3,368]

46 minutes ago, JLS said:

Quite annoyed by this as I have a lot consigned for sale...

Can't you find out what the hell is going on and report back? Thanks.

[JLS 210]

1 hour ago, 1949threepence said:

Can't you find out what the hell is going on and report back? Thanks.

Crazy busy right now but I will ring Spink tomorrow morning because it is really getting a bit ridiculous !