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  Overview
Since 1946, Absolute Auctions has enjoyed a reputation based on honesty, reliability, friendliness, expertise and a full-service approach to the auction business. We never forget that as our client, your trust and confidence in us is vital to the success of our company. We also understand how important it is for you to choose the right method for selling your merchandise. If you are looking to get market value for your assets without spending a lot of your own time and money advertising, displaying and liquidating them, then the Auction Method is the ideal marketing vehicle for you. To ensure your merchandise reaches the broadest audience possible, we market our auctions:
To ensure bidders have every opportunity to purchase your merchandise, we offer: In short, we tell the world about you…and offer them a world of opportunities to buy your merchandise.  How does consignment work?
“Consignment” refers to the agreement made between you and Absolute Auctions to sell your merchandise at our auction, after which we are paid a percentage of the sale price and you are paid the balance. Absolute Auctions earns our percentage (or commission) by providing the following services:
How do I send you my list of items ?
Before you begin, it might help to familiarize yourself with the types of merchandise we would and wouldn’t recommend for auction. To make that easier, we have created a brief self-evaluation form, as well as a general list of items we do and don’t take. Click here for the self-evaluation form and item list. Once you have reviewed your items, you can call, fax or email us with your list. Please remember that providing descriptive photos and the history of an item are also very helpful. Once we have evaluated your items, we will let you know if we think they have a good market at auction
 Can you come to pick up my items for auction?
Yes, we do offer pick-up (trucking) service at a reasonable hourly rate for items that are too large for you to transport to our Auction Center, or for estates with a large number of items to be auctioned. To schedule trucking, you may contact the Absolute Auction Center Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm at (800) 243-0061. Any trucking charges incurred will not be charged up front; they will be deducted from your consignment check after your items have been auctioned.
Our EZfast Program
In certain cases, we may recommend auctioning your merchandise via our EZfast Program. EZfast works in the following way: The merchandise does not come to the Absolute Auction Center; instead, it remains at its current location, where it is photographed and cataloged in place. A slide show presentation is then created from the photos and the items are sold remotely at the Absolute Auction Center. Depending on the nature of the merchandise, previewing of the items can either take place at the remote location during set days and times determined by you, or it can be presented by slide show only. After the auction, successful bidders are instructed to pick up their purchases at the remote location within a reasonable time frame determined together with you prior to the auction. 
If it is determined to be the best selling method for your particular merchandise, The EZfast Program has several advantages:
Over the years, we have found that auctioning via our EZfast Program has not had an adverse effect on the prices attained for the merchandise. Surprisingly, in some instances, selling without even providing a photo of the item still results in a profitable auction (although this is not our method at the Absolute Auction Center). Perhaps the ultimate example of successful EZfast is the U.S. Customs auction held approximately every eight weeks or so. At these events, our auctioneers sell millions of dollars in seized merchandise to a lively crowd of international buyers packed into a facility in Edison, N.J., all without so much as a digital representation of the merchandise to refer to. While some of these lots can be previewed at the Edison facility prior to the auction, many of them are located at warehouses and airports all over the East Coast. Yet buyers fiercely compete for these sight-unseen goods and are very willing to travel to obtain them. In addition to this “Extreme EZfast” example, other Absolute Auctions success stories include:
As with all of our services, we will be happy to offer our professional assessment regarding whether EZfast is the best choice for you. If you think you may have merchandise that will benefit from this program, just give us a call. We will discuss all of your options, including EZfast, and help you make the most of auctioning your valuable assets.
Sample prices realized at our auctions
Absolute Auctions has a long history of strong prices for many types of personal property, vehicles and real estate. To give you some idea of what estate merchandise has sold for at our auctions, we have compiled (in PDF format) the following summaries of recent prices realized:
Consignment Frequently Asked Questions
 What does “consignment” mean?To "consign" literally means to "deliver" or "entrust". By consigning your property to Absolute Auctions & Realty, you are entrusting us with the privilege of selling your items at auction on your behalf. If I still own my items when they go up for auction, how does Absolute Auctions get compensated?We work on a competitive commission basis rather than buying merchandise outright. As a result, we are strongly motivated to get the most money we can for your items. Once your items are auctioned, our commission is deducted from the proceeds and a check for the balance is sent to you. Any additional charges, such as trucking fees, are deducted from the proceeds as well so that you are never responsible for out-of-pocket expenses prior to auctioning your antique & estate merchandise. Why should I consider consigning my items to auction instead of pricing and selling them myself?Auctions are fast and efficient, and they reflect the true fair market value of merchandise. When an item is "priced" it is usually either underpriced or overpriced. Either way, you take a risk. If the price is too low, it sells to the first bargain hunter who finds it. He then sells it for the profit that should have been yours. If the price is too high, the item does not sell. It then has to be advertised again at a lower price or negotiated through haggling with one person at a time. At auction, all serious potential buyers are brought together to compete, and you are assured of fair market value. It is a time-honored process that is also hassle-free. The experienced team at Absolute Auctions will handle all the details of your consignment; you simply agree to consign your items and we take it from there. What is “fair market value”?Fair market value is the price for which an item will be sold on the open market by a willing seller to a willing buyer, neither of whom is under compulsion to buy or sell as of a specific date. As such, it is the price that an item will fetch at a well-advertised auction. Common factors that come into consideration are age, condition, quality and rarity. Auctions are the last niche of the free enterprise system, where the laws of supply and demand prevail. How do I know if my items are appropriate for auction?To access a general listing of items we do and don't recommend for auction, as well as a brief evaluation form you can complete and send to us, click here. If you would prefer to email us, you can use the form as a guideline for what we need to know to be able to evaluate your merchandise. When emailing, photos are very helpful (JPEG format is best) but not absolutely necessary. During this free initial consultation, we will help you make a general determination regarding whether the items are "saleable" in today's market. If a physical inspection of the merchandise is required, we will make an appointment with you for a home consultation with an Auctioneer. If the Auctioneer determines that auctioning your items will be profitable for you, we will either schedule you to drop them off at the Absolute Auction Center or arrange to have them picked up from your location by our Trucking Team.
What if I just want to sell my items to you? Do you purchase outright?Yes, we do in certain circumstances. However, Absolute Auctions & Realty feels very strongly that consignment is usually your better choice. We have built our reputation on honesty and integrity. We believe that our auction consignment service will produce the best return for you. Although we have the means to purchase any size estate, we think it is in your best interest to consign and allow the market to determine the sale prices for you. If we purchase outright, we must then look to make a profit just like any other "dealer" would; as a result, we will be forced to offer you less than market value for your property. In fact, on two separate occasions in recent years, we were invited to compete with large New York City auction companies to purchase a major estate outright. Each time, we were selected because we were willing to pay the most for the merchandise. Yet despite paying a considerable amount for the items, once the estates were auctioned, we still earned more in profit than we would have if we had auctioned the merchandise on commission. Our experience over the years has taught us this: Sellers should be wary of selling in "bulk" for the quick buck. Consignment is more profitable for you, and it is the Auction Method we believe in and practice. Will there be a written agreement between us if I decide to consign?Yes, we will each sign a standard consignment agreement that summarizes all of the details of consigning with us. You will receive a copy of the signed agreement for your records. If you wish to provide us with an itemized list at the time you consign, we will file it with our copy of your agreement and we suggest you do the same. Once your items are auctioned, we will include a detailed summary of the lots and their selling prices when we send you a check for the proceeds of your consignment. Would it be better to conduct the auction "on-site" at my home or business?It depends on the quantity and quality of the merchandise, the location and the site, all of which can be evaluated during a free site analysis at your request. However, we have found that the cost of holding an on-site auction is much higher then utilizing our state-of-the-art Absolute Auction Center—while we would still work on a commission basis, you would be responsible for all expenses. Financial concerns aside, while commercial establishments such as restaurants, retail stores and warehouses are generally good candidates for on-site auctions, residential/estate consignors often do not have enough merchandise or the appropriate facilities to make an on-site auction viable. Some challenges include inadequate parking, inclement weather, display space issues and lack of amenities such as restrooms and food. Our Absolute Auction Center has indoor seating for 400 people, multiple phone lines, electronic credit card processing, 14 networked computers with access to several printers, high-speed Internet, a backup generator, restrooms, food service, 3.5 acres of parking and more. If I consign items to you, who pays for the advertising and mailings?We do. Absolute Auctions & Realty conducts approximately 18 Antique & Estate auctions at our Absolute Auction Center each year. These auctions are major events offering approximately 1,000 lots from an average of 30 different consignors per auction. Advance notice of this diverse and extensive offering is heavily advertised in print media, as well as direct mailed and emailed to our database of proven buyers.
How will you sell my items: all at once, individually, or in groups?Since our agreement with you is commission-based, our success is directly tied to yours; therefore, our goal is to maximize your profit and present your merchandise in the most appealing way possible. For this reason, once your items arrive at our Absolute Auction Center, our Gallery Manager of more than 35 years sorts them into “lots” based on commodity and value. Some items will be sold individually, others in pairs or sets, and others in tray lots or box lots. Lesser-valued household items and similar merchandise are sold in table lots. Although we always aim for a win-win-win situation for our consignors, the bidders and our Auction Center, these decisions are primarily made with your best financial interest in mind. Exactly what is a "lot"?A lot is either a single object or a group of objects offered for sale as a unit. All merchandise at our auctions is sold in consecutively numbered lots via catalog. If the "quantity" column in the catalog is a number greater than 1, the bid will be multiplied by that quantity to determine the total bid for the lot. Do you do cleaning and minor repairing of items in lots to be auctioned? If so, who pays for it?Yes we do, and we absorb the costs as part of our service to you. We pride ourselves on preparing the contents of homes and businesses so that they are presented for auction in the best condition possible. Wherever our expertise allows, we do minor repairs on furniture, frames, and other merchandise. We display quality jewelry in jewelry boxes. We clean glassware, polish sterling silver and dust furniture before holding public inspection at the Auction Preview. All of this is done at no charge to you. Will my consignments be properly secured and displayed?Absolutely, and at no additional charge! The Absolute Auction Center is fully protected by a burglar/fire alarm system monitored by APA. In addition, we display coins, stamps, jewelry, silver, collectibles, glassware, pottery and other "smalls" in lighted, locking mirror backed showcases. Our staff adds hangers to artwork and displays them on moveable pegboard units. Rugs, textiles and quilts are hung on walls or special display racks. Room-size rugs are displayed on the floor with room settings of furniture. In short, everything is presented in its best light. Is there an opportunity for people to view my items before the auction?Yes, there are several. On the Thursday prior to each auction, we post a photo and description of every single lot in the auction. Thousands of viewers—both locally and around the world—access this information each auction and will even have an opportunity to bid live on some of them via our in-house Internet bidding system. In addition to the website, we also hold several hours of Preview at our Auction Center. Previews are held on Friday from 3PM until 8PM and Saturday from 3PM until an hour or so after the auction begins at 5PM. During Preview, our knowledgeable team assists people by showing them your items and answering their questions about them. We also handle phone inquiries and emails, which can number into the hundreds when we are offering your items simultaneously on eBay. We strongly encourage potential buyers to carefully inspect all items of interest, as all sales are final. Why do you sell items using a slide show presentation instead of physically bringing them up onto the auction block?There are several reasons why we auction items using a slide show format. Most importantly, it protects merchandise from accidental damage. The less we have to move your property, the better we can preserve its condition. Secondly, it speeds up the checkout process for our bidders. Our staff knows exactly where each item has been placed for Preview, and the items are not moved at all during the auction; therefore, when bidders come to pick up their purchases, our staff does not have to waste time tracking them down in the gallery. Finally, it keeps the auction moving at a reasonable pace and allows us to showcase smaller items in larger-than-life detail. Based on feedback we have received for the past few years, we have found using a slide show to be very beneficial to our clients. I have never attended an auction before. Can I come to the auction just to watch?Absolutely, we encourage anyone to attend and watch the bidding. You will be entertained and amazed at the process. Best of all, it's free. For a well-rounded experience, we recommend attending a Preview and then watching an auction for a while. If you can’t attend Preview, you can check out our online catalog instead. We also suggest reading the Bidder Frequently Asked Questions to get a better idea of the process from the bidder’s perspective. If you find the experience enjoyable, subscribe to our email list to receive brief advance notices of upcoming auctions. How will I know which auction my consignments will be in?Absolute Auctions & Realty will notify you with an advance mailing letting you know the date of your auction. In addition, if you request it, we will mail a notice, free of charge, to whomever you wish to notify about the auction, such as relatives or anyone who made an offer on your item(s) prior to your consigning with us. How do I know what time my items will sell during the auction?We auction approximately 80-90 lots an hour. All items are cataloged in numerical order, and your consignment code is on the tag of every one of your items. Absolute Auctions & Realty can print out a list of your lot numbers so you will be able to estimate the time your items will sell. Can Absolute Auctions pick up items from my home or business?We provide trucking services at a competitive fee. We own our own trucks, and should they not be the best size for your items, we also have a special arrangement with Arnoff Moving & Storage to acquire whatever size truck is necessary to move your contents. Our team of experienced merchandise handlers are prepared to come to your location, securely pack up the entire contents of salable items, and bring them back to our Auction Center. We will even provide the boxes and wrapping pads. Once your items arrive at our facility, we assign a consignment code to them and keep them secure until auction. What is a “reserve”?A reserve is a confidential minimum sale price set by the seller. For example, if a seller does not want his item to sell for less than $50, then $50 would be the reserve for that lot. Typically auction companies that work with reserves charge a "buyback" fee to the seller if the item does not sell. The buyback fee is usually a percentage of the highest bid received at the auction, and it is used to help offset some of the auction company’s costs for marketing and auctioning the unsold item. Should I have reserves on my items? Generally speaking, no. Since 1946, our facility has witnessed the sale of over $80,000,000.00 in personal property without reserve. Due to our reputation as an unreserved auction facility, our ads attract many serious buyers, some of whom will travel great distances to compete for your merchandise. Attempting to auction your item with a reserve may put you at risk of not completing a successful sale. This will result in money out of your own pocket in the form of a buyback fee, and you will still have to deal with disposing of the unsold item. In addition, if you have paid a buyback fee, you will now have to set the sale price even higher to try to recoup your loss; this will only create a bigger gap between what you wish to receive and what the buyer is willing to pay. On the other hand, we have found that well-advertised unreserved items will fetch what they are truly worth in the current market the first time they are offered at auction. In short, reserves often impede the sale process and could actually end up costing you money instead of making you money. So where does the bidding start?Bidding starts wherever the auction audience wants to start it; however, it is important to remember that it is not where the bidding starts that matters, it is where it ends that determines the value of the item. For example, the auctioneer might ask for $100 to start. If no one bids, he will decrease the starting bid amount a little at a time until someone bids. As a result, the item might end up starting at $25 and end at $50, but it also may soar well past the initial ask of $100 and sell for $600. It is the market value of the item that determines its worth; the starting bid is not a significant factor. What is a Buyer’s Premium?A Buyer’s Premium is the portion of the auction company’s commission that is paid by the buyer. It is used to help keep the consignor’s commission lower while ensuring the auction company is still able to cover the cost of auctioning merchandise. The Buyer’s Premium is added to the successful bid and becomes part of the total sale price. Absolute Auctions & Realty charges a 13.5% standard Buyer’s Premium at the Absolute Auction Center and most on-site auctions, with a 3.5% discount for cash and check payments. To help offset the additional usage fees, our in-house (AARBIDS) Internet Buyer’s Premium is 15%, and the Buyer’s Premium for eBay bidders is 20%. What happens after Absolute Auctions & Realty sells my items?You will receive a complete itemized printout of your items — including lot numbers, descriptions, individual prices, and the net total — and a check from Absolute Auctions & Realty 30 days after the date of the auction. In addition, we send you copies of advertising and any news stories regarding the auction. Last but not least, we provide you with an Auction Evaluation Form asking for your feedback. It will take just a few minutes to complete it and return it in the self-addressed stamped envelope, but it is an important tool for continually improving our services to clients like you.
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Time and time again, experience has shown that serious buyers will demonstrate their interest regardless of whether the merchandise is present at the auction facility or is instead offered through the use of specific previewing times at a remote location and only representative photos during the auction itself. 
