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You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. That’s what we say when asked about callbacks. From here on, I’ll spell it callbacks, for lack of a technical literary term as defined in the bottle world. "Callback" is not listed in Webster’s and, for all we know, it was a term the bottle-collecting world made up. God bless them... they made up their own word.

When we first began auctioning bottles, callbacks were new, and quite misunderstood. For the novice, callbacks are calls made to top bidders after an auction ends. It gives them a last chance to win the item. At first, we thought... why call bidders back if we just finished the auction and everyone had a chance to bid? Then we thought... maybe collectors were so used to having callbacks that it was like having Thanksgiving dinner with your family... you just always have and probably always will. We were new and went with the flow... no other way to go. After an auction, we’d spend the next three days calling back top bidders. Sometimes they were really glad we called them... others weren’t so thrilled. One man, even though he said he wanted callbacks, threatened to kick my ass if I called again (he’s off the mailing list). By the way, I don't think he would've come all the way from Arkansas just to kick my ass.  That sort of thing goes with the territory.

You also get the "Why didn’t you call me back?" scenario. We would call some bidders at least 10 times (our computer tracks each call), and weren’t able to get in touch with them. They were unavailable until it was convenient to accept our call. Our rules said that we would try at least three times to reach the bidder, or until we feel it’s gone on long enough. Sometimes we would bend the rules for special circumstances. They would always have a great excuse... "Just getting back from Italy," or "My mother’s in the hospital," but, in the long run, the other customer suffers. We would clearly say that we would be calling people for three days. However, if you’re on the end of a conversation with a bidder who has the top bid and has been waiting three days to see if they won the piece, it’s more than a bit awkward. It’s murder to tell the poor sod they still haven’t won an item because we’re still waiting to hear from another bidder. This paying, loyal customer gets frustrated. At that point, we’re not doing our jobs. Hey, it’s tough reaching people at work, in their car, at home with their families or just relaxing and not in a mood to answer their phone. Understood.

Consignors are the lifeblood of every auction. Furniture, art, baseball cards and, of course, bottles. Every auctioneer knows they have to keep their consignors happy. Some consignors ask, "You don’t do callbacks anymore?". Some wonder what in the world we are thinking and others call us lazy. All relevant, but experience has told us that callbacks are not always the way to go. It’s the way to go if it works. We’re not sure it always works.

Before we stopped doing callbacks, we realized that the door swings both ways. Sometimes bidders will leave a top bid, then when we would call them, they’d gripe that they didn’t want a callback. Often times, people would leave a bid, indicate they didn’t want a callback, then, on Monday morning they’d be on our answering machine screaming about not getting one.

Furthermore, our experience tells us that callbacks, at least in the bottle world, don’t necessarily guarantee a higher selling price. In fact, with no callbacks, we’ve found that people are more into the finality of the bidding. That is, they know that night whether, or not, they’ve won the items they’ve bid on. And, in addition, they also know, with our computerized bidding system, that they will always have a last bid. They’re more into the thrill of bidding. With our software, any time a bidder ups the current bid, a 10-minute window opens to allow further bidding. Essentially, it’s the same process (though more efficient) as callbacks. Instead of spending three days waiting for people to make up their minds, we’re giving them the ultimate window of continued bidding until they either buy, or bow out, right then and there. No one can outbid them if they want the item. They’ve always got a chance to up it. Do people really need three days to decide if they want to buy something?

An interesting thing happened with one of the best items we ever sold. It was over the $25,000 mark and three under bidders definitely wanted callbacks... each one said that they were going to own this bottle. Well, over the next three days, every one of them bowed out without raising the bid... they were looking at something else or simply changed their minds. Do you think if they had continued to bid that night, the night they wanted it at any cost, it would have sold for the same price? Did we let our consignor down? I could have seen the piece do $40,000 that night, but instead, we waited and it cost the consignor a few six-packs of some damn good beer. That’s not the only time a bottle has sold for less... had it not been for callbacks.

Sure, we’ve sold bottles for much, much more than their bid at the end of the auction before callbacks. We just wonder if the bidding had ended that final day, and if someone really wanted it, if they would have just continued to bid that night? Maybe, maybe not.

Being in the bottle auction house business for the past 10 or so years, we’re now satisfied with the finality of ending the auction on its closing night. If a bidder wants an item, then bid. Buyer’s remorse works both ways. There are bidders that complain that they should have bid more and others who wish they hadn’t. We can’t control that. We’re auctioneers, not licensed psychologists. Our advice is to get a plan, figure out what you want to spend and bid accordingly. In the end, you may spend too much, or get a bargain, but as long as you enjoy the bottle you wanted, you’re a winner. I’ve never seen a bidder win an item who didn’t up the bid. It’s true.

It’s interesting also, that the people that didn’t win an item, that is, they were the underbidder, are almost always more pissed off than those that won the item. That’s surprising... they didn’t spend a nickel and they wanted to burn our showroom down!

One thing is clear... bottles are the greatest collectible you can own today. Their intrinsic beauty makes them an irresistible collectible for any lover of earlier times and a relic of a simpler, more artistic Americana. Callbacks, or no callbacks, the hobby will live on. For the auctioneers who still do callbacks, more power to them. For Ebayers and other collectors who understand that the auction ends then and there, enjoy the ride. Either way, we’re all after that special bottle that either enhances our collections or, lord in heaven, may even be the final piece of that puzzle that completes your collection. In the end, let’s hope that we all find the piece that, callback or no callback, makes us happy.

Hello Jeff. This has nothing to do with call backs as I feel if I get the bottle! I get the bottle. If not, I bet there is another one in the next auction or two. And speaking of such, the mailing has to be looked at. No not the bottles, it's the Box's you ship them in. The last one I received the box was crushed as one of the sides split out, and those peanuts were falling out as the (Brown) people looked puzzled as he gave me the package. Good thing it was wrapped in bubble wrap or I would not have received it in one piece. A simple piece of tape wrapped around the box, would have prevented this. And I do believe you might have to change "The Largest Bottle Auction on the Net". Hagenbuch had over 1000 in his last one. And I only do two Internet auctions, yours and Hagenbuch, Could care less for the guy in the American suit. Reminds me of the guy over the "pond" getting married to the old gal. They look alike. -Thanks, Dug!

Dug-
Sorry about the box, we get a couple a year.  We can't buy any better boxes and I'm not sure a piece of tape is going to help mainly because Brown explained to me that when that occurs, it's most likely has a package separator that went haywire. We will discuss it. You're right, we aren't the largest auction on the internet.  That was put up there when Jim didn't have an online auction, in fact we were the only online auction at the time.  It's coming down and being replaced with something like "The Greatest and
Most Best Bottle Site on the Internet!"  You get the idea.  Anyway, thanks for the email, we appreciate the feedback.
Jeff

Jeff, I like the 10 minute set-up as opposed to the callback, 'cause you get everything out of the way before bedtime instead of waiting and wondering.  10 minutes is ample time to decide if you want to up or out, a luxury not afforded when you're on the phone with an auctioneer waiting and you feeling rushed to make a decision - good or bad.  Later on, -Jimbo in GA

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Hi Jeff, Great article and subject. I have participated in all the major auctions, and have listened carefully to all the opinions regarding the auction process. You can put me down as being in favor of your method. As your other readers have already suggested, we want to know whether we have won an item or not, and not have to wait several more days to find out. I travel all over the east coast for my employer, and am sometimes out of range to be contacted for callbacks, which can come at any hour of the day or night. Your method works best and quickest. Why can't people just decide how much they are willing to pay for an item before the auction ends, usually the item has already been listed for anywhere from a week to a month??  -Chris V. in Maryland

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Hang in there with the "callbacks" PLEASE!!!  Thanks, Merle Slay

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I think your 10 minute bidding cycle at the end of the action is great. I hope you keep it that way.....Dan

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The auction ends when the auction ends!! No need to say anything else.

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I agree with you 100% not only does it get the bidders of their ass to make the decision to buy but it also shuts the door on integrity issues....takes out room  for favoritism that auctioneers may or may not have....and opens the door for flat out honesty ! Kudos....

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I have thought that the "call back" was just a way of an auction house milking the last cent out of the buyers. And probably (as you suggest)....... if people were aware of a no callback policy, a piece would probably not realize a higher price (with the callback) anyway.

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Jeff: I've had the same thoughts myself. I have not been a high or consistent bidder but the processes of callback and "high bid wins" have both worked. I agree with where you are and it should be of value in future auctions since we will all know exactly how your auction is to be conducted. That fact alone will help us in pre auction days prepare appropriately. Thanks for the great service to bottle collectors. Keep up the good work. -Ray Thompson in Montana.

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We really like your picture, Jeff!  Great website.

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Everything and everyone has a 'price'---as long as all who desire to participate have equal opportunity the fastest way to that 'price' is the best way...Finality is what we all want--bidders. consigners and auction agents alike...Your system is a good one, maybe the best one so far, as it seems to encourage strong bidding from the start...I approve!!----Mark Waltz---

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No callbacks.

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Good job Jeff!!!!  Thanks, Barbara Moniz

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Amen! Nice job @#^$%% or get off that proverbial pot when bidding. Most "I want a call back" bidders I've dealt with got cold feet i.e. auction fever wore off. The 10 minute lag after the sale is smart........wish I'd of thought of it. Thanks!

Interesting points you make in the article, Jeff.  One issue that you do not address is that often bidders are bidding on several items in the same auction.  I rarely bid on only one bottle.  With your 10 minute window there are two problems.  First, if I have numerous bottles, all over the callback amount, that I am bidding on - how do I watch all of them in the last 10 minutes to see if I have been outbid?  I could easily miss one item I really want, because I am bidding on other items.  Ten minutes is not really that long of a time.  Second, callbacks allow me to bid on several items and then, depending on how the bidding goes, if my total spend budget has been met, to drop out of one item, and really hit the other item(s) hard.  Again, something I cannot do under your current scenario.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I respect yours.  I just feel that all, buyers and sellers alike, are served best by callbacks.  For one, I have never won anything in an auction with callbacks that did not get raised, often multiple times.  I encourage you to go back to callbacks in future auctions. -Scharno from Michigan

Scharno-
Your points are good ones.  However, if you go to our site and say you have 20 bottles you're bidding on, it will show you every item and what your bid is, along with the top bid.  Each bidder has their own bidder sheet available on the auction site.   There is also a clock next to the top bid.  For instance, if you want to bid on 10 of the items, you can raise the bid, and by refreshing the page, a NEW 10 minute clock starts, and all of the items you're bidding on are updated.  If someone raises your bid, a NEW 10 minutes starts.  That way, you always have a chance to win the item and there is a running total of how much you are spending.  I hope these answers somewhat freshen your idea of our non-callback policy.  One thing I disliked about callbacks was that I would get a call on a bottle on Saturday, drop out because it was getting too high, and wait to bid on another bottle I wanted more... only to get a call on Sunday that it had gone to double what I was willing to pay.  I end up with nothing.  With our setup, you will always know how much you're spending, and even better, that it ended right then and there.  We have some bidders who are bidding on 50 different lots!  I certainly respect your position and thank you for the feedback.
-Jeff

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