Dealing with Goldberg

[gmarguli]

Having just had my first (and quite possibly last) experience with them, I cannot understand how some auction companies can be so customer unfriendly.

 

I placed some bids over their web site. However, since I have never been a customer of theirs before, they require 4 business days to check references. FOUR BUSINESS DAYS! I can't recall any other company actually checking references before allowing minor bids to be placed.

 

I called them today to find out if my bids were going to be executed. I was told "probably not" since they didn't have the 4 business days to check references. OK, why don't I just give you my credit card as my reference and you can bill it right away. Ummm...aaahhh....ummmm....nope, we can't do that.

 

I wasn't looking to bid on an 1804 $ or a 1913 5c. All I wanted was to place less than $2000 in bids. One of those bids was over 60% higher than their high end estimate so if my bid doesn't get executed, the consignor is going to lose money.

 

My last hope is to place them on eBay and play the roulette wheel Bid at $100, but really buy at $18,000 live auction software. I don't think so.

 

Seeing how hard they make it for customers to buy coins from them, I'd never consign with them. I'd want an auction company that actually encourages bidding, not sets up barriers to it.

[michael]

wow

 

one of my friends was considering auctioning off some coins and he was deciding where to consign coins to

 

i am going to make him read this thread

 

 

michael

[Leothelion]

This is truely amazing! But I can see their point if this is a means for them to weed out fraudulous bidders if they have had problems with it in the past, which is likely. But I don't understand why they wouldn't accept a credit card especially if it's in good standing unless that's what needs four business days which I doubt because we're talking about references. I've never had a problem with any coorperation accepting my credit card but then again I've never made any purchases over $2000 through the internet. It only takes a few minutes and kazaam, they're ready to take my money!

 

Best wishes with your endeaver and hope everything does works out. I would personally hate to miss out on buying a coin or selling one for that matter.

 

Leo

[gmarguli]

It looks like the coins sold to someone else. All 3 lots sold below my max bid. One sold about 10% below and the other two about 20% below my max bids.

 

Oh well, scratch Goldberg off my list of companies to do business with. I'll find something at Long Beach to spend my money on!

[JamminJ]

A black day in Coindom, indeed.

 

Here's the thaler I lost out on due to the reference check delay (my bid was combined with Greg's). I was willing to go $675.

 

-JamminJ

[Leothelion]

It looks like the coins sold to someone else. All 3 lots sold below my max bid. One sold about 10% below and the other two about 20% below my max bids.

 

Oh well, scratch Goldberg off my list of companies to do business with. I'll find something at Long Beach to spend my money on!

 

Sorry to hear that and for the consigner! Hopefully the buyer or dealer who bought the coins will see this thread but I doubt it!

 

Leo

[gmarguli]

Here is the mint state Italian Ducato that I really wanted. At least Heritage has a couple Ducatos that interest me.

[GDJMSP]

Hmmm - kind of surprised to hear this. I've been a customer of their's for some time. Never had a problem.

[RGT]

I saw a coin or two that I was interested in too. I decided to check out their web site instead of bidding through ebay. When I saw all the hoops they wanted me to jump through to bid I decided not to bother. I'll just stick with Heritage (despite their occasional problem). As they say, another coin will come along soon enough.

[TomB]

I'm surprised to read so many negative things about the Goldbergs. I spoke with them at a show and told them I wanted a bidder number and also how much I wanted in terms of a line of credit ($100,000) and they gave me no hassles at all. The few times I have needed to speak with someone or ask a question, they have always responded on the phone or via email very quickly.

 

Please note that I have no intention of ever approaching my credit limit, I just wanted it high.

[dragon]

Hmmm.....it's my guess that if they really wanted to, they could have approved you within 5-10 minutes or so. All they would have to do is make a quick call another large auction firm or a dealer or two that you do business with.

 

Maybe the fact that you WEREN"T bidding on very expensive lots gave them no incentive to approve you right away, but I agree it shouldn't take 4 days or anywhere near that long to get you approved to bis on a few lots in their sale. At the very LEAST, they could have simply asked you for a 25% deposit on the lots you were bidding on until they could check your references or whatever IMO.

 

dragon