Buying & Selling

Selling

Whether you’re selling a watercolour or a wardrobe, an old mower or an Old Master, we want to ensure you get the best possible price. We will assess all items you wish to sell, give you an idea of its value, and decide which of our auctions is the most appropriate, depending on the number and type of potential buyers.

To sell at one of our auctions, you can either:

  • Send us a digital photograph
  • Bring the item(s) in to our Heathfield office (please phone first)

Items in our Online General & Collectables Auctions and our Toy & Transport Auctions are illustrated on our website and two other specific trade websites, where they can be viewed by potential bidders throughout the world.

With Watsons you’re dealing with real people. We’ll give you an honest assessment and a realistic price for whatever you wish to sell, eliminating the risk and guesswork associated with the big online auctions and ensuring you see the best possible return. What’s more, we aim to make payments within 10-14 days of the sale, so you won’t have to wait for your money.

From July 2023 items for our Online Collectables & Furniture Auctions can be consigned the first full week of the month (subject to availability – please call first) times may vary around Bank Holidays.  Please call with regard to items for our Specialist Auctions.  Terms and Conditions apply to unsold and uncollected items. please contact us for further details.

Specific terms and conditions apply to the selling of motor vehicles and motorcycles.  Please enquire for further details.

Commission

Our General Auction commission is 18% plus VAT. Unsold lots are charged at £3 plus VAT per lot per sale. We have a weekly admin fee (not per lot) of £5 plus VAT. Our Online Collectables & Furniture Auctions and Specialist Auctions have a commission fee of 20% plus VAT with the same admin fee and unsold fee as our General Auction. There is a 1% Loss & Warranty fee and should items be illustrated in our printed catalogue there is a £10 plus VAT charge per photograph. All items entered into our Specialist Auctions are fully illustrated online at no extra charge. We also use live bidding platforms at no extra charge. Vehicles entered into our Specialist Auctions may incur different fees. For more information, please call 01435 862132.  Please note that once lots have been consigned to auction a fee is applicable should the items subsequently be withdrawn.  Unsold items not collected will be sold unreserved or disposed of at the vendors cost.

To discuss a potential sale item, arrange an appointment, or find out more about selling through a Watsons auction, please call 01435 862132 or email auctions@watsonsauctioneers.co.uk

Buying

ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS SEEN.  CATALOGUE DESCRIPTIONS ARE NOT CONDITION REPORTS.  REPORTS ARE DONE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AND WE WILL ADVISE OF CONDITION TO THE NAKED EYE.  ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS WILL BE SENT ON REQUEST. PLEASE VISIT IN PERSON OR DELEGATE SOMEONE TO VIEW FOR YOU TO BE CERTAIN.

All our Specialist sales offer a number of buying options. You can bid:

  • In person at our Heathfield salerooms
  • Via a live bidding platform (please note additional charges will apply)
  • Via this web site (commission bids only)
  • By email at bids@watsonsauctioneers.co.uk
  • On commission – around 50% of all our sales are made by commission bidding
We accept cash (or cheques by prior arrangement if you are  known to us).  We also accept major credit and debit cards (excluding AMEX) however PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT TAKE CUSTOMER NOT PRESENT TRANSACTIONS.  Alternatively bank transfers can be made to: Account Name: Watsons Auctions. Sort Code: 20-49-76. Account No. 53091813.  Please use bidding name as reference. For any overseas transfers please add on £15 to cover our bank charges. For further details of bidding and payment arrangements, or to find out more about forthcoming sales, please call 01435 862132 or email auctions@watsonsauctioneers.co.uk  Please note we do not carry out telephone bidding on lots estimated at under £100.
 
WE DO NOT OPERATE A SHIPPING SERVICE.  If you are unable to collect either Mailboxes on 00 44 1892 510155 (e-mail info@mbetunbridgewells.co.uk) or Jentel Packing on 00 44 1268 776777 (e-mail enquiries@jentelpacking.co.uk) will be able to assist you with smaller items. KA Exporters on 00 44 7738 726774 (info@kaexporters.co.uk) or van4us on 00 44 7792 204448 (paul@van4us.co.uk) may be able to help with furniture and larger items. All items from our Online Collectables & Furniture Auction must be collected within 7 days or storage charges of £1 plus VAT per lot per day will be implemented unless pre-agreed.  Items not collected after 3 months will revert back to our ownership and sold to cover costs. Items from our General Auction need to be collected by 5pm Wednesday following the auction.
 
Items for our General Auction will be resold at the next auction if not collected or disposed of at the customers cost.
 
It is the buyers responsibility to ensure items are as they appear.  We can provide additional images and condition reports to help with this.  Any queries regarding lots must be raised within five days of the auction.
 
Clients will be bound to one bid over their limit having regard to other bids received and made.
Specific terms apply to the purchase of motor vehicles and motorcycles.  Please enquire for further details.
 

Buyers Premium

Buyers Premium for our General Auction is 19% plus VAT making a total of 22.8% on the hammer price. Buyers Premium for our Online Collectables & Furniture Auctions and Specialist Auctions is 20% plus VAT making a total of 24% on the hammer price. Motor cars and motorbikes entered into our Specialist Auctions incur a 10% plus VAT Buyers Premium making a total of 12% on the hammer price. For more information, please call 01435 862132.  Live bidding platforms will charge additional fees

GDPR

Anyone buying or selling through Watsons needs to register their name, address, telephone numbers and e-mail address.  This information is purely for us to contact you regarding items you are buying or selling.  It is not used for profiling, mailshots or by any third party.  This information is not disclosed by Watsons to any other person or organisation.  We do not store or hold any other information including bank details or credit/debit card information.