AUCTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS (see full T&C below)

• Payment and Collection

  • A buyer’s premium of 17% plus GST applies to each lot.
  • All online bids are final and cannot be retracted.
  • Payment in full is due by 7pm on Tuesday following the auction (Weekly Estate Auctions). Accepted payment methods are EFTPOS (in-house), Visa/Mastercard, and direct debit; no cash or cheques are accepted.
  • Payment and collection hours are Monday 9am–7pm and Tuesday 8:30am–7pm. If the Tuesday following the auction is a public holiday, payment and pickup will be Tuesday 9am–7pm and Wednesday 8:30am–4pm.
  • Failure to collect items within the designated timeframe will result in the items being rebooked into an auction under your name. A 50% vendor commission will be charged on any resale to cover storage fees; see your invoice for details.
  • To avoid storage or penalty fees, payment and collection by close of business on Tuesday following the auction are strongly advised.
  • For large purchases, carriers are available to assist with delivery arrangements.
  • Small, non-breakable items can be packed and posted for a fee.
  • Country and interstate buyers (living 200km or more from Adelaide) should arrange collection via our Transport department.

  Condition and Inspection

  • All items reflect normal wear and aging consistent with their vintage or condition; descriptions and estimates are a guide only.
  • Lots marked A/F (all faults) have defects beyond normal wear; such defects will be noted. Electrical and mechanical items are not tested and are sold without warranty. Measurements are approximate.
  • Buyers are encouraged to inspect items during viewing hours. If you cannot attend, you may send a representative or request a condition report from our office. Each buyer must satisfy themselves as to the condition of any lot before bidding.

  Refund Policy

  • Refunds are offered under specific conditions to provide buyer confidence. Refunds will not be given for:
    • Lots marked A/F (all faults).
    • Items with normal wear and tear consistent with age and usage.
    • Electrical or mechanical items.
    • Group or mixed lots (referred to as “Assorted,” “Group,” “Mixed,” “Sundry,” or “Quantity” in the catalogue).
    • Lots in Wine & Spirits auctions.
  • Time is of the essence for refund requests. Refunds are provided only if requested within 48 hours of auction commencement for local buyers (within 200km of Adelaide), or within 7 days for interstate or postal buyers. Only full refunds are given (no partial refunds).
  • Consumer Rights: Under Australian Consumer Law, items bought at auction (where the auctioneer acts as agent for the seller) are generally exempt from statutory consumer guarantees. However, you are entitled to full title and no undisclosed debts or charges on purchased goods.

  All Faults (A/F) Policy

  • Lots marked A/F (All Faults) indicate that our staff have identified significant defects. Buyers should request a condition report for any A/F lot.
  • If an item is not marked A/F, only normal wear consistent with its age is expected.
  • Examples of not A/F: An outdoor metal chair showing rust and weathering consistent with its age.
  • Examples of A/F: A piece of furniture that has been broken and poorly repaired, or an antique with a broken and repaired component.
  • No refunds are available for A/F lots; the final determination of faults is made by our expert team.

  Bidding Online

  • Online registration is free and grants access to live online bidding, absentee bidding, and watch lists. Your bidder number is permanent, even if you later bid in person.
  • All online bids (live or absentee) are binding and final once placed; they cannot be reduced or canceled.
  • Check our website regularly for upcoming catalogues and auctions, as we run online auctions frequently throughout the month, in addition to our weekly estate auctions.

  Auction Formats

  • Live (Traditional):
    Our traditional live auctions operate with integrated online pre-bidding. When the catalogue is launched, the auction is live, and buyers can place bids online immediately.

    Each lot is assigned a guide (e.g. $100–$200), with bidding typically starting at approximately 80% of the lower estimate (in this example, $80).

    When you place a bid, you are setting your maximum. The system will automatically bid on your behalf in fixed increments to keep you in the lead, up to your nominated limit.

    For example, with a guide of $100–$200, bidding may start at $80. If you place a maximum bid of $100, you will be shown as the leading bidder at $80. If another buyer places a bid at $90, the system will automatically increase your bid to $100 (the next increment), keeping you in the lead. If another buyer places a bid at $110, you will then be outbid.

    Bidding must follow set increments (e.g. $10 steps up to $200). For this reason, the opening bid may be adjusted above the starting price to align with these increments and allow the Auctioneer to accurately reach your maximum bid during the live auction.

    For example, if the starting price is $80 and you place a maximum bid of $110, the system may open at $90. This is because $90 is the correct increment amount required to progress through the bidding sequence and reach your maximum bid. Please keep bidding increments in mind when placing your maximum bid, as the opening price may be adjusted to align with the increment structure, even if there are no competing bids.

    Even if there are no competing bids, this adjustment may still occur. It is not an additional charge or a bid against you; it is simply how bidding increments operate in a live auction environment.

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    Pre-bidding remains open until the moment the Auctioneer offers the lot. At that point, the Auctioneer will open bidding at the current pre-bid level and continue the auction live, taking bids from both in-room and online buyers.

  • Live Online Only (LOLO): Identical to our live auctions, except that all bidding is done online (no in-room bidders).
  • Timed (Online): Lots are open for pre-bidding over a set period (typically 7–14 days). When the timer expires, the lot is sold to the highest bidder at that final bid price plus buyer’s premium. You may increase your pre-bid at any time before closing, but bids cannot be cancelled once placed.

  Bidding Increments

  • The Auctioneer announces each lot and takes bids in predetermined increments. Typical increments are:
    • $10 between $50 and $200 (e.g., $60, $70, $80, ...).
    • $20 between $200 and $500 (e.g., $220, $240, $260, ...).
    • $50 between $500 and $1,000 (e.g., $550, $600, $650, ...).
  • If an item is knocked down to you, the Auctioneer will announce your bidder number and the final price.

  Absentee (Maximum) Bidding

  • You may place absentee (maximum) bids through our online system after registering. The system will automatically bid on your behalf, up to the maximum you specify.
  • You cannot see other bidders’ maximums; you only see the current highest bid. The system updates you live if you are outbid. After the auction, you can log in to see whether your bid was successful.
  • Once submitted, absentee bids are locked in and cannot be decreased or canceled.

  Packing & Postage

  Scammells can arrange packing and delivery for purchases within Australia using Australia Post or the buyer’s nominated courier.

  Please contact info@scammellauctions.com.au before paying your invoice if you require postage.

  How it Works

  1. We will add the applicable packing and handling charge to your auction invoice.
  2. Once you've paid the invoice and packing charge, we'll pack your items.
  3. Once packed, we will calculate the actual cost of packing materials and Australia Post or courier charges and invoice them separately.
  4. We will dispatch your parcel once you have paid these additional charges.

  Packing Charges

  Small-item packing: $10 + GST
  For coins, jewellery and other small items that can be safely packed in a padded envelope or small satchel with minimal handling.

  Standard packing: $25 + GST
  Includes up to 30 minutes of packing and administration.

  Additional time: $30 + GST per 30 minutes.

  Packing materials, postage and courier charges are additional.

  Where applicable, buyers receive Scammells’ discounted Australia Post business rates.

  You can request Australia Post Extra Cover for eligible items. Please advise us when requesting postage if you would like this added. Additional charges apply.

  Large or fragile purchases may require additional packing time, materials, multiple boxes or specialist transport.

  Fragile Items and Artwork

  We take care when packing items; however, auction goods may be aged, fragile or difficult to replace. Australia Post does not provide specialised fragile handling, and Scammells cannot guarantee that items will arrive without damage.

  Scammells may decline to pack particularly fragile, valuable, oversized or difficult items. These items will need to be collected and packed by PACK & SEND or another specialist carrier.

  Oversized artwork, mirrors, framed works containing glass and alcohol may also require a specialist carrier.

  General Terms and Conditions

  • Auctioneer: Refers to Scammell Auctions (Scammells) and its auctioneers. Purchaser: Refers to the winning bidder/buyer.
  • Bidding: The highest bidder (above any reserve price) is the Purchaser. By bidding, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
  • Agents: If you bid on behalf of another person, you must disclose this to the Auctioneer before bidding. A written authority (letter of authorization) will be required; otherwise, you assume full liability.
  • Disputes: The Auctioneer may refuse any bid or resolve bidding disputes; the Auctioneer’s decision is final. In such cases, the Auctioneer may re-offer the lot for sale.
  • Bid Increments: The Auctioneer sets bid increments and may reject bids not in proper increments. No bid may be withdrawn or reduced once accepted.
  • Payment: All invoices must be paid in full by credit card, EFTPOS, or electronic funds transfer (EFT) by 7pm on the day following the auction, or as otherwise directed by the Auctioneer.
  • As-Is: Each lot is sold “as is,” with all faults, at the buyer’s risk from the fall of the hammer. Neither the Vendor nor the Auctioneer guarantees the condition or description of any lot.
  • Title: Title to a lot passes to the Purchaser only upon full payment of the invoice.
  • Default: If the Purchaser fails to pay for or remove a lot, any payments made may be applied to outstanding amounts. Unpaid lots may be re-sold by auction or private sale, and any shortfall (plus costs and fees) remains a debt owed by the Purchaser.
  • Storage: Lots not removed by the time specified by the Auctioneer may incur storage charges (currently $20.00+GST per day per lot) until removed. Additional charges (e.g., insurance) may apply. The Auctioneer retains a security interest in all sold lots for any unpaid charges.
  • Time: Time is of the essence. Failure to comply with payment and removal deadlines may result in cancellation of the sale of any lot and re-sale of the lot without notice, with any loss charged to the original Purchaser.
  • Agency: The Auctioneer acts as agent for the Vendor in all cases.
  • Motor Vehicles: Vehicles sold at auction (with any statutory notice) are sold “as is” and at the Purchaser’s risk. Any known defects may be announced by the Auctioneer when the vehicle is offered; no other warranties are given.
  • Liability: Attendance at the auction house or premises to inspect or collect property is at your own risk. The Vendor and Auctioneer are not responsible for personal injury or damage to property on their premises.
  • Consumer Guarantees: To the extent permitted by law, no additional warranties apply to auction lots, and statutory consumer guarantees do not override these terms.