How to Auction-Shop With Snake
Auction pro-boy Sami Reiss is here to break it down.
Hi all! Today, we have a special guest post from Sami Reiss, author of the brilliant design Substack, Snake. His true speciality and god-given talent is shopping online auctions, something that designers do all the time. As a “normal,” I’ve been interested in doing some online bidding, but the whole thing is a bit intimidating. Lucky for us, we have Sami here to break it down for beginners!
Howdy Schmatta readers —
Curious about buying furniture or design items on auction, but unsure where the good stuff is, or where to start? I get that. Online auctions — on websites like LiveAuctioneers, which hosts bidding on real-world lots from reputable houses — is IMO the best tool for sourcing design items big and small, but can be complicated at the beginning because of some logistical requirements. But buyers who do a little bit of legwork at the start will find a never-ending well of auctions: depth, variety design — plus, if you want, deals. I’ve used mostly auctions to outfit my apartment and like them so much I curate the best 100 or so design pieces each week in my newsletter.
Here’s how to get up to speed on the platform if you haven’t used it before.
The very basics: Sign up on LiveAuctioneers, append your payment information, address and so on. If you have already done this, download the iOS app, which is well designed and chock full of furniture.
Mess around: Search terms specific or broad — Eames, lamp, Italian, chrome, modular, Anifibio, Eurasian flatware… whatever you want or need. All styles are there. If the results suit you, add the searches to your saved searches. Turn emails on to receive items as they list — I myself have maxed out at like 350 search terms.
Reminder routine: If you like an item, hit the heart button and then click to get approved for the auction — which informs the house selling the item (not LA!) to allow you to bid. You’ll almost always be accepted, but you need to do the second step to actually buy the thing.
Set up shipping ASAP: The thing about auctions is that the buyer needs to set up shipping and logistics themselves. This is why items can sell for very cheap. To do this, message the house through the app when you like an item, and ask them to recommend a shipper. Then chat with the shipper directly: send them the auction link and your rough address and they’ll give you a quote. Save the shipper’s info and repeat, compare rates, and so on. A quick rule of thumb: price is distance and size dependent. To save cash, focus on in-state and correct-coast items, or smaller things.
Houses are full of surprises: Scrub through the whole auction to find stuff you might like and items that may surprise you. (Auctions often have a theme, but sometimes don’t.) I love these surprises. To me, there are more surprises in an auction than at any flea market or store. An item you did not know of, hidden in plain sight, there for the taking.
Bid hard when it’s time: LA’s desktop platform is great. Give some some time from the auction’s start time — the higher the lot number, the later the bid — but don’t wait too long. Then just pay what you think is fair.
How to price? One, take the buyer’s fee into account. Then ask yourself what you’d pay for a good chair. Or what you believe the market price is for that specific chair. In other words, expect to pay less for vintage, more for designer. (More detail on this pricing approach is in this post on my Substack here.)
You’ve done it: Curse yourself for losing or celebrate your win with a loved one or pet. Be sure to be home when the item arrives, and list the piece it’s replacing (for free) in my newsletter’s chat or on your IG.
Scale up: repeat with everything that you own. Add search terms for the stuff you need most — chandelier, club chair, daybed, silverware, flatware, venetians — and for brands and designers and countries you like the most — Cassina, Lomazzi, Danish… be creative. Search vague or specific terms and see what you find. I use this app more than I use IG or email.
Research, research, research: Knowing what everything is, and knowing your taste allows you to take chances on left-of-center goods, and decide quickly on designer pieces that fly under the radar. I suggest combing the Schmatta archives for sharp design criticism to hone your eye. And, if you’d like, my newsletter covers auctions in detail — pricing theories, the best items on the block, and designer rundowns — every week.
 | A guest post by
|