Q & A with Auction My Stuff's Curator

How did Mystification come about and what is it?
Mystification came about as a result of so many of our VMS customers asking us for advise on where they could sell their items. Through our efforts to assist them it became clear an auction service would be the natural next step for the My Stuff brand. Simply put- we mix the tradition of an auction house with a 21st century flair of internet.

we mix the tradition of an auction house with a 21st century flair of internet How does it work?
Like other online auction websites, we allow sellers to list their items by category though, unlike some, we do not charge a listing fee. This means if your item doesn’t sell it hasn’t cost you a thing. It also means you can relist any unsold items with out having to loose money again and again. 
When your item does sell through our site, we take a 10% sellers commission, which is a great deal less than other auction houses seller’s fees.   A seller can place an item up for auction, after it has been seen by one of our experts, at any time. And each item can be listed on the site for either 10 or 20 days.

We also have themed sales such as the current Marlene Dietrich sale going on from March 19th to April 8th. Other themed sales coming up include a football memorabilia sale, a jewellery sale and a comic book sale. If sellers would like to include their items in one of our themed sales, they are more than welcome to and need only to contact one of our staff at AMS to find out further details.

So why should sellers use Auction My Stuff?
We don’t have a minimum value range, meaning items can be worth as little as £10 or as much as £100,000’s.  Also the inclusion of expert opinions allows sellers to understand the market range their items are worth. That said sometimes more ordinary items can be special, for instance in the Marlene Dietrich sale on until April 12th, several items are of extremely affordable, such as her Shaker Mittens,

 valued between $10-$20 USD.  If two people who are fans of here both want to own them, I could see them going for much more than their high estimate.

 Why not go to a physical auction house?
By no means are we trying to discourage people to not place their items in a physical auction.  There are several very reputable auction houses locally, nationally and internationally.  That said not everyone lives near one, or if they do their items might not be above the minimum price those auction houses set.  Essentially we are offering another avenue for a seller to take, and this one, like the leading auction houses, offers expertise in every field in which it sells.

Why are buyers going to be tempted to use Auction My Stuff over other online auctions?
Again this is another place the inclusion of expert opinions on items comes into play.  Unlike other auction sites that deal in the large range of items and item values that we handle, we offer expert opinion on every thing that is put up for sale. Our experts give their unbiased market opinion as well as an opinion of the condition of the item; this transparency allows bidders to better understand exactly what they are bidding. We also have a simple grading system on our site as a visual aide to help buyers understand how experts have categorized the items listed.  A Platinum gavel means that the item has been uploaded by a trusted dealer or certified seller. A Gold gavel means that our experts have actually seen, inspected and physically handled the item. A Silver gavel means that we’ve valued the item online on Value My Stuff, based solely on photographs and expressed an expert opinion.

Is there anything else you think the buyers and sellers should know about the New service?
AMS is a creative way to sell and buy online. It is also a way to participate in a growing community who wish to buy and sell safely and with transparency online.  I would encourage anyone who wishes to try their hand at trading in an online market which talks like Sotheby’s and Christie’s but provides an innovative online experience