General Information

What services do we provide?

We conduct online auctions for owners seeking to sell more than $20,000 worth of assets at one time. We sell real estate, personal property, and we often settle estates and liquidate businesses.

Where are the auctions conducted?

With rare exceptions, auctions are conducted online, while merchandise remains at the seller's location. Items are viewed and picked up at the seller's location or at a location specified in the auction listing.

Do you conduct live auctions?

Tennessee law requires foreclosure auctions and sheriff sales to take place at live auction. We occasionally manage those sales. Also, some real estate auctions we conduct with partners may be live, but those will have specific instructions on the auction for registration and bidding.

Do you accept items on consignment?

We do not sell items on consignment. We only sell items at auction.

Do you have a showroom where I can see what is for sale?

We do not have a showroom, and we do not have regular business hours. Please read the instructions on individual auctions for the specific instructions for viewing items. This is especially important for vehicle auctions - these are open by appointment. We are not set up for people to come in and browse.

Where are you located? How many locations do you have?

Our office is located at 470 Woodycrest Avenue. It is our only location. All other locations specified in our auctions are our sellers' locations. We do not maintain office hours, and if you drop by without an appointment, you may find that no one answers the door.

What are your office hours?

We do not maintain regular office hours but are in and out of the office during the day. If you need to stop by for any reason, please call for an appointment so that we can be sure someone will be available to assist you.

Registration and Bidding

How do I register to bid for your auctions?

Registration is on our website, mclemoreauction.com. Click on the Register link at the top right. After registering, you will receive an email with a confirmation link. Once you click on that link, you are registered and ready to bid.

I didn't receive the confirmation email.

Please check your spam and junk folders, and your company firewall settings. You can also email or call us and ask us to send it to you again. Sometimes bidders type an error when entering their email, so the message can't get through. If you don't receive the confirmation within a few minutes, please call or email us.

Sometimes, you won't find the email, even if we have sent it, because your network hid it behind a firewall. This happens a lot when your email is a company address, instead of something general like Gmail or yahoo. Some cable companies also think we are to be hidden behind a firewall as well. If the email is behind a firewall, you will never see it. You will need to either reregister with a different email or adjust your firewall settings.

We can try to manually confirm you if nothing works, but if you are having difficulty receiving the confirmation email, you're going to have trouble receiving invoices, alerts, and important messages from us.

I can't log in. I don't remember my bidder number or password.

You can update your password on our website by entering your email. A link will be sent to you to update your password. You can also contact us via email or phone, and we can manually reset your password for you.

Why did my bidder number change?

When our website was upgraded in July 2016, the system changed everyone's bidder number and required a change in password. At that time, we asked that bidders reset their password by entering their email on the login screen. Some people did not receive the email or have lost it.

Credit card information was not saved during the upgrade, for security reasons. If you haven't logged in since July 2016, you will need to change your password and once you have logged in, update your credit card information.

Why did you change my username?

We change your username back to your bidder number when you create a username that displays to other bidders as an instruction to stop bidding, or proclaims you the winning bidder, or other instructions from the site. You’ll get an email when we do that. If it continues to be a problem, bidding privileges will be terminated.

How do I sign up for your newsletter? Do I have to register for your site too?

You can sign up for our weekly newsletter by clicking the link on the left of the home page and completing the information. This does not register you for bidding. Your information is used for the newsletter only and is not sold or traded.

I want to sign up for your real estate newsletter (Or estate sale newsletter, or restaurant equipment newsletter)

We only have one newsletter, the weekly one that announces all our auctions. We don't have separate newsletters for different categories.

Why do I need to supply a credit card number? I plan on paying cash.

Your credit card tells us that you are a real person that has access to a verifiable payment method. We usually charge the card on file immediately after the auction closes. Please check the individual auction for payment procedures. Cash is no longer accepted at many pick up locations.

How do I know my credit card information is safe?

We have the highest degree of encryption on our site, and data is safeguarded. We do not see your credit card information, aside from the last 4 numbers for identification.

Why did you charge me $1 when I didn't buy anything?

When you place a bid, we place a $1 authorization or hold on your payment method for each auction you participate in. It is not a charge, and it is not per item, it is per auction. This is to verify that you have a valid payment method on file. The authorization / hold will expire in 30 days. Requiring an authorization or hold protects the integrity of the auction process.

Requiring a deposit or hold is becoming standard in our industry, as it protects the integrity of the auction process.

How do I bid?

After registering, click on the auction you are interested in viewing on our home page. You will see the items displayed, along with their current minimum bid. You will also see tabs at the top for the location, dates and times, and terms and conditions. We encourage you to read ALL this information if you are entering a bid.

Click on the item you are bidding on. Enter your bid. Be sure to click the acknowledgement of having read the terms and conditions, otherwise the bid will not register.

If you are using a mobile device, this video will show you how the process should look on any device.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k-AIfVDkZCyzzdwdCK5DEAKqF4sKxv3N/view

I bid the minimum, and someone always comes in right away and bids more. How is that possible?

Someone else entered a competing maximum bid. The system bid on the other bidder's behalf according to the set schedule of increments. The person with the larger maximum bid is still winning.

How come auctions don't end right at the scheduled time posted and the clock keeps resetting?

The ending time posted is when the auction begins to end. Each item has a different ending time. The first item in an auction might end at 2:00 pm, but often the final listed item is not scheduled to end until much later, depending on how many items are being auctioned.

Our clock is not broken. The clock resets when a bid is received in the last five minutes of an auction for an item, or for all like items in groups called "soft close groups". This gives all bidders a chance to decide if they want to increase their maximum bid if someone outbids them and discourages the practice of "sniping" - i.e., swooping in at the last second and grabbing the item with a last second bid.

What if I have a question about an item or an auction?

The auction manager's name and contact information are listed in the top left corner of the auction listing. You can email us for general questions at info@mclemoreauction.com, or you can contact them directly. If you have questions about viewing or picking up an item, it is best to contact the auction manager directly.

How will I know I have won an auction?

We will email an invoice to your email on record. This happens usually within a few hours of the auction close. You can also log on your account and click the "Invoices" tab on your account main page. You will see the invoice there.

How do I pay for my purchase? Do you automatically charge my card?

Payment in full is due at the conclusion of the auction. McLemore Auction Company, LLC automatically charged all invoices under $5,000 for the full amount using the credit card in your account. For invoices $5,000 and above we will accept a cashier’s check, or you can pay by wire transfer. We do not accept personal checks. We are rarely set up to accept cash at seller sites where you pick up your purchases.

If you have questions about payment methods, please contact the auction manager listed on the specific auction.

Do you ship items?

McLemore Auction does not ship items, but some of our sellers provide shipping for cost and a handling fee. Please be sure to read the terms and conditions for each auction thoroughly so you know what to expect and how to request shipping. When a seller does not provide shipping, it is the buyer's responsibility to have your choice of shipment company pick up your item at a time and place agreed to by the auction manager and have them pack it and ship it to you. McLemore Auction does not assume responsibility for damage that occurs during shipment, or damage that occurs once the item leaves the auction site.

If you would like the information for local companies who have been used by our buyers to pick up, pack, and ship items, please contact us and we can provide the information.

Do you deliver items?

No, we do not make deliveries.

What if I cannot make it in time to pick up the item?

Please contact the auction manager listed on your auction listing to let him know there about the difficulty and ask if he can make an alternative arrangement. If you cannot find the auction manager's contact information, please give us a call or email us with your name and the name of the auction if you have it, so that we can direct your message to the right person.

Please bear in mind that some sellers have short timelines for removal, and may discard items that are not picked up in a timely manner as they are considered forfeit with no refund.

Selling with Us

How do I create an auction with you?

We conduct auctions for sellers who have at least $20,000 worth of items to sell. There are some exceptions for high value items such as motor vehicles, boats, etc.

Please contact us with a phone number where you can be reached, and we will call you to discuss having an auction manager meet with you.

What will you do for me?

Once you and the auction manager have reached an agreement, the auction manager will take photos, create the catalog, and upload it to our website. We will promote your auction to our more than 30,000 subscribers through our email newsletter and via social media. For some specialized merchandise, we may also send targeted mailings to an area or to similar businesses.

When the auction is open for all bidding, the auction manager answers questions about the merchandise, and is present for an inspection time when potential bidders can come and view the merchandise. The inspection is usually held at the sellers' premises. The auction manager also is present for the removal of items by winning bidders, supervises the payment, and resolves any issues with bidders.

Do you auction storage lockers?

We have on occasion auctioned storage lockers that contain high value, specialized items. These are auctioned as one piece, not lot by lot, so they likely will not bring the value that could be realized by a traditional auction. If you have a storage locker full of assorted items from an estate, we likely would not be the best auctioneer for you.

Generally, bidders want to have a location to examine merchandise and claim it when they are the winning bidder, and storage lockers do not provide that opportunity. We do not have space in our warehouse to move and display items.

How do I auction my real estate with you?

Please contact us via email or phone, and we will schedule a time to discuss the sale and inspect the property. Providing the owner's name, the county, and the tax ID is helpful.

Do you conduct appraisals? I have some valuable artwork.

We rarely perform appraisals; however, we may be able to help you by placing you in touch with qualified personnel.

Are there any items that you do not auction?

Due to problems with verifying authenticity in sports memorabilia, we no longer conduct auctions of collectible sports items. We do not sell pornography or items that may be considered lewd, overtly racist or discriminatory.

Do you auction firearms?

Yes, in accordance with state and federal law.

Can I list items with a reserve price?

All personal property sells regardless of price, without minimum or reserve. We typically sell real estate to the highest bidder, subject to the owner's acceptance of the high bid.

How much do you charge? What is your commission?

The commission is discussed privately between each auction manager and seller. Our compensation varies based on each seller's requirements.

After the Auction Closes

How do I know I won an item?

We will email you an invoice for the items you have won at the end of the auction, and we will charge your card on file for invoices under $5,000. The email accompanying the invoice will have instructions for pickup and payment. Please make sure you read the instructions so that you understand the procedure for pickup and payment. It is not always possible to pay at the pickup site.

Where and when do I collect my item?

Please follow the instructions on your invoice and the email that is sent with it. Your invoice will specify the location and time frame for pickup.

What happens if I do not pay for my item?

We will revoke your bidding privileges and turn your account over to collection agents. We may also pursue other legal remedies available to us and our clients.

Do you display auction results? I'd like to see the final price on an item or a piece of property.

You will find the auction results by clicking the “Past Sales” link at the bottom of each page on the desktop version of mclemoreauction.com.

Can I buy whatever did not sell?

Unsold items are rare. Please contact the auction manager directly if you have questions. We do not maintain inventory

Can you give me the contact information of a seller or a winning bidder?

We do not share contact information of our clients or customers unless required by a court of law.