ComplaintsforFreda's Antiques and Furniture Store

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To whom this may concern? I am a widow. 81 years old. I live in a large home a friend left for me. In Aug. I though I was going to move but didn't find what I wanted. I have one son that helps me a lot. I knew if I was going to move I needed to down size. I called Fredas Auction in Fairborn and they came and got my things. He said he took 40% of the money gotten. I have a 3,000.00 bed set and he sold that for 7.95. Also an antique table & 4 chairs he sold for 2.00. I called and as why he sold the bed set for that amount. He said it's like a used car not worth much. Also he gave be 18 pictures and only one was mine. I don't think he should be in business cheating people like that. My son & I both are very upset over this sale. He had a large trailor full of things and I only got 1,200.00 for all. I ask for my pictures back but he kept the good ones. He not to be trusted. Now my good furniture is gone and no money to show for it. The bed was a queen and he got mattress & box springs also with the set. I also had a lot of quilts my mother and I made they went for 2 & 5 dollars each?

  Business response

  01/12/2024

  Dayton Better Business Bureau

  ID ********

  Dated 11312024

  The Customer contacted Freda"s auction in early Ar-rgust expressing a need to liquidate household items to facilitate moving to smaller living arrangements. We met with the customer, explained our procedures, how the auction worked. It was indicated at that time the volume of certain sirnilar items, a need to spread them out over several auctions. ie cookbooks. dolls. and pictures. These were difficult items to sell at auction based on past history. It was explained thal Freda's Auction would come pack. transport. advertise and off'er the items at Public Auction to liquidate them for a agreed commission fee to withheld upon the sale of the items. Customer discussed with son and contacted us shortly after and on 2l Aug, 2023 signed a consignment contract authorizing Freda's Auction to sell the items at Public Auction. Freda's Auction holds a public auction twice monthly, advertises each auction in both the Dayton.& Springfield New,spapers. and advertises on the internet with pictures of items oftbred fbr sell to better promote our consignors items and help them realize the best possible cash outcome for their items. Freda's Auction consistently draws a large crowd. including many times people from out of state attend our auctiorrs. We consider this to be a lair attenlpt to achieve a fair market cash value fbr our consignor's iterns sold. This customer's items grossed a total of $23 13.00 from auction proceeds. The custorner received a check in the amount of $1279.55 (Gross proceeds minus commission fees). The customer received a itemized sale inventory of iterns sold in addition to the check.

  We do not dispute that the customer paid a large amount fbr a bedroom set when purchased, this was a retail store price. When selling a used itern, several things effect the "Cash Liquidatiorl Value" . the age (her's Tyrs). the style (her's Dark Wood-Trend is light or Natural Wood). a mirror for the dresser (Customer confirmed tl-rat no mirror was purchased with item). A public auction also does not offer a Finance Plan . delivery/Setup with purchase or other add ins that get included in the overall price. It is Cash at the completion of the sale. The bedroom set sold to the highest bidder for $275. The same can be said for the other items customer mentioned in her complaint. when offered at public auction. they are required to be sold. We have no control on the market trends, our buyer's response to items, or the value of items once offered at public auction. The State of Ohio requires us to sell the items to the highest bidder. withor.rt reserve unless fore mentioned in both advertising and at the time of sale.

  It does deeply concern us. the customer's son picked up l8 pictures frorn our business that according to the customers own statement in the complaint. 17 pictures did not , belong to thern. They failed to inform us of this at the time, of pick r.rp or anl,time there after that they had received property that did not rightfully belong to them.

  FREDA'S AUCTION

  *** ** **** *** ********* ** *****

  Freda's Auction See Attached Letter in Response to Complaint

  Customer response

  01/30/2024

  B.B.B.

  Thanks for answering my letter. I'm not going to purse this problem. Now he says the bed set sold for 275.00 my ticked says 7.95. Those pictures he gave to me. I donated them. That is his problem he gave them to me. He is nothing but a liar and a crook. I would never recomend him to any one. Let him deal with the loss of pictures. Thanks for helping me with this problem. 

   

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