Hi everyone, has anyone had any experience with the Sotheby's Paris auction post-sales services team, specifically were you able to use your own shipper for the lots won?
I recently won a lot on one of the Paris auctions and received a shipping quote for it. I wrote in to enquire on the breakdown cost of the quote i.e. packing cost, insurance cost, warehouse cost etc but the post sales team replied that it was a lumpsum quote and there's no breakdown available.
I also asked for more details (box weight and size, collection address and timing, packing cost etc) so that I could arrange shipping with my own DHL account. However, they replied (quite curtly I felt) "Besides, we don't allow you to use your own DHL account, because the lot is not packed, and DHL doesn't pack goods."
Am feeling quite taken aback with the response as it is a very different experience from what I had with Christie's. For Christie's I was able to arrange my own shipping with DHL and as DHL only does collection and not packing, Christie's assisted with the packing at a fee which was fine with me. The subsequent VAT refund was also processed very smoothly.
May I ask if this is the norm for Sotheby's or is it only with the Paris team? I read on Sotheby's FAQ that we are able to arrange our own shipper so I'm not sure why I received this response. Should I quote their website and push to use my own shipper or accept their (marked up) quote?
Appreciate any insights and advice on this!
I recently won a lot on one of the Paris auctions and received a shipping quote for it. I wrote in to enquire on the breakdown cost of the quote i.e. packing cost, insurance cost, warehouse cost etc but the post sales team replied that it was a lumpsum quote and there's no breakdown available.
I also asked for more details (box weight and size, collection address and timing, packing cost etc) so that I could arrange shipping with my own DHL account. However, they replied (quite curtly I felt) "Besides, we don't allow you to use your own DHL account, because the lot is not packed, and DHL doesn't pack goods."
Am feeling quite taken aback with the response as it is a very different experience from what I had with Christie's. For Christie's I was able to arrange my own shipping with DHL and as DHL only does collection and not packing, Christie's assisted with the packing at a fee which was fine with me. The subsequent VAT refund was also processed very smoothly.
May I ask if this is the norm for Sotheby's or is it only with the Paris team? I read on Sotheby's FAQ that we are able to arrange our own shipper so I'm not sure why I received this response. Should I quote their website and push to use my own shipper or accept their (marked up) quote?
Appreciate any insights and advice on this!
