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Charston auto auction
Is a great on line auction
Buy with confidence
Screwed again because I’m online bidding. TT-111 2015 BMW. I challenge you to watch tape. My bid posted to the screen/ auction just BEFORE the auctioneer said” last ,final call for bids “. Then waits a moment , backs up and sells car to previous bidder whom is there. Bid was clearly in and it wasn’t even close. Watch it , fix it , it’s not the first complaint regarding this. Online bidders drive up prices allowing sellers to meet floor price’s and therefore not only buy what they win but are responsible for additional sales. I shouldn’t loose a purchase because someone is getting tipped / paid and sellers shouldn’t loose higher sales prices for the same reason. It’s not just unfair but unethical. Never has this point been better demonstrated then in yesterday’s sale on TT -111. I was in the whole way, bid several times , please check it out
Al, thank you for your feedback, and please note that we do work with the auction to investigate these complaints. That being said, the first thing we noticed was a significant amount of time before your bid came in – 8 seconds to be exact. Upon listening to the audio, the Online Manager could hear the auctioneer clearly confirm that the hammer had already been dropped when the ringman attempted to introduce the online bid. This would have been no different if you were present at the auction. In my experience of investigating these issues, the vast majority of cases are easily verifiable in the playback recording which the auction has on file. I can also tell you that Charleston’s General Manager, Laura Taylor, does not tolerate the unethical practices you described. In this case, I would recommend that as a Best Practice when buying online, be sure to have your sound turned up when you are bidding. The auctioneer is the only one who can drop the hammer – not the clerk. This is why the clerk had to override the bid. Also, I would like to remind you that Charleston does have a dedicated online support team. Never hesitate to call during the sale if you are experiencing any issues: 855-469-7272 Ext 721. Thanks again for writing in, and I hope this suggestion will help you to have a better online experience going forward.
Great place to sell a vehicle. The van brought more than the reserve.!! Thanks Chris
There aren’t very many auctions left that care, Charleston is a breath of fresh air in this regard. The mood, the people and the results in this place are best you’ll find anywhere.
Samone Sumter has been most helpful getting me registered and supporting me as a buyer.
Thanks.
NORMALLY, I never take time for a survey but after reading a few of these comments I decided to leave some feedback based on my experiences with C.A.A. I’ve done business at auctions over 40 years and have never been treated better anywhere than at C.A.A.. The second time I ever walked in the door at least 5 staff members greeted me by name before I got to the desk to get a bid badge . Impressive to me! From Laura ,Jason, Jeff, Chris, and right on down the list I couldn’t be more pleased. They’ve all always gone above and beyond to help me with any request. therefore, CUSTOMER SERVICE gets the best from me and I appreciate each and every one there thank them for the great job they all do ! CONDITION REPORTS, I give less than perfect as I would at any other auction including FORD,GM., and CHRYSLER factory sales at whatever auction they are held. SELECTION of INVENTORY, I rate less than perfect as I would any other auction I attend and including my own inventory and I don’t see that getting much better very soon . Auctions can only sell what we dealers send them to sell. BIDDING EXPERIENCE,I have never had an issue bidding at C.A.A., other than the little time lapse when buying online, at any auction. I rate C.A.A. among the top of the list and much better than a huge portion of the list ! Simply my opinion based on my personal experience with C.A.A. and my humble 66 years of life .
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Charleston over the years. What a great testimony! We will share with the team.
I loved this auction when I first started buying here about 6 years ago. Not so much anymore. Don’t get me wrong there are some good things. The title office and sale day check personal are top notch no complaints there. I have had several times of unfair treatment. At one time I had a situation and called for almost 2 months asking to speak to Ms Laura Taylor as I was recommended to by her employees. Not once did she ever return my calls. Thankfully her Manger under her finally took care of the matter.
Also I have found that auctioneers will fake in lane bidders to drive my simulcast bids up and unfortunately this happens in other auctions as well and causes online bidders to overpay because if the in lane bidders stop bidding then there’s a reason condition wise. Or online bidders stop the they end up backing back up to previous bid to prove this even more. Auction fees seem very high as well.
Jo, we appreciate your feedback and are working to provide customers with more channels to connect with the auction. Charleston has grown over the last 6 years and in doing so, has increased its efforts to satisfy the needs of dealers and the community. The auction is staffed with friendly, customer service personnel, and knowledgeable Managers to oversee each department. That being said, it is always best to direct your issue to the Manager of a department. I assure you that Laura Taylor cares about the issues that concern you and would not intentionally avoid your call. In her role at Charleston, in addition to overseeing all departments, Laura serves as an advocate for the automotive community and a champion for community-based charities. She is always working to ensure that Charleston Auto Auction is using its growth to have a greater impact for its customers and local citizens. In other words, Laura is not known for avoiding phone calls, but she is known for being extremely active, and therefore, relies on Jason and the Charleston team to work with dealers when issues arise. With regard to auctioneers and vehicle pricing… Charleston has a highly qualified team, and dealers are able to research vehicles in person or online prior to bidding. If you have a specific issue related to online bidding, the online department is available by telephone, chat or text, and can investigate the issue by video and/or computer transcript. Charleston provides customers with complete transparency and the ability to bid online with confidence. I hope you will continue working with Charleston as there are a lot of great improvements coming your way!
The condition report on run number 2TT-010 was completely inaccurate. It had a 5.0 CR yet the car has engine trouble and had been in an accident which was not disclosed. If a vehicle runs as a 5.0, it should be front line ready with no issues.
Sorry to say, I will not be purchasing any vehicles online as the information posted can not be relied upon and trusted.
Charleston has arbitration policies in place, which are available to online buyers. The Management Team is very reasonable and willing to discuss any issues a dealer might have. It is important that you contact the auction right away if you experience any issues out of the ordinary. This type of information needs to go through the proper channels so that they may be verified and corrected as needed. Charleston is always looking to improve the online customer experience and has a dedicated online support team that can be reached via chat, text, or phone at (855) 469-7272 x721. I would like to invite you to provide more details in a follow-up email you will receive which will be forwarded to the Management Team. We appreciate your feedback and hope you will continue to source vehicles through CHAA which has a long-standing reputation for fair business practices and customer service.
Due to a quick hammer I lost a bid today!!! The bid went to $6000 and I was prepared to go as high as $7000 if I had to. $6500 preferably! Apparently the auctioneer wasn’t aware that I was also bidding on line at the time!!!
I noticed other complaints about a quick hammer so I think you should explain this situation to the auctioneers to be more aware of the on line bids and to delay the hammer with a final warning before the hammer falls. I am very pleased to be able to get an on site walk around description of the vehicles before the start of the auction!
Hi Dennis,
A new release of simulcast will help to address this issue. There are some great new features to improve communication between the block and the online buyer. We look forward to hearing what you think!
We have brought this to the attention of management and it is being reviewed as to whether it was a system delay or human delay. The auctioneers are generally very aware and considerate of the online guests. Charleston works to ensure all attendees, whether in lane or online, enjoy the best experience possible. Thank you for making us aware of this so we can take the necessary action to prevent any future occurrences.
Jeff and Jacklyn are deal savers. This auction has done a good job for me the last 12 years that I have used them.
We need better pictures!!!!!!! Start on time…………..and move faster!!!!!! and oh yeah…….FREE HOT DOGS!
Thanks for your feedback, Joe! I will share your thoughts with the management team, but not sure I can guarantee the hot dogs…lol. We appreciate you, though!
Great job putting deal together yesterday, thanks. Getting phone call through on sale day has been much better! 4 stars instead of 5 on bidding because I only bid online and not in person. Unfortunately for myself and seller on occasion and somewhat frequently they’ll close the sale before my bid has been accepted. I’m not slow bidding or trying to snipe the winning bid. There are a large number of factors that influence how the internet works and it would be helpful if the Auctioneers paused just a moment before dropping the hammer to allow the online bid to come in ESPECIALLY when you’ve been in the bid the whole time. Overall, I can’t say enough nice things. Thanks for all the help always.
Need more commercial trucks and vans(lol). Could be more accurate on CRs. Chris Wise and Laura Taylor have always answered and returned all my calls. Lets give kudos when they are do. Thanks
Customer service is good when you’re onsite. But over the phone it’s poor. You can’t even get thru you just go to the general voicemail and nobody will you back. The worst is arbitration and his name is Chris wise he will a mickey mouse game till you give up. But I will blame the Gm and Agm for that they too bossy to return calls or reply to emails it’s a shame but I think it’s a standard. The title personal is very good and professional also they expedite issues very fast, cheers to Tiffany any how it’s still a beautiful day at charleston auto auction…
Thank you for your feedback! Charleston’s Management Team recognizes that customer communication is crucial to the success of the auction. This is why Charleston Auto Auction now provides customers with Multi-Channel Support, which allows you to speak to a live representative throughout the sale via telephone or chat. You are also able to submit a ticket, which is monitored by our dedicated online support team to insure that you receive a response in a timely manner. The online support number is 855-469-7272 Ext 721, and you can visit the website or the Help Center to chat: https://chaa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
Our request for your feedback is also part of the initiative that Charleston is putting forth to listen to customers, and make improvements so that you have a premium experience whether you attend in lane or online. I would encourage you to continue to provide comments, and if you experience any more issues, I hope you’ll use the resources listed above. Thanks again!
Customer service is the best in my 46 years of auto sales. The ladies are all very professional and courteous. Check in, check out, all questions answered is 100%.
I am a big fan. The people and service was fantastic and extremely personable. I have purchased many vehicles from CAA and I will buy many more in the future. Southern Cars will continue to support this sale and the folks that run it!!!
Rachel Cortes, my sales rep, did a great job for me. She took care of lining up transport for my vehicles, represented them for me, and got us higher bids to make the sale! Great Job!
Stand by previous comments generally satisfied however this is second time in 4 weeks I’ve dealt with a manager whom should have ability or sense to make gray area call. OR fake like you care. Purchased red light car in running condition. While in auctions care timing jumped and car was turned over enough to hammer valves and head. Went to pick up and found a non running bad engine. Asked Chris in arbitration for help…..he defined “red light’ for me multiple times as if !!!,. Never hearing nor listening to me. Happy to by red light car and want it in the same condition as what passed block. I asked ” is the auction not responsible for the vehicles care while in there posession ?…2 days? Answer …NO, not if red light and I quote”. If it catches on fire and burns to ground after theblock that’s what you bought.”. So., I asked ” the auction takes a pass to give care or be responsible for the condition of any red light car? ” Unfortunately yes”. I was told. I appealed for him to speak with management and he agreed to do so and follow up with a call the next day. Well,. Still wasn’t listening, 6 days and counting no call, not professional nor acceptable.
A ticket was created from your review, and we contacted the auction. They informed me that they were looking into your issue, and would reach out to you. I hope this was resolved to your satisfaction. Thank you for reaching out, Al. Communication is so important!
Auction is ok. Arbitration not to great. If you are a big dealer selling or buying you get special privileges. If you are small like myself and many others, you get the stiff treatment.
Laura is good. Most staff is good also.
It’s not I don’t like the auction itself, just the way the small guy gets treated.
I would do more business with them if things were different.
Thank you for your feedback, Steve. Charleston Auto Auction does follow the NAAA guidelines for arbitration. When you have an arbitration issue, please refer to that document. If the arbitration department does not adhere to the rules as outlined, I would urge you to speak with Laura. Please note that Charleston is willingly participating in this feedback survey to insure that dealers of all sizes have a voice. The feedback will be reviewed by management, and serve to guide the auction in its mission to bring you a better experience. So please continue to provide your point of view, and hopefully we will soon see you every Friday, whether in the lanes or online!
Will never ever shop there again. I believe I was treated unfairly and believe the auction protects it’s big seller and not small buyers like myself
Charleston Auto Auction displays its arbitration guidelines publicly, and follows these rules consistently per each customer. If you feel you were treated unfairly, please site which policy was overlooked, and contact us with the information. The auction has agreed to participate in this feedback survey specifically for the purpose of hearing from customers, and making sure that everyone is treated fairly.
I love the family feel of the auction and feel that building a rapport between us “the customers” and all the staff is important for everyone.
I agree with several things that have been raised above, auction fees being the biggest issue.
However, here’s a couple of things that are easy to address….
1. Turn the volume down on all the speakers in the lanes, if you reduce them all uniformly we’ll still be able to hear the announcements.
2. How did we ever get to the lane nomenclature system we have now???? 6 Lanes, A-F done. Its crazy the way it is now, it doesn’t have to be that complicated.
3. You’re not going to like this one, no smoking inside the buildings (yes, including the lanes), period. Plenty of outdoor space for smokers.
I know these 3 things seem trivial, but you get so much right its just a couple of tweaks to make the buying/selling experience more palatable.
Thank you so much for your kind words, and respectful insight! This will be reviewed by management.
Jeff Burgess is the only good thing about CAA. Auction fees are among the highest in the Country. Most cars are in very poor qualty and Arbitration will side with Franchise Dealers over Independents majority of the time.
Charleston has opened the door of communication to obtain the thoughts and feedback of all customers of every size and scale. Buyers are welcome to view vehicles prior to the sale, and if viewing only, you are always welcome to contact a sales rep with any questions you may have. Of course, all feedback is welcome, and appreciated.
The customer service reps are very nice! Always helpful. Easy to stay in touch with emails. Usually get an answer the same day. Just don’t like it when not told that there is no key and then find it out later. There should be keys with all vehicles disabled or not.
Thank you, Robin. Your feedback is appreciated, and I will bring this to the attention of the Department Manager.
No one at this auction will return a phone message, from Laura Taylor on down, except for Jason. The condition reports have gotten very inaccurate the last few months . The online pictures used to be great, but now they seem to try not to show damage. I usually buy online, bidding is difficult, the auctioneers should be trained in the bidding process from the buyer side of the computer. I must say this is a problem bidding on most sites. The fees do not follow a uniform scale, you never know what the fee amount will be. I just paid $285 on a $1200 car, that is ridiculous. They are much higher than the other auctions in the area. If you go there in person the experience is much better, everyone is very nice.
Thank you for your feedback. Please note that Charleston Auto Auction now provides dedicated online support. Our reps will submit your requests, and notify you the moment they have a response. You can reach our support department by telephone or chat. Click Here for the Help Center. With regard to fees, please clarify if you are referring to buy fees, inspections, or any reconditioning you may have requested.
Chris, Darrell, Teresa and all the staff at Charleston continue to make it an easy choice for us in the Carolina’s. Thanks to you all.
Great sale super nice folks all the way around. Only issue I have is on sale day need more people answering phone and assisting. Call 8 times finally get answer then your switched to extension that doesn’t answer. Then with 2 cars in post sale you call more and at 5:01 it’s goes to after hours message and no answer….. How am I suppose to know what’s going on with offer or p/s. You should be able to reach someone on sale day after hours until inspection are done so we know to arrange payment and transport.
Al, we now have a few ways you can communicate with the auction on Sale Day. Our dedicated online support is available by phone, chat, or ticket submission request. The addition of our this team allows us to provide a concierge service to our guests, insuring you receive a response by COB. Check out our Help Center at https://chaa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
Bias to who you are and how much you spend. Especially when it comes to arbitration.
Charleston follows the NAAA Arbitration policies, and maintains the same standards for all dealers. If you have a specific issue on how you were treated unfairly, please feel free to provide details so that we may bring your issue to the attention of the right person.
Overall satisfied with auction, The title department and post sale inspection people are awesome. However condition reports and descriptions lack… Especially twice for me I have purchased 2 vehicles at separate times that were listed as Automatic’s but they were straight shift! The first time I called and left a message then received a call the next day from a gentleman that was less than helpful and even laughed about it. I got no help and figured why even call the second time it happened. That was no laughing manner… Straight shift vehicles are way cheaper and harder to sell,
This will be brought to the attention of the Department Manager. Thank you for sharing your feedback. You can expect better!
Takes forever to get information on if bids to and from. Takes all day to get information or talk to someone on the phone. I challenge you to call in from outside and see what you experience.
I promise that if you call our new Dedicated Online Support Line, you will talk to a live rep, or receive a call back within a few minutes. We also now provide you with an option to chat or submit a ticket. Visit our Help Center: https://chaa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us and let us know if you still experience issues. Thank you for your feedback!
The only problem we really have is getting titles in a timely manner.
Thank you for the feedback. We will bring this to the attention of Management.