RULES, POLICIES, and IMPORTANT INFO FOR ALL JM HOBBY SUPPLY AND RAILROAD ARTIFACTS AUCTIONS
We want to welcome you and say hello, as well as thank you for joining us for our sales! We kindly ask for you to PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING IN THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS---IT IS IMPORTANT!! We want to make sure that your bidding, buying, and shipping experience is EASY!! This will save you (and us!) time, effort, and allow us to get your items won to you as fast as possible. THANKS!!!
1. There are two days to the sale. Saturday, July 26, 2025 is broadcast LIVE, and will consist of all of the railroad artifacts. Sunday, July 27, 2025 is a TIMED sale and has all of the model railroad items (you won’t see or hear an auctioneer) but bidding occurs the same way, online. MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU WISH TO BID BOTH DAYS, THAT YOU REGISTER FOR BOTH DAYS. We will not take any new bidders after Friday, July 25, 2025, at midnight CST. As the auction clerks are VERY busy on the auction day, we do not accept any late registrations on auction day. This is also so we have time to vet each bidder before the sale.
2. If you are a REGISTERED HI BID BUYER with us, and have a STATE SALES TAX EXEMPTION NUMBER—you MUST send a copy of your certificate of state sales tax exemption CERTIFICATE to us for verification PRIOR TO THE SALE!! We will NOT take tax off after the sale if you have not submitted your proof of exemption in time! These certificates should be emailed to us at jmhobbysupplyandrrartifacts@gmail.com or mail them to us at JM Hobby Supply and Railroad Artifact Auctions, PO Box 25, Luxemburg, WI 54217. WE MUST RECEIVE THESE NO LESS THAN 5 DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE SALE!! No exceptions! We must have time to vet and verify each certificate. We will notify you of their acceptance via email, so make sure to include your email address with your certificate. PLEASE NOTE THAT OVER 50% OF WHAT IS SENT TO US IS REJECTED, BECAUSE PEOPLE SEND THEIR BUSINESS REGISTRATION NUMBER!! This is NOT a sales tax exemption form/number! YOU MUST HAVE A SEPARATE SALES TAX EXEMPTION FORM and NUMBER, issued by your state where you do business! Claiming you are non-profit also DOES NOT mean you are sales tax exempt!
3. You will receive a SEPARATE invoice for each day if you win items on BOTH days. If you only win or bid on one day, you will receive only one invoice. You will receive this within a day (24 hours) of the sales. Your total will be AUTOMATICALLY CHARGED to the credit card you have on file with HiBid, which will be done within 24 hours the receipt of your invoice. Thus, you will no longer have to initiate a payment. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH CREDIT AVAILABLE TO COVER YOUR BIDS, BUYERS PREMIUM, and SALES TAX. This will eliminate any issues in waiting for people to pay and delaying shipments. All payments must be made before shipping or pick-ups will begin—no exceptions. We do not take cash, or payments at the time of pick up. All payments MUST be made by credit card, through the HiBid payment system.
3A. Remember that since HiBid's fees are lower than Live Auctioneers, we wanted to pass some of those savings on to our customers. The buyer's premium has dropped to 14%, and the credit card fee is 4%. The credit card fee is charged by Global Payments, the credit card processor, and is the same as what was charged by Live Auctioneers in the past.
4. Any declined credit cards will result in a $25 additional fee added to your bill through Global Payments, the credit card processor for HiBid. There are no exceptions to this fee, whether it be your fault, or your bank/credit card company’s fault. We do not have any control over this. We usually only have 2-3 people per auction who do not have enough money in their accounts, or never intend to pay in the first place, so this will likely not affect 99.9% of our customers. Please be responsible and make sure you have enough credit to cover your purchases. We STRONGLY URGE YOU to contact your credit card company, in advance of the sale, so they know you plan to bid, especially if you are bidding large amounts or on many items, and are from out-of-state.
NOTE: WE DO NOT PROCESS YOUR CREDIT CARDS!! WE DO NOT HAVE YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION!! You have provided this to HiBid...not us!! Your cards are charged by their credit card processor, Global Payments...not us. We DO NOT process auction cards here. Any problems with your cards must be dealt with through your own credit card company/bank. If a card is declined, it is YOUR CARD/YOUR BANK telling Global Payments that there is a problem with your card. Global Payments, HiBid, and JMHS&RAA have NOTHING to do with the validity of your card and CAN NOT do anything to rectify the issue. ONLY YOU CAN, THROUGH YOUR BANK/CARD COMPANY!
5. We will AUTOMATICALLY, if you have items won from BOTH days, combine the shipping into one shipment (or as few boxes as possible). YOU DO NOT NEED TO CALL US TO REQUEST THIS! We do it, as a courtesy to you, as we like it when sellers do the same thing for us when we buy railroad items!
6. After your initial invoice for your items is paid, they will be packed, weighed, and shipped via the least expensive method possible to save you money. DO NOT CALL US FOR SHIPPING QUOTES!! We do not offer these. By registering to bid, you agree, with the rules put forth by HiBid, and by us, to pay appropriate shipping costs. WE WILL SEND YOU A SECOND INVOICE, from which you will then be charged automatically for your shipping. Again, there is a $25 declined credit card fee that will be incurred if your shipping payment does not go through. You may already know that we try to get things out FAST, and that we only charge ACTUAL SHIPPING COSTS. Thus, we will itemize the costs for you on the invoice, so you will see what is charged for postage, insurance, box(es), packing materials, etc…We don’t like to be overcharged on shipping, so we will not do it to others!
7. THERE IS NO NEED TO CALL US FOR TRACKING NUMBERS. We will include the tracking numbers of your package(s) on the shipping invoice so you have them right away! Again—we do this as a courtesy to you, so you have accurate info right away and can follow your shipments! Please follow them, as you MUST sign for your packages! If they get shipped back, you will have to pay postage AGAIN to have them reshipped, as well as any return postage costs that we incurred for the return. Failure to pay these fees will result in the loss of your items, and any/all fees previously paid, 30 days after the date of the auction. This is Wisconsin auction law, which we must follow. You will also be blocked by HiBid from future auction bidding--ours or others.
NOTE: We DO NOT control the speed of the shippers! You must be PATIENT once packages are shipped out! Sadly, we have had packages take over a month to arrive, when in truth, it should be a week or less. FOLLOW THE TRACKING NUMBERS!! Do NOT file a claim if it is still in the system, as this will not help you!! Contact us FIRST if you think their is a problem, by email at jmhobbysupplyandrrartifacts@gmail.com, and by phone at 920-857-9670. If you do not contact us FIRST before contacting a shipper, we will be unable to help or support you!!!
8. DO NOT CALL OR EMAIL US ASKING WHERE OR WHEN YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR SHIPPING INVOICE or SHIPMENTS!! There are 100s of orders at each sale and these shipping invoices come out to you in the order that your item invoice is paid and the money is received by us. We do not control this order. Shipping takes place over the course of about 2 weeks (14 business days) after the sale, so PLEASE HAVE SOME PATIENCE!! EVERYONE CAN NOT BE FIRST IN LINE!!! We WILL NOT return calls or emails about when your shipping invoice is coming or when your items will ship! We ship once we receive your payment, after it has cleared. Please understand that answering all of these calls simply delays our staff in being able to do the shipping for you! We’d rather they would be working at packing your boxes! Again, please note that TRACKING NUMBERS for your packages will be shown on your invoice so you can track them!
9. ALL PACKAGES MUST BE SIGNED FOR, AND ALL PACKAGES MUST HAVE INSURANCE ON THEM---NO EXCEPTIONS! This is for your protection, and ours. We don’t need people yelling at us about getting refunds if a package is lost or damaged when a buyer wanted to waive insurance, or when it was left on their porch and someone stole it!
NOTE: If you are a Canadian or foreign customer, you agree to pay any and all customs/duties/taxes/fees/tariffs that may be incurred when your item is delivered or attempted to be delivered. WE DO NOT PAY THESE!! You also agree that if your packages are returned to us because of your failure to do so, you will be charged any additional shipping fees we incur to the card on file with HiBid. Failure to do so will have you blocked from any and all future HiBid auctions, ours or others.
10. IF YOU ARE PICKING UP YOUR ITEMS, call us and leave us a message at 920-857-9670 STARTING ON TUESDAY, JULY 29. WE WILL CALL YOU to arrange a time convenient to both you AND us so we can schedule your pickup. Pick-ups take only a matter of minutes, and you will be asked to sign for your items when you arrive. If you are late for your pick up, you will have to reschedule. We will not wait for latecomers. NO EXCEPTIONS! Yelling at us for your own lateness, and excuses, are not tolerated. Plan enough travel time so you arrive on time. Do the right thing, be courteous, and call us if you will be missing your scheduled time so we can reschedule. Many of our pick-up staff are volunteers, but even nif they are staff members, we feel it is wrong to inconvenience them, and know you would not like it to be inconvenienced, either. Thank you!
11. IF YOU HAVE LARGE ITEMS OR FRAGILE ITEMS THAT YOU ARE ARRANGING TO HAVE SHIPPED BY A THIRD-PARTY SHIPPER, as explained in the item’s description that you read before you bid, please call us and leave a message at 920-857-9670 starting on Tuesday, July 29, so we can CALL you to discuss this. Third party shippers DO NOT include UPS/USPS/FED EX/DHL. You are welcome to coordinate with any other shipper you wish that is willing to pick up your items, pack them, and deliver them to you. We DO NOT schedule third-party shippers---you do! There are 1000s of them nationwide. When we need something shipped, we often put things out for bid on U-Ship, and suggest the same. We have also had things shipped to us from firms like R&L Carriers, Federal Transport, J.B. Hunt, and others. We will hold your items at no charge for up to one month, once they are paid for, if you need to coordinate this. Large signs, clocks, heavy items like bells, glass items or frames with glass---all are much safer to be picked up and shipped by a 3rd party---or yourself! NOTE: If you have a quantity of items that you win, and only ONE (or more) of your items requires pick up, this will move the ENTIRE order into the stage where it MUST be picked up and/or you MUST arrange a 3rd party shipper. We will NOT ship part and have you pick up part! (plus, it will be cheaper for you!) You MUST notify us of the pick up or shipping arrangements within 30 days of the sale date, or your items are considered abandoned. You have up to 30 days after the sale to pick up your items, or they are considered abandoned. Abandoned means you lose all fees paid for your items. ADDITIONAL NOTE: Rarely, but on noccasion, one of our staff may be in your region for a show, estate pick up, or event. We are happy to bring your item(s) to you for a fee to cover some of our gas expense in these rare situations where the stars align and we are near your location. The gas charge must be agreed upon and paid for in advance, as should the meeting time and location. If you fail to be present for the delivery, fail to meet our staff member, or cancel the meeting, there is NO REFUND for the gas charge, and the fee MAY NOT be applied to other shipping or pick up costs of the item(s).
12. MAKE SURE YOUR NAME AND SHIPPING ADDRESS ARE ACCURATE ON YOUR HIBID ACCOUNT BEFORE THE AUCTION BEGINS!! We CAN NOT ship to alternate addresses that are not on your account, to protect you, and us, against fraud. If a package is returned to us because you fail to provide an accurate address, or you fail to claim/sign for your package, you will have to update your HiBid profile with your correct name and address that MATCHES YOUR INVOICE and pay the postage a second time, as well as any postage due when an item is returned to us, before we will reship the item. Failing to do so in 30 days of the date of the item being returned to us will cause the item to be considered as abandoned, with the loss of all fees paid.
13. We have found that 99.99% of auction clients are wonderful people who are honest and helpful. Many have become friends over the years. However, please be aware that we take FRAUD and DEADBEAT BIDDERS VERY SERIOUSLY!! As an example, in a recent sale, one bidder bought an item, paid for it, tried to claim that it wasn’t what he bought (it was the EXACT thing he bought---we take pictures of every item shipped and packed before it is shipped, so we can verify any claim!) but he wouldn’t return it, and filed a claim with his credit card company! This is, of course, fraud! Working with the credit card company, our local police, and the police in his town, he was prosecuted and had to pay not only for the item, but all legal fees, including ours! We WILL prosecute ANY instances of fraud. We and HiBid will also BAN THESE BIDDERS from ANY future bidding. We also have had several instances where people bid on an item, won it, and did not pay. If you do this, again, you will be BANNED permanently from bidding. Believe it or not, there are even people who pay for their items, and then fail to pay for their shipping! If you do not pay for your shipping, your items are considered abandoned and will not be refunded. By Wisconsin auction law, any items not picked up within 30 days are also considered as abandoned. There are no refunds for abandoned items in any instance. Those not paying for their shipping also are blocked from future bidding. While we are certain that this will apply to almost no one, we want to make sure that you understand the policies and law related to situations like these.
14. Registered bidders agree that they will not, under any circumstances, initiate a chargeback, and agree that they are waiving any chargeback rights that may exist under the agreement between the bidder and the bidder's credit card company. Should a chargeback be initiated, the agreement to these terms and conditions will be conclusive evidence of the bidder's waiver of any chargeback rights. If a chargeback is successful, the buyer remains liable for the purchase price, including any buyer's premium and taxes, plus costs of collection and attorneys' fees. YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE BLOCKED FROM BIDDING IN ANY FUTURE AUCTIONS IF YOU HAVE A CHARGEBACK, AND THESE AMOUNTS OWED WILL SHOW ON YOUR PROFILE FOR ALL AUCTION HOUSES TO SEE!! Thus, thanks for your help in bidding and paying! It comes down to this---we want to keep your costs low for both buyers and sellers fees—lower than any other firm. When we have to deal with costs and losses, these are the things that make prices go up. We’d like to keep the costs down for you! THANKS!!
15. Please note that we take photos of EVERY ITEM as it is being packed into your boxes, as well as when they are in your shipping box, for not just accuracy, but so we know that your items are truly in the box, and so no one can claim that they did not receive their items. Again, we take fraud very seriously and do this to protect us against the .01% of clients who try to claim they have not received expensive, valuable items! It also helps in case of a damaged package, so it could help you as well if this were to occur.
16. Terms of Guarantee. All property is sold "AS IS" without any representations or warranties by us or the consignor. This is an auction--not a retailer of new products. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. There are no refunds. The items for sale are consigned; in most cases are not new, but are used, with no manufacturer warranty. We and the consignor make no representations and warranties, expressed or implied. Items may have been repaired or have replacement parts, which may be original or aftermarket, for continued use over their lifetimes. We and the consignor are NOT responsible for errors and omissions in the catalog. We always try our very best to represent items as accurately as we can in photos and descriptions, as this is the right thing to do. You are encourage to ask questions BEFORE bidding and should inspect items before bidding as well. Photos are provided for each item with multiple views for this purpose; all may be expanded in size for clarity. Electric items, like power supplies and model railroad locomotives, are sold AS-IS, with no warranties. We will tell you the result of them being tested here, but that DOES NOT mean they are guaranteed to run when you receive them!!! NO refunds or returns on electrical items, or any other items. JM Hobby Supply and Railroad Artifact Auctions will not be responsible or liable for any damage to frames and glass coverings, regardless of the cause.
17.If there is damage in shipment to your items, we will help you in making a claim with the shipper, (we and the shipper are not liable for broken glass/frames/glass coverings), but you MUST CALL US AND EMAIL US FIRST---NOT CONTACT THE SHIPPER!! Of course, there are NO GUARANTEES that they will rule in your favor, or any guarantees of compensation. There will be no compensation from us for damage in shipping in any instance. We pack things extremely well, above normal shipping standards in most cases, and have had almost nothing get damaged in all of our years of shipping. We will help you if the shipper manages to lose your package, in which case, they should be liable, but you also understand that JM Hobby Supply and Railroad Artifact Auctions is NOT LIABLE for lost packages and will not refund anything for lost items in any instance.