Buying At Auction In The Digital Age

Our goal is to make online auctions as exciting and dynamic as if you were bidding in a live auction salesroom.
We also strive to make the bidding process as easy and user friendly as possible, so you can bid anywhere in the world at anytime of day from your mobile device while enjoying the exhilaration of an auction.

Bidder Registration

The first step is to complete our online registration form, including your full name, mailing address, telephone number, email address and a valid credit card through Gardner Galleries secure website. Users must be over the age of 18 to register, and must also read and accept our terms and conditions of sale. New bidders located outside of Ontario may be asked to supply additional information such as valid photo identification and a bank reference. Once your identity is confirmed, your account will be activated. 

You are now ready to join thousands of bidders in weekly online auctions of jewellery, artwork, furniture, unique collectibles & more. For those uncomfortable with online bidding, absentee bid forms are available to fill-out in person and Gardner Galleries can bid on behalf of the client. Bids are also accepted by telephone or email, but arrangements should be made well in advance.

The Auction Is About To Begin...

  1. Be sure you are logged into this website and are a registered bidder
  2. Browse current & upcoming auctions, confirm the start/end times and read our full Terms and Conditions of Sale
  3. Click "Enter Auction" below the heading and scroll down to view each lot in that particular auction
  4. Once you find an item that you like (or that you simply must have), enter your bid amount
  5. You can place the next minimum required amount or your Max Bid at anytime before the auction ends
  6. A bidding number will be assigned to you once your bid is entered
  7. Bidding increments can be viewed on each lot, and the minimum bid amount varies depending on the current price of the item
  8. Confirm the soft closing clock (2 minutes), and if no other bids take place within this time frame, the auction will end at the specified time
  9. If another bid comes in within the last 2 minutes and you are willing to bid more, enter your next bid
  10. When the clock runs out on an item, that lot is moved from the auction page from "Open" to "Closed"
  11. After the entire auction concludes, you will receive your invoice by email and also on your Account page with payment and pick-up instructions

Viewing & Condition Reports

All items offered for sale are available for viewing in advance, by appointment. We encourage anyone interested in buying to attend the viewing, examine items in person and confirm size and condition. Our staff is available during viewing times to assist and answer questions, and condition reports are also available by telephone/email but please remember when bidding, every item is sold "as is".  

Payment, Buyer's Premium & Taxes

You will receive an email notification and invoice shortly after the online auction closes to your registered email on file, with full payment instructions. The advertised buyer's premium (20%) and HST (13%) is added to the purchase price unless tax exemption is applicable, and all sales are in Canadian dollars.

Payment can be made immediately after the auction by processing your credit card on file: simply view your invoice once received by email, and click "Pay Invoice". Your Visa or Mastercard on file will be charged, and please note payments made by credit card are charged an additional 2% processing fee.

E-transfer is also available, send the full amount on your invoice to info@gardnergalleries.com and please email us confirmation once sent. For those wishing to pay in person, payment can be made at our office during regular business hours by cash, debit, Visa, Mastercard, bank draft or certified cheque. Wire transfer is also accepted for higher-value purchases and for clients located outside of Canada.

NOTICE: Payment must be made no later than one week (7 days) after the auction concludes. If your invoice has not been paid in full within this time frame, Gardner Galleries will charge your credit card on file and a notification will be sent to the buyer once payment has successfully gone through. Users with unpaid accounts exceeding this time frame due to a declined credit card or for failure to contact our office will be blocked from future bidding and purchases re-sold in a future auction.

Collection of Purchases and Shipping

The pick-up location is always the Gardner Galleries store location (407 Hamilton Road, London, ON, N5Z 1R8), unless mentioned otherwise in the auction description and office hours are Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 10:00am to noon hour. Free parking and loading is available behind our building and Gardner's staff are available to assist with loading heavier items, such as furniture. Items must be paid for and collected within one week (7 days) after the auction.

If you live outside of London and are unable to pick-up your purchases during business hours, Gardner Galleries will pack and ship small purchases (ie. jewellery or small paintings) via Canada Post. A surcharge for packing/handling of at least $20.00 + HST will be added to the shipping price and due to a high-volume of sales, please allow up to two weeks for items to be packaged and sent. Purchases which take more time and more materials for packing will be charged a higher rate and it is advised to contact Gardner Galleries for a shipping quote prior to bidding, especially if located outside of Ontario. If you wish to have purchases shipped through another service or manage your own shipping, please let a representative know beforehand. Gardner Galleries will not ship large items such as furniture, but may be able to arrange delivery from Windsor to Toronto. It is encouraged to contact our office for a free estimate prior to bidding, as the cost of shipping may exceed the selling price of an item. 

If items have been paid for in full, 7 days have passed since the auction but you still wish to collect your purchases in person, please make arrangements with our office as storage charges ($25.00/week + HST per item) will be applied. Failure to pay for and collect items within the specified time frame as stated in our Terms & Conditions will result in the users account being permanently blocked from future bidding, and items re-sold or disposed of.

Please be considerate when purchasing large items such as furniture, understanding we have limited space to store items after the auction. Logistics are important to ensure our business runs smoothly. We know that circumstances may arise that are out of one's control, and we will do everything we can to work with the purchaser and make certain their items are received.