Why do I need your phone number?

Since the instructions ask you to submit your bid by email, and state that you will be contacted by email to let you know whether or not you were a winning bidder, why do I ask for your phone number?  Two Reasons:

1. Winning bidders are sent an email with the pick-up address and asked to reply, letting me know what time I can expect them to pick up the items they won.  Sadly, there are those people that get “buyer’s remorse” and do not honor their bid.  Unfortunately, when I do not receive a reply to the winning bidder notification, without a number to call I cannot distinguish between those that are not going to honor their bid, and those that just forgot to check their email (or didn’t read it).

2. Winning bidders have a window of time in which to pick up and pay for their items (for example 2:00 PM to 7 PM Friday). I ask that they tell me when, during that time period, to expect them so that I can have their item accessible and ready to go.

People often get busy and forget about the sale. Let’s say John Doe tells me he will pick up the item he won at 3:00.  When it is 4:30 and I have not seen him, if I have his phone number, I give him a call as a reminder.

If I don’t have his phone number, I call the second bidder (who did provide a phone number).  They have been told that they didn’t win so now they need to scramble and pick up their item in the next few hours.  If it is a large item this can mean finding a truck and some help.  In the meanwhile John Doe finally shows up with their truck at 6:00, only to be told that the second bidder has been contacted and the item is no longer theirs.  WHAT A MESS!!!  This could all have been prevented if John Doe had followed the instructions and provided a phone number as requested.

PLEASE provide your phone number.  I hope to never to have to call you, and it will not be disseminated or used for any other purpose.