Help & FAQ

Click Register at the top of the site. You'll need an email address, a username, a password, and a credit card. The card is used to authenticate that you're a real bidder — it's not charged at registration. You'll only be charged if you win a lot.

Registration is free.

No. Registering is free, and there's no fee to place bids. The only cost is what you bid plus the 10% buyer's premium and any applicable taxes, paid only if you win.

The credit card you provide at registration authenticates that you're a real person with a valid account. We do not place a verification hold on the card.

Your card is only charged after you win a lot, automatically the morning after the auction closes (see payment).

Yes. We accept bids from anywhere. Most lots are pickup-only at our Las Cruces facility, but we coordinate shipping for many items — see shipping for details.

Every lot is hand-inspected before listing. Visible damage, defects, missing parts, significant wear, and functional limitations are disclosed in writing and shown in the photographs. If an issue is visible to us, you should see it in the photos, read it in the description, or both.

For a full statement of our standards, see Our Commitment to You.

MVES operates as an online auction. We don't host public previews. Bidders inspect lots through the photographs and descriptions on the listing page.

If you have specific questions about a lot before bidding — measurements, function, hallmarks, condition details — call us at 575-639-0213 or message us through the lot page. We'll get you the information.

When feasible and safe, items are checked for basic function. Some items can't be fully tested — too complex, missing components, sealed packaging, or safety concerns. When that's the case, the listing states it plainly.

Untested items are sold AS-IS with no warranties.

Every lot has a 10% buyer's premium added to the hammer price. If you win a lot at $100, the buyer's premium is $10, and your subtotal before tax is $110. New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax applies to that subtotal.

Enter the maximum amount you'd be willing to pay for a lot. The system then bids on your behalf in standard increments, only as much as needed to keep you in the lead, never exceeding your maximum.

You don't pay your max — you only pay one increment above the next-highest bidder's max. Industry data suggests proxy bidders pay less than their maximum about 75% of the time.

For the full guide with worked examples, see How Proxy Bidding Works.

Bid increments are determined by the current price:

• $0.00 – $9.99 → $1
• $10.00 – $24.99 → $2
• $25.00 – $99.99 → $5
• $100.00 – $499.99 → $10
• $500.00 – $999.99 → $25
• $1,000.00 and above → $50

Lots close one at a time, every two minutes, in the order shown on the auction event page. The closing time for each lot is displayed on its listing.

If a bid is placed within the final two minutes of any lot, that lot's closing time automatically extends another two minutes. This repeats as long as new bids keep coming in.

You'll receive an email notification with a link back to the lot. From there:

• Raise your maximum if the lot is still worth more to you than the new current price.
• Walk away. Your original max was your honest ceiling — there's no obligation to chase further.

If you're not receiving outbid notifications, see our email troubleshooting guide.

Bids are binding contracts to purchase. They cannot be retracted by the bidder. If you placed a bid by mistake, contact us immediately at 575-639-0213 — we may be able to remove the bid before the lot closes, but this is at our discretion and not guaranteed.

The credit card on your account is automatically charged at 9:00 AM Mountain Time the morning after the auction closes. You'll receive an emailed invoice immediately after charging.

For titled items (vehicles, trailers, motorcycles), credit cards cannot be used — see below.

We accept:

• Credit card or debit card (auto-charged at 9 AM MT the morning after auction)
• Cash (at pickup)
• ACH or wire transfer (for high-value purchases)
• Cashier's check
• Personal or business check (subject to approval)

Exception: Titled items (vehicles, trailers, motorcycles) cannot be paid with credit card. Acceptable payment for titled items: cash, ACH, wire, cashier's check, or approved personal/business check.

Our payment processor prohibits credit card payments on titled items. This is industry-standard. For vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles, acceptable payment methods are cash, ACH, wire, cashier's check, or approved business/personal check.

Yes, New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax applies to most purchases. The tax is calculated on the subtotal (hammer price + buyer's premium) and added to your invoice.

If you are an exempt buyer (resale certificate, certain non-profits, certain out-of-state buyers), contact us before the auction closes to provide your documentation.

Pickup is at our facility off Lohman Avenue in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The exact street address is provided to winning bidders by email after payment.

Pickup is by appointment. After payment, you'll receive instructions for scheduling. Most pickups happen during the 7 days following the auction.

Yes. Our team loads items into your vehicle at pickup. Exceptions are rare and disclosed in the lot description (for example, items requiring specialized equipment that we don't have on-site).

Bring a vehicle large enough for your items. We're happy to give size estimates before pickup if you're not sure.

For most non-fragile items, we offer free delivery to a UPS Store, FedEx Store, or local Las Cruces shipping vendor of your choice. From there, the shipper contacts you to complete arrangements and bill shipping costs directly.

For some smaller items, we may be able to ship in-house — case by case, depending on the item and your location.

For local delivery within New Mexico, we maintain a list of independent contractors who provide delivery services (not affiliated with MVES, contracted directly between you and them):

• Eddie — 575-649-3721
• Freddie — 575-640-8781
• Anthony — 505-306-2707

Shipping arrangements are between you and the shipper. MVES doesn't insure or guarantee third-party shipping.

Contact us as soon as you know. Storage policy:

• Days 0–14 after auction: Free storage.
• Day 15 onward: $10 per invoice per day.
• After Day 21: Items may be transferred to off-site storage with a transfer fee ($37.50 for small objects, $75 for large/mixed lots), plus continued $10/day storage charges.
• After Day 28: Items not picked up are forfeited. No refund of payment.

If you need extended storage, talk to us — we can sometimes accommodate special circumstances if discussed in advance.

Yes. Email us in advance to authorize a pickup proxy. Provide the name of the person picking up. They'll need to bring a copy of the invoice and photo ID matching the name you provided.

Yes. Bidders are welcome to inspect their purchases at pickup before leaving the facility. If an item doesn't reasonably match the listing's photos and written description, raise it with staff at that time. We'll work to make it right — refund, credit, or relist, depending on the situation.

Once items leave the facility, all sales are final.

If you discover a material discrepancy between the listing and the item at pickup, bring it to staff's attention before leaving. We address it on the spot.

Once items leave the property, they are considered accepted and all sales are final. This is the same standard you'll find at any reputable auction house.

AS-IS means items are sold in their present condition, with known and observable issues disclosed in the listing, and with bidder responsibility for final inspection at pickup. It does not mean vague descriptions, undisclosed problems, or photos that hide condition.

Most items are pre-owned estate merchandise — normal signs of age and use should be expected.

Call us at 575-639-0213 or message through the lot page. Specific questions we can usually answer:

• Additional measurements
• Closer photos of specific features (hallmarks, condition details, etc.)
• Functional testing where safe and possible
• Materials, construction, or attribution details

For higher-value lots especially, we'd rather you ask than be surprised.

This is the most common support issue. Quick checklist:

1. Check your notification settings — make sure alerts are enabled.
2. Search your spam, junk, and Promotions folders for emails from [email protected].
3. Add [email protected] to your email contacts.

For complete step-by-step troubleshooting including Gmail-, Outlook-, Apple-, and work-email-specific fixes, see our email troubleshooting guide.

Go to Card Management to update or replace the credit card on file. Update your address at Address Management.

Click Forgot Password on the sign-in page. You'll receive an email with a reset link.

If the reset email doesn't arrive, check your spam folder. If it's not there, see our email troubleshooting guide or contact us at 575-639-0213.

Go to Account → Invoices to see all past purchases. Each invoice is downloadable as a PDF.

Call James directly at 575-639-0213 or read our About page for an overview of how we work with sellers. Free consultation, no obligation.

We work with estate executors, downsizers, business liquidations, and individual sellers with higher-value pieces. We're selective — we list items we'd be comfortable taking into our own home once we see them.

Commission rates depend on the category and overall consignment value. We discuss specifics during the initial consultation. Vehicle commissions can be as low as 15%.

Settled lots are sold to the highest bidder — no reserves, no buy-backs, no last-minute price changes.

Consignor payouts are weekly. After buyers pay and pickups complete, your share is calculated and sent — typically within one week of the auction's full settlement.

This is faster than industry norm, where 6–8 weeks is common.

It's your choice. We can:

• Return the items to you
• Relist them in a future auction
• Donate them on your behalf

We discuss this with you before the auction so the unsold-item plan is in place from the start.