Most auction houses allow you to mark a seat early but you must be in your seat when the auction starts. After the first item is sold, if your seat is empty it is no longer yours.

There are some auctions that don't take credit cards. You should call ahead of time to check on what types of payment they accept.

If the auction house doesn't take credit cards, you might want to go to an ATM before going to the auction. You could write a check but some houses require pre-approval.

If there are a lot of items you like and the prices are right, you could end up doing a lot of bidding. Write down everything you buy and keep track of how much you're spending. This will prevent "sticker shock" when you go to the office window to pay.

There will almost always be a buyer's premium at an auction. This can range from 10%-20%. Unless you have a tax resale number you will also be paying sales tax. The tax is calculated on both the price of the item and the buyer's premium. When keeping track of your spending don't forget to consider these additional charges.

Most auctions have some sort of food concession stand but you should check this out before you go. If they don't have one; make sure you eat beforehand.

If you are looking for a particular piece of furniture for your own use, measure the area where the piece will be placed. Take a tape measure to the auction with you because if you buy something you like but it doesn't fit once you get it home, you cannot return it.

During an auction, merchandise is consistently being moved around and sometimes it's being moved in a hurry. Be careful to stay out of the staff's way so there won't be any accidents.

Be careful when you are previewing merchandise. Some auction houses are forgiving but some are not. There is a good chance that if you break it, you own it.

Be sure to carefully look at all items you intend to bid on. It is your responsibility to know what you are buying and what condition it is in. Buyer beware.

While previewing, write down the items you are interested in and take pictures if it is allowed. Then you can do the appropriate research before attending the actual auction.

If it is raining, go to the auction. Other people might stay home due to the inclement weather. If so, you could get some great deals.

If you think you will be attending auctions on a regular basis then try to get to know some of the other people. In this business, contacts can be very important.

Some auction houses provide packing materials but some do not. Be sure to take a couple of empty boxes and newspaper with you and pack whatever you buy carefully.

When you are ready to leave you will go through two checkouts. The first will be paying your bill, the second will be getting your merchandise. Be sure to check your bill carefully and make sure you have been given the correct items. Sometimes people give out merchandise by verifying the buyer numbers. Merchandise should always be given out by the item numbers, not the buyer numbers. The item numbers will always be accurate since they are assigned during the set-up phase. You also know an item number is accurate since there was no problem with it when it came up for sale. However, the staff at the auction house is under a lot of pressure to get things done quickly and members of the staff can easily make mistakes writing buyer numbers on the merchandise as it is sold. Sometimes they just don't hear the auctioneer correctly.

Bring a pencil with you. We used to provide golf pencils for our customers but if we ran out, buyers would be almost hysterical. No one ever had a pencil or a pen with them.

Whatever you do, don't forget to pay. Even if you aren't taking anything with you because you are going back the next day, you must pay before you leave the auction.