Lightning Auctions is a auction clearing House that sells estate and vehicle auctions. I have attended both auctions and have found that the vehicle auctions are a little bit on the expensive side of things. The vehicles are sold for retail or blue book. If you are looking for a really good deal, it might be a better idea to go somewhere else. This place is a good location for antique auctions. I purchase a few items and have found that the best deals are on the online auctions. read more

This is one of the BEST auction companies I have ever dealt with. I met the owner, he is kind and polite. The items I have purchased from here over the last month have been in excellent shape! They are awesome!! read more

Had a friend there to do business with them they treated him very poorly he has done a lot of business with them and to hear that they treated him so bad it's heart-wrenching how can you do thousands of dollars a business was someone and then turn around and treat them like shit I will never do business with these people read more

Awful car buying experience. they, (Kyle) I don't know who he is, is very rude and unprofessional. He does not respect customers, uses profanity in front of customers and his employees. Descriptions and Pictures posted on line are deceiving and do not tell or show the damaged parts, but according to Kyle, you bid on it and you own it. Never again I do business with them. read more

This is the most unethical business I have ever known. I have never been treated so unfairly when I was trying to sell something. An agreed upon minimum price was discussed before the item went up for bid and I was told I would get a call from the manager after an appraiser first looked at it. Several weeks later the item went up for bid without a call and sold without my knowledge at a price far less than I would have let it go for. When I found out and told them I didn't get a call to set the minimum price, I was told that I could no longer do business there. I was sworn at and accused of things I didn't say, but I did have something in writing that they ignored which was presented to them. The only person there who has been professional is Garrett, but unfortunately, he is not the person who caused this issue. I sure miss Anchor Auctions who was a very reputable auction house!! read more

The young man running the front desk was extremely rude to myself and the customer before me. It was my first time purchasing an item through lightning auctions. I love the item I got, but his attitude was frankly disgusting. Not sure I'd be comfortable buying anything from them again if I knew I had to interact with the same person. read more

Lightning Auctions is one big rip off. if you are the seller, beware. I have read several good reviews if you are a buyer, thats probably because if your a seller they give it away.We had a bedroom set (rome weber) which is thomasville quality, some small tables & a new $5,000.00 electric quitar with amps. the check they sent was $ 318.00. Now if anyone thinks that is fair, go ahead & deal with them. We think they are a bunch of crooks. JACKIE M. KATHY B. read more

The whole team is doing a great job considering circumstances. They have to work twice as hard because Covid restrictions. I buy and sell (mostly sell), and feel they are doing a great job. Keep up the good work! read more

Dead beat company. Sold antiques at pennies on the dollar and then after waiting 30 days to get paid, they sent an NSF (Non sufficient funds) check that bounced. When I called they were absolutely rude as if it was my fault their check bounced. Then I had to go back to business to get paid in cash. Not a sorry or nothing. Probably good place to buy cheap but not to sell unless you don't mind give away prices for your treasures. read more

You don't get what you paid for!! Bought a lot online a few weeks ago, it took over a week before they shipped it & it was shipped the slowest way possible. When my lot arrived, the one item that I purchased the lot for was missing ( a lighter worth about $150). Called Lightning Auctions immediately, they said they would look into it. After a week of trying to find out what they were going to do to make it right, Kyle emailed me back today saying he checked the video footage and could not see where it had been taken. He said the best he could do was offer me a $5 refund. I told him to keep the $5 and that I would remove them from the list of auctions I deal with. No more Lightning Auctions for me!!! read more

Like other reviewers have said, these guys will rip you off. When you question them they yell at you like crazy. Kyle an employee there is the worst person I have ever dealt with. Terrible people. Stay far far away. read more

Well, I posted about how this company needed to go back to school for coustmer service. This is a follow-up I get a phone call at work and it is a person from lighting auctions informing me that due to me posting here on Yelp they cancelled my two orders. Saying I should have talked to him. I said I did call and talked to him I told him I did and you kept giving me the run-around. So I am glad that I do not have to do business with these scam artist again and hope no one else from out of state does rather. read more

After this last experience, the business does not get a star. Couple times in the back have gotten an attitude and rather smart ass answers to questions. Friday they were listening to rap music so called and complained today. Young man who answered the phone told me I did not spend enough to ask for a change of music, then hung up on me. Called back and talked with a very nice lady. She was great along with some of the other workers. A couple are real jerks though and their attitudes spoil it for the rest. read more

I had the best experience with this company. The online auction was fun, and paying for and picking up my items was a breeze. I even had help packing it up and loading it in my car. Will definitely do business with these good folks again. read more

Stop ripping people off selling Crap scamming it's value. Stop selling broken scarred chipped junk with "condition" which should be garbage. When a long term customer needs assistance treat them with respect- not anger, or sarcasm. I have referred hundreds of people moving to Reno to your business, now I will let them know to BEWARE! read more

Bought a lawn mower that doesn't work. Was described being in working order. Primer bulb sunken in and ripped. Glad I didnt buy a car!

Treated horribly this morning by staff there! Went to side door to pick up purchase from over weekend. While there asked employee about a ring that I placed in auction 30 days ago. My question was about reserve. The site showed ring sold for 1950$, reserve was for 2500$. I thought maybe the house was going absorb sellers fees, of about 500$. In return they could make the buyers fees. That was my only question really. A couple minutes later the rudest person I've ever came out with my 1ct diamond in a ziplock. I was shocked and confused as I thought it had sold. He tried to hand it to me and I refused to except it until he explained situation. He said he didn't have to explain anything? Then he threw the ring on ground! I was in shock! If I was Greg Lighting I would be embarrassed, ashamed, and disgusted that one of my employees treated a customer like that. The ring now has a big gouge in the gold, I'm not really sure what to do? Me and my uncle have pursued several items there over the yrs and never had a problem. Now that he has passed I have his whole estate to liquidate, that was part of it. I will definitely not use there less then adequate services. Let's see what Mr Lightning has to say about it, and that will show the businesses true colors. I'm a reasonable person, I wanted to know about status of ring. I wasn't down there hard up for money. I didn't even ask about the other 2500$ worth of jewelry that did sell, as I know it takes 6wks to obtain funds read more

There is more to Brendan's story. The arrogant person is gone now. I have been selling and buying from them for 20+ years People nowadays don't read. They are very quick to satisfy the buyer and seller. Kyle goes above and beyond to help people. People just need someone to complain about. I consign each auction and do quite well with my sales. Hector is very knowledgeable and does an excellent job of displaying your items. Other people in the back are super also. Auction companies are regulated with the state. Linda is so nice and helpful also. No one breaks your arm to bid. People have plenty of time to look, touch and research the items for sale. Items are tested and marked. do your homework read more

Beware if you're selling items here, I've sold in several estate auctions and my experiences were almost identical in each one. It seems to me that their poor ethics are their typical M.O. There is a ten dollar minimum that you pay to the auction house for every item or lot (multiple, similar items that sell as a group, making up one listing) that sells. So if your item/lot sells for $10 you receive nothing. Anything above that $10 minimum sells at a percentage to the house and the rest to you. All of this is stated in their contract and typical of most auction houses. The issue arises when you bring in a lot (grouping) of items to be sold together. Lightning Auctions will break down the lot into several smaller groupings, even when you've specified how you want your items/lots sold. Of course, they won't tell you that they've broken down your lots, they just do it and when you look at the invoice of fees you're paying you see your lots selling at low prices (duh, less items in a lot) and a $10 min X the number of lots sold. So instead of paying the auction house the percentage of one large lot, you're paying $30 or $40 for 3 or 4 small lots. Sorry, but this is not an ethical practice. If you tell your customers you're going to break up lots to increase your commission when they bring in their items to sell and still have a choice to not do business with you OK, but changing up lots after the customer has left with an understanding of how their items will be sold is unethical and dishonest. If your items don't sell you have something like 48hrs to pick them up, this is stated on the contract in a tiny, one line sentence. They certainly won't point it out to you and if you ask about unsold items they'll tell you verbally you can just pick them up...but nothing about a 48hr window. It takes the auction house 30 days to pay you for the items that did sell so it's not like you can make a trip down there and pick up your money and unsold items at once. The problem here is that your unsold items will disappear into the depths of their warehouse, never to be seen again. No call to let you know they didn't sell and ask if you'd like to relist them in the next auction, no communication at all. Ask them in person for your unsold items and you're told no one can find them and it's been longer than 48hrs. Must be nice to pilfer your customers items for your own personal benefit. After buying here and selling here I was really confused. When I was bidding on items or lots some were selling through the roof, like double what they would sell for on Ebay. So I thought it would be great to sell through here, even after paying commission. But, my lots didn't sell so high, not even remotely close for same type items. At first I thought maybe it's just a slow weekend and not many people are online bidding but week after week no improvement. I watched closely what items or lots were selling for and there was such a discrepancy...wth? When I was dropping off lots I finally asked if I could bid on my own items and got the response you can do anything you want. The light bulb over my head finally went off...mystery solved. Again, completely unethical. If you're selling here do not ask the guy who takes in your items for advice on selling antiques in this auction house. He knows nothing about antiques and clearly doesn't know what sells well at the auction he works at. Talk to the guys in the warehouse, they actually know what sells well and what doesn't do so well...that is if you're not bidding up your own items, then it will all sell well. My last advice, follow up on your check!! It's been over 3 months since I've sold anything at Lightning Auctions and no check from my last listings. If you don't stay on top of what they owe you and call them asking for your money you won't ever get it...this policy is complete crap, no one should have to hunt down their money. read more

I have bought and sold items at lightning auctions when selling items they never seem to want to pay you. They tell you it takes four weeks after the auction to get your check but then you have to hound them for an addition week or two. They seem to always have an excuse for not paying you. I had one employee steel an item when I picked up my items. They never list items and decried them as broken and there answer to that is everything is sold as is. Compete lack of morals. read more

I have had good and bad experience with Lightening Auctions. I got my very first car here when I was 17. It was a green Suzuki with about 60,000 miles on it I got it for about $1,200. I had this car for about 3 years and it never gave me any issues. Since I had such a good experience with them I decided that it was time for some change and I wanted a newer car. I went back three years later and got a 2006 Jaguar for about $5,000. It was clean and I fell in love with the exterior. A few days after driving it the turning signal lights went out. I replaced them. they went out again. It appeared that there was some trouble with the fuses. At the same time the car would not start when I turned the key and it made a terrible noise. It was very frustrating! I ended up spending a lot of money trying to fix this car. In the end, it was a piece of junk. I felt ripped off that they would sell junk like that. I guess I got lucky with my first car. I won't recommend this pace or be purchasing anything else from them. It definitely is a gamble when purchasing from them, a gable I am not willing to take again. read more

All I can say after picking up a pair of earrings last night is WOW, how unbelievably rude & unprofessional!! They just lost a great, long term customer. I have purchased many things from them over the years including cars, jewelry, antiques, furniture, etc. and will not be buying again unless I get an apology which I'm sure will not happen. The male at the front desk didn't greet me or say hello, just asked for info/lot #. I asked if I could see the item & looking it over mentioned that the stones looked smaller than the pictures listed? I suggested it would be helpful if they could list the size/measurements of the stones next time because I'm not able to preview items during the week due to my work schedule & only have weekends off when they're closed. After I wrote a check for the item & said "bye" I walked out to my car, which was a Lightning purchase, he came outside the front door & yelled, "don't bother coming back, you're a class act!". Then went back in, no explanation.. read more

These guys are so arrogant! They are the only auction house in town so don't fall for the comments "best in town"... they only work on their schedule and do virtually nothing to make a huge amount of money. If you can't work within their "so hard" schedule of 9-5-- they screw you. You can send tons of emails to them...not one returned. What a total embarrassment to a veterinarian. Shameful arrogant group that makes money but does very little to earn it! You are better off giving it away. It is the same thing as using this house. read more

I bought a work truck from here and I couldn't be more happy with the customer services received by Kyle, Kyle handled everything very professional, upfront and very honest, he stood behind his word! The online auction was very user friendly and easy to set up an account, this business is very honest and up front, they went above and beyond with the service I received, thank you so much for the good business, looking forward to a repeat customer with lightning auction! read more

Best auction house in town hands down. I get nothing but respect and honesty from employees there . Derek , Hector , Kyle , Linda , and the others (whom I'm forgetting names I know) are all helpful and always respectful to my wife and myself . As a seller there I can tell you that's it's way easier than eBay and the costs are comparable. I don't have a bad thing to say about them nothing but positives for me and anyone who says otherwise is uninformed and not giving them their due . Keep up the great work guys!!! We appreciate you and all your hard work and dedication!!!! read more

I don't know...I read some of the comments and I see that some people think everything should be new. I been to auctions since I was a child and most of the items at any auction is usually old, used, & sometimes abused. I have purchased quite a lot at this site, including a used car and have no complaints about their items or their employees. I have also sold some of my old, used items and I really got more than I expected for them. This is not the only auction house in the area but I think it is the best one. read more

I love this place! It is fun and fair. I have received some fabulous deals on rugs, beautiful furniture, and accessories. I have also purchased some stinkers. I have no one to blame but myself on the bad purchases, I didn't go to see the merchandise before hand. It wasn't what I thought it would be but what I wanted it to be. Bad decision. Like with any auction you must be informed and stay on top of your bids to do well. read more

I have to agree with the majority of comments here - you can't trust anything you see on the website and the misrepresentation of items is at worst criminal and at best negligent. read more

I bought an '89 ford crown Vic a couple of years ago with 50,000 miles on it. It was one of the finest cars I have ever owned. I've regretted selling it ever since. The transaction was seamless, very friendly staff. What a great deal for me; bought it for $600 and sold it for 1,000! read more

I don't know about the experiences some of the commentators may (or, actually, may not) have had, but mine have always been positive with Mr. Williams and Lightning Auctions. I have never sold there, nor have I purchased an automobile, but I have been a regular participant in buying at the weekend auctions for years, and have spent many thousands of dollars at this "yard sale." It is entertaining, you can find some true treasures if you pay attention, and the folks at the business are always great to deal with. If, like some who reported bad experiences, you don't bother to preview the merchandise, don't gripe later that it was not what you "imagined" it would be. Who buys used merchandise, sight unseen, then complains that they would not have bought it if they had just looked first? Dumb! You are afforded ample opportunity to preview before bidding, so don't blame the auctioneer if it is not what you thought you saw in the photo or verbal description online. Everything I ever have bought here has been as described, fairly represented, and totally available for me to inspect prior to placing a bid. Log on and have some fun with this! read more

I have consigned items for sale & purchased items from Lightning Auctions. My advise for bidders is to go to the preview day & thoroughly check out any item you plan to bid on. I have been burned a couple of times because I do not live in the Reno-Sparks area. I did not go to the preview day & the pictures they took did not show the actual condition, etc. Other times I was pleasantly surprised because sometimes their item pictures are poor & they overlook a crucial detail. We picked up a beautiful Pendleton blanket for barely over the minimum bid. Why? Because Lightning did not take a picture of the Pendleton sewn-on I.D. tag & they listed it as a generic item. The workers in the back area are a mixed lot. One guy whose name is Robert was nice. He might be gone. I have also purchased items that were mistakenly given to other bidders. How could Lightning mix up tag numbers? How could another bidder in good faith pick up another bidders items & think they will not get caught or found out about later on? Consigning: I would not recommend it. 35% fee for most items & again as it has been mentioned, it takes a long time to get paid. If your item sells for the minimum $10 bid, you do not get anything. I got burned on a number of quality items that I consigned. I also had an item that was never listed. Where did it go? Good thing I have a signed off consignment sheet. If you specialize & really know what they have, you can make some really great purchases. They have allot of odd ball lots that come up. Some easily I.D.d items like coins you will have to pay close to the retail price for. Furniture can be an excellent buy. read more

Not very nice people. Sold my car for less then reserve. Hung up on me on the phone. Finally Mr. Williams wrote me an iou but was nasty about it read more

I bid on a necklace. Turned out it was displayed on-line on a miniature manikin and it was too small. I complained and asked for my money back. The guy said the length was listed in the fine print. Cheap trick. Buyer beware. read more

at one time they would post the number of bidders and their code name. nothing now, so who's bidding as you see the bids grow, the auction hous itself? myself and friends will no longer bid on items if they cant show thw bidders! why the mystery? read more

I've been going to lightning Auctions for about five years I've bought hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of merchandise and I've had a couple hiccups with them but nothing too serious and they fixed the problem right away.I love the office people and the twins in the warehouse....can't ever tell which is which haha great business You'll find some unbelievable bargains from time to time read more

I may have given it a lower score if not for the diligent work performed by Debbi and Linda. I went to the auto auction knowing that the prices weren't going to be a "HOT DEAL", but the cars did sell at least 10-20% cheaper than on the lot, so there is money to be saved. Unfortunately I did buy a lemon, and I am pretty sure that because it being sold as an "as-is" auction item, I could have eaten it. Lightning auctions jumped right on it and had the original seller either repair the faulty vehicle, (no oil pressure and a front differential that was almost on fire from lack of lube), or return me my money. Within 72 hrs of me notifying the auction house of the issue, Lightning had my money back with a sincere apology and expressed the fact that the type of ordeal that I encountered was NOT how lightning auctions operate and that they strive for 100% satisfaction. What a novel business approach... Keep it up lighting and Thanks for the lightning fast remedy of the problem. read more

i bought a car from them about a year and a half ago. it is the best car i have ever owned. it's an older model, but i haven't had to put hardly any money into it since i bought it (not counted normal wear and tear, also normal maintenance per my mechanic) and got a pretty good deal on it. i would recommend them in a heartbeat!!! read more

I was skeptical about going to an auto auction - even with the pre-auction preview and research you can get burned with a major engine or transmission issue. I purchased a car in the auction and expected to take it in for several hundred dollars in repairs based on my research of the vehicle and I was fine with that based on the price we paid at auction. However, we were surprised to learn of a significant issue from the mechanic the following Monday on the transmission. I spoke with Lightning Auctions and explained the situation. Per their request, I brought the car back to them with the mechanic's write up and their mechanic looked into the issue to confirm it. After their confirmation - they provided a full refund. This is a quality outfit and knows how to keep customers coming in for more. I will be going to their next auction as well. Special thanks to Linda and the team! read more

Bought a Lincoln cent collection. Bid based on listed coins not includes. The most valuable of "included" coins was a $40 cent. Turned out it was accidently in the wrong slot. Overpaid by double real value. Mistake or intentional? Beware of what their narrative and photos allege. read more

I am writing only in regards to Lightning Auctions auto auction. First of all its not an auction, Its a used car lot where people bid on cars and then they decide if they are going to sell it for the high bid. If there is a price that must be met, It seems to me an auction house on the up and up would post a reserve or a minimum bid. Not just "reserve" the right to not honor the highest bid. If I made the highest big and then changed my mind, I doubt they would be as understanding as they expect the public to be. If you're looking to score a deal on a used car this is not the place. If you want to bid on a car and then not be able to purchase said car and you just have a bunch of time to waste then this is the place for you. Cmon Lightning Auctions, If you're going to have an auction have an auction. Otherwise change your name to Lightning Used Cars. read more