Queensland woman fiercely calls out auctioneer during bidding
An auctioneer sparked controversy when a bidder confronted him about his decision during an auction after he asked her if she wanted to “play along.”
Justin Nickerson, managing director of Apollo Auctions, took the final bids at an auction for a house in south-east Queensland last weekend.
“Late registration ma’am, can I include you?” Mr. Nickerson was asked of a woman who still had not bid on the house in a video of the auction posted to social media on Saturday.
She hit back and said, “I’m involved, but I’m waiting for you to do what you need to do.”
Mr. Nickerson told the woman he was “going to sell it.”
She snapped back and said, ‘That’s fine, you do it. Do your job.’
After the third and final call, Mr. Nickerson closed the auction and sold the house to another bidder for $2,115,000.
Mr. Nickerson seemed unfazed by the woman’s comment that she had to do her job. He spoke out about the incident on social media.
“Bidding at an auction can be an emotional and stressful time, and understandably so. Sometimes that comes across in bidders’ comments,” Nickerson wrote.
“We do our best to take it on our shoulders and not create confrontations. Remember – auctioneers are only human too.”
Apollo Auctions CEO Justin Nickerson has been praised for his professionalism after a female bidder told him to ‘do his job’ in the last minute of an auction
A debate ensued with many Australians siding with the officer and criticising the woman for being a ‘Karen’.
“She chose to be rude. You chose to be professional. Great job,” one person commented.
“She was just mad because she showed up at a Ferrari store with a wallet. Better luck next time Karen,” wrote a second person.
A third said: ‘Nice, puts Karen in her place’.
A fourth added: ‘I mean you were just trying to please her by being inclusive but she couldn’t see past her own ignorance.’
However, others were not impressed with the officer, calling him unprofessional for attacking the woman on social media.
“Get over yourself and do your job without whining or being unprofessional.”
Another said: ‘She didn’t deserve to be confronted by the agent. She can choose when to bid – and shouldn’t have to feel so ashamed. No wonder she hit back.’