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| Overview of
Auction Trader© |
- It costs nothing to browse the Auction Trader© web site, nor do you have to complete any
documentation or supply any personal details to browse.
- Once you have browsed the Auction Trader© site and found one of any number of items
that you would like to bid on, you will need to agree to abide
by our Terms and Conditions before registering as a new user
(each time you click on "NEW USER" the system will automatically
take you to the Terms and Conditions until you click on "I Agree" at
the bottom of the Terms and Conditions form).
If you have registered before and have a valid user ID and
password, there is no need to re-register.
- Currently it costs nothing to register with Auction Trader© Simply complete the registration form in
the NEW USER page. You will need to supply a unique "User
ID" this can be your own name or an alias, and a password.
The password should be simple and something that you will
remember easily. For your security you should never write this
password down. The system will ask you to verify the password
to ensure that you have typed it correctly. Your user ID and
password are yours to keep and use with the Auction Trader©
system. You can change your User ID and password if you so
desire by going to the EDIT USER PAGE.
it cost you nothing to bid on the Auction Trader© system
unless you win the bid that you make. When you bid on an item in the
Auction Trader© system you enter into a contract with the Seller
to purchase the item, if your bid is successful.. If you don't intend
to buy then don't bid. Both Buyers and Sellers have the opportunity to
leave comments either good or bad, in the SELLER FORUM, to indicate their
satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the sale. |
| How do I place a Bid? |
Once you have decided to place a bid through Auction Trader© it will be necessary for you to register as a "New User". If you have registered before and have a valid user ID and password, there is no need to re-register.
Click on "NEW USER" on the menu bar at either the top or bottom of the page. This will take you to the "Terms and Conditions" page.
Before proceeding futher, Auction Trader© requires all Users to have read and agreed to abide by its Terms and Conditions. To proceed, scroll through the Terms and Conditions and click on the "I Agree" button at the bottom of the page. Proceeding beyond the Terms and Conditions signifies that you agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions.
When you click on "I Agree" you are taken to the "New User" registration form. Complete the details on this form. You will need to supply a unique "User ID", (this can be your own name or an alias) and a password. The password should be simple and something that you will remember easily (for your security you should never write this password down). The system will ask you to verify the password to ensure that you have typed it in correctly. Your user ID and password are yours to use with
Auction Trader© until you choose to change them.
When you have completed all the details on this form, confirm it by clicking on "CREATE USER" at the bottom of the form. You will not be able to bid immediately, as the system will then automatically email you to confirm your email address. The email will ask you to click on the highlighted URL within the email. Once you click on the URL the system will confirm you as a bidder. From this point on you will be able to bid.
If you forget your password, don't worry, simply enter your email address in the "FORGET YOUR PASSWORD" section at the Home Page and the system will automatically email you your password. If you wish to change any of your User details go to the "EDIT USER" page.
To bid on a lot, simply complete the details in the bid section at the bottom of the lot page and click on Submit Bid.
Below is an explanation of the bidding process:
- Enter your Username and Password, or if you are bidding via cookie (the system automatically identifies your email address), make sure the checkbox is checked.
- Enter your bid in the place provided. The default value in the text field will be the minimum bid necessary to win at least one quantity of the lot. The system will not permit you to submit a losing bid (a losing bid is an amount less than the current active bid).
- If the lot you are bidding on is in multiple quantities, enter the quantity you would like to bid on. The quantity field will not appear if there is only a single quantity in the lot, or if the Seller has limited each Bidder to a single unit. *Please note* Where you are bidding on multiple quantities in a lot, your bid is per each single unit, times the quantity you requested.
- In lots containing multiple quantities, and if it is your intention to bid for the entire quantity within that lot, then fill in the check box accordingly. This indicates that you are only interested in winning the lot if you are able to take entire quantity (per each single unit), or the quantity you specified.
- You may choose to use the auto-bid feature (if permitted). To use this feature, fill in the
checkbox accordingly, then enter the maximum bid you are willing to make on this lot. The maximum bid must be at least one bid increment greater than your initial bid.
- HOW AUTO BID WORKS. When each new bid is submitted, the system will ensure you still have a winning bid. If you do not, it will raise your bid to maintain your winning status. If you selected to accept only the full quantity, the system will raise your bid sufficiently to win the full quantity. If it cannot win the full quantity by lodging the maximum bid, it will stop bidding for you. If you chose to accept a partial quantity, the system will raise your bid to win as many units as you can until your maximum bid.
- If you have already bid on a lot, you can update your bid, i.e., change the bid price or
quantity, by submitting a new bid. The system will check your username, determine that you
have already bid for this lot, and update your bid accordingly.
- Here are the rules that determine who wins the bidding for a lot.
These rules apply for all lots:-
An earlier bid will beat a later bid of the same value.
Users may not delete their bids once they are submitted.
Users may edit their bids to increase the price or change the quantity requested.
When a user updates their bid, or if their bid is automatically increased using the
auto-bid feature, the bid is still considered to be from the date/time of the
original bid. Therefore, that bidder will still beat a later bid of the same value.
In other words, updating a bid does not affect its status as an earlier bid.
- Each lot has a designated closing date/time. However, the lot may also have an inactivity period, this is set by the the Seller to cater for last minute bids on closing of the auction. This inactivity period will keep that lot open past the designated closing time as long as there is still active bidding. If a bid is submitted during this time, the period is extended. For example, if inactivity period is 5 minutes, the auction will remain open until 4 minutes and 59 seconds after the last bid, even if past the closing time. If the lot has an inactivity period during which bidding remains open past the closing time, it will be listed with the closing time in the table at the top of the lot page.
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| Auction Tips & Suggestions |
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There are some basic guidelines you should keep in mind before
placing a bid on an auction, and on completing transactions when you
win. Remember that these are tips and suggestions only.
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| Bidding |
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Bidding on an item on auction,
including online auctions, is a legal agreement to purchase that
item at your bid amount (up to your maximum bid amount if the
auction site accepts maximum bid amounts). Although most Sellers
will not legally pursue a winning Bidder, they will often post
negative feedback at the auction site(s) they sell on if the buyer
defaults. The auction
site may also suspend or terminate your Bidding status for placing
bids and not completing the transaction when you are a winning
bidder |
| Listing an item for sale |
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When a Seller lists an item on Auction , they are likewise indicating that they are willing to sell the
item and that they have the right to sell the item. They are also
legally bound to complete the transaction as long as their
minimum bid or reserve bid amount has been met.
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| Buying and checking items for sale |
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Make sure you know what you are bidding on. If you are not clear on what is being auctioned,
you should contact the Seller before you place a bid
on the item. Many times an item can look like something you want,
only to find it's not. It's best to get these answers before you bid
to avoid any potential problems after the auction! Never place
a bid on anything you do not fully intend to
buy!
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| Check the Seller via the feedback notice board |
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Check the Seller feedback if
it is available. You can learn from previous buyers how they were
treated by the Seller, the efficiency of shipping, as well as any
problems that others may have encountered. If the seller has no
feedback, it is a good idea to telephone the Seller before sending
your money. If the Seller has "hidden" their feedback,
making it unavailable to view, use caution. Incidently there is
really no reason a Seller should hid negative feedback. Just like
any other business, it is impossible to make every customer happy,
and inevitably, there will be someone that feels the Seller has done
something wrong. Keep this in mind as you view the Seller's feedback.
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| Anonymous email account. |
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If the Seller uses an anonymous email account
use caution. It is too easy to get an
anonymous email account that is not traceable and which can be used
for fraudulent practices. Unfortunately, a few
such people can quickly erode buyers confidence, not only at the
auction site, but for auctions in general.
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| Paying for goods |
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Never send cash! There is no
reason to send cash, and you, as the sender, have no way of knowing
for sure if it is delivered to the seller or disappears in route
(yes, it does happen). Use a money order rather than
cash.
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| Cheques |
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Many Sellers will gladly
accept personal cheque's, but will hold shipment until your cheque
clears their bank. Auction Sellers deal with very tight margins, and
simply cannot afford returned checks after the merchandise has been
shipped. |
| Credit Cards |
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Credit Cards are a good method
of payment. If you do not receive your merchandise, you can file
with your credit card bank to reverse the charge (a chargeback).
Also, banks monitor activity of their merchants, and if they have
multiple chargebacks, will terminate their merchant
status.
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| Escrow services |
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Escrow services are another
good payment method, although they cost a little more. They are
especially useful if the product is a collectible, or an antique, and the
value is determined by the appearance and condition of the item. An
escrow service will take your payment and hold it, advising the
seller to ship (insured and trackable) and give you an inspection
period to see that the item was as described. If it isn't, you
return the item and the escrow service returns your payment to you.
Otherwise, they release payment to the seller and the transaction is
completed.
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| Communicate! |
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Communicate! E-mail is
perhaps the best method to communicate general questions and
concerns. Reputable sellers are more than happy to answer your
questions in a timely manner. Keep in mind, though, e-mail
is not infallible. If you don't get a response in a day, send the
e-mail again.
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| If a problem arises |
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If a problem arises, try to
work it out with the Seller. Many times, it is simply a
misunderstanding, a mis-communication, or maybe even someone else's
order. Give the Seller a chance to correct a problem before
escalating the problem. Remember to read the
description! Bid on only those items you really want. Keep in
mind the tips and suggestions above, and your auction experiences
will continue to be fun, exciting, and even rewarding, especially
when you get "a great deal". |
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