Bidding:
+ How do I see what lots I have bid on?
Log into your account at the top/right of any bid.fairauctionco.com page and click on My Account. Then, see the My Bids link near the middle of that page. You can sort and filter these results in variety of ways including upcoming/past, won and lost, etc. See the My Items tab to see items you have added to your watched (favorites) list.
+ Can I retract a bid?
It depends. We never want a buyer to feel remorse. Most of our software does not allow bid retractions. It is imperative the buyer double check their bid amounts before bidding. A retraction may be possible if there is enough time for the auctioneer to contact software support staff to make changes. In the heat of a closing auction, this is generally not possible. We cannot retract a bid on account of buyer regret. Please be careful, especially during the final moments of the auction. Once the item has sold online, it's sold to whomever has the highest bid. Make sure to read the Terms and Conditions of sale before bidding.
+ What are the shipping terms for this auction?
Click “Auction Information" while viewing any catalog page. Then scroll to the bottom of that page. Note, the Terms boxes are small and have scrolling text, so make sure to read everything. Also Note, Terms and Shipping terms are auction-specific and change regularly. At a basic level, expect a handling fee and for items to be shipped USPS for small items, or Freight for furniture. Nearly Every auction we sell offers shipping but if you don't see that option, contact us to confirm.
+ Why does the auction extend when I bid in the last couple seconds?
A: This is called the Soft Close feature. Just like a live auction, when someone bids in the final moments of an auction, the auctioneer extends the duration to allow the backup bidder to jump back in. This is our main advantage over eBay and other auction sites, making sure everyone have a fair chance to own the items they have been bidding on.
+ What is Buyers Premium?
Buyers premium is like a tax that gets added onto the hammer price of each item at an auction. All auctions charge a buyers premium in order for the auctioneer to conduct the sale (i.e. digital advertising, software, photography, research).
+ What is the Max Bid feature?
In a live, in-person auction, your “maximum” price your willing to spend is always anonymous. The max bid feature allows this for online auctions. This feature allows you the bidder to bid once, at your maximum and let the software bid competitively on your behalf. Example: Lot 1 is currently at $4.00. You need to bid $5.00 in order to win. If someone comes in right before the auction ends and bids $6.00, you may or may not have time to increase your bid. By entering your maximum bid (for example, $10.00) the software will automatically bid against other bidders competitively until your maximum is reached. If you are outbid, you will receive an email alerting you, and prompting an increase.
+ I still don't trust it... Can I call in an absentee bid instead?
Yes! We understand some folks hesitate to buy anything online. Rest assured your information is completely secure on our site. We will never share your info with anyone, see our Privacy Policy. We utilize some of the most powerful safety features available to keep your info secure and anonymous. Keep in mind, we will never store you CC info: this is done by our CC processor, Stripe. If you would still like to leave an absentee bid to avoid bidding on the internet, Contact Us Here.
+ How do I know if, or what I won after the auction ends?
After each auction, we will send you an invoice via email for your purchases. Also, Once logged in to our bidding site, see you My Account page then click on Items Won near the top.
+ Do I need to be approved to bid?
Yes. If you added a CC upon registration, you're automatically approved to bid. The Auctioneer can approve or reject your signup for their auctions at their discretion. We use advanced software to track accounts which may raise red flags and out your account in Pending mode. Being rejected from bidding on one auction does not necessarily mean that you will be rejected from signing up for other auctions.
The time it takes to approve you for an auction depends on the auction. Most auctions are setup to automatically approve bidders, eliminating the need for you to wait. As a general rule, If you add a valid credit card upon registration, you are automatically able to bid.
