Note: For auctions with a Reserve Price set, the system will bid your computer up to the reserve price if that is within your range. This is different than eBay where their proxy bidding system only bids to the next increment instead of to the reserve price.

Table of Contents

1. Who determines the minimum or starting bid?
2. What is the Bid Increment?
3. Okay, what are Proxy or MaxBids?
4. What does using this auction cost and how do I qualify?
5. How do I bid?
6. What are Reserve Bids?
7. How do I Post an item for sale?
8. How do I find out more about a posted item?
9. How do I know I'm getting a good deal?
10. How do I know I won?
11. What is Sniper Protection?
12. How does your Discount Store work?

Who determines the minimum or starting bid?

The seller (the person who posted the item) decides what he or she wants the bidding to begin at. Usually this is (and should be) just below the lowest price acceptable for the item. If you bid, the system will ask you to bid the starting price PLUS the Bid Increment.  Sellers are encouraged to start items at a reasonable amount and not absurdly high. Buyers like the auction process because it allows bargain shopping. If an item is priced right, people recognize the bargain and bid on it.

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What is the Bid Increment?

The Bid Increment ($1 is the default increment) raises the bidding each time by that minimum amount (you can always bump it up even higher or enter a Proxy Bid, in which case the system will bid either the bid increment or enough of your stated amount to make you the leading bidder. The purpose of the bid increment is to keep someone from outbidding you by some silly amount like $.01. It protects you and assures the seller of getting a decent return if the item is hotly contested.

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Okay, what are Proxy or MaxBids?

There are several systems of "proxy" bids; i.e. the system bidding for you automatically. The system in the auction software is called "MaxBid." Think of 'Max' as someone who stays and watches the auction 24 hours a day while you're off doing more interesting stuff. You activate 'Max' by entering the highest amount you are willing to pay for an item into the "place bid" box. The system will then bid for you, bidding only enough to make you the high bidder. If someone tops that bid, good old 'Max' places another bid for you and so on up to the maximum amount you've specified. Under no circumstances will 'Max' ever bid MORE than you said. But the system will send you e-mail about an outbid and you can give 'Max' a few more bucks to play with, if you like. Just enter another bid amount.

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What does using this auction cost and how do I qualify?

This auction is FREE but we do require that all sellers and buyers be registered. This enables our software to keep track of items for sale and who bids on what. It protects both us as auction providers and you as buyer and/or seller. Registration is simple and painless. Merely click on [New Registration] here or near the bottom of any auction page.

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How do I bid?

Click on the name of items you'd like more information about. If you wish to place a bid, enter your bid in the box below the item, then just click on the "place bid" button nearby. We suggest that a good strategy for items you really want is to place the highest bid you are willing to pay. Otherwise, someone may beat you out. This system accepts proxy or maxbid bids (see Proxy Bids below). Should someone outbid you, the system sends you an e-mail notification with a link back here to the item. Click on the link right in your e-mail message and you will be returned to the directly to the item. You can then decide whether you want to raise your bid.

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What are Reserve Bids?

Sometimes (and our system supports this) a seller enters a Reserve Bid. For example, his Model 384T Golden Widget sells for $100 new. He or she decides to place a starting bid of $1 on the item but they want to get at least $80 for it. So a reserve bid of $80 is entered into the system. In such a case--even if you are the high bidder at, say, $60--you will not win the item unless you go over $80. We feel this is a poor auction strategy and wastes the time of buyers and sellers alike. We suggest this to sellers: enter the item at the least price you will accept, with no reserve.

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How do I Post an item for sale?

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How do I find out more about a posted item?

If you have any questions about an item, by all means contact the seller and ask him or her (not us!). The seller's e-mail address is included on the item's page. Just click on it to send him or her mail. You can ask about condition of the item, payment and shipment terms, or anything else not already spelled out in the item's description.

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How do I know I'm getting a good deal?

When buying something from someone--whether on the internet, in any kind of auction, or anywhere else--your best protection to be an informed buyer. In Latin: Caveat Emptor! The age-old warning of Buyer Beware! We do police this auction and make our best effort to keep it clean and pleasant, but we can give no blanket guarantee. You might read our Terms & Conditions page for more info on this. However, we also go to great lengths here to make sure you have plenty of great stuff at bargain prices to bid on.

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How do I know I won?

The system automatically sends the buyer (highest bidder) and seller of the item e-mail when the auction ends. The buyer and seller then are responsible for making their own arrangements to conclude the deal by payment and shipment. This auction merely offers a venue for buying and selling. We will not, nor cannot, be held responsible in any way for any lack of performance by any and all parties. We simply provide a place that allows people to buy and sell. HOWEVER, do let us know of any problems. We can and will banish anyone who abuses our auction.

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What is Sniper Protection?

On almost every other auction site people known as "snipers" take advantage of the system and the buyers and sellers. This can not happen at a real live auction as there is no time limit on them. In a real live auction the auctioneer does not close the auction until he is sure everyone that wants to bid has a chance. What is unique about Internet auctions is that they are on a stop watch and close at a very specific moment. What "Snipers" do is wait until the last few seconds and then put in a higher bid, just under the wire. This is unfair to buyers who might have made another bid and to sellers who had the others been given a chance and therefore would have brought more money to the seller. With our Sniper Protection if there is a last minute auction the software waits an extra five minutes to see if anyone else wants to bid. Shoul another bid come in, the software waits an additional five minutes and so on untill bidding is really finished.

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How does your Discount Store work?

Our Discount Store is a special feature that allows you to put up items on the site at a fixed discount price. This is great if you have many of the same items that you want to get rid of but do not care to auction them off one at a time. The sale will end when you run out or when the listing expires.

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