CATEGORIES
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HELP TOPICS
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How to Buy
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Online auctions are fun and easy once you know a few simple things.
1. How to Find Items
You can find items on Totalbids by using the search box or by browsing through the list of categories.
Search Box - If you know exactly what you're looking for, just type a few words into the search box and you'll get a list of relevant items that contain that search term in the item’s title or description. To use the Advanced Search tool click on the Search link under the “Welcome to Totalbids” banner.
Browsing Categories – If you want a good look around, have a bit more time or aren’t completely sure what you are after then have a look through the categories. Start with the drop down list under the Welcome banner or the category links at the left of the site then work your way down to the sub-category that suits you.
2. How to Bid
Bidding is easy. Registered users simply sign in using the My Totalbids or Login links. If you’re not yet a member registration will take less than a minute. Once logged in, search for an item you wish to buy, click the Bid Now button and enter your bid. Be careful and check the amount before you press Submit as bids cannot be retracted once confirmed.
For standard auctions the auction will run until the end of the specified time so bidding does not guarantee that you will win the item. If you are outbid a notice will be automatically sent to your email address. You can then bid again by entering a higher amount if you wish.
For non-standard auctions such as Dutch auctions, Buy it Out and Reserve auctions please see the Auctions help section.
Auto Bidding If you don't want to keep placing higher bids simply enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay for the item. The Totalbids system will automatically bid against other members on your behalf incrementally up to your maximum bid.
3. How to Pay
When the auction closes if you are the highest bidder you will receive an automated email to inform you that you have won the auction. At this stage you will need to contact the seller to confirm the total price (auction price plus postage, packaging, insurance and any other extras as mentioned in the auction description) and method of payment. We recommend PayPal as an easy and safe payment method. Please note that all communication, payment and delivery arrangements are direct between the buyer and seller.
4. How to Buy Checklist
Go slow! Read the item description carefully to ensure you understand all the details and extra costs such as postage, insurance, payment options and any other extras. If something isn’t clear ask the seller, don’t make assumptions.
Check ‘im out! Find out what others have said about the seller by checking his/her feedback. Please note that some sellers may be new and not have any feedback yet.
Ask! Ask the seller if you have any questions or are unsure about any aspect of the item. Assumptions can lead to problems later. Remember, if you bid and win you are legally bound to pay so ASK FIRST.
Have a look around! Take time to find the same or similar items being sold by other sellers on Totalbids. Compare the starting prices, shipping costs and sellers’ feedback. If several are being sold you can usually get the item for less if you’re willing to wait a few days for a later auction to end.
What’s it worth? Find out what similar items are going for on Totalbids. See if you can get the same or similar for less in a store.
This much and not a penny more! Decide the maximum amount you're willing to pay for the item and stick to it. Don’t get caught up in a bidding frenzy or bidding war with another user.
But I want it NOW! If the item has a Buy It Out option and it’s within your price range you may want to consider paying the Buy It Out price in order to guarantee that you get the item.
Be a serious bidder! Remember that a bid is a legal contract and you have promised to buy the item if you win the auction. So don’t bid unless you intend to pay. Non paying bidders will get negative feedback and too much negative feedback will result in the deletion of your Totalbids account.
Throw it back! If the item turns out to be less than perfect for you why not turn around and sell it again on Totalbids? Sometimes, despite the best descriptions, an item still ends up being a slightly imperfect fit or just the wrong shade of purple. If that’s the case become a Totalbids seller for free. Simply login to My Totalbids, click on the Sell link and start making money.
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Auction Types
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Standard Auctions
Most auctions will have a time limit and starting price set by the seller. It is then up to how many people bid and how much they bid before the end of the auction. The person who puts in the highest bid before the auction closes will win the item.
Reserve Price Auctions
When an item is worth a lot the seller may add a Reserve Price. This means that even if you are the highest bidder at the end of the auction, if your bid does not match or exceed the reserve price set by the seller you will not win the item. When a bid matches or exceeds the reserve price the auction will state “Reserve Price Met”.
Buy It Out Auctions
Auctions can be set up to have a Buy It Out option. They can also be set up as exclusively Buy it Out. When they are exclusively Buy It Out they are not so much an auction as a Sale since the first person to click the Buy It Out link wins the auction and pays the price set by the seller. When it’s a standard auction with a Buy It Out option you have the opportunity to get that item right away if you want to pay the Buy It Out price or you can proceed to bid on the item in the standard fashion.
Dutch Auction
When you see a quantity of two or more on any auction, that's a Multiple Item Auction (Dutch Auction). This means the seller is offering multiple, identical items for sale. Unlike a regular auction, Multiple Item Auctions can have many winners. When you bid on a Multiple Item Auction, you specify the number of items you're interested in and the price you're willing to pay. Most of the time, all buyers pay the starting price in Multiple Item Auctions. However, if there are more bids than items, the items will go to the earliest successful bids. To beat another bid, yours must have a higher total bid value (bid price x number of items bid on) than other bids. You have the right to refuse partial quantities. This means, for example, that if you bid for 5 items and are offered only 4 when the auction ends, you don't have to buy any of them.
Wanted Ads
If you want something you can create an ad to let sellers know. Wanted ads are free to list. Please note that wanted ads are for items only, personal ads will be deleted.
Bid Increments
Bid increments are determined by the item's price and may change as the current high bid increases. Sellers set up auctions with a starting price which becomes the first bid. Any subsequent bids must be greater than the current high bid. The additional amount you're required to bid depends on the price of the item being auctioned.
Outbidding
To outbid another bidder you must enter a bid greater than the one they have entered and your higher bid must meet the bid increment for that price range. If your bid is higher than the current high bidder but does not meet the bid increment requirement your bid will not be accepted and you will not win the auction.
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How to Sell
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How do I sell an item?
Selling an item with Totalbids Online Auctions is easy and it’s also completely free. First, register as a Totalbids member then login to My Totalbids and click on the Sell link.
Setting up an Auction
The system will prompt you to choose a category, write the item’s title and description, set a starting price, choose payment and delivery method and upload photographs.
Category(ies) – Choose a category by following the links til you find the category that most suits your item. If you wish you can also choose a second category.
Title - Describe your item in a simple, straightforward way using the words others are most likely to use when trying to find a similar item. Do not use all uppercase letters, multiple exclamation points, and excessive sales hype. Clear, accurate titles help buyers find what they're looking for.
Description – Provide as many facts and details as you can. How old is the item? What condition is it in? Where did you get it? Do you need to explain any differences between the real item and the photo (colour not as sharp, not the actual shade of blue). The more information you provide, the happier your customers will be and the fewer returns, complaints and negative feedback problems you’ll have. Ensure that you also include any sales policies and shipping information such as returns, refunds, 2 week delivery lead time, international delivery, etc…
Auction Type – Most auctions will be standard. If you are selling more than one identical item then you can choose Dutch Auction.
Auction Currency – This is the currency you want to be paid in by the winning buyer.
Items – Usually this will be 1 unless you are doing a Dutch Auction.
Starting Price - This is the offering price for your item when bidding opens. We suggest that you set this as low as possible to encourage bidding although you do need to ensure it’s high enough to cover costs in case there is only one bidder.
Reserve Price – Optional. This is not suggested for low value items as it discourages bidding. For high value items such as antique furniture and cars it is useful.
Buy Now – Optional. This gives buyers the option of buying the item immediately at the price you’ve set.
Bid Increment – Optional. The default option is the increments set by the Totalbids system. You can override these with your own if you choose.
Feature Item – Optional. If you want your item to stand out you can choose one or more of these options.
Start Time – Optional. Default is “Now”. If you want the auction to start at another date and/or time select your preference.
Duration – Select the length of time you wish the auction to run for.
Private Auction – Optional. This is not recommended for most auctions. Private auctions are normally used for sensitive items (i.e.: adult items) or those that are very high value. Private auctions protect the bidder's identity and stop other rival sellers contacting them to offer similar products or services.
Accept Swap Offers – Optional. The default is No but some sellers may wish to allow this for certain items.
Auction Images – Optional. You can upload a maximum of 3 photographs of your item.
Location – Please be specific and truthful as to what country you are in. If the item will require pick up or expensive courier delivery it is helpful to also state your zip code so the buyer has an idea of distance and therefore cost.
Shipping and Payment – You need to choose what payment options you allow (PayPal, cheque, postal order) and what postal options you are willing to offer (1st or 2nd class, Royal Mail, other courier).
Auction Preview – Here is your chance to view your auction and make any changes.
Finish – You’re done! Best of luck with your auction.
Bulk Auction Upload
For those of you who wish to upload several items at once you have the option of using the Totalbids Bulk Upload tool. Simply go to My Totalbids and click on Bulk. Use the information on the schema link to ensure you use the correct format.
Relisting
When an auction finishes unsold the details will be displayed in your My Totalbids along with an option to Relist. This enables you to relist the unsold item without having to write everything all over again.
Sellers Stores
Totalbids welcomes any seller who wishes to set up a Store. Seller stores give the seller a more professional identity on Totalbids and the Seller Store About Me page gives the seller the opportunity to provide information about themselves to their potential customers.
Selling Fees
All auctions on Totalbids are free of charge. There are no fees for auction listings, featured, enhanced or bold listings. For more information please click on the Site Fees link.
Preferred Sellers
Totalbids Admin have the ability to upgrade a seller to Preferred Seller status. Preferred Seller status gives a seller the ability to sell on Totalbids without any listing fees. Charitable and educational institutions are welcome to request Preferred Seller status. Simply register with Totalbids and then contact us with your chosen username and details of your charity or school.
Selling Policies and Disallowed Items
Totalbids reserve the right to delete any auction that we deem to be offensive or illegal. In these cases no refund will be given to the seller for the listing fees of such an auction.
Additionally, Totalbids will not allow certain terminology to be used in auction titles or descriptions. Neither will we allow photographs to be displayed on the site that we deem offensive or illegal. We reserve the right to delete any auction that we feel does not meet the criteria set by our Admin team without notice to the Seller and without refunding any sellers fees.
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Safe Bidding
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As an online auction site, Totalbids provide the platform where buyers and sellers can meet and trade. Because items listed on Totalbids are sold by users like you, Totalbids does not have the opportunity to possess and inspect listed items. Accordingly, Totalbids cannot verify that merchandise actually exists or is described accurately, and, although most users do keep their promises, Totalbids cannot guarantee that every user will do so.
Like any consumer, you should take steps to protect yourself and ensure that what you are bidding on is what you actually receive.
Before you bid on or purchase an item:
Study the seller's feedback to find out what other buyers have said about their transactions with the seller. Please note that a new Totalbids member will not yet have any feedback.
Know what you're bidding for. Research the item's model and type. Get an idea of its fair market price from both offline and online sources.
Read the item description carefully. Look especially at the item description, payment terms, postage terms, and return/refund policies. If a description of an item is unclear, be sure to clarify the description with the seller before you place a bid or opt to buy it. Make sure you know exactly what is for sale, and, if you don't know, ask the seller. For example, does the listing include the accessories that you might want, such as correct manuals and the appropriate power units?
Examine the photo or photos carefully. Look at the photo in the listing to assess the item's condition. Does the photo correspond to other information provided in the listing or information provided by the seller in his or her communications with you?
Consider all other information along with the listing. Often, no one factor decides the issue, so you should consider the listing and other information in its entirety. For example, you should be careful and verify the seller and transaction when (1) the seller has been on Totalbids for fewer than 30 days; (2) that same seller has 0 or low feedback; (3) that same seller posts a high value item; (4) the auction time is short (3 days); and (5) that same seller offers no secure payment option but insists on payment in cash or wire transfer (sometimes to another country).
Contact the seller directly. Ask questions, including questions about the quality of the item, its origin, and its payment and postage terms. An honest seller will be happy to answer your questions directly.
Ask about delivery, returns, warranties, and service before you bid. Get a definite delivery time. Ask about the return policy. If you're buying electronic goods or appliances, find out if there is a warranty and how to get service.
After you have won the auction and purchased the item:
Consider using traditional delivery services to protect your purchase. To ensure receipt of purchased goods in acceptable condition, consider traditional postage methods, including postal insurance.
Consider using credit cards to protect your purchase. Credit card companies may have agreements that allow the cardholder to dispute purchases or that provide certain protection against fraudulent transactions. Check the cardholder agreement with the credit card company to see if you are protected. Credit card payments can be made via PayPal who also offer buyer protection in certain instances.
Use the same caution in sending cash that you do in real life. You should not undertake a transaction about which you would feel uncomfortable in your regular life off the Web. You should verify the trustworthiness of a seller before sending cash or cash substitutes, like Banker's Drafts or bank transfers. We strongly advise not to send cash in the post.
Keep a Record - Print the listing, the photograph of the item in that listing, and every seller email for future reference and documentation. Auction information is available on Totalbids for 90 days after the auction closes but it is advisable to keep a printed record if delivery is likely to take time or if the item is valuable/costly.
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Online Safety
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Whether a buyer or seller there are a few things that you should always keep in mind when engaging in communication and transactions online:
Use common sense when you disclose personal information. Disclose only that personal information necessary to complete the transaction. You should not disclose information that you would not disclose in an off-line real life commercial transaction.
Be very wary of anyone who requests payment be sent by cash or who asks you to front money.
Never, ever engage in get rich quick schemes of any sort as there is in fact no such thing.
Refrain from sending money to certain countries that are known to be a source of scams and fraudulent schemes. Totalbids aims to restrict bidders and sellers to those from “safe” countries but we cannot guarantee this so be aware.
Choose a safe method of sending and receiving money, one by which the seller and buyer can be verified to some extent. Credit Card and PayPal are good options. Western Union and MoneyGram or money orders are not suitable for sending money to people you don't know. See Western Union's FAQ for more details.
Be careful of fraudulent emails - Remember Totalbids, like most reputable online organisations, will NEVER ask you for your password or credit card or bank account numbers in an email. If you are ever in doubt DO NOT enter any details. Immediately close the browser window, open a new one and manually type in one of the two addresses. Do not take a chance, ever.
If you are not sure of an email’s authenticity, even if there is only a shadow of doubt, login to My Totalbids and verify the email. For example, a payment request email from Totalbids will correspond with the statement on your seller’s account in My Totalbids where you will find a link for payment. A winning bidder email will correspond with the Items Won in My Totalbids.
If you need to report any scams, frauds or suspicious activity contact us or use the Report Abuse form on My Totalbids. Be sure to include both the user name and email address of the offending party.
For more information and tips regarding online safety see the Safe Trading page.
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