Bidding FAQ's

1. How do I submit a bid?
2. Is there any cost to place a bid on an item?
3. What happens if I want to withdraw or change my bid?
4. Will I be notified if I won an item?
5. How do I pay for and receive an item I won?
6. What is proxy bidding?
7. Can I adjust my proxy bid after it's been placed?
8. What is a "snipe-proof" auction?
9. How are bid increments set by BidCorp?

How do I submit a bid? 

First, you must be logged in with an activated account in order to bid.  Don't have an account?  No sweat, sign-up is quick and free!

Once you find an auction you like, simply navigate to that item's listing page (if you're not already there) and enter your bid in the provided field at the top.  On mobile devices, this is under the images toward the top.  On desktop views, the bidding section is to the top, right.

Next, enter the highest amount you're willing to bid.  BidCorp will only submit the minimum amount, then we'll bid on your behalf until that highest amount is hit.  This is called proxy billing, and you can read more about that below.

Is there any cost to place a bid on an item? 

Nope!  There is never a cost to place a bid on an item. You are, however, responsible for following-through on any items won.

What happens if I want to withdraw or change my bid? 

Your bid is considered a legally binding contract per the terms of using this site. You will be responsible to follow through on any bids you have submitted.

Bid retractions are accepted at the sole discretion of the seller, not BidCorp.

Will I be notified if I won an item? 

Absolutely!  You will be notified via email by BidCorp and/or the seller who listed the item.

How do I pay for and receive an item I won? 

The payment and shipping options are selected by the seller when they create the auction. You will need to work out specific arrangements with the seller directly once you are awarded the auction item via email and phone.

What is proxy bidding? 

Proxy bidding is a feature that is used on all BidCorp auctions. A bidder can submit a maximum bid amount and our system will act as a proxy bidder in their absence, placing updated bids for them while trying to keep the bid price as low as possible. This way, when you are bidding, you do not have to be at the auction every minute monitoring your competition.

An example would be having a friend attend an auction for you to bid on a picture. You instruct your friend to bid up to, but no more than $50 dollars for the picture. The bidding for the picture begins at $10 dollars. Your friend would bid $11 for you. Then if another bidder bids $12 dollars your friend would bid $13. This would continue until you had won the item, or the bidding exceeded $50 dollars.

Proxy bidding at BidCorp makes this process easy for you. BidCorp would act as your friend did in the above example. If the highest amount authorized in your proxy bid is exceeded by another bidder, you will be notified and will have the opportunity to enter a new proxy bid if the auction is still open. If you're already the highest bidder and you want to adjust your maximum proxy setting, simply provide a new bid amount on the listing page.

Can I adjust my proxy bid after it's been placed? 

Yes, you can adjust your proxy bid if you're currently the highest bidder.

What is a "snipe-proof" auction? 

A snipe-proof auction will prevent bidders from grabbing an item at the last second!

If a bid is placed during the last 5 minutes of an auction, the ending will automatically extend by an additional 5 minutes. For example, if a bid is placed with 2 minutes left, the auction will then end in 7 minutes. This process will repeat each time a bid is placed under 5 minutes.

Not all auctions are snipe-proof. This feature is enabled by the seller at the time of the listing's posting.

How are bid increments set by BidCorp? 

The amount of the increment is set by the dollar amount of the highest bid. This is also the minimum amount to be recognized as the new highest bidder.

The table of our automatic increments is as follows: