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| Bidding
on Items |
| You must be a registered user to bid on items. By
bidding, you are stating that you are ready and willing to purchase that item
for your bid amount, plus any shipping charges disclosed in the listing.
If you are outbid, or your bid does not meet the seller's reserve price, you are
under no obligation to buy. But in all other cases, you are entering a
contract with the seller to buy the item, and to deliver payment within the time
period specified. If you can't pay, on time, don't bid! Your
bids are final and non-retractable.
You can find additional tips on bidding on our Buyer's
Services page.
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| Listing
Items for Auction |
| Once you list an item, you are entering into a contract with
the high bidder. You are obligated to sell your item at the high bid
price, with the only exception being Reserve
Price auctions. Also, you cannot sell that item to anybody until the
end of the auction you started. If the high bid does not meet your
reserve, you are under no obligation to sell. In all other cases, you are
obligated to sell the item to high bidder, and deliver the item within the time
period specified.
You must describe the item in a truthful, accurate, and complete manner, to
the best of your knowledge. Photogon members are required to describe any
malfunctions, damage, or other negatives about the item. We strongly
recommend use of the Photogon Grading Scale, when
describing the physical condition of your item.
Once an auction has started, sellers can not change the starting bid, or
reserve price amounts. Sellers can not change their description of the
item, but may add to their description. If you wish to add to your
description, log in to My Page. You can
also check the auction results and contact bidders via My Page. Additional
pointers on listing items can be found on our Seller's
Services page.
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| Reserve
Price auctions |
Sellers may choose to set a Reserve Price that is above the
minimum starting bid. Bidders know if a particular auction has a reserve
price, and whether it has been met or not. The actual amount of the
reserve price is not shown to bidders, until it has been met or surpassed.
The seller is not obligated to sell to the highest bidder if the reserve
price has not been met. The seller is obligated to sell to the
highest bidder, at the bid amount, if it has met or exceeded the reserve price.
For a detailed description, take a look at the examples in the FAQ
about Reserve Price Auctions.
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| Overtime |
| Normally, an auction closes at the scheduled time as displayed
within the listing. However, if there are bids entered within the last 5
minutes of the closing time, then the auction will go into overtime. The
auction is extended until there are no further bids for a continuous 5 minutes.
This is similar to an auctioneer continuing to take bids until there is no
further interest. For example, if a bid comes in with 4 minutes left in
the auction, then there will be 1 minute of overtime. Unless more
bids come in. It is possible for auction to be extended continuously, but
the longest overtime so far has been 20 minutes.
Overtime helps dissuade "snipers", or last second bidders.
For example, you may have spent considerable time achieving your high bid status
at an auction. Without overtime, someone could time their bid entry to
within a few seconds of the closing, leaving you without enough time to notice
the bid and enter one in response. This is a common practice at online
auctions, and unfair because you would not know that this person is waiting to
pounce on you. At a live physical auction, at least you can see your
competition, and the auctioneer will continue with the auction to give a chance
to respond. This is precisely why Photogon.com employs an overtime system
at our auctions. We have found that 5 minutes is enough time to receive an
outbid email from our system, log in to our site, and place a bid.
So what's the best strategy? If you have the time and enjoy hanging out
at online auctions, then wait until the last few minutes of an auction to bid.
Your competition will have 5 minutes to respond, but maybe they are not
available. On the other hand, if you do not have the time to attend the
closing of an auction, then use the Proxy
Bidding method. Together, these two features save you considerable
time online, while still protecting your chances of winning auctions.
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| What to do after
the Auction |
| The Photogon computer will send notifications to both the high
bidder and the seller after the end of a successful auction. Both the
buyer and seller are expected to contact each other via email, within 3 days
after the end of the auction. (Email addresses can be found in the
notifications). After email contact, phone numbers can be exchanged
between the buyer and the seller. We recommend that you speak over the
phone before sending payment, or before shipping merchandise. If repeated
emails go unanswered by either party, you should notify the Photogon at service@photogon.com.
We will then release the other party's phone number.
Once contact has begun, the payment arrangements, shipping arrangements, and
expected dates should be settled upon. The goal is to complete the
transaction within 10 days of auction closing. This may vary a
little, depending on payment type, how long to wait to clear, when seller can
get the item to carrier, etc. Basically, the specific dates should
be worked out between the buyer and seller, and each party should follow through
with their part of the schedule. Plan to exchange several emails or phone
contacts, updating the other party with every step.
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| Resolving
disputes |
| Photogon members are expected to conduct business with the
honor system in mind. All members in good standing have shown their
integrity by registering, and following through with any commitments they have
made. But we are all human, and mistakes and miscommunication can lead to
disputes. If you find yourself in a situation where you and another
member are at a disagreement, contact
us. While we cannot promise a satisfactory resolution, we will try to
contact both parties and help mediate the situation. Any illegal
activities, breaking of a contract, or outright statements of falsehood should
be reported to us immediately. The Photogon staff will notify the
appropriate law enforcement agencies, and provide them with whatever information
is found necessary, and at the least terminate the offender's membership.
With our 50 years of combined experience, we have found that most enthusiasts
are exceptionally honest, and trustworthy people. Perhaps this is a quirk
that is necessary to be a true photo nut, or perhaps a camaraderie is felt
between fellow enthusiasts. Whatever the reason, we are extremely
confident that members of the Photogon community will behave in an honest
manner, and be able to resolve any minor differences by themselves.
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| Anything we missed? |
If you feel we have missed something, or the explanation is not
clear enough, please contact us, and
we will email back promptly. Please include your specific questions or
comments in the email, and if your questions are regarding a particular auction,
include the title of the auction, or the item number in your email. Thank
you.
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