Live Online Auctions - $1 Start Bid | Jewelry, Watches, Sports Memorabilia and more

I am new to Always At Auction: Where do I start?

Everyone is invited to browse or Search through our auction categories and listings for items on Always At Auction. If you see something you would like to bid on you must first register. Don't worry! Registration is free and easy!

The Registration page will ask you to enter a Logon ID, which is the username or nickname you will be known by within the Always At Auction community, as well as a password and valid email address. You will only need to register once on Always At Auction.

What are the system requirements needed to use Always At Auction?

For best results, Always At Auction recommends you use either Mozilla Firefox 2.x or greater or MS Internet Explorer 6.x or greater. Both of these browsers can be downloaded free of charge from the Always At Auction Logon page.
If you are running on a Windows platform, we recommend it be a Pentium 133 MHz or greater with Windows 95/98, 2000, XP or Windows NT 4.x and Service Pack 6, 32 MB memory (RAM), VGA 256 color, 640 x 480 display, 56.6 KBPS Internet access and a Mouse or compatible pointing device. If you are running on Macintosh, it should be a Power PC (running OS 7.6+) with 32 MB memory (RAM), 256 colors at 640 x 480, 56.6 KBPS Internet access with a Mouse or compatible pointing device.

What is your Privacy Policy?

Our mission is to provide a winning experience for our customers. As part of that experience we are firmly committed to protecting your privacy and the security of the information you provide to us. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our Privacy Policy and contact us if you have any concerns or questions about privacy issues that may affect you.

WELCOME TO ALWAYS AT AUCTION, OPERATED BY ATAUCTION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALWAYSATAUCTION.COM. YOUR USE OF THIS WEBSITE IS GOVERNED BY THESE TERMS OF USE. BY ACCESSING AND USING THIS WEBSITE, YOU AGREE THAT YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THIS WEBSITE IS SUBJECT TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

These Terms and Conditions May Change

AtAuction (hereinafter "AtAuction" or "this website") reserves the right to change any of the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement or any policies or guidelines governing the Site or Services, at any time and in its sole discretion. Any changes will be effective upon posting of the revisions on the Site. You are responsible for reviewing the notice and any applicable changes. Changes to referenced policies and guidelines may be posted without notice to you. YOUR CONTINUED USE OF THIS SITE AND THE SERVICES FOLLOWING ATAUCTION's POSTING OF ANY CHANGES WILL CONSTITUTE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ANY CHANGES TO THIS AGREEMENT, DO NOT CONTINUE TO USE THE SERVICES OR THIS SITE.

User Conduct

Use of this website is for lawful purposes only and is limited to parties that lawfully can enter into and form contracts under applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, minors may not use the Services. Every person who uses the Services hereby represents to AtAuction that he or she is not a minor, is at least over the age of eighteen (18) and may otherwise enter into and form binding contracts under applicable law. To register, you must provide your real e-mail address, along with other information that may be required from time to time. To checkout, you must provide your real name, valid billing address, phone number and valid form of payment.

Every person who uses this website shall not post or transmit through this website any material which violates or infringes in any way upon the rights of others, which is unlawful, threatening, abusive, defamatory, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, vulgar, obscene, profane or otherwise objectionable, which encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any law, or which, without AtAuction's express prior approval, contains advertising or any solicitation with respect to products or services. Any conduct by a user of this website that in AtAuction's discretion restricts or inhibits any other user from using or enjoying this website will not be permitted. Users of the site shall not use this website to advertise or perform any commercial solicitation, including, but not limited to, the solicitation of users to become subscribers of other on-line information services competitive with this website.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login account and password information and for restricting access to your computer. You agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account or password. If you are under 18, you may use this website only with involvement of a parent or guardian.

Disclaimer and Limitation

THIS WEBSITE IS OPERATED ON AN "AS IS," "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS. TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ATAUCTION AND ITS AFFILIATES DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THIS SITE AND ITS CONTENTS, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, ATAUCTION AND ITS AFFILIATES DO NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT THIS WEBSITE WILL OPERATE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION OR ERROR. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, SHALL ATAUCTION OR ITS AFFILIATES, OR ANY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AGENTS, VENDORS OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT LOSSES OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THIS WEBSITE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, GENERAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF DAMAGES. YOUR USE OF THE SITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SET FORTH ABOVE, SO THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

ALL PRODUCTS SOLD BY ATAUCTION ARE SUBJECT TO ANY APPLICABLE WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE MANUFACTURERS. ACCORDINGLY, ATAUCTION MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO ANY PRODUCT SOLD. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN, ATAUCTION EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO PRODUCTS SOLD ON THIS WEBSITE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL ATAUCTION, ITS SUPPLIERS OR THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING IN ANY WAY FROM ANY PRODUCT SOLD ON THIS WEBSITE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ATAUCTION'S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICE YOU PAID FOR THE PRODUCT THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE CLAIM. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SET FORTH ABOVE, SO THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

YOU AGREE TO DEFEND, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD ATAUCTION AND OUR SUBSIDIARIES, PARENTS, AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, LOSSES, LIABILITIES, COSTS AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ATTORNEYS' FEES) ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH (A) YOUR BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING THE DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE; (B) YOUR VIOLATION OF ANY STATE, FEDERAL FOREIGN OR INTERNATIONAL LAWS, CODES OR REGULATIONS; AND/OR (C) YOUR VIOLATION OF ANY THIRD PARTY'S RIGHTS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, INFRINGEMENT OF ANY COPYRIGHT, VIOLATION OF ANY PROPRIETARY RIGHT AND INVASION OF ANY PRIVACY RIGHTS. THIS OBLIGATION WILL SURVIVE THE TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.

Copyright

If you believe that you have been defamed in some manner by this web site or your own work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide AtAuction the following information in writing: (a) an electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest or the person defamed, along with your address, phone number, and email address; (b) a description of the defamatory material, or the copyrighted work that you believe has been infringed, and a description of where the material that you claim is defamatory or infringing your rights is located on the this web site; (c) a statement by you that you have a bona fide, good faith belief that the defamatory activity has occurred or that the use by a third party of your proprietary rights is not permitted by the copyright owner or by law; and (d) a statement that the information provided is accurate and that, under penalty of perjury, you are the allegedly defamed party or the copyright owner or authorized agent to at on the copyright owner's or allegedly defamed person's behalf.

General Counsel
c/o AtAuction
1545 Capital Drive, Suite 100
Carrollton, TX 75006

The text, images, photographs, graphics, logos, illustrations, descriptions, data, and other material provided on this website, as well as the selection, assembly and arrangement thereof, are referred to collectively as the "Content." The Content may contain errors, omissions, or typographical errors or may be out of date. AtAuction may change, delete, or update any Content at any time and without prior notice. Unless otherwise noted, all Content is protected by copyrights, trademarks, service marks, and other proprietary rights that are owned by AtAuction or by third parties that have licensed their use to AtAuction. You may view and use the Content only for your personal information and for bidding and ordering on this website. Except as set forth above, AtAuction does not grant to you any right to use, reproduce, copy, modify, transmit, display, publish, sell, license, create derivative works, publicly perform, or distribute by any means, method, or process any of the Content.

Supplemental Terms

Compare At Price: The Compare Price is based on what we believe to be the maximum prices other jewelers advertise online for similar jewelry items. This price in no way reflects worth, suggested retail price or an actual advertised price.

You should always make sure to have all the information provided in the description page of the auction evaluated with your local appraiser/jeweler before you bid or buy.

The purpose of the Compare Price is to demonstrate the advantage of an auction starting at $1.

Comparative Retail Ticket Price: The Comparative Retail Ticket Price range comes from contrasting the watch with similar products offered by major watch retailers. In this instance, "similar" product means comparable watch design, functionality, finish, and accurate component fit. With regard to watch components in particular, similar products will have comparable quality dials, casings, crystals, bracelets and movements to the watch models in this collection. The Watch Industry calculates MSRP/Compare at Value as a multiple of the watch's wholesale selling price, sometimes referred to as Keystone pricing. Underlying product design and component quality, distribution method, advertising strategies (both direct and cooperative), sales commissions and target gross margin combine to affect wholesale price calculations. Watches marketed via traditional business models might require a double, triple, or even higher Keystone pricing strategy to reach the targeted ticket price. This would then allow for retailers to offer incremental discounts to stimulate sales without dramatically affecting a brand's retail price image. The majority of our watch auctions start at $1.00 with no reserves. The market force of competitive bidding sets your price. Our goal is for you to win an amazing watch and for us to gain a satisfied and repeat auction participant.

Original Retail Ticket Price: The item in this listing is part of an overstock lot which is being liquated through auction. Major retail department stores and jewelry stores have offered this exact item or a very similar item at an Original Retail Ticket price within the specified range.

At times, these retail stores may have offered this item at a discount ranging from 25% to 50% off the Original Price. Typically, the higher the retailer set the Original Price, the higher the discount offered. The reference herein is made to reflect the mid-range Retail Ticket prices and discounts.
The majority of our jewelry auctions start at $1.00 with no reserves. The market force of competitive bidding sets your price. Our goal is for you to win a fashionable piece of jewelry and for us to gain a satisfied and repeat auction participant.

Frivolous Bidding: In an effort to maintain our auctions free from frivolous bidding, AtAuction reserves the right to remove erroneous bids from an auction and extend the auction for no longer than 25 minutes. If no other bids are placed during the extension the auction will be awarded to the next highest bidder.

AtAuction may also declare a winner prior to the auction closing.

Your Transactions and Obligations: By entering into this Agreement and bidding on a product, you agree to complete the transaction as described by this Agreement. You acknowledge that by not fulfilling these obligations, your action or inaction may be legally actionable.

If an item purchased on this website is being shipped to Texas, AtAuction must charge sales/use tax on the transaction.

By placing a bid on this website and with AtAuction, you are entering into a legally binding contract and if you are the winning bidder, you agree to pay for your winning auction item(s). First time bidders are required to enter credit card information and make payment upon receipt of your winning bid email. Once your credit card is on file and you are a successful auction winner, your credit card will be automatically charged when the item ships. Failure to make payment for winning bid auctions will result in suspension and termination of your auction account. Please only place bids based on your ability and commitment to make payment.

Auction winners are responsible for paying all shipping costs and applicable taxes associated with items that are won on auction. A valid MasterCard, VISA, American Express or Discover credit card is required to complete your winning auction order. You warrant that any payment method selected by you shall enable you to make full and immediate payment for your winning bid. In the event that the chosen payment method does not enable you to make full and immediate payment for any reason, including without limitation insufficient funds or credit decline, AtAuction may in it sole and absolute discretion cancel your bid. In such case, AtAuction may in it sole and absolute discretion (but shall not be required to) designate the next highest bidder (meeting the applicable minimum bid or reserve requirements) as the winning bidder.

Correction of Errors and Inaccuracies.

The information on this website may contain typographical errors or inaccuracies and may not be complete or current. AtAuction reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change or update information at any time without prior notice (including after you have submitted your order). Please note that such errors, inaccuracies or omissions may relate to product description, pricing and availability.

Illegal Activity

The Site and Services only may be used for lawful purposes and in a lawful manner. You agree to comply with all applicable laws, statutes and regulations regarding use of the Services, including in regard to bidding, and purchasing items. You may not register under a false name or use an invalid or unauthorized credit card. You may not make bids under a false name, impersonate any participant, or use another participant's password(s). Such fraudulent conduct is a violation of federal and state laws. Fraudulent conduct may be reported to law enforcement, and AtAuction will cooperate to ensure that violators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

You are strictly prohibited from placing bids or causing bids to be placed on any product for the purpose of artificially increasing or otherwise manipulating the bidding process on this website or the bid price of any product listed on the Site, or influencing user behavior on this website.

Termination

AtAuction, shall have the right without notice and at any time to terminate or modify this Agreement, access to this website or any service offered by AtAuction, or any current transaction or any individual's right to access or use this website immediately without notice for any reason.

Miscellaneous

These Terms of Use constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersede all previous written or oral agreements between the parties with respect to such subject matter. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Texas, without regard to its conflicts or choice of laws principles. You agree that, in any legal action arising from or related to your use of or orders placed on this website or to these Terms of Use, the United States District Courts for Texas shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction and venue over such action.

AtAuction is not the agent, fiduciary, trustee or other representative of you. Nothing expressed or mentioned in or implied from this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any person other than the parties hereto any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect to this Agreement. This Agreement and all of the representations, warranties, covenants, conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be and are for the sole and exclusive benefit of AtAuction and you.

If any provision of this Agreement shall be deemed unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from these terms and conditions and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.

AtAuction's failure to enforce the strict performance of any provision of this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of AtAuction's right to subsequently enforce such provision or any other provisions of this Agreement.

YOU AGREE THAT ANY CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR OUR SERVICES SHALL BE SETTLED BY BINDING ARBITRATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION RULES OF THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION. ANY SUCH CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM SHALL BE ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, AND SHALL NOT BE CONSOLIDATED IN ANY ARBITRATION WITH ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY OF ANY OTHER PARTY. THE ARBITRATION SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN DALLAS, TEXAS, AND JUDGMENT ON THE ARBITRATION AWARD MAY BE ENTERED INTO ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION THEREOF. EITHER YOU OR ATAUCTION MAY SEEK ANY INTERIM OR PRELIMINARY RELIEF FROM A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION IN DALLAS, TEXAS, IF NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OR PROPERTY OF YOU OR ATAUCTION PENDING THE COMPLETION OF ARBITRATION AND YOU HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY CONSENT AND SUBMIT TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS OVER ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Why do I need to register with Always At Auction?

By registering with Always At Auction, you are letting other members know that you will participate in an honest and professional manner. To register, you simply need to enter a Log in ID (Username), a password, and your valid email address. Once you win your first auction, you will be required to enter your billing and shipping address as well as a valid credit card to complete your order. You must provide us with valid contact information so that we may contact you regarding your Always At Auction purchases.

Does it cost to register?

Registration on Always At Auction is Free and Easy! There are no monthly membership fees, and there is no obligation to maintain your membership. Once you have submitted your registration, you will receive a confirmation e-mail message from Always At Auction and you will have instant access to Always At Auction's products.

Do I need a credit card to register?

No, you are not required to use a credit card to register, but you are required to have a credit card to complete your winning auction purchase. The initial Registration and Bidding process simply requires a Log In ID, password and a valid email address. Once you win your first auction, you will be required to enter your billing and shipping address as well as a valid credit card to complete your order.

Do I have to buy anything after I register?

No. You are not obligated to buy anything on Always At Auction by registering. You are welcome to drop by any time and look around. If you see something you would like to bid on you can do so quickly as a registered user.

I registered. Why did I not receive my confirmation e-mail?

After you submitted your registration form, you were sent a confirmation e-mail. This process ensures that your e-mail address is valid. Though you should receive your registration confirmation message within minutes of submitting your registration, please allow at least 24 hours to receive it.

If you did not receive this e-mail, please:

Return to Always At Auction, logon to your account, and verify that you had entered your e-mail address correctly, and make the necessary update, if not; OR
Make sure you did not enter a work e-mail address instead of your home e-mail address or vice versa.

If you still did not receive this e-mail or need us to resend it, please Contact Us

Can I register under more than one account?

No. we do not allow members to register under more than one account per participant. If at any time you forget your Log in ID or password, or other account information, please don't create a new account in an attempt to remedy the situation. Instead, click on the Forgot your Log in ID and Password? link when trying to logon. You will be asked to enter the e-mail address you registered with so that we can send you your current Log in ID and Password right away. If you do not receive your e-mail message, please contact Customer Service for further assistance.

Can I update my registration information?

Yes - at anytime. Auction users are expected to maintain valid accounts by keeping their contact information (e-mail address, mailing address, and phone number) up-to-date. This is a vital aspect of creating an honest and secure trading environment for auction users. Please review your contact information and if it changes, simply update it from the Manage My Account > Update My Registration Info section of the Control Center.

What about the privacy of my information?

Information collected on the auction site and by AtAuction will not be sold, shared or rented to others.

Our mission is to provide a winning experience for auction participants. As part of that experience we are firmly committed to protecting your privacy and the security of the information you provide to us. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our Privacy Policy and contact us if you have any concerns or questions about privacy issues that may affect you.

How do I bid on an item I am interested in?

When you have located an item you are interested in, click on the item's title link to see its listing page.

On each item listing page there is a Maximum Bid box where you must enter your maximum bid amount and then click the Bid Now button which you must click on to place your bid. If you do not see a Bid Now button on the listing page or if it is disabled, then the listing is not yet open for bidding or has closed. The "Time Remaining" field will say: Listing Not Yet Open or Auction Closed.

To place a bid, you must first enter your Log in information, if you haven't done so already. An opening bid should be either the "Next Bid" amount as shown on the item listing page or the "Maximum Bid" amount you are willing to pay for the item (Proxy Bid). You will be notified by e-mail if another bidder has surpassed your maximum bid.

Refresh your Browser often
When reviewing an item's Bid History after having placed a bid, you should reload, or refresh, your browser so that it displays the most current bid status information. This is especially important during the final minutes of an auction when you should refresh your browser frequently (every 3 - 5 secs).

Remember, you must be registered before you can begin bidding on items. Don't worry! Registration is free and easy!

Is there a charge to place bids?

No. Browsing and Bidding for merchandise on Always At Auction is free. As a buyer, you are not obligated to buy anything on Always At Auction after you have registered. You are welcome to drop by any time and look around. If you see something you would like to bid on you can do so quickly as a registered member.

Do I need to use a credit card to bid?

No, you do not need a credit card to register or to place a bid. However, By placing a bid on Always At Auction, you are entering into a legally binding contract and if you are the winning bidder, you agree to pay for your winning auction item(s). First time bidders are required to enter credit card information and make payment upon receipt of your winning bid email. Once your credit card is on file and you are a successful auction winner, your credit card will be automatically charged when the item ships. Failure to make payment for winning bid auctions will result in suspension and termination of your auction account. Please only place bids based on your ability and commitment to make payment.

Auction winners are responsible for paying all shipping costs and applicable taxes associated with items that are won on auction. A valid MasterCard, VISA, American Express or Discover credit card is required to complete your winning auction order.

When providing your valid credit card information, you authorize AtAuction to make a temporary $3.50 USD charge to your credit card account, to verify that the credit card information you provide is valid. This charge will be refunded to your account within 30 days upon verification. This credit verification will occur each time you provide a different credit card in the bidding process.

If you need to update your credit card information, you can do so anytime from My Account.

I am new to bidding: can you give me some tips?

Bid Early and Bid High

An early bid supported by a high proxy bid can make you a winner. As others come to bid against you, it's likely that they'll be continually outbid the moment their bids are processed. After a few rounds of this, many bidders might feel intimidated and will move along, thinking you have that particular auction well covered.

Watch the Auction like a Hawk

Another bidding tactic is sentry bidding - placing a bid and then keeping close watch on it for the duration of the auction. If others try to outbid you, you can quickly place a counter-bid to regain your high bidder status. After being outbid a couple of times, other bidders might decide their efforts are futile.

Play Close Attention to Last Minute Bidding

Some bidders may be up for the challenge and will choose to square off with you. This could lead to a bidding war, so be aware of how much you're willing to spend for an item and how closely you can monitor the auction. Be aware of the last-second snipe: being outbid by other buyers in the closing minutes or seconds of an auction.

Remember, you must be registered before you can begin bidding on items. Don't worry! Registration is free and easy!

Can I ask a question before I place a bid?

Yes. You may contact Always At Auction before placing a bid from the Contact Us form if you require additional information about the item.

What is Proxy Bidding?

Proxy bidding is a convenient way to automatically bid on your items without having to continually return to your computer to check on your auctions. A Proxy Bid is a bid automatically placed by the auction system on your behalf based on the Maximum Bid Amount that you set for the particular auction. When you place a bid by entering your Maximum Bid Amount (which is the most you're willing to pay for an item), you will be using our Proxy bidding system. If another bidder places a bid on your item Proxy bidding will then bid automatically, on your behalf and at the next lowest possible bid increments, but not more than the maximum bid you specified.

The goal is to win an item at the lowest successful price. To do so, you must be the bidder who placed the highest maximum bid at auction close. You will be notified by email if another bidder has surpassed your maximum bid. In case of a tie for high bidder, earlier bids will take precedence, unless one of the bidders has a proxy bid for a higher amount.

What is a "maximum bid amount"?

Your maximum bid amount is the highest price you are willing to pay for an item.
You should determine beforehand the most you are really willing to pay for an item and then enter a single bid at that amount in the Bid Amount field. An early bid supported by a high maximum bid amount can make you a winner! With Open Auctions, your maximum bid amount (if you are a current high bidder) will not be shown to other bidders until after the auction closes.

Can I increase my maximum bid after I've placed a bid?

Yes. If your maximum bid amount has been outbid, you can either place another maximum amount or enter each subsequent bid one at a time. Please note that you can only increase a subsequent maximum or incremental bid.

To increase your current bid amount, simply return to the listing and enter and submit a new, higher maximum bid amount (this amount is the most you're willing to pay for the item).

Because the system will recognize your Logon ID when you place the additional bid, you won't be bidding against yourself when you want to increase your maximum bid amount even though you're the current high bidder. Proxy bidding will still work to win the item for you up to your maximum bid amount, at the lowest successful price, if you are the high bidder at auction close.

I placed a bid. Why isn't it showing up?

There are 3 steps to placing a bid on an auction. You must complete all 3 steps in order for our system to record and display your bid in a listing's Bid History.

Enter your desired bid amount in the field Next Bid. Click on the Bid Now button on the listing page of the item you are viewing. You will be asked to Logon, if you haven't done so already.
Select your Ship To address and click on the Confirm Bid button.
Scroll down the Bid Confirmation page, review your bid information, and check it for accuracy. At this point, you will have the opportunity either to go back and modify or correct the desired quantity and bid amount or submit your bid. To place your confirmed bid simply click on the Confirm Bid button again.

NOTE: If there has been a proxy bid placed at a higher bid price that the price you just bid, your bid will not be accepted and you will be prompted to rebid with a higher bid price.
Once submitted, you can click on the Bid History link on the auction product listing page to see your bid. To place additional bids, repeat the steps above. When reviewing an item's Bid History after having placed a bid, you should reload, or refresh, your browser so that it displays the most current information.

I keep bidding on an item and then it says I have been outbid. Why?

When this happens, it means that an earlier bidder has placed a maximum bid amount using a Proxy Bid which is higher than the amount of your maximum bid.

When you placed your bid, the Proxy Bid system immediately placed another bid on the earlier bidder's behalf, for an amount just high enough (i.e., plus the bid increment) to outbid your maximum bid amount, insuring his position as high bidder.

If the maximum bid that you place is high enough to outbid any other bidders, then the Proxy Bid system will do the same for you and maintain your position as the current winning bidder.

I have confirmed my bid, but it tells me it is invalid: why?

There are several reasons why a confirmed bid can be considered invalid:

You have entered an invalid value in the "Maximum Bid" field. Make sure that your bid amount contains only numbers and decimal points, i.e., 45.00 . Do not enter any dollar signs ($) or commas (,) into the bid amount field.
You have an incomplete "ship to" or "bill to" address set up. Please go to My Account, select Address Book, and update your billing and shipping address information.
Your bid amount is less than the "Next Bid" value. Make sure that your bid is equal to or greater than the current "Next Bid" value shown on the listing page.

Where can I monitor my bidding activity?

You can monitor all your bidding activity from the Bidding Status section of My Account. Click on My Account, login if you have not yet done so, click on Bidding Status.

Time Left to Bid and Overtime Bidding

Time Left to Bid

Always At Auction displays a countdown clock to the auction close time. This countdown clock represents the time you have left to bid on that auction. If a bid is placed within the last 5 minutes of the auction close time, that auction will go into overtime.

Overtime Bidding

The Overtime Bidding feature works to ensure that bidders will always have a chance to challenge bids placed in the final seconds of an auction. When indicated on a listing page, if a bid is placed during the last 5 minutes of an open auction, the auction will be automatically extended for an additional 5 minutes from the time of the latest bid. There is no limit to the number of times an auction can be extended. Therefore, it is recommended that you check back frequently as an auction nears closing time. The auction will close once all bidding activity has stopped for a period of 5 minutes.

Note: If you have placed a bid when Overtime Bidding is engaged, you should refresh, or reload, your browser frequently (every 3 - 5 secs) so that it displays the most current bid status information.

How do I search for things on Always At Auction?

Searching on Always At Auction is fast and simple! Through our advanced Search function, you can look for specific items by title description, listing number, seller name, listing format, category and more!

You will be able to sort listings within a category by current price, bid count and time remaining. When you have located an item you are interested in, click on the item's title link to see its listing page.

What is an Open Auction?

In an Open Auction, buyers bid until the auction ends. The item is then sold to the highest bidder at the end of the auction period. There is no reserve price for this auction type. The seller must sell the item to the highest bidder. Bidding can start as low as the Opening Value (minimum price or starting amount) of the auction.

Once the auction closes, e-mail notification providing contact information is sent to the buyer and seller automatically so that arrangements for payment and shipment of the item can be determined.

What is English Auction?

In an English Auction, buyers bid until the auction ends. The item is then sold to the highest bidder at the end of the auction period.

What is Yankee Auction?

In a Yankee auction, a product lot (quantity of 2 or more pieces) consisting of one product or group of identical products-goes up for auction at a starting price. You attempt to outbid other buyers by offering more money for one or more pieces in the lot. Your bid price is per each single piece and you may bid for more than one piece.

At the close of the auction, the products are awarded to the highest bidder(s) at the price they bid and for the quantity they bid for up to the available auction lot.

As an example, if 5 units are up for auction, and Bidder A bids $200 for 2 pieces, and Bidder B bids $175 for 1 piece and Bidder C bids $160 for 2 pieces, and Bidder D bids $150 for 1 piece. Bidders A, B, and C would all be winning bidders at the price each of them bid and for the quantity each of them bid for. Bidder D would be a loosing Bidder.

In the event that two different Bidders bid the same price, then the winner is based on the quantity bid for and the time the bid was placed. Higher quantity and earliest bids take preference.

NOTE: There is no proxy bidding feature with Yankee auctions. If you win, the price you bid is the price you pay.

How do I find out if an auction has ended?

Once an auction has closed, it is no longer displayed on the site. You should note the scheduled Close Time listed on the active auction page. Additionally you can check your Bidding Status in the My Account section to see the current status of your bid(s).

What do I do if I win an auction?

If you are the winning bidder when an auction closes, AtAuction will send you e-mail notification telling you that you have won the item(s). You can also see all of your winning and loosing bids in the Bidding Status section of My Account.

First time bidders are required to enter credit card information and make payment upon receipt of your winning bid email. For subsequent auctions, once your credit card is on file and you are a successful auction winner, your credit card will be automatically charged when the item ships.

Failure to make payment for winning bid auctions will result in suspension and termination of your auction account. Please only place bids based on your ability and commitment to make payment.

Auction winners are responsible for paying all shipping costs and applicable taxes associated with items that are won on auction. A valid MasterCard, VISA, American Express or Discover credit card is required to complete your winning auction order

What are Bid Bucks and how do they work?

In addition to the great values you determine through the $1 Start Bid, No Reserve Auction, we offer customers the ability to earn Bid Bucks coupons in the amount of 5% of your total net winning auction purchases for a calendar month. These Bid Bucks discounts can be applied as a discount towards your next winning auction the following calendar month.

Winning auction customers will receive a Bid Bucks account and will receive Bid Bucks discount in the amount of 5% of their total net (after any returns or cancelations) winning auction purchases (merchandises only) for a calendar month. Bid Bucks discount amount will be displayed in the customers My Account section and will be applied as a discount toward payment for their next winning bid auctions in the calendar month following the month they were awarded. At the beginning of the month all auction winners from the previous month will be notified of the total amount of Bid Bucks discount they have in their account via e-mail. At the end of the calendar month, all valid un-redeemed Bid Bucks discounts expire.

What forms of payment are accepted?

Auction winners are responsible for paying all shipping costs and applicable taxes associated with items that are won on auction. A valid MasterCard, VISA, American Express or Discover credit card is required to complete your winning auction order. If you are the successful auction winner, your credit card will be automatically charged when the item ships. Debit Cards are not accepted as a method of verification or payment. To update your credit card information, select 'My Account' and select 'Update Credit Card'. The name on the auction and credit card must be the same.

Please verify that the Billing Address you enter, matches the Billing Address on file with your Credit Card Company. The Credit Card Security system will DENY AUTHORIZATION if these two addresses do not match.

When will my winning auction order ship?

Products won on auction will be shipped within two business days after payment authorization for the item has been processed.

What are the shipping costs?

Ground Shipping delivery charges are calculated on the shipping weight of the item unless otherwise indicated in the product's descriptive copy. The listed shipping charge covers Auction products shipped to the 50 United States, APO/FPO addresses, and US Territories. Stated shipping charges are per each individual auction. We are not currently able to combine shipping on separate auctions.

Where do you ship to?

We ship to the 50 United States, APO/FPO addresses and US Territories. We will ship to Street Addresses and APO/FPO ONLY. We cannot ship to P.O. Boxes addresses. Sorry, we can not ship to foreign addresses - orders shipping to foreign addresses will be AUTOMATICALLY CANCELLED, and items relisted.

Do you charge sales tax?

We are required to collect a 8.25% sales tax on merchandise (including shipping charges) sold and delivered to address in the state of Texas.

What is your Return Policy?

RETURN POLICY:
+ We offer a 100% merchandise guarantee if the product is not as shown or described in the auction listing
+ In the unlikely event you need to return an item, you must contact our Customer Service team within 15 days of receipt of merchandise and request a Return Authorization.
+ Some return restrictions may apply to and some returns may be subject to a 15% restocking fee.
+ Shipping and handling fees are non-refundable

If you need to return an item, please contact our Customer Service team, via phone or contact us form, to request a Return Authorization.

Is there a warranty on the merchandise?

Manufacture warranty supersedes our return policy on defective merchandise when applicable. Unless specifically stated in the item's Product Description, the item is being auctioned and sold "as is" with no warranty.

How do I contact Customer Service?

CUSTOMER SERVICE:
Via Email: Contact us
Customer Service Phone: 1-800-322-7315 Option 1

Earn Bid Bucks coupons in the amount of 5%, 10% of your total net winning auction purchases during December. These Bid Bucks discounts can be applied as a discount towards your next winning auction during the month of January. Winning auction customers will receive a Bid Bucks account and will receive Bid Bucks discount in the amount of 10% of their total net (after any returns or cancelations) winning auction purchases (merchandises only) for a December. Bid Bucks discount amount will be displayed in the customers My Account section and will be applied as a discount toward payment for their next winning bid auctions in January 2010. At the beginning of January all auction winners from December will be notified of the total amount of Bid Bucks discount they have in their account via e-mail. At the end of the January, all valid un-redeemed Bid Bucks discounts will expire.