- Who determines the minimum or starting bid?
- What is the Bid Increment?
- Okay, what are Proxy Bids?
- What does using this auction cost and how do I qualify?
- How do I bid?
- What are Reserve Bids?
- How do I Post an item for sale?
- How do I find out more about a posted item?
- How do I know I'm getting a good deal?
- How do I know I won?
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.
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). 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.
Proxy bidding allows the system to bid for you automatically. Think of Proxy bidding as someone who stays and watches the auction 24 hours a day while you're off doing other things. You activate Proxy Bidding 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, our system places another bid for you and so on up to the maximum amount you've specified. Under no circumstances will Proxy Bidding ever bid MORE than you stipulate. But, the system will send you e-mail about an outbid so you can enter a higher Proxy bid amount if you'd like.
This auction requires 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 ourselves as the auction providers and you as buyer and/or seller. Registration is simple and painless. Merely click on [New Registration] here or near the top or bottom of any auction page.
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. 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 directly to the item. You can then decide whether you want to raise your bid.
Sometimes (and our system supports this) a seller enters a Reserve Bid. For example, the item sells for $100 new. The seller 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.
Posting your items for sale here at Collector Traps is easy. Simply register if you have not already by clicking [New Registration] here or near the top or bottom of any auction page. Our system automatically e-mails your password usually within a few seconds (no need to disconnect while you wait). Once you have the password, you might want to copy it from your e-mail and go to [Change Registration] to replace our collection of letters and numbers with something you might more easily remember. Posting items for sale is accomplished by clicking on [Post New Item] near the top or bottom of any auction screen. Fill in the form with a short descriptive title. Next, select the category the item should be in (if you don't see an appropriate category on the drop down list, please e-mail us Auction Administrator and ask for that category to be added. Be a little patient, please--we will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you have any questions about an item, by all means contact the seller and ask him or her (not us!). Click on the Ask Seller A Question link found on the item page. You can ask about the condition of the item, payment and shipment terms, or anything else not already spelled out in the item's description.
When buying something from someone--whether on the internet, in any kind of auction, or anywhere else--your best protection is to be an informed buyer. We do police this auction, but we can give no blanket guarantee. You might read our Terms and Conditions page for more info on this. However, we also go to great lengths here to make sure you have an assortment of items to bid on.
The system automatically sends the buyer (highest bidder) and seller of the item an e-mail (with contact information) when the auction ends. The buyer and seller are then 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.
For any other questions you might have, please feel free to e-mail our auction administrator, Auction Administrator. | 
