How to Bid - Rules
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 cannot pay please don't bid. Your bids are final and non-retractable. Bidding begins immediately by phone and online. We are online at http://www.thgolfauction.com for all of our auctions. We will not accept e-mail bids.
Minimum Bid. TGA will predetermine the number of Item(s) in an auction. TGA will set the minimum bid on each item to be agreed upon by both TGA and Consignor. The Minimum Bid, if not agreed upon, shall be approximately thirty percent (30%) of the retail value. The Minimum Bid is designed to encourage bidding. If an item is incorrectly described online, TGA reserves the right to rectify such error and email to all active bidders the correct description. For phone bidders, all corrections will be read over the phone to the prospective bidder.
Extended Bidding. The Golf Auction (TGA) has modified the "extended bidding" process to close each auction. Extended bidding begins at 9:00pm EST on day of auction end. Modified auction ending is designed to align with the method adopted by most auction houses. The new method is bidder friendly and detailed below:
Initial Bids. You must enter an acceptable, initial bid on any item(s) you desire prior to 9:00pm EST on the final day of the auction in order to be able to participate in extended bidding.
If you have not placed a bid prior to 9:00pm EST on the day the auction ends, you will not be permitted to bid on that item after 9:00pm EST in the extended bidding session. Consequently, if you are the sole bidder on an item at 9:00pm EST on the final day of the auction, the item will close and you will be the winner of the lot. Therefore, BID EARLY.
After reviewing all lots, simply by placing one bid on each item(s) you are interested in, you will be eligible to bid on those item(s) in extended bidding (even if you are outbid by another bidder) without risking the possibility of being shutout.
Extended Bidding Session: After 9:00pm EST, bids will only be accepted from bidders for an item in which the bidder entered a bid prior to 9:00pm EST. Please understand, if you have not bid on the item prior to 9:00pm EST, you will NOT be able to bid on the item after 9:00pm EST. Bidders have access to the items for approximately two weeks prior to the auction close, to provide each bidder the opportunity to bid on any, and all, items prior to 9:00pm EST on the day of auction ending.
Closing of Lots: Lots will close individually. Lots have the potential to end or be closed at 9:00pm EST. If an item has zero (0) or one (1) bid at 9:00pm EST, the lot will close.
- If zero bids were received, the item will be passed; offers for passed items will NOT be accepted at ANY TIME!
- If only one bid is received, the lot will close and the lone bidder will be the winner of the lot.
If two or more bidders bid on a lot, the item will remain open until 30 minutes have elaspsed with no new acceptable bids on the lot. Please keep in mind that the only bidders who are eligible to bid on a lot after 9:00pm EST are bidders who placed a bid on the lot prior to 9:00pm EST. - For each lot, a timer will automatically reset to 30 minutes each time a bid is placed on the lot. Bids on the item will continue to be accepted until 30 minutes have elapsed and the winner is declared. The timer will not be reset if the high bidder bids on the same item again without another losing bidder placing a bid on the item.
- Please hit the "REFRESH" button on your computer as the clock counts down as our system will not automatically display the time remaining with an increase in the bid.
Examples: - Lot 599 received no bids prior to 9:00pm EST. Lot 599 is passed and not available for sale.
- Bidder A is the only bidder who bid on Lot 599 prior to 9:00pm EST. Lot 599 will close at 9:00pm EST, and Bidder A wins the lot.
- Bidder A and Bidder B were the only bidders to place a bid on Lot 599 prior to 9:00pm EST. Bidder A was the high bidder. After 9:00pm EST, ONLY Bidder A and Bidder B may bid on Lot 599.
Possible outcomes:
- If Bidder B does not bid before 9:30pm EST, Bidder A will win Lot 599.
- At 9:05pm EST Bidder B bids on Lot 599 and Bidder A does not rebid. The lot closes at 9:35pm EST (30 minutes after the final bid) and Bidder B wins Lot 599.
- Bidder B bids on Lot 599 at 9:05pm EST and Bidder A bids of Lot 599 at 9:32pm EST. Bidder B will then have until 10:02pm EST (an additional 30 minutes) to increase their bid on Lot 599. The bidding of Bidder A or Bidder B on Lot 599 affects no other auction lots.
This format prevents snipers because the timer is reset to 30 minutes after each bid is entered in "extended bidding" Furthermore, bidders will know if they have won items without having to wait for every lot in the auction to close. Once you review and utilize the new bidder friendly process, we believe that you will appreciate the changes. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this new process, please email or call us and we will be glad to help. Happy bidding.
Shipping/Damage. TGA will not be responsible for any item(s) that are not in TGA's possession. It is recommended that the Consignors use a shipping company that will provide insurance for the item(s) for transit to TGA. TGA will maintain full property and liability insurance in the event there is theft or damage to the item(s). TGA will also insure that item(s) in TGA's possession will be shipped insured back to Consignor or Bidder. In the event of theft or total damage to the item(s), TGA agrees to pay the Consignor the proceeds of the insurance coverage, less the commission due to TGA. Unless previously agreed upon, the insurance value (coverage) of any consigned item will be two (2) times the amount of the minimum bid set for the item(s) pursuant to this agreement.
Collections of Payment. TGA has no obligation to enforce or collect payment from any Bidder/Buyer. If any Bidder/Buyer does not pay TGA for any Item(s) within sixty (60) days after the end of an Auction, TGA has the right to offer the Item(s) to the 2nd highest bidder for payment. If Auction does not have a 2nd highest bidder, the Consignor has the right to request TGA to return the Item(s) to the Consignor at Consignor’s expense, or Consignor has may choose to leave the Item(s) with TGA for placement in subsequent Auctions. If Consignor chooses to leave item with TGA for subsequent Auction, Consignor must put in writing to TGA that Consignor requests that the Item(s) be placed in the subsequent Auction.
Commissions. Consignor agrees to pay a commission to TGA of twenty five percent (25%) of the successful bid price for each of the Item(s) or lot sold. TGA will also charge the Bidder/Buyer of the Item(s) a commission (Buyers Premium) of no less than fifteen percent (15%) of the successful bid price of each of the Item(s) or lot sold. Consignor will also be responsible, unless otherwise agreed upon, expenses of, but not limited to, restoration, grading fees, special authentication, etc.
Payment. When TGA receives payment from Bidder/Buyer, within thirty (30) days TGA will remit to the Consignor the Net Proceeds for the Item(s). The Net Proceeds” consist of the amount of the total proceeds collected, less the commissions (both Consignor and Bidder/Buyer) and any expenses.
Consignor Ownership. Consignor warrants to TGA and Bidder/Buyer of the Item(s) that Consignor is the sole owner of the Item and the Item are free and clear of any liens or claims, and the Item sold to Bidder/Buyer will be free of liens or claims and Consignor has provided TGA with this information. Consignor agrees to indemnify the Bidder/Buyer and TGA harmless from any damages (including attorney fees) relating to the breach of your agreements in this Agreement. The warranties and indemnity will survive the completion of the transactions described in this Agreement.
Bid Shilling. It is agreed to by TGA and Consignor that neither Consignor nor anyone acting on Consignors behalf may bid on Item(s).
Authenticity. TGA may, at any time during an Auction, remove the Item(s) if there is any doubt to the authenticity of the Item(s). The Item(s) will be returned at the Consignors expense. Except in paragraph 4, Consignor may withdraw any Item(s) from TGA.
Counterfeit Item(s). Consignor agrees to allow TGA to rescind the sale of any Item(s) if TGA learns the Item(s) are inaccurately described or learn the Item(s) are counterfeit or forged. It TGA notifies the Consignor of such action, Consignor agrees to return to TGA any proceed paid to the Consignor and Item(s) will be returned to Consignor.
Dispute Resolution. Consignor and TGA agree that all disputes hereunder shall be resolved first, though mediation, and if unsuccessful, then though binding arbitration before a single arbitrator in accordance with the applicable rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. The venue for mediation and arbitration shall be Pinellas County, Florida. Judgment of the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction over the non-prevailing party. All legal fees will be the responsibility of non-prevailing party.
Comments. If you feel we have missed something, or the explanation is not clear enough, please contact us at sales@thegolfauction.com 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. We look forward to working with you.
Return Policy. All items are sold AS-IS and all sales are FINAL. Many of our auction items are already framed. Without removing the frame, it is impossible to know the condition of the areas not seen. The Golf Auction does not assume responsibility for the condition of areas hidden by the framing or matting on these specific item(s). For this reason, our catalog descriptions on these auction items are written extremely carefully, paying acute attention to detail.
Disclaimer. The Golf Auction is not responsible for computer or human error which may result in any customer dissatisfaction. We reserve the right to accept or reject any and all bids or bidders.