FIND WHAT YOU WANT AND BUY IT

Types of Listings and Fees

To find an item...
Use the Search box at the top of any page. To find a dog, for example, use the search phrase “dog.” Narrow your search by adding characteristics or features like “female” or “dalmatian.”

To browse by category...
Click the “Buy” tab at the top of any page or click a category link directly from the home page. Continue refining until you find exactly what you're looking for.

1. EXPLORE THE LISTINGS: When you browse categories or use the Search box, a menu of listings appears. In this view, all listings have a title, and many have photos to help you find what you want.
 

2.VIEW THE LISTING: To view a listing in detail, simply click on the title.

2.a The Item Page has all the information you need to bid or buy.

2.b Look at the Item Description first. Is it really what you want?

2.c Check the Know the Seller box to learn more about the seller.

2.d See if you can Buy It Now instead of bidding for the item.

2.e If it is an auction-style listing, check Current bid and Time left.

Submit a bid or Buy It Now only after you are satisfied with all the details! By bidding or buying you are entering into a legal contract to purchase the item.

3. THE ITEM DESCRIPTION: Sellers explain important information in the Item Description. Check Know the Item, such as technical data, dimensions, age and condition, Pedigree, production, etc.Photos offer more clues to the quality and condition of an item, although some listings may incorporate stock photos.

4. SHIPPING AND PAYMENT DETAILS: Look at the bottom of the Item Description to find the section on Shipping, Payment details and Return policy paying close attention of what the seller has set up in the listing.

 

5. NOT CONVINCED YET? ASK THE SELLER!: Still need more information? Click on "Send Email to Seller". The seller will send you a reply by email. A prompt and helpful answer is a sign of good customer service.

6. EVALUATING THE SELLER: The Meet the seller box provides data about the member's buying and selling activities. Look at the number after the seller's ID. After every transaction, the user should leave Feedback about the transaction. Each positive rating earns points. The Feedback Score is next to the seller's ID. A high feedback score means a high number of successful transactions. The higher the percentage of positive ratings, the better. Click on the feedback score or the “Read feedback comments” link to read comments left by other A4A members.

7. HOW LONG DOES A LISTING LAST?:

7.a Auction-style listings: Run for 1, 3, 7, 15 or 30 days. During this time, members can submit bids or purchase the item using Buy It Now (when available).

7.b End time: Tells when the listing will end.

7.c Current bid: D isplays the highest bid at the moment. You must outbid this amount. To bid, click on Place Bid.

Remember: Place a bid only if you really intend to buy the item. Once you have placed a bid, it is a binding contract.

8. HOW TO BID: To bid on an item, type your maximum bid amount in the box next to the item description, and click the 'Go' button. Your bid must be above the Minimum Bid amount specified in the box. You will be asked to confirm your bid. Fill in your username and password and click 'Submit' to complete your bid. Enter your spending limit as your maximum bid. A4A automatically bid on your behalf up to that amount. If no other member submits a higher maximum bid, you will win the item at the close of the auction-style listing.

Note*** Maximum bid and proxy bid are the same thing. To place a proxy bid, just enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay. Automatic bids will be placed for you up to your maximum amount. Using proxy bidding, you can win the item at the lowest possible price. Your maximum bid is only placed when a competing bidder bids the same amount. Please note that if the current high bidder's maximum bid is higher than the bid you place, you are immediately outbid because your bid is not high enough to beat the earlier maximum bid. Remember: Proxy bidding will confidentially & automatically bid up to your maximum, but in order to avoid being outbid, you must have the highest maximum bid. Also, if another bidder placed a higher maximum bid, your bid will increase to your maximum bid because proxy bidding bids on your behalf up to your maximum bid.

8.a BIDING FOR THE FIRST TIME: Before you can bid you must sign in.

8b. HOW MUCH TO BID?:When you're ready to make a purchase, click Place Bid on the listing page, then enter the maximum you want to spend.

8c.CONFIRMING YOUR BID: You've entered your bid amount. Now submit it. When and only when you click on “Confirm Bid” will your bid be placed. Once the bid is placed, remember you have entered into a binding contract with the seller to buy the item should you win.

8d. OUTBID INMMEDIATELY? WHAT HAPPENED?:The outbid notice means another bidder has placed a higher maximum bid than you. But why were you outbid so quickly? Whenever another bidder has placed a higher maximum bid than you, you will be outbid immediately.

8e. EVERY BID IS A MAXIMUM BID: Decide on the maximum amount you want to pay for the item before you bid. Then enter that amount as your maximum bid. A maximum bid must be higher than the current minimum bid for the listing. Bids are based on pre-set increments, but only up to your maximum bid. When others bid, your bid is increased automatically until you are the current high bidder once again. You will be outbid only if another bidder places a higher maximum bid than you.

8.f BUY IT NOW LISTINGS: Items listed with the Buy It Now symbol can be purchased for the seller's fixed price with no bidding and no waiting. Auction-style listings with a Buy It Now option give you the choice to bid for the item or simply buy it immediately at a fixed price. However, as soon as a first bid is placed for the item, Buy It Now is no longer possible unless there is a reserve (a seller's minimum price) that hasn't been met. The symbol disappears, and the item goes to the highest bidder in the usual way. Important: Remember that when you choose Buy It Now you are entering into a legal contract to purchase the item.

9. ITEM WATCH: Item watch notifies you when someone bids on the auctions that you have added to your Item Watch.

10. AUCTION WATCH: Auction Watch is your assistant to keep an eye on auctions which are opened pertaining to your keywords. To use this feature, add keyword(s) into the Auction Watch list that you are interested in. When these keywords appear in an auction's title or description, you will receive an e-mail informing you that an auction has been opened containing your keyword(s). You may also add a user's nickname and if that user opens an auction you will get notification by e-mail. All keywords must be separated by a space when entering into your Auction Watch list.

11. USING MY CONTROL PANEL TO KEEP TRACK: How are you doing? Did you win your item? Keep track of all your bidding and buying activity in your control panel, including watching items that are of interest, whether you have bid or not.

12. YOU WON THE ITEM OR USED BUY IT NOW, WHAT NOW?: Whether you bid or buy it takes just four quick steps to complete the purchase. First are Notification and Checkout then two more steps to go Payment and Shipping and you are DONE!