Registration

Q. How do I register on bidngrow?

A. It's quick and easy to register on bidngrow:

• Click Register above, in the top navigation bar.  
• Fill out the registration form.
• Press the 'Complete Registration' button on the bottom of the page.

You will receive an email with a confirmation code and a link to bidngrow.  Click the link, enter your User Name and verification code.  Click the link to register and that’s all.

* *  Be sure to link your PayPal account to your bidngrow account after registering.  Visit the 'My Account Home' page.  Scroll down to 'Listing Preferences' on the left.  Select 'Payment' and complete the entries on the next page.  Be sure to check the box to 'Allow Instant Checkout' if you want users to be able to pay for items you list directly from the invoice or listing page.

* *  Please register with your full name or business name.  Avoid using initials and nicknames.

* *  Don't use an email address as your username.

 

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Account, Password & User-Name

Q. How can I recover a lost or forgotten password?

A. Send yourself a password reset via email.

1. From the sign in page select the Forgot password? link or click here.
2. Enter your email address associated with your account and click the [Submit] button.
3. Check your email inbox. If the email does not arrive in your inbox be sure to check your junk mail folder or spam filter.
4. Click the reset link in that email.
5. Choose a new password.

Q. How do I change my password?

A. You can change your password at any time. 

1. From your logged in account, go to your "My Account" area.
2. From the left hand menu, select "Account > Password."
3. Enter your current password.
4. Choose your new password.
5. Save your changes by clicking the [Change Password] button.

Q. Why am I not receiving any emails?

A. If you are not receiving expected site emails, please check the following:

1. Check your junk mail folder or spam filter for the missing emails.
2. Make sure that your email address, in your account settings, is entered correctly.
3. Verify that your email client, such as Outlook, is not in “offline” mode.
4. If you use a POP3 connection to retrieve your email, please verify that the emails were not downloaded to a different computer.
5. If you are still not receiving our emails, please contact us.

Q. How do I change or edit the email address or first and last name tied to my account?

A. You can edit your email address and name by editing your account details within your My Account area.  Go to My Account > My Account Home and scroll down to Account on the left.  Select Details.  Make your changes on the Details page and be sure to click the Save button.

Q. How do I change or edit the shipping address associated with my account?

A. You can change or edit the shipping address associated to your account by going to My Account > My Account Home.  Scroll to Account on the left side of the screen and select Addresses.  Select Add New or Edit.

Q. Why do I get a warning message that my selected username is invalid?

A. Every user must select a username for their account. The username can only contain letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens. We recommend replacing all [spaces] with either an underscore or hyphen.

Incorrect: MY Username
Correct: MY-Username
Correct: MY_Username

Or, it says that the username selected is already in use.

Usernames are unique. Two users cannot share the same username. If you get a notice during registration that your username is already in use, you will need to select a different username.

Q. Am I allowed to change my User-Name?

A. Yes, you are allowed to change your user-name but determination will be on a case-by-case basis.  Remember that your user-name is your identity on bidngrow.  If you're a seller, changing a user-name that's familiar to other user's could potentially hurt your sales.  bidngrow user's regularly search for individual seller's by user-name and your previous user-name will no longer be associated with any of your listings, new or old.  Also be aware that user-name changes are not confidential.  bidngrow user's seeking out other bidngrow user's whose user-name has changed are free to ask if a current bidngrow user has a former bidngrow identity.  No other personal identifying information is shared with anyone at anytime for any reason.  

If you would like to change your user-name, please Contact Us with a request.  You will be notified through the bidngrow messaging system after your user-name has been changed.

Q. Why does it say that my email address is already in use?

A. If you get a notice that your email address is already in use when creating an account, it means that you have already created an account with us at some point. If you do not remember your login information, please enter your email address into the forgotten password form and you will be able to reset your password and log in to your account.

 

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Searching

Q. How do I search for an item on bidngrow?

A. Searching for an item on bidngrow is easy.  Simply type your search term in the search box located at the top, right-side of every page on bidngrow and click the 'Search' button.  You can then sort the search results to suit your needs by selecting a sort feature from the drop-down menu's:

• Ending Time
• Newest
• Price
• Title
• Listing ID
• Activity

You can further refine the search results by Active or Completed, Auction or Buy it Now.

Q. How can I do an Advanced Search on bidngrow?

A. Click the 'Advanced' button to the right of the search box located at the top, right-side of every page on bidngrow.  On the 'Advanced Search' page you can search by any one or combination of advanced elements:

• Keyword
• Category
• Price Range
• Listing Type
• Listing Status
• Starting or Ending Time
• Listing ID
• Seller

You can further sort and/or refine the results the same as any other search.

Q. How do I search for completed items on bidngrow?

A. Click the 'Advanced' button to the right of the search box located at the top, right-side of every page on bidngrow.  Fill in the search parameters such as Keywords, Category, or Price.  Be sure to highlight the 'Completed' Radio Button.  Click Search.

Q.  How can I filter or search Fixed Price (Buy it Now) listings only?

A.  There are two ways to do it:

1. On the top of every search page there is a Filter feature.  Click the drop-down menu in the Filter feature and select Fixed Price.
2. Click the Advanced button next to the Search Bar located at the top of every page.  Scroll to Listing Types and put a check-mark in the box for Fixed Price.  Add any other parameters you'd like to search and press Search at the bottom of the page.

Q.  How can I search for other bidngrow members?

A.  There is not a dedicated member directory but you can still search for bidngrow members by typing their name in the general search box.  bidngrow will search for all occurrences of the name across the entire site.

 

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Bidding, Buying & Paying

Q. How can I place an item on my watch list?

A. If you have interest in an item and would like to place the item on your watch list simply click the '+ Add to Watchlist' link in any auction listing.

Q. How can I view my watch list?

A. To view your watch list go to My Account > My Account Home > Bidding > Watching.

Q. How do I use 'Buy It Now'?

A. In some listings you can select Buy It Now to purchase an item immediately at a fixed price. In auction-style listings the Buy It Now option is only available until a user places a winning bid.  After a winning bid is placed the Buy It Now option goes away and the item is then sold to the highest bidder.  In the case of a Reserve Price auction the Buy it Now option will remain active until the Reserve Price is met.  After the Reserve Price is met the Buy it Now option goes away and the item is then sold to the highest bidder.

Q. How do I place a bid?

A. You can bid on an item in an auction by entering your bid amount in the listing. We'll let you know if someone else bids higher so you can bid again.

To avoid being outbid, enter the highest amount or maximum bid you're willing to pay. Our automatic bidding system increases your bid incrementally so you'll remain the highest bidder, until it reaches your maximum bid. If someone bids higher than your maximum, we'll let you know in case you want to bid again.

Only bid on items you intend to buy. In most cases, you can’t retract your bid. If you win, you must pay the seller.

Q. How do I place my maximum bid and let bidngrow auto-bid for me?

A. To avoid being outbid, enter the highest amount or maximum bid you're willing to pay and let bidngrow's software proxy-bid for you.  Our automatic bidding system will increase your bid incrementally and you'll remain the highest bidder, until it reaches your maximum bid.  If someone bids higher than your maximum, we'll let you know in case you want to bid again.

Q.  How do I place a bid on a Reserve Price listing?

A.  Although bidders are not shown the reserve price, you would place a bid on a Reserve Price listing as you would any other listing.  As you bid on an auction-style listing with a reserve price, pay attention to the label next to the current bid price to see if the reserve price has been met.  Once the reserve price has been met, the "reserve not met" label will be removed.

Q. What are the bid increments?

A.  The bid increments are as follows:

Current Price	Bid Increment
$ 0.01 - $ 0.99	$ 0.05
$ 1.00 - $ 4.99	$ 0.25
$ 5.00 - $ 24.99	$ 0.50
$ 25.00 - $ 99.99	$ 1.00
$ 100.00 - $ 249.99	$ 2.50
$ 250.00 - $ 499.99	$ 5.00
$ 500.00 - $ 999.99	$ 10.00
$ 1000.00 - $ 2499.99	$ 25.00
$ 2500.00 - $ 4999.99	$ 50.00
$ 5000.00 and up	$ 100.00

 

Q.  What is a 'Quick Bid'?

A.  A 'Quick Bid' is a bidding option that appears on auction-style listings.  The feature helps to simplify the bidding process by calculating the next highest bid increment for you.  The term 'Quick Bid' along with the next highest bid increment appear on a red button directly below the current price of the auction.  If you choose to use the feature and bid to the next highest increment, simply press the red button and that's it.

Q.  Can I cancel my bid once it's placed?

A.  If you've placed a winning bid or clicked Buy it Now in a listing, or a seller has accepted your offer, you've entered into a valid contract and committed to purchasing that item.  You can only retract a bid under exceptional circumstances.  Bid retractions will not be allowed after intentionally bidding on a listing to reveal a sellers' reserve price or the proxy bid of another user.  Please Contact Us if you think your bid was placed in error.

Q.  How can I make an offer for an item?

A.  Some sellers will list their item with the 'Make Offer' feature.  When a listing is enabled with the 'Make Offer' feature, a 'Make Offer' button will appear directly below the bidding box on the listing page.  Press the button and a box will appear.  Enter your offer amount and add a message to the seller if you wish.  Press the 'Review Offer' button to review the information that you just entered.  If the information is correct press the green 'Submit Offer' button.  The seller will review your offer and either accept, counter or decline it.  You'll be notified of the sellers' decision and have the opportunity to pay if the seller accepted your offer, accept or counter the sellers' counter-offer.

Q. How do I pay for a listing that I've won?

A. You can pay for items using PayPal.  Credit cards or debit cards can also be used through PayPal. Before you bid or buy, check the listing to see which payment methods the seller accepts.

Once you've won an auction-style listing or purchased an item at a fixed-price using 'Buy it Now', you can pay for your order by clicking the 'Checkout' button on the page.  When the invoice appears, click 'Checkout with PayPal'.  You'll log into your PayPal account, pay the seller, then click the button to return to bidngrow.  Once you return to bidngrow you'll be able to view and/or print your invoice.

When you check out and pay, make sure to verify or change your shipping details. If it's not linked or if you don't have a PayPal account, you can select another payment method, such as a credit or debit card. You'll then confirm your order details and pay through PayPal guest checkout. 

You'll get an email letting you know your payment was received and when your item will be shipped.

Q. What if a seller asks me to pay using PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option instead of using the 'Checkout' button on the bidngrow invoice?

A. It is not against bidngrow's policy to ask a buyer to pay for an item through PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option.  bidngrow consists of a small community of friendly collectors and horticulturists that interact with each other almost daily through social media platforms or internet forums.  But buyers should be aware of some guidelines regarding payment:

• Buyers cannot offer to pay sellers through PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option.  This is against bidngrow policy.
• The listing Payment Instructions must state payment will be accepted via PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option. 
• You will not be covered by PayPal's Purchase Protection.
• bidngrow may not help to mediate an issue with a purchase.

Please visit PayPal's Safety and Security Page for more details.

Q. How do I make PayPal my preferred method of payment?

A. Go to My Account > My Account Home > Listing Preferences.  Put a check mark in the box to accept PayPal, enter your PayPal email address and click the 'Save' button.

Q.  I don't see the 'Checkout' button on my invoice or listing.  Where is it?

A.  By default, the 'Checkout' button will not appear on invoices or listings unless the seller has enabled the feature from within their account.  Contact the seller and let them know you can't checkout from the invoice or listing.

Q. How do I leave Feedback for a seller?

A. From your Account Home, click the 'Won' link on the left to view the auctions that you've won.  Click the settings (gear icon) button for the auction that you'd like to leave feedback for.  Select 'Leave Feedback'.  Select a rating and leave a Feedback comment.  Click 'Save'.  You can also leave Feedback directly from the auction page.  Simply click the 'Feedback' button on top of the pictures.

Q. Are there any fees for buying on bidngrow?

A. No.

Q. What happens if I didn't receive my item?

A. Buyers have to realize that sometimes things come up and it may take a while for a seller to ship an item.  Sometimes, legitimate circumstances dictate that sellers cannot complete a transaction at all.  This is rare but it does happen from time to time.

When using bidngrow to sell items, registered users are entering into a binding agreement to ship items to buyers.  Two (2) days is usually long enough to wait for notification that your item has shipped.  After two days a buyer can contact the seller to request tracking information.  Barring exceptional circumstances, sellers that fail to ship an item purchased by a bidngrow user will be suspended from using bidngrow.

Q. What happens if my item arrives damaged or is not the item that I purchased?

A. Firstly, buyers are encouraged to contact sellers and ask for shipping insurance on the package.  Sellers are not mandated to purchase shipping insurance, but sellers are obligated to ensure the item(s) you purchased are securely packaged and arrive to you in good condition.  If shipping insurance was purchased you may start a claim with the USPS.  Search 'File a Claim' on the USPS website or click this link to file a claim online.

Otherwise, there are several scenarios having to do with damaged or incorrect items.  All of the scenerios will entail taking photos of the packaging and/or item(s).  This is an easy operation that takes seconds to accomplish and will afford buyers the most protection.  Beside providing the best evidence for refunds and insurance claims, digital pictures are date and time stamped and may be able to help bidngrow assist you with buyer and seller disputes.

If a parcel arrives in a damaged condition

• When a parcel arrives in a damaged condition, please take digital photos of the parcel, shipping labels and damage from several angles.  
• Take more pictures or a video of you opening the damaged parcel.  
• Take pictures of the item in the packaging and carefully remove the item and take more pictures from a few different angles.  
• If the item is damaged notify the seller right away and explain what happened.  Come to an agreement about the next steps to take.
• Resolution should occur in a timely fashion and both parties will work toward an agreement.  In all cases, resolution should not take more than a week to conclude from the time a buyer notifies a seller.

If the parcel arrives in good condition but the item is apparently damaged or not the item that I purchased

• When a parcel arrives in good condition but the item is apparently damaged or not the item that you purchased, immediately and without delay take digital photos of the item and packaging.  
• Notify the seller right away and explain what happened.  Come to an agreement about the next steps to take.  
• DO NOT discard the original packing material.
• Resolution should occur in a timely fashion and both parties will work toward an agreement.  In all cases, resolution should not take more than a week to conclude from the time a buyer notifies a seller.  If the time comes that an agreement cannot be reached you may start a claim with PayPal if that is the form of payment that you used for the purchase.  Please visit PayPal's Purchase Protection page for instructions on starting a claim.

Q. How do I find listings I'm currently bidding on?

A. You can find all the listings you're currently bidding on by going to My Account > My Account Home > Bidding > Active.

Q. How can I view my current and old offers?

A. You can find all of your current and old offers by going to My Account > My Account Home > Bidding > Offers.

Q. How do I find my old purchases?

A. Your old purchases are easy to locate.  Find all the listings you've won at My Account > My Account Home > Bidding > Won.  Find all your old invoices at My Account > My Account Home > Bidding > Invoices.

 

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Selling & Creating Listings

Q. How do I sell on bidngrow?

A. To sell on bidngrow, you first need to register for a bidngrow account if you don’t already have one. In order to sell, you will need to verify your contact information which includes your address and add your credit card information to pay your seller fees. All credit card information is stored offsite via Stripe, we don't have any access to this information.  You can now start selling on bidngrow.

Q. How do I create a listing on bidngrow?

A. It's easy to create a listing on bidngrow:

1. Select Sell at the top of the page.
2. You'll be guided through easy step by step instructions for creating your listing:

• Select a Category and Listing Type.  Click Next.
• Create a good Title and add a detailed Description.  Include your return policy in the Description.
• Set your Price.  Add a Reserve Price and Buy it Now Price if you want.
• Add up to 10 Images
• Choose your Listing Options (optional).
• Highlight the radio button Yes or No for Local Pickup Only.  If you select No for Local Pickup Only, then,
• Select your Shipping method from the drop-down menu and enter the cost.  If necessary, enter the Combined Shipping amount for additional purchases by the same buyer.  When offering Free Shipping, check the Free Shipping box.  Click the Add button button when you're done.
• Repeat the step above for each additional Shipping method offered for the listing.
• If necessary, edit your Payment Details by selecting Edit payment settings.
• Select the Start Date/Time.  Be sure to click the Add button when setting the time.  If you're starting the listing right away, skip this step.
• Select the Duration of the listing
• Review your Fees and start your listing by clicking Create Listing

After the listing ends and you receive payment, send the item promptly.

Q. What kind of information should I include in the item description?

A. The item description should should be thorough and contain enough descriptive language that potential bidders/buyers will know exactly what they're bidding on or buying.  Add as many details about the item and yourself, as necessary.  Keep the acronym NEOTWY in mind when creating your listing.  NEOTWY stands for wheN, wherE, WhO, WhaT, HoW, and WhY. A thoughtful and thorough item description will answer all of those questions for potential bidders/buyers.  Please keep privacy in mind when identifying third-parties in your listings.  Listings that contain third-party personal identification without consent will be ended by bidngrow staff.  Use of bonafide business names or third-party monikers is okay.

Q. How do I save a draft of my listing then access it for later use?

A. Saving a draft of your listing is a convenient feature as you can continue to work on your listing at a later time or save multiple variations of your listing to use when needed.  Create the listing as you normally would and add as much information as you'd like.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and instead of pressing the Create Listing button, press the Save Draft button.  You're able to save a draft of any listing you create.  To access your draft listings go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Drafts.

Q. How do I schedule a listing to start at a specified date and time?

A. Scheduling a listing is easy.  Create a listing as you normally would.  On the Create Listing page scroll down to Start and Duration.  Click inside the Date box and select a date on the calendar.  Next, click inside the Time box and select the hours and minutes, AM or PM.  Before leaving the Time dialogue be sure to click the Set button or the start time will not be stored.  Select the remainder of the values in the Start and Duration section and click the Create Listing button to start the listing.  The listing will not go live until the scheduled date and time.  Please be aware that even though your listing may not be visible at this point you are still charged a listing fee.  If the listing is ended at any point before it goes live you are still charged a listing fee.  If you think you'll have the need to continue working on the listing please don't start it.  You can save the listing as a draft, even with a scheduled date and time, then make the listing live at any time before the scheduled date and time.

Q. Can I change something after my listing has started?

A. Yes.  Almost all the fields in your listing are editable except for the Description.  But you are allowed to append a note to the Description.  Simply go to your listing and click Edit.  On the next screen edit the desired fields or append the item Description.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.

Q. How do I relist my ended item on bidngrow?

A. You can relist your ended item on bidngrow in a number of ways.  You can select List Similar right from any active or ended listing.  Or, go to My Account and select My Listings:

• From Active, Successful, or Ended view:
  • Click the gear icon  on the right of the listing you'd like to relist.
  • Select List Similar and follow the prompts to make the listing live.
• From Unsuccessful view:
  • Click the gear icon  on the right of the listing you'd like to relist.
  • Select Relist.  

Please be aware, when your item is relisted the list of bidders from the prior listing will disappear and can no longer be accessed. 

Q.  How do I collect payment from the buyer?

A. As a seller, you should have payment terms set in your listing.  Buyers will be aware of how they are going to pay long before your listing ends.  bidngrow does not encourage payment by cash or personal checks.  bidngrow does not encourage electronic payments by any other means except PayPal.  PayPal is safe, easy to use and bidngrow encourages sellers to accept PayPal as their primary form of payment.    Additionally, it is not against bidngrow policy to accept payment through PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option.  bidngrow consists of a small community of friendly collectors and horticulturists that interact with each other almost daily through social media platforms or internet forums.  But sellers will be aware of some guidelines regarding payment through PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option:

• Buyers cannot offer to pay sellers through PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option.  This is against bidngrow policy.
• The listing Payment Instructions must state payment will be accepted via PayPal's 'Friends and Family' option. 
• You will not be covered by PayPal's Purchase Protection.
• bidngrow may not help to mediate an issue with a sale.

Please visit PayPal's Safety and Security Page for more details.

After your item successfully sells, review the Sold section of your seller account to make sure the buyer has completed payment.  If a buyer hasn't completed the checkout process you may send an invoice or contact them through email.  

You can send your buyer an invoice by clicking the ‘My Account’ button on the top right, then select ‘My Account Home’.  Under the ‘Listings’ heading on the left, click ‘Successful’ (My Account > My Account Home > Listings > Successful).  From there you can press the button on the top to 'Create all Listings'.  

Q.  What should I do after my item succussfully sells and the buyer has paid?

A. After you are paid, securely pack and ship the item as soon as possible using the shipping method outlined in your auction.  

Although it's not mandatory, bidngrow suggests that sellers add shipping insurance to all of their packages.  Shipping insurance is inexpensive and provides an additional layer of protection that buyers love.

Sellers are obligated to ensure their items are securely packaged and reach the buyer in good condition.  As such, bidngrow encourages sellers to take plenty of pictures of the item and packing, making sure to accurately record the condition of the item being shipped.  It's a process that takes seconds to complete and will afford sellers the most protection.  Beside providing the best evidence against false claims, digital pictures are date and time stamped and may be able to help bidngrow assist you with buyer and seller disputes.

Q.  A bidder has contacted me to cancel their bid.  What should I do?

A.  If a bidder has placed a winning bid or clicked Buy it Now in a listing, or you've accepted an offer, they've entered into a valid contract and committed to purchasing that item.  You can only retract a bid under exceptional circumstances.  Bid retractions will not be allowed after intentionally bidding on a listing to reveal a sellers' reserve price or the proxy bid of another user.  Please Contact Us if you think the bid was placed in error.

Q. My buyer notified my that a 'Checkout' button is not appearing on the invoice or listing.  Where is it?

A. Users must have an valid PayPal account in order to take advatage of the Instant Checkout feature.  If you don't have a PayPal account please visit www.PayPal.com to open an account.  Come back to bidngrow and follow the instructions to add PayPal to your bidngrow account and you'll be set.

The 'Checkout' button will only appear if you 'Enable Automatic Payments' from within your account.  Click 'My Account' and select 'My Account Home'.  Go to 'Listing Preferences' and click 'Payment'.  Put a checkmark in the box to 'Allow Instant Checkout' and click Save.  The 'Checkout' button will now appear on your invoices and successful listing pages.

Q. The 'Buy It Now' button disappeared from my auction listing.  Where did it go?

A. In some listings you can select Buy It Now to purchase an item immediately at a fixed price. In auction-style listings the Buy It Now option is only available until a user places a winning bid.  After a winning bid is placed the Buy It Now option goes away and the item is then sold to the highest bidder.  In the case of a Reserve Price auction the Buy it Now option will remain active until the Reserve Price is met.  After the Reserve Price is met the Buy it Now option goes away and the item is then sold to the highest bidder.

Q. What happens if my buyer doesn't pay for an item?

A. Sellers have to realize that sometimes things come up and it takes a while for a buyer to pay for an item.  Sometimes, legitimate circumstances dictate that buyers cannot complete a transaction at all.  This is rare but it does happen from time to time.  Additionally, bidders will place Max Bids days before an active auction ends and the software will Proxy Bid for that bidder.  In the instance the bidder becomes a winner they may be away from the computer or smart device and have forgotten about placing the bid at all.   

Great buyers are just as important as great sellers.  When using bidngrow to purchase items, registered users are entering into a binding agreement to pay sellers.  Although most bidngrow users will pay immediately, it is customary to wait at least 48 hours after a sale before payment is expected.  Within that time period bidngrow expects a seller to email an invoice at least twice and send a friendly payment reminder through the bidngrow messaging system to the buyer at least once.  When the buyer has not responded after 48 hours and those three attempts, please contact bidngrow immediately.  In these instances, never void a sale or delete an invoice without contacting bidngrow first.  bidngrow needs the opportunity to contact a buyer and recover funds for you and all purchase documentation matters.  Barring exceptional circumstances, buyers that fail to pay a seller will be suspended from using bidngrow.  Please review more detailed information about non-paying bidder's and buyer's bidngrow's User Agreement bidngrow's User Agreement.

Q. How do I make PayPal my preferred method of collecting payments from buyers?

A. Go to My Account > My Account Home > Listing Preferences.  Put a check mark in the box to accept PayPal and 'Allow Instant Checkout', enter your PayPal email address and click the 'Save' button.

Q.  How long can my listing run on bidngrow?

A.  When creating an Auction-Type listing, you have the option of running the listing for 1, 3, 5, 7, or 10 days.  If you choose, bidngrow can auto-relist your item up to 3 times for free if it doesn't sell.  Fixed-price listings can run from 3,5,7, or 10 days.  You can also choose a 'Good Til Canceled' duration for an additional $0.50.  Fixed-price 'Good Til Canceled' listings will run for a minimum of 30 days.  After 30 days, fixed-price 'Good Til Canceled' listings can be reviewed and canceled at the discretion of bidngrow.

Q.  What is a Reserve Price listing and how do I create one?

A.  A reserve price is the lowest price that a seller is willing to accept for an item.  The reserve price is hidden from bidders.  When a listing ends without bids that meet the reserve price, the seller is not required to sell the item. 

When creating a listing enter the starting bid.  In the next box enter your reserve price, the lowest amount you are willing to accept for your item.  

Q.  How do I allow potential buyers to make an offer for my item?

A.  Potential buyers have the option to make an offer for fixed price (Buy it Now) listings only.  Sellers are not allowed to accept offers for auction-type listings.  When creating your listing simply place a check-mark in the box Accept Offers located in the Set Your Price box on the Create Listing page 2 of 2.

Q.  How do I allow potential buyers to make a 'Quick Bid' on my auction-style listing.

A.  You don't have to do anything special to make the 'Quick Bid' feature appear.  The 'Quick Bid' button will automatically appear on all auction-style listings.

Q.  Can I make 'Second-Chance Offers' to non-winning bidders on my ended auction listings?

A.  Yes, you are allowed to make 'Second-Chance Offers' to non-winning bidders for your own ended auction listings.  There are several reasons a seller may want to make a Second-Chance Offer to non-winning bidders.

• The winning bidder fails to pay for the item, or
• You're Reserve Price wasn't met and your auction listing ended with bidders, or
• You have more of the same item to sell.

There isn’t a dedicated ’Second Chance Offer’ function so all offers will be messaged to non-winning bidders through the bidngrow messaging system. To make a second chance offer via the bidngrow messaging system:

1. Go to My Account > My Account Home > Listings > Ended
2. Select the successful auction-style listing that you’d like to send Second-Chance Offers for.
3. Click View Bid History.
4. Click on the name of the user you’d like to send a Second-Chance Offer.  This will bring up the bidngrow messaging system with the user’s name in the ’To’ section already filled out.
5. Add a subject; something like, “bidngrow - dragon fruit cuttings Second-Chance Offer”
6. Create a message explaining your offer.  Ex: Buyer did not complete transaction, you have more stock, etc.  IMPORTANT: Be sure to add a time limit to your offer.  A statement such as, "This offer will expire in 2 days on 01/30/2020 at 6:00pm” will be sufficient.
7. When you’ve completed the message click ’Send’.

Sellers may only make 'Second Chance Offers' to bidders from their own auctions.  Sellers may NOT make 'Second Chance Offers' to non-winning bidders from auctions that are not their own without permission from the seller of that auction.  Follow steps 4 - 7 for every offer that you want to make for the same item.  Please be courteous and respectful when messaging non-winning bidders.  All other bidngrow rules regarding proper conduct apply when making a Second-Chance Offer to non-winning bidders.  Make one offer only, to each non-winning bidder.  Be mindful and do not respond when a non-winning bidder refuses the offer or does not respond within the given timeframe.  Respond only when non-winning bidders make a counter-offer to your Second-Chance Offer.

Q.  Am I allowed to link to my website or other auction site listings from within my bidngrow listing?

A.  Yes.  You are allowed to insert a link to your website or other site listings within your bidngrow listing.  Please remember that you are creating a listing for an item that is supposed to appeal to a customer.  Listings that abuse the privilege or create advertising listings will be removed with no refund.  Frequent or continued disregard will result in account suspension.

Q.  How can I view the Bid History or Purchase History for my listing?

A.  Go to any listing, active or ended, click the 'View Bid History' link for an auction type listing or 'View Purchase History' link for a Buy it Now listing.  This will bring up a list of all users that bid on your listing or purchased your item.

Q.  Can I hide or remove the purchase history for my active Fixed Price listing?

A.  The purchase history of your listing creates a great historical record and promotes buyer confidence.  Although it's not a good idea to want to remove the purchase history, there are some circumstances where a seller may want to do so.  There are no options to hide or remove the purchase history for active Fixed Price listings so you must end the listing, then select 'List Similar'.  Follow the prompts to create a new listing.  The new listing will start and be exactly the same as the ended listing, minus the purchase history.

Q.  How do I void an unpaid sale?

A.  To void an unpaid sale go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Sales Report.  Find the unpaid sale you'd like to void and click the 'Void Sale' button on the right.  This will void the sale and delete the invoice.

Q.  How do I un-void a listing?

A.  You can un-void a listing in two ways:

• Go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Sales Report.  
  • Sort the sales report by Voided.  
  • Press the Un-Void button next to the item you'd like to un-void. 
• Go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Successful.  
  • Click the View menu and select Voided.  
  • Place a check mark in the box on the left of the listing you'd like to un-void.  
  • Scroll down to the botton of the page and click the Un-Void Selected Sales button.

Q.  How do I void a sale, delete an unpaid invoice, and delete an item?

A.  Voiding a sale is not the same as deleting a listing.  You can do both but you must follow the steps in order.  Additionally, you cannot delete a Paid invoice.  You must first mark the invoice as Not Paid before deleting.  See the Help section for Invoicing for instructions on how to mark an invoice as Not Paid.

There are times that you may have to void a sale and/or delete an unpaid invoice.  As sales and invoices are recorded separately by bidngrow, this is a two-step process that begins with deleting an invoice.  Think of the invoice like a shopping cart.  In order to put the cart away (delete it) you must first remove the items from the basket.  Go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Invoices and:

1. Click the 'VIEW INVOICE' button for the unpaid invoice you'd like to delete.
2. Click the 'REMOVE' button next to each item to remove them from the invoice.
3. When you click 'REMOVE' from the last item on the invoice, the empty invoice will disappear.

Now you must void the sale.  Go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Successful and:

1. Put a check mark in the box next to the listing you'd like to void.
2. On the bottom of the screen click the 'Void Selected Sales' button.

It's not necessary but you can now delete the listing completely.  Please remember, once a listing is deleted you can no longer get it back.  If you think that you may use the listing as a template later on, just leave it alone.  You can always go back to delete it later.  Otherwise, go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Ended and:

1. Click the gear icon on the right of the listing you'd like to delete.
2. Select 'Delete'.
3. In the 'Delete Confirmation' pop-up box, press the 'Delete' button to confirm deletion.

Q. How do I find my old sales?

A. Your old sales are easy to locate.  Find all of your successful listings at My Account > My Account Home > Listings > Successful.  Find all of your unsuccessful listings at My Account > My Account Home > Listings > Unsuccessful.  Find all your old sales invoices at My Account > My Account Home > Listings > Invoices.

 

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User Management

Q. How do I block/unblock another bidngrow user from bidding, purchasing my item, or messaging me?

A. Go to Listing Preferences > Manage Buyers > Block bidngrow Bidders/Buyers.  Enter the username of the bidngrow member you'd like to block in the box next to bidngrow Username to block.  Click the Add button.  To unblock a bidngrow member and allow them to bid, purchase your items, and message you, simply click and highlight the username in the box next to Blocked.  Click the box marked X and the bidngrow user is now unblocked.

Q. How do I block/unblock a location that I won't ship to?

A. Go to Listing Preferences > Manage Buyers > Blocked Locations.  Click the box and select the locations that you won't ship.  To unblock a location simply click the x next to the location name and the location will be deleted from your list.  

Q. Can bidngrow users with a shipping address in a location that I don't ship still message me?

A. Yes, bidngrow users with a shipping address in a location that I don't ship can still message you.

 

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Invoices & Archiving

Q. How are invoices created?

A. Invoices are automatically created for buyers of successful listings that use 'Checkout' directly from the auction page.  You can view the invoices by going to My Account > My Account Home > Listings > Invoices.

Q. Can I manually create and send an invoice?

A. Yes.  In order to collect payment for a successful listing, an invoice must be created.  Creating and sending an invoice manually is a simple process.  With a few clicks the software will automatically generate a professional invoice, outlining the purchase and shipping charges.  To create and send an invoice:

• Select 'My Account' at the top of the page, and go to 'My Account Home'
• On the left side of the page under 'Listings', select 'Successful'
• Click the gear icon on the right side of the successful auction.  Then click 'Create Invoice', or
• Place a checkmark in the box of the listing you wish to create an invoice for and click 'Create all Invoices' on the top right.
• On the left side of the page under 'Listings', select 'Invoices'
• Put a check mark in the box of the invoice(s) you've created and click the 'Email' button, or
• Click on the invoice number and select 'Email' from the choices on top.

Q. How do I combine multiple invoices (purchases) for the same buyer?

A. Follow the instructions to create an invoice.  All purchases from the same buyer that contain the same shipping method will populate on the same invoice automatically. ie: Invoices with Priority shipping will combine with other invoices for the same buyer that contain Priority shipping.  Invoices with First Class shipping will combine with other invoices for the same buyer that contain First Class shipping.  An invoice that contains Priority shipping will not combine with an invoice for the same buyer that contains First Class shipping.

Q. How do I mark an invoice as shipped or paid?

A. On the left side of the page under 'Listings', select 'Invoices'.  Put a check mark in the box of the invoice(s) you've created and click the 'Mark Shipped' or 'Mark Paid' button.  Or, click on the invoice number or select 'View Invoice' and select 'Mark Shipped' or 'Mark Paid' from the choices on top.

Q. How can I view paid or shipped invoices for my successful listings or items I've won?

A. To view any of your invoices, click 'My Account' and select 'My Account Home'.  Select 'Invoices' under 'Listings' or 'Bidding' on the left, and look under the 'Status' column.  You can also select the individual invoice to open it.  'Paid' and/or 'Shipped' will be stamped on each individual invoice as appropriate.

Q. How can I edit an invoice before it's paid?

A. To edit an invoice before it's paid go to 'Listings' and select 'Invoices'.  Click on the invoice number or select 'View Invoice' to view the unpaid invoice.  From here you can:

• Change the shipping option if more than one option was offered
• Remove purchased items (The invoice will be deleted if there is only 1 item and you remove it)
• Add a credit or debit adjustment
• Add comments.  These comments will be shown on the invoice to the buyer and seller.

Q. How can I edit an invoice after it's been paid?

A.  To edit an invoice after it's been paid go to 'Listings' and select 'Invoices'.  Click on the invoice number or select 'View Invoice' to view the paid invoice.  Click the button on the top right that says 'Mark Not Paid'.  You can now edit the paid invoice and:

• Change the shipping option
• Remove purchased items (The invoice will be deleted if there is only 1 item and you remove it)
• Add a credit or debit adjustment
• Add comments.  These comments will be shown on the invoice to the buyer and seller.

Q. How do I void a paid invoice (Void a sale)?

A.  To void a paid invoice (void a sale) you must first mark the invoice as unpaid.  Go to 'Listings' and select 'Invoices'.  Click on the invoice number or select 'View Invoice' to view the paid invoice.  Click the button on the top right that says 'Mark Not Paid'.  Go back to 'Listings' and select 'Sales Report'.  Find the sale you'd like to void.  Click on the 'Void Sale' button on the right.

Q.  How do I remove an item from the invoice?

A.  Go to My Account > My Listings > Listings > Invoices and:

1. Click the 'VIEW INVOICE' button of the unpaid invoice you'd like to remove the item.
2. Click the 'REMOVE' button next to each item to remove them from the invoice.
3. If you click 'REMOVE' from the last item on the invoice, the empty invoice will disappear.

Q.  How can I archive an invoice or listing?

A.  Archiving an invoice or listing is simple and a very useful tool.  Functionality is the same in Listings > Successful or Listings > Invoices.  Archiving a listing or invoice removes it from the list.  You are still able to access all archived information through your Sales Report.  You can restore your archived listings/invoices by changing your View to ‘Archived’.  When viewing the archived listing/invoice simply select the checkbox and press the restore button.  The previously archived listing/invoice goes right back to it’s original place.

Q.  I don't see the 'Checkout' button on my invoice or listing.  Where is it?

A.  Users must have an valid PayPal account in order to take advatage of the Instant Checkout feature.  If you don't have a PayPal account please visit www.PayPal.com to open an account. Come back to bidngrow and follow the instructions to add PayPal to your bidngrow account and you'll be set.

By default, the 'Checkout' button will not appear on invoices or listings unless a user has enabled the feature from within their account.  Click 'My Account' and select 'My Account Home'.  Go to 'Listing Preferences' and click 'Payment'.  Put a checkmark in the box to 'Allow Instant Checkout' and click Save.  The 'Checkout' button will now appear on your invoices and successful listing pages.

Q.  How can I view my old purchases?

A.  Viewing your old purchases is easy.  Go to My Account > My Account Home > Bidding > Won or Bidding > Invoices.  From either of those pages you're able to sort or view the listings in any number of ways.

 

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Shipping

Q.  How do I add a shipping method to my listing?

A.  IMPORTANT - In order to correctly calculate and collect payment you must add a shipping method to your listing.  On step 2 of 2 of Creating a Listing:

• Click the drop-down menu and select a shipping method.  
• Enter the cost for the shipping method you've chosen.  If you are not familiar with shipping packages, you can visit the appropriate website to help you calculate the shipping costs.  If shipping is free, place a check-mark in the box Free Shipping.
  • www.USPS.com
  • www.UPS.com
  • www.FedEx.com
• To combine shipping for additional purchases by the same buyer, enter the Combined Shipping amount in the appropriate box.  If shipping additional items for free, enter '0'.
  • Example - Seller lists Item A for $10 and sets shipping cost for $5.  Seller also offers Items B and C for the same amount and enters an Additional Cost of $1 for shipping.  Buyer purchases Item A and also purchases Items B and C.  Buyer would receive an invoice for $37 which includes $30 for Items A, B and C, and a total shipping charge of $7.
  • Note:  When a buyer purchases multiple items, the listing with the highest initial shipping COST is used as the base shipping cost, with the ADDITIONAL COST added according to each combined item.
• IMPORTANT - Be sure to click the 'Add' button.  The system will automatically add the desired shipping method and amount to your listing and any associated invoices.  Also, invoices that do not contain the same shipping method will not automatically combine for the same buyer.  ie: Invoices with Priority shipping will combine with other invoices for the same buyer that contain Priority shipping. Invoices with First Class shipping will combine with other invoices for the same buyer that contain First Class shipping. An invoice that contains Priority shipping will not combine with an invoice for the same buyer that contains First Class shipping.

Q. How can I offer discounted shipping to buyers of multiple items?

A. To offer discounted shipping to buyers of multiple items; when creating your listing enter the combined shipping amount in the Combined Shipping Amount box.  If shipping additional items for free, enter '0'.  Be sure to click the 'Add' button to add the shipping to your listing.

 

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Fees

Q. How much does it cost to sell on bidngrow?

A. It costs $0.25 to list an item in any category, in any format, plus a 5% Final Value Fee.  Final Value Fees are assessed on the final price of the item sold only and is not assessed on shipping charges.  Listing upgrade fees are optional and available to select when the user is creating a listing.  Optional listing upgrade fees are as follows:

Upgrade	Fees
Homepage Featured	$ 1.00
Bold Listing	$ 0.10
Listing 'Sale' Badge	$ 0.10
Highlighted Title	$ 0.10
Sub-Title	$ 0.10
Good Till Canceled	$ 0.50

Q.  Why does bidngrow charge a 5% Final Value Fee?

A.  bidngrow is a niche, scaled down, auction-site that operates smoothly and efficiently with less bells-and-whistles than competitors.  Due to bidngrow's efficiency our operating costs continue to be much lower than competitors.  At this time bidngrow does not have any margins and there are certain features which bidngrow wants to continue offering, free-of-charge, but come with a small operating cost.  Right now the 5% Final Value Fee covers the cost to operate those features now and into the future.  

Q.  How does 'Good Till Canceled' Work?

A.  Good Till Cancelled listings will remain active until all of the items sell, you end the listing, or we end your listing.  Good Till Canceled listings will be reviewed every 30 days.

Q. How do I pay my bidngrow listing fees?

A. Paying your bidngrow lisiting fee is simple.  From the 'My Account Home' page, scroll down to 'Site Fees' on the left.  Select 'Current' to view your current invoice for listing fees.  Click 'Checkout with Credit Card' on top of the invoice and complete the payment process through Stripe.

Q. What if my item doesn't sell?  Do I still have to pay a fee?

A. Yes, your listing will cost $0.25 if your item doesn't sell or must be ended for any reason.  If your item ends naturally without a sale you will have the opportunity to relist your item for free up to 3 more times.  However, you do NOT have to pay a Final Value Fee.

Q. What if my item sells but the buyer doesn't pay?  Do I still have to pay a fee?

A. There are two scenarios when a buyer doesn't pay, hardship and non-paying bidder.  Sellers are not liable for any fees in either case but both cases are treated differently:

• Hardship - When a hardship occurs a buyer will make a purchase and fail to pay due to life getting in the way.  In this instance a seller is not liable for any fees.  Simply contact bidngrow with a brief explanation and all fees will be credited back to your current invoice.
• Non-Paying Bidder - When your item sells and the buyer intentionally fails to pay, you are not liable for any fees.  But you MUST follow through with bidngrow while bidngrow attempt's to get the buyer to pay.  That means you must contact bidngrow in a timely fashion with the listing and invoice numbers along with any other pertinent details.  bidngrow aggressively pursues non-paying bidders and has a high success rate.  bidngrow will contact non-paying bidders up to two more times before closing the account and the entire process should not take more than a week from the natural end of listing.  At that time all fees will be credited back to your current invoice and a seller may re-list the item.

 

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Feedback

Q. How can I check seller feedback before buying?

A. You can check a seller's feedback with one of two ways:

• ]From the item listing, click on the listing title and scroll down to the seller's name.  Under the seller's name you'll find their star-rating and a number.  The star rating is an average of all the star ratings the seller has received.  The number is the amount of feedback's the seller has received.  Click on the number to view a summary of the seller's feedback, ratings and all reviews.
• From the search and browse results, click on the number in parenthesis located next to the seller's name to view a summary of the seller's feedback, ratings and all reviews.

Q. How do I leave feedback for a buyer?

A. To leave feedback for a buyer:

• Click My Account and select My Account Home.  Go to Listings > Successful.  On the top of the page, click the drop-down box next to View and select Feedback Required.  This will display all the sold listings that are awaiting feedback.  Click on the gear icon  of the listing you'd like to leave feedback for.  Select Submit Feedback.  Select a star rating from 1-5 and type a feedback comment in the box.  Click Save.  

                                       OR

• You can also leave Feedback directly from the listing page.  Go to Listings and select Successful.  Select the listing that you would like to leave feedback for.  Once on the listing detail page, click the Feedback button on top of the pictures.  Select a star rating from 1-5 and type a feedback comment in the box.  Click Save.

Q. How do I leave Feedback for a seller?

A. To leave feedback for a seller:

• Click My Account and select My Account Home.  Go to Bidding > Won.  On the top of the page, click the drop-down box next to View and select Feedback Required.  This will display all the listings you've won that are awaiting feedback.  Click the gear icon  for the listing you'd like to leave feedback for.  Select Submit Feedback.  Select a star rating from 1-5 and type a feedback comment in the box.  Click Save.  

                                        OR

• You can also leave Feedback directly from the listing page.  Go to Bidding and select Won.  Select the listing that you would like to leave feedback for.  Once on the listing detail page, click the Feedback button on top of the pictures.  Select a star rating from 1-5 and type a feedback comment in the box.  Click Save.

Q. How long do I have to leave feedback for a buyer or seller?

A. You have a 30-day time period to leave feedback for a buyer or seller.  

Q. Where can I find my own feedback or feedback I've left for others?

A. Go to My Account > My Account Home > Feedback.  From here you can click:

• Summary - To see your overall, seller, and buyer rating averages.
• Buyer - To see feedback that's been left for you as a buyer.
• Seller - To see feedback that's been left for you as a seller.

To see feedback you've left for others go to anywhere your feedback score is displayed next to your user-name and click the number.  This will take you to a different summary page that will contain all of the information from above and more.  (This is a little redundant but intentional.  Access to feedback was left like this to make a future update for feedback easy to implement.)

Q. Can I remove a less-than-perfect feedback rating  or comment left by a buyer/seller?

A. bidngrow treats feedback as if it's written in stone.  If the feedback depositor followed the rules then feedback cannot be removed.  At times buyers or sellers may be overzealous with a feedback rating or comment.  These instances call for mediation and are handled on a case-by-case basis and with the approval of both parties.  Mediation is conducted with the help of an bidngrow administrator only.  After investigation by the bidngrow administrator, both parties are notified of findings and feedback may be removed.

 

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Messaging

Q.  How can I ask the seller of an active listing a question?

A.  To ask the seller of any active listing a question, simply click the envelope icon  located next to the sellers' name.

Q. How do I send a message to the seller of an item that I purchased?

A.  To Contact the Seller:

• Click on a listing title from any listing you've won. This will take you to the listing page.
  • Click the [Contact Seller] Button located on top of the pictures.  This will bring up the 'Contact User' form.
  • Type your message and click 'Send'.

                                            OR

• Click My Account and select My Account Home > Bidding > Won.
  • Click the gear icon in the little square all the way to the right of the listing you've won.
  • Select 'Contact'.
  • Type your message and click 'Send'.

Q.  How do I send a message to a user that purchased my item?

A.  To Contact the Buyer:

• Click My Account and select My Account Home > Lisitings > Successful.
  • Click the gear icon  in the little square all the way to the right of the listing you've sold.
  • Select 'Contact'.
  • Type your message and click 'Send'.

                                            OR

• Click on a listing title of any successful listing.  This will take you to the listing page.  From there you can:
  • Press the [Contact Buyer] Button located on top of the pictures.  This will bring up the 'Contact User' form.  
  • Type your message and click 'Send'.

                                            OR

• Go to any successful listing and click the 'View Bid History' link for an auction type listing or 'View Purchase History' link for a Buy it Now listing.  This will bring up a list of all users that bid on your listing or purchased your item.
  • Click on the User Name of the successful buyer.  This will bring up the 'Contact User' form.
  • Type your message and click 'Send'.

                                            OR

• Click My Account and select My Account Home > Lisitings > Sales Report.
  • Click on the User Name of the successful buyer.  This will bring up the 'Contact User' form.
  • Type your message and click 'Send'.

Q.  Can I send a message to any user on bidngrow?

A.  Yes.  You can send a message to any other user on bidngrow.  

• Click My Account and select My Account Home > Messaging > Send.
  • Type the bidngrow user's name in the 'To' box and click the Validate Username button.
  • Type the Subject and Message.
  • Click 'Send'.

Q.  How can I view my message inbox/outbox?

A.  Click 'My Account' and select 'My Account Home'.  Scroll down to 'Messaging' on the left.  Select your Inbox or Outbox.

Q.  How do I delete a message?

A.  Go to your Messaging inbox or outbox.  In the list view you'll see a large gray 'X' on the far right of each message.  Click the gray 'X' for each message you'd like to delete.

Q.  After pressing the Send button I get an error message that states, "Sorry, an error occurred while processing your request.  Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

A.  There were too few or too many letters/characters in the Subject line of your message.  Go back and ensure there is between 3 and 100 letters/characters in the Subject of your message.

 

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