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How to Bid

Only registered Bid4Assets users can place a bid. Click here to register or refer to the Terms of Service for more information.

1. Browse or Search for an Auction Browse - Select the category that interests you. Browse auctions by clicking on the categories located under the Categories bar.

For a more targeted approach, we encourage you to use the Search function. Search - Locate auctions by using the search box located at the top of the homepage. Enter the type of item you are looking for in the search box. For example: To find an emerald ring, type "emerald ring" in the search box and click on the Submit button. If you have the Auction Id number available, click on the radio button next to Auction ID# and click on the Submit button.

Advanced Search - You can enhance your search by clicking on the Power Search link located to the right of the Search button. Here you can narrow your search by selecting the appropriate category, subcategory and second level subcategory and also by the location of the asset. Once you have chosen all of the criteria, click on the Search button. To search by auction id, enter the auction id in the search box and click on the Search Auction button.

2. Do Your Homework Before You Bid When you find an item you're interested in bidding on, make sure you read the entire listing description and any additional information included in the "Additional Details" tab. For real estate, check your Local, County or State Assessor’s Office for property value information.

After reviewing the information provided by the seller in the auction listing, if you have additional questions you can ask the seller directly by using the "Ask Seller a Question" link located in the Seller Information box directly below the asset photo. Please note: It's important to remember that if you are the winning bidder, you are legally obligated to purchase the item. Make sure you have done all necessary research before placing a bid.

3. Place a BidDeposit If an auction requires a BidDeposit, the BidDeposit amount and icon appear on the auction listing and the deposit payment options are displayed in the Place Your Bid box (if a deposit is not required, continue to Step 4 Ready To Place a Bid below): Click the radio button next to the deposit method you want to use and click the Continue button for further instructions. For more information on placing deposits, click here. Tips: *Click on the Deposit Method name for additional information on that particular method of payment. *Bid4Assets does not charge a fee to place a BidDeposit.

4. Ready to Place a Bid Bid Type Bid4Assets offers two types of bids: 1. Auto Bid; 2. Flat Bid Auto Bid is the maximum bid you're willing to bid on the auction. Bid4Assets will automatically increase your bid to maintain your high bid position or to meet the reserve price. Our system defaults to Auto bid. To choose a Flat bid option, click on the radio button next to Flat Bid. Flat Bid is a one-time bid for the amount you indicate. Unlike Auto bid, which automatically increases your bid amount to maintain your high-bid position, when a Flat bid is placed you will have to manually place another bid to maintain your high-bid position. Some auctions include a "BuyNow" option. When a seller selects the BuyNow option, there are two ways the item can sell. If a buyer is willing to meet the BuyNow price before the first bid comes in, the item sells instantly and the auction ends, OR, if a bid comes in first, the BuyNow option disappears and the auction then continues as a regular online auction. To "BuyNow" you must click on the BuyNow icon located to the right of the BuyNow amount.

Placing Your Bid When you are ready to place a bid, choose a bid type, enter your bid amount in the Bid Amount box and click on the Bid on this item button. You will be prompted to login (or register, if you haven't already). Once you are logged in, if you're a first time bidder you must complete our New Bidder Authorization process.

New Bidder Authorization Bid4Assets authorizes all new bidders, prior to bidding on any auction, through B4A's New Bidder Authorization process. This added step of security significantly decreases instances of Internet fraud on our site. The process is free, quick and secure, and if successful, your bid is placed immediately. Click here for more information on Bid4Assets' New Bidder Authorization process. Verify your bid amount and check the boxes next to “I have reviewed and researched asset details to my satisfaction and Bid4Assets Terms of Service and I agree to allow my credit cared to be charged $250 in the event I am a non-performing bidder”. Then input your credit card information – if you have previously bid and want to use the same credit card you can check off to use your existing card or input new credit card information. Enter your password and click on the Bid Now button. A “hold” will be placed on your credit or debit card for $250 or $100, as security, for each auction you bid on. To review how many auctions you are currently obidding on go to My B4A. Credit card companies typically release the “hold” after 5-7 days the "hold period", depending on the company. All auctions, except those requiring a deposit, will require a hold on funds during the "hold period". When you use a debit card, the funds needed to cover the penalty for non-performance are “frozen” for 5-7 days. Your bank’s policy could require a longer or shorter "hold period". Plan for these funds to be unavailable until released by your bank. Bid4Assets will not be responsible for insufficient funds in your account. The "hold" will only be processed as a charge when a winning bidder does not complete the transaction with the seller. Please note: Once you have clicked on the Bid Now button, your bid is a binding contract and it cannot be revoked. If the Bidder Authorization is declined, you will be prompted to check your information and your bid will not be processed. Therefore, first time bidders may want to enter their bid with ample time remaining before an auction closes.

5. Monitor Your Auction You can manage and monitor auctions you're watching/bidding on via Bid4Assets' auction management center, My B4A. Take advantage of the numerous tools and make your auction experience on Bid4Assets much easier. One of the main features of My B4A is My Messages. You will receive notification of auction updates via e-mail in My Messages. For more information about the auction steps, click here. Overtime Bidding Similar to when an auctioneer continues to take bids until the last bidder bids, B4A's Overtime Bidding keeps bidding open at the end of an auction until there are no further bids for 5 consecutive minutes. Overtime Bidding occurs automatically when a bid is placed within the last few minutes of an auction. The auction will remain open until an entire overtime increment (5 minutes) has passed without any bidding. The overtime increment is indicated on the auction listing. Auction Closing Tips If you have won an auction you will receive an e-mail from Bid4Assets with seller contact information.  You must coordinate with the seller on payment and item shipping method. Once your item has been received, be sure to leave a Seller Rating. You can access the Seller Rating tool by clicking on the Leave Feedback link in My B4A. If you have additional questions about bidding, click here to review our Bidding FAQs.

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