Help: how auctions work
Short answers to the most common questions. BuyFlipSold Auctions connects buyers and sellers; the sale is between them.
Bidding
Type the most you are willing to pay. We bid for you, one step at a time, only as high as needed to keep you in front, and your maximum stays private. You need a verified email and phone, and you must accept the terms. A bid is a promise to buy.
The ending time
If someone bids in the last 2 minutes, the auction is extended by 2 minutes so everyone gets a fair chance. Times are shown in Central time.
Winning and paying
If you win, you get an alert and the seller's payment options. You pay the seller directly, never us, within 3 days. Mark the payment as sent, and confirm when you receive the item. Never pay outside the options the seller lists.
Selling
Add up to 8 photos, a clear title and honest description, a start price, and optional reserve and Buy It Now. Selling needs the seller add-on (or a plan that includes it); bidding is always free. After the auction, wait for the winner's payment, hand off the item and rate each other.
Alerts and push
The bell (Alerts) tells you when you are outbid, when you win or sell, and when an auction you watch is about to end. Turn on push on the Alerts page to get these on your phone. You can pause any time.
Watching and saved searches
Press Watch on any auction to follow it (up to 200). Save a search to hear about new matching auctions. Both are private.
Staying safe
Keep every message and payment inside the auction. Be careful with anyone who asks you to pay by gift card, wire or an unknown link, or to move the chat elsewhere. Use Report on any auction or message. Non-payment, retracting bids and other broken promises earn strikes, and repeated strikes block bidding.
Problems
If something goes wrong, open the deal from Deals and use "Report a problem". You can appeal a strike from the Strikes page. We review reports and can step in, but we are not the seller, buyer or payment processor.