Note: I amend this posting from time to time, and so that you can see the most recent changes I've put them in blue
(05/02/08).
The Auction Room is to help raise funds for RG and hopefully give us all a bit of fun.
So here are just a few rules on how we all do it.
At the moment we are auctioning ten items a month, with each set of auctions lasting two weeks. But we might always throw in the odd 'special' - so be sure to check the end date in the posting.
Bidding
You can only bid if you are an RG Member.
The minimum acceptable bid, or increase on a previous bid, for any item is 1.
There is a closing time for all bids - given at the end of each item description - and once that time passes any additional bids will be ignored.
Remember if you put a bid in for an item you are committed to buying that item.
Payment
If the original owner doesn't want any money from the sale then payment can be made direct to RG Funds, either
- by paypal
- by cheque to RG, or
- by direct payment into the RG bank account.
For details follow this link how to pay to the fund-raising pages, and look under Donations.
If the original owner is either
- keeping a percentage of the resulting bid, or
- requesting postage and packing to be paid
then the money should be paid direct to the original owner, who can then send the difference to RG.
No items should be passed over until payment has been made.
If the winning bidder fails to pay the amount due within 21 days, the auctioneer will dispose of the items, in consultation with the donors, as she sees fit.
The auctioneer also reserves the right to refuse to accept further bids from an individual who has outstanding payments or who has a poor payment record.
After close of bidding
The auctioneer posts in each thread confirming who is the winning bidder, who then pays by cheque, by bank transfer, by paypal or through the Community Chest.
If the whole payment is to RG, the auctioneer posts confirmation of payment and the item(s) can be sent to the winning bidder.
If part of the money is going to the donor, when they receive the money they send the item(s) to the winning bidder and the balance to Pip.
Auction threads are closed when the money has been paid.
It is up to the winning bidder and the donor to make arrangements between them for delivery.
You can request a "certificate of posting" from the Post Office when you post a package. If it does get lost or damaged you can then claim for compensation of up to 28.
For information on sending valuable items through the post see the Post Office Web site or ask at your Post Office.
Bidders outside the UK should expect to top up the cost of postage from the UK rates.
Selling
Details of all items for sale must first be sent through to us and not posted directly into the Forum. This will avoid problems if people dont put in the full information needed and will also allow us to stagger the auction items. Remember we arent as big as Ebay (yet) and if too many items are put in at once it will just stop people bidding.
It is up to the individual to decide whether they want the full proceeds from the sale or a percentage to go to RG funds. Obviously with larger items that would result in bids in excess of 10 it would be expected that the owner would want to keep a percentage for themselves, but they must state at the outset what percentage is going to RG.
Any reserve (minimum selling price) must be quoted at the outset, or it will be presumed that there is no reserve on the item(s).
It is up to the owner to quote what they want to cover postage & packing costs. This must be done at the time they put it up for sale.
If you weigh the item and its packaging, here are two links to where you can find out how much it will cost to send it:
Royal Mail postal prices
UPS Web site
If you want to put an item in the Auction Room please be sure to include all of the following information in an e-mail to the auctioneer:
kitty@realgardeners.co.uk
- Full details (EZ won't let me write d e s c r i p t i o n without spaces!![<img src=]()
"
src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/laugh.gif"> ) of the item
- Percentage of sale price that is to go to RG Funds
- Reserve price, if any
- What is the position concerning postage, and the amount if the buyer is to pay it
- Photograph of the item(s) - attach this to your e-mail*
*If you do not have access to a digital camera or a scanner, you can send photographic prints to Pip.
The Auction Room is to help raise funds for RG and hopefully give us all a bit of fun.
So here are just a few rules on how we all do it.
At the moment we are auctioning ten items a month, with each set of auctions lasting two weeks. But we might always throw in the odd 'special' - so be sure to check the end date in the posting.
Bidding
You can only bid if you are an RG Member.
The minimum acceptable bid, or increase on a previous bid, for any item is 1.
There is a closing time for all bids - given at the end of each item description - and once that time passes any additional bids will be ignored.
Remember if you put a bid in for an item you are committed to buying that item.
Payment
If the original owner doesn't want any money from the sale then payment can be made direct to RG Funds, either
- by paypal
- by cheque to RG, or
- by direct payment into the RG bank account.
For details follow this link how to pay to the fund-raising pages, and look under Donations.
If the original owner is either
- keeping a percentage of the resulting bid, or
- requesting postage and packing to be paid
then the money should be paid direct to the original owner, who can then send the difference to RG.
No items should be passed over until payment has been made.
If the winning bidder fails to pay the amount due within 21 days, the auctioneer will dispose of the items, in consultation with the donors, as she sees fit.
The auctioneer also reserves the right to refuse to accept further bids from an individual who has outstanding payments or who has a poor payment record.
After close of bidding
The auctioneer posts in each thread confirming who is the winning bidder, who then pays by cheque, by bank transfer, by paypal or through the Community Chest.
If the whole payment is to RG, the auctioneer posts confirmation of payment and the item(s) can be sent to the winning bidder.
If part of the money is going to the donor, when they receive the money they send the item(s) to the winning bidder and the balance to Pip.
Auction threads are closed when the money has been paid.
It is up to the winning bidder and the donor to make arrangements between them for delivery.
You can request a "certificate of posting" from the Post Office when you post a package. If it does get lost or damaged you can then claim for compensation of up to 28.
For information on sending valuable items through the post see the Post Office Web site or ask at your Post Office.
Bidders outside the UK should expect to top up the cost of postage from the UK rates.
Selling
Details of all items for sale must first be sent through to us and not posted directly into the Forum. This will avoid problems if people dont put in the full information needed and will also allow us to stagger the auction items. Remember we arent as big as Ebay (yet) and if too many items are put in at once it will just stop people bidding.
It is up to the individual to decide whether they want the full proceeds from the sale or a percentage to go to RG funds. Obviously with larger items that would result in bids in excess of 10 it would be expected that the owner would want to keep a percentage for themselves, but they must state at the outset what percentage is going to RG.
Any reserve (minimum selling price) must be quoted at the outset, or it will be presumed that there is no reserve on the item(s).
It is up to the owner to quote what they want to cover postage & packing costs. This must be done at the time they put it up for sale.
If you weigh the item and its packaging, here are two links to where you can find out how much it will cost to send it:
Royal Mail postal prices
UPS Web site
If you want to put an item in the Auction Room please be sure to include all of the following information in an e-mail to the auctioneer:
kitty@realgardeners.co.uk
- Full details (EZ won't let me write d e s c r i p t i o n without spaces!
- Percentage of sale price that is to go to RG Funds
- Reserve price, if any
- What is the position concerning postage, and the amount if the buyer is to pay it
- Photograph of the item(s) - attach this to your e-mail*
*If you do not have access to a digital camera or a scanner, you can send photographic prints to Pip.
