POLICIES
PLEASE READ ALL RULES PRIOR TO BIDDING
Current bidding increments. *Last updated November 2021
WHAT IS A BIDDING INCREMENT?
It’s the order in which bidders must follow. For example, you must bid in $2.50 increments to $49.99, as well as $5 increments from $50 to $99.99.
BUYER’S GUARANTEE
Everything won $25 or more and plugs into the wall are guaranteed to work. (There are outlets provided for that purpose). Everything else is “as is” and is yours. We are an auction, not a retail store. For example, we do not guarantee car stereos; inflatables; battery-operated items; children’s toys; remote control items; hobby items; playsets; musical instruments; combinations to security locks; dents, scratches, blemishes, discolorations, chips, anything aesthetic; missing parts, accessories, broken parts (many times you are able to obtain these from the manufacturer)
We do our best and give the best service possible. However, please remember that we are an auction house, not a retail store. Make sure to check the items before leaving otherwise all guarantees are void. Anything won for less than $25 is yours, no store credit, no refunds, no exceptions.
INSPECT ITEMS
We ask customers to check all items they intend to purchase. Items come in various conditions. We do not guarantee that items you purchase will be in perfect condition. It is up to the buyer to inspect items on preview days to ensure they are satisfied with the quality.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
We ask that you do your own research to ensure you aren’t overbidding on an item. We do not offer refunds due to overbidding. All bids must be honored, please be aware as you are placing your bids.
WATCHLIST
Not ready to bid yet? Simply click on the star located on the lot item and the items will be added to your watchlist. Once added, you can view them as a list on one page. This tool will be your shortcut at auction time to bid on only the items that interest you, as well as the ability to see if you’ve been outbid.
ASK FOR HELP
On preview day, do not hesitate to ask us for help. We will help pull the item and allow you to inspect it. However, if our staff deems that the item is in mint condition we will not remove factory packaging. We do this to keep the item as pristine as possible for the winner on auction day.
WHAT ARE RETAIL PRICES?
All retail prices listed in the lot description are there as a courtesy to the bidder. This is an example of the price that the item is being sold elsewhere on the internet. We do not guarantee that you cannot find a price lower than the MSRP we have listed on the item. It is the bidder’s responsibility to research the maximum price you are willing to bid on an item.
BIDS ARE FINAL
To ensure a smooth and timely auction, we do not allow bids to be retracted. The first time you bid on an item, the auction program will prompt you with “are you sure you want to bid on this item?” This is an advance notice prior to placing your bid.
Tip don’t sweat it, if you accidentally bid on an item and it is much lower than retail, there is a high chance that someone will outbid you.
MULTIPLE ITEM LOTS
There are occasions where we will auction off lots that have multiple items of the same type.
Example: Apple Airpods x20
This means that you are bidding on all 20 AirPods. If the current bid is $20 dollars, that means you are bidding $20 dollars each x 20 Apple AirPods. This brings your total amount due to $400.
SOFT CLOSE AUCTION
The published auction “end” time is the time bidding closes on the first lot. Lots close every 8 seconds, and this staggering of end times allows for more comfortable bidding on multiple lots in the same auction. You may have heard about “sniping”—a slang term that refers to bids left in the fraction of a second before a lot closes, making it difficult for other bidders to respond. To make sure this doesn’t happen, our platform has a “soft close”. Any bids placed on a lot within a minute of closing will automatically reset the countdown timer for another minute. Make sure you pay attention to your watched lots, or your email, for outbid alerts during the time your items are closing.
BUYERS FEES
A 15% buyer’s fee will be added to your total amount and will be seen on your emailed invoice. This fee is the cost that the auction website charges for each listing as well as individual bids made on each item.
HONORING BIDS
PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF TEXAS is an Auction House. We have no set prices. You, the buyer, are responsible for honoring bids, understanding the quality of the items you are bidding on and which items you choose to bid on. Retail prices displayed are intended to be helpful, but we cannot be held responsible for any errors. Buyers must do their own research on all lot details such as price. We do our best to put known issues in the title of the item, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the bidder to understand what you are bidding on. This is an auction, not a retail store. While the items we sell are high quality, some may have flaws.
PICK UP DAYS/TIME
Sunday 9 AM-6 PM
Monday 9 AM-6 PM
ARRANGEMENTS & LARGE ITEMS
Make arrangements to pick up your order. We do not offer delivery on any items. Please make plans, especially for furniture and large appliances. It is up to the buyer to bring all appropriate items necessary to secure your winnings. We will help bring all items to your vehicle, however we are not responsible for loading and securing your items.
CHECK BEFORE YOU LEAVE
We cannot thoroughly check through every individual item we do not have the expertise or staffing to do so. We leave checking for functionality of items up to the buyer. This is the trade-off for the discounted price you receive. Please read Buyer's Guarantee. Once you have left the premises, the item can no longer be returned.
NO HOLD ON ITEMS
We have limited space and cannot store items indefinitely. Items won on Saturday must be picked up on the following pick-up days (Sunday or Monday).