Steps to a Successful Purchase

  1. Search for an item. Enter keywords into the search box located at the top of any page, or browse through the list of categories on the home page.

  2. Evaluate the item before you bid. Read the item description carefully and look over any pictures that are available. Make sure you read the Seller’s terms of sale and that you are willing to abide by them. You can ask the seller any questions you have via e-mail by clicking the link in the auction.

  3. Review the seller's Feedback. Look at the Seller’s Feedback Score, and read the comments left by previous buyers to be sure that you feel you can trust this Seller.

  4. Bid or Buy. Check the item page to see what purchase options are available. You can either place a bid on an item or purchase it instantly at a fixed price. Be careful. You may not retract a bid once placed.

  5. Pay for the item. After you've won or bought the item, make payment to the seller within ten days. Payment methods that are accepted by the seller are defined within the context of the auction. The seller will let you know how and where to send your payment. If you're picking up the item you can pay cash.

  6. Leave Feedback. After completing a transaction with the seller it is important to always leave feedback. By doing so the entire MyAI community will know how good or bad your trading experience was and can better gauge if it is worth doing business with a specific Seller. Reputation is everything when doing business online.

Useful Tips

Your Bid is a Contract:

Remember that each bid you place enters you into a binding contract. Once you win a listing, you’re obligated to purchase the item.  Don't bid on identical items in different listings if you just want one item. If you win both, you'll be obligated to buy both.

Bidding Results:

After you have placed your bids, you will be be informed if your bid has been accepted. If a higher bid is needed you will be informed and allowed to place another bid.

At the close of the auction you will be notified of all items won from each seller. This notification takes place once per day so that items won from the same seller can be combined into one invoice. This process generally takes place between 1 and 2 AM EST everyday.

Members Area:

Your Members Area includes a helpful Purchases and Sales section. Once notices have been sent, you may view all of your invoices in this area, and easily communicate with each other member involved. Feedback on your transaction is also left in this area.

You may log in to your Members Area to view items that you have bid on, or tracked. Bids may be placed very quickly in this area. You may bid again on an item, as well as place or raise your maximum bid.

Once auctions have closed and notices have been delivered, you may view your activity in the Purchases/Sales section. This area was designed to be an easy place for members to communicate with each other. All of your invoices are displayed here, and can be filed once the transaction has been completed.

Reserve Price Auctions:

Some sellers have a reserve price on their item. A reserve price is the minimum price a seller is willing to accept for the item. The seller is not obligated to sell the item if the reserve price is not met.

As a buyer you are shown the reserve price only when the reserve has been met. Bid on the item as usual by entering the maximum amount you're willing to pay. If the amount you bid does not meet or exceed the reserve price, a “Reserve not met” message is displayed. Otherwise, your bid is displayed as the current high bid. When the auction closes, the item will sell to the highest bidder who meets or exceeds the reserve price.

Understanding Bid Increments:

The bid increment is the minimum amount by which your bid will be raised. The incremental amount is predetermined based on the current high bid on the item. The following table shows the amount of bid increments.

Level 1
$.50 bid increase on amounts up to $10.00
Level 2
$1.00 bid increase on amounts up to $25.00
Level 3
$2.00 bid increase on amounts up to $50.00
Level 4
$5.00 bid increase on amounts up to $100.00
Level 5
$10.00 bid increase on amounts up to $200.00
Level 6
$20.00 bid increase on amounts up to $500.00
Level 7
$50.00 bid increase on amounts up to $1,000.00
Level 8
$100.00 bid increase on amounts up to $2,000.00
Level 10
$100.00 bid increase on amounts up to $2,000.00 and up

A bid can be increased by more than the standard increment if more than a standard increment is required to meet the reserve amount or beat a competing bidder's highest bid. You can be outbid by less than a full increment. A winning bidder's maximum bid needs only to exceed the next highest maximum bid by one cent.

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