eBid Knowledge Base

Not found your query covered here? Then you could try:

If all else fails then contact user support at eBid. Please appreciate that they are kept very busy - so do at least try to find the answer yourself before contacting them.

A quick introduction to eBid.

eBid is an online auction website established in the United Kingdom in 1999 by co-founders Gary (aka Gazza) Sewell and Mark Wilkinson. Since that time it has grown and now operates in 18 countries: The United Kingdom,   Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the United States. Its growth continues with Austria and Belgium soon to be added. eBid is widely recognised to be the best alternative auction site to the infamous eBay.

eBid proudly claims that it is free to list items for sale on the site. That is true but that should maybe be amplified to make clear that it is true as long as you only use the basic listing formats. If you add features or extras to the basic listing formats then fees can become applicable on listings. Free to list does not also mean free to sell; dependent on the listing type fees may be payable on the successful sale of an item. With Seller Plus Lifetime membership there are no listing or selling fees when the basic listing format is used. All fees, where they do apply, are very competitive when compared to other auction sites.

Ebid, like eBay, declares itself to be only a venue. While that is clearly false on eBay it is as true as is possible on eBid. Apart from a few rules, which are mainly to keep eBid within the laws of the country it is registered in, you are free to control your own sales and conduct your business as you see fit. You are not restricted on what payment options you can accept nor told which ones you must accept. You are not told how you should conduct your business in any way. Any transaction is between the seller and the buyer and the site administrators do not keep sticking their fingers into your pie. The whole way of the site is far more relaxed than some sites you may have used before. That rubs off onto sellers and buyers alike making eBid a far nicer and friendlier place to do trade than comparable sites.

There are three types of membership account available:

eBid's user forums are a great place to while away some time between sales. They are both friendly and helpful. If you have had a bad experience using forums on other auction sites then don't let that put you off joining in here. If you have a problem, a query, or just fancy a chat then feel free to join in. There is no such thing as a daft question and fellow members are happy to pass on what they have learnt since they first started out here.

How to buy safely on eBid

1. Read the whole listing
   Watch out for any small print, limits to your rights, dodgy terminology, make sure they take the payment method you want to use, ship how you prefer etc.
   
   
2. Check their feedback
   Zero feedback is not automatically bad, we all had to start somewhere, but the lower the feedback the more cautious you’ll need to be. A lot of negs means move on.
   
   
3. Check their My All About Me page
   A dedicated and professional seller will have taken the trouble to set up their information page, to let you know a little about themselves and their methods.
   
   
4. Ask a question about the item
   “Dump it and Run” can be a problem on eBid because of the lower fees and long-term listings, so to make sure your seller is really around and paying attention, use the Ask A Question facility on the listing and wait to see if they answer.
   
   
5. Bid or Buy
   Now you’ve checked their background and know they’re really about, it’s safe to bid or buy. Most items on eBid go for the start price, so the odds are good if you want to gamble on a bargain... but don’t blame me if you get beaten!
   
   
6. Ask for an invoice
   Don’t pay until your seller has made contact. If you ask for an invoice you’ll know they’re paying attention and they can send you an official invoice with pay buttons included.
   
   
7. Check the numbers
   In particular, you might need to check the postage – eBid’s invoice system allows discounts and extras and it’s sadly easy to get it wrong, so check the numbers and let your seller know if there’s a problem.
   
   
8. Pay using a method you know and trust
   If you’re venturing into a new site and using a new seller, it’s nice to have something you feel you can rely on! Choose a method you know you can reverse if anything goes wrong.
   
   
9. Watch your item & email so you know when the item is shipped
   If it hasn’t arrived in the expected time, let your seller know immediately so they can start investigating before it becomes a major problem.
   
   
10. Leave feedback
    Once it’s arrived let your seller, and other buyers, know how well the purchase went – your seller will appreciate it, and it helps other newbies when they are still at step 2.

Why doesn't ***** on eBid work like it does on eBay?

[ Wherever the name eBay appears substitute the name of any other online auction site as is appropriate. ]

eBid is NOT eBay. Accept that basic fact and life will instantly become a lot simpler. If you have moved to eBid from eBay then do not expect eBid to be or become a clone of eBay. You will need to adapt to the way eBid works - not expect eBid to adapt to you. After all...you wouldn't buy a Rolls Royce and expect it to be just the same as your rusty old banger. If you are really looking for a site that works just like eBay...then I would suggest you try...well...um...eBay.

You are encouraged to put forward suggestions you feel would improve eBid but simply saying "This is the way I am used to doing it on eBay; change eBid so that it works the same." will get you nowhere.

It often feels harder to learn something familiar that is done in a different way than it does to learn something totally new. Give yourself time to get to know the eBid site and how it works. You may just find that eBid's way of doing things is better once you are familiar with it.

How do I contact user support at eBid?

There is currently no telephone user support at eBid; all user support issues are conducted online.

Before going to user support with a problem (they are kept busy) at least try and find the answer for yourself.

1. Read the provided help pages.
2. Search the forums to see if your query has been asked and answered before.
3. If you can't find that it has been answered before then ask in the forums. Fellow users are happy to help out if they can.

If after the above you still need help, then to contact eBid's user support:

Click on the Help link (arrowed below) available at the top-right of almost any page on eBid.

On the resulting page select the Contact Us tab (arrowed below).

Follow the instructions from there.

Alternatively you can email support direct at:

You will initially receive an automated email with a 'ticket' number. This acknowledges receipt of your query and identifies your query for future reference (always quote the ticket number in the subject line of any subsequent correspondence on the issue). The actual reply to your query will follow later. Should you not receive an initial response with your ticket number within a reasonable time; check that mail from the support email address above are not being intercepted by your Junk/Spam filter.

User support at eBid is generally very good. Questions are usually answered promptly; often within a couple of hours. You will also find that you are not communicating with some brain dead drone working from a script but with real people (often the owners of eBid).

In all cases be polite when communicating with the support team. Apart from it being common courtesy - you will not help yourself by ranting and raving at them about the problem you are experiencing. Do not alienate the people you are looking to for help.

Why do I have to register my debit/credit card if it is free to list on eBid?

All members who wish to sell on eBid must be verified by checking the details they gave on registration against the details held by their debit/credit card issuer. If you are not willing or able to complete the verification process, for whatever reason, then you cannot sell on eBid.

When you first register a credit/debit card, or when you register a new credit/debit card, a test authorisation for a small amount of money will be made against your card account . No money actually leaves your account; it is merely a mechanism that enables eBid to verify your given details with your card issuer. It has to be for a small amount as a zero amount transaction is not allowed. It basically queries your card issuer 'Would you pay me this if I asked you to?' but never actually asks them to. The query may show up on your account as a pending transaction for a short time though.

Verification goes towards ensuring that you are who you say you are and reduces the likelihood of buyers encountering rogue sellers. It also prevents persons banned from use of the site for serious transgressions from coming back hiding behind another name.

Additionally, while it is entirely possible to list and sell for free on eBid, you may incur Final Value Fees if you choose to use certain types of listing format and/or fees for any optional enhancements you use in your listings. These fees may be charged against your registered card - though you can opt to pay any due fees via PayPal if you so wish.

Bottom line... No Verification = No Selling on eBid.

Why has my Seller account not been upgraded? I have paid the subscription.

• If you have paid by credit/debit card via eBid's payment processor (NetBanx) then your account upgrade should be almost immediate.
   
• If you have paid via PayPal then there is a delay between PayPal receiving your payment and them notifying eBid that payment has been made [*insert conspiracy theory here*] thereby allowing eBid to upgrade your account.
   
• If the payment is made via PayPal in the form of an eCheque (check the transaction details on PayPal) then the delay is even greater and it can take several days before payment is confirmed to eBid.

If the above does not help then you will need to contact user support; they are the only ones with access to the account information needed to follow up any problem.

Why do eBid keep charging me a regular fee?

If you go to your My eBid page and select My eBid Fees from the My Options menu at page left any fees levied will be detailed - including what they were for.

The two most common causes of unexpected fees are:

1. You have taken out one of the short term subscriptions to a Seller Plus account. These short term subscriptions are recurring (as is explained when you sign up for it, and also in eBid's Terms & Conditions) and so will continue until such time as you cancel the subscription.
    
2. You have listed items using optional extras (e.g. extra photographs) or enhancements (e.g. Featured Listing) that are charged at the time the listing is posted rather than on sale. These will be charged each and every time the listing is reposted - including via Auto-Repost.

Can I have more than one selling id on eBid?

Generally the answer is: No. You may only have one selling id on eBid.

If you have a real need for more than one selling id then you can apply to user support and make your case. They may make an exception if they agree the need justifies it.

Always get eBid's consent before trying to create a second selling id. Without that consent all your accounts will be suspended.

Why is my username crossed out?

If your username is crossed out then your eBid account is on hold ('suspended' if you prefer). This is most likely to be for one of two reasons.

1. If you have recently joined eBid or have upgraded to allow you to sell on eBid then checks are made to verify your registration details. If these checks fail for any reason (most often a problem with contact details) then your account will be placed on hold until the issues are resolved.

• If the details you provided were false then the hold on your account will not be removed.
   
• If you believe the details you provided were correct and the hold is not removed then contact user support to try and resolve the problem.

It can be worth fully logging out of eBid (don't just close your browser) by clicking on the Logout link (arrowed below) adjacent to your username at page top-right and then logging back in again. This can sometimes trigger an update of your status.

2. You have broken one or more of eBid's few rules (more often than not the posting rules). If you really do not know what it was you did wrong then contact user support and politely request an explanation. If you do know what you did wrong then contact user support, apologise, and undertake to comply with eBid's rules in the future. They will then, more than likely, remove the hold on your account.

There is another possibility. This is that you have had your account suspended for bad selling/buying practices or for breaking the Terms & Conditions you agreed to when you signed up to eBid. I'm sure this would not apply to you - but if it does - you will have to try and make a very good case to eBid for the reinstatement of your account.

More information here.

How do I get the Address Verified (AV) icon next to my username?

You and eBid have no control over the appearance of the Address Verified (AV) icon next to your username; it is a function of eBid's payment processor NetBanx.

When you validate your credit or debit card with NetBanx a check is made to see if the address you registered on eBid matches that held by your card issuer (i.e. your card statement address). If it does NetBanx signals that back to eBid and the icon appears. If the two addresses mismatch in any way then the Address Verified icon will not appear.

If you feel the two addresses should match then check your registered address on eBid for any errors (particularly the post/zip code). If errors are found then correct them and revalidate your card with NetBanx.

Why have some of my listings disappeared?

The usual reasons for this are:

• A listing was deemed by eBid to be a duplicate of another you had listed. See here for more information.
   
• A listing broke one of eBid's posting rules.
   
• A listing was placed in an inappropriate category/subcategory for the item.

In such cases each offending listing is liable to deletion by eBid without notice.

Each time you submit a listing to eBid you affirm that the listing complies with eBid's rules. It is your responsibility to ensure that is so.

Repeated infractions of eBid rules may result in the suspension of your account.

What are the 7, 30, 90, 365 day and Lifetime Seller Plus subscriptions?

These are subscriptions to the Seller Plus type selling account.

You do not have to take out a subscription to a Seller Plus account in order to sell on eBid; you can sell as a basic Seller without any subscription[1].

Be aware that (except for the Seller Plus Lifetime subscription which is a one off payment) they are recurring subscriptions of the period stated. That is - you will be automatically billed for the next period at the end of the current one. Also be aware that you will continue to be billed even if you do not list or sell any items during a subscription period. If you do not wish to continue with a subscription (with the resultant billing) you should cancel your subscription by going to your My eBid page and selecting  My eBid Subscription from the My Options menu at page left.

Any subscription fees already paid for the shorter term subscriptions can be traded in against the cost of a Seller Plus Lifetime subscription. So if the Seller Plus Lifetime subscription is £74.99 and you have already paid for 3 x 90 day subscriptions at £16.99 each (a total of £50.97) you can upgrade to Seller Plus Lifetime for only £24.02 (£74.99 - £50.97).

The Seller Plus Lifetime subscription is what it says. For a one off payment you get Seller Plus status for life. The value of that depends on the amount you list (and possibly your age and state of health). Seller Plus status, of any duration, enables you to list and sell for FREE - Zero listing fees and zero final value fees on basic listings. Many extra listing options and features also become available to you; for a comparison chart illustrating the differences between the different account types see here. For a list of fees for the different types of Seller accounts see here. Seller Plus status also brings the ability to create and run 5 stores for FREE. For anyone selling regularly or in volume the Seller Plus Lifetime subscription should make economic sense. As the cherry on top of the cake you also get a free eBid T-shirt when you subscribe to Seller Plus Lifetime.

My personal recommendation is that anyone coming fresh to eBid, and wanting to be Seller Plus, should initially take out one of the shorter subscriptions (say 30 days) before paying for the Lifetime subscription. This will allow you to determine if eBid is the place you want to be long term. If it is then you can upgrade to Seller Plus Lifetime for the subscription price less any subscription fees you have already paid - as explained earlier. I am not aware that any subscriptions are refundable so if you take out the Seller Plus Lifetime subscription immediately, and then find eBid is not for you, then you may not see value in what you have paid.

Why can't eBid import my feedback from eBay?

Any feedback you have gained on eBay is the property of eBay (so they claim) - all you did was put in the hard work to earn it. eBay has threatened legal action against eBid if they import user feedback from the eBay site. This means that your eBay feedback cannot be directly imported into eBid. Place the blame on eBay and not on eBid.

If you wish to reference any feedback earned on other sites, including eBay, I can recommend Repatoo.com as a solution as I use it myself. Their user support (should you need it) is first rate in my experience. I did look at creating a tutorial for setting up a Repatoo account but found their site so intuitive I really didn't see what I could add. If you do try it and have any difficulties I would be interested to hear for the possible creation of a tutorial.

Once you have set up a Repatoo account and linked and verified it to any/all selling accounts you have (don't forget to include eBid) then you can request eBid import the amalgamated feedback from Repatoo and display it against your eBid user name (see here). This import of feedback from other sites is a one off to get your feedback score going on eBid. It does not continually update your feedback score on eBid with any you may receive for future sales on sites other than eBid. If you wish to display up to date total feedback across all sites that you sell on then you can display a Repatoo badge either on your listings or on your My All About Me page.

Do not link directly to eBay (for feedback or otherwise) or to any e-commerce enabled site in your listings, or anywhere else on eBid, as that would be in breach of eBid's rules and could result in the suspension of your eBid account.

Here is an example of Repatoo in action - Click on the badge.

Go create a Repatoo account now. It's FREE.

What is a URL?

URL is an abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator. It is also sometimes referred to as a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier).

A URL is the 'address' where a page, file, picture, object, or any other resource can be located on the internet. Think of it like your own name and address which tells someone exactly how to find you in the world.

The URL of this page is: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/astral.project/tips_and_tricks.htm

The URL of anything displayed in your browser can normally be seen in the address bar right at the top of your browser.

If you need to obtain the URL to use as the destination to a link in your listings, My All About Me page, or forum posts - display the destination in your browser and copy the URL from the address bar.

How do I create a listing on eBid?

To list an item on eBid you must have either a Seller or Seller Plus account.

Before listing make sure you have read and understood the posting rules. Failure to abide by these can lead to ALL your listings being deleted without notice and your account being suspended.

To create a new listing click on the SELL tab at the top of almost every eBid page.



You will initially be invited to select a category and subcategory under which to list your item. Take care to select appropriately as any items listed in inappropriate categories are liable to deletion by eBid without notice.

Certain categories (e.g. books and CDs) will offer you the chance to pre-fill your listing with information that may be held about that item in eBid’s database. You can elect to use the feature or just list your item as normal.

You will then be presented with the main listing creation page. If you work your way through that from top to bottom and read the help text adjacent to each field you should not have any problems. Below I have set out a few tips and some warnings of things that can catch people out.

Section 1: Item Particulars

Auction Title: Try to use all of the 55 available characters. If you have space left after entering your title then add keywords that users might enter when doing searches for your type of item. Getting the keywords into your title that people are likely to enter in searches is more important than the title being grammatically correct. If selling to overseas consider any alternate spellings that may be used e.g. jewellery (UK) and jewelry (USA), grey (UK) and gray (USA). Avoid using text that serves no purpose such as L@@K (nobody is going to search for that) and excessive use of punctuation characters and capitalisation as in **** BLUE WIDGET ***. Both of these types of title construct can lead to your items being disallowed from appearing on Google Products.

Photos: If you upload a picture to your My Gallery area for use in your listing then, after uploading, you need to select it for use by clicking on the use this picture in my auction link (arrowed below) adjacent to the image in the Your Uploaded Images area of your My Gallery. This link is only available while you are in the process of creating a listing - it does not show when you are simply viewing your My Gallery. See here for an issue affecting basic Seller account holders.

The optimal size for your images is a maximum of 504 pixels wide or high. Anything over that will cause eBid to resize the image to fit the available display area; this may result in a degradation of your image. It is better to crop and resize your images before uploading them to eBid as this gives you more control and also makes uploading  of the images faster. If you do not have a suitable application to crop and resize images then IrfanView is a very good and free (for non-commercial use) package.

Seller Plus members are now allowed 5 free images in each listing. To select a number of images in one go tick the Use? checkbox (arrowed below) for each image in My Gallery that you wish to appear in the listing and click the Use Selected Image(s) button.

Section 2: Shipping & Timing

Close Auction: While you might be tempted to list items as Run Until Sold or n days from First Bid, doing so pushes your listings right to the bottom of search results - where they will remain. Consensus appears to be that the best tactic is to list items for 8-10 days and set Auto Repost to 10. This will allow items to percolate to the top of search results each 8-10 day period but still run for 80-100 days (about 3 months) without any intervention on your part. Of course...it is hoped the item will have sold long before that period has elapsed. Also note that if you list as Run Until Sold you cannot create a biddable auction listing - only a Fixed Price listing.  A Run Until Sold auction makes no sense as it would never end.

Auto Repost: A great feature but watch out if you have added any features or extras to your listings that incur a fee at time of listing rather than on sale. Such fees will be charged each time the listing undergoes Auto-Repost; this can lead to fees being charged that you may not have expected.

Section 3: Pricing & Payment

Fixed Price: Watch out for the setting of this box. If it is ticked then you will not be able to enter a Starting Bid. Many people miss this and then wonder why they cannot create a biddable auction listing. If the Fixed Price box refuses to remain unticked then you are likely trying to create a biddable auction listing with Run Until Sold; the two cannot be used together as the combination is illogical - the auction would never end.

Minimum Feedback to Bid/BuyNow: Unless you have a really good reason to do otherwise leave these set to New Users (0 - +4 Feedback). Setting them higher will restrict your sales.

Section 4: Featured & Extras

Listing Type: Make sure that the default selection is actually the auction/listing type you want. Seller Plus listings default to Gallery type listings (which incur a fee on sale) and not to the free listing type.

Add Extras: Any extras selected that incur a fee on listing rather than on sale are charged each time the listing undergoes manual repost or Auto Repost. Bear that in mind or you may be charged fees that you were not expecting.

PREVIEW Auction Button:

Note well the name of this button. Clicking this button shows you a PREVIEW of your listing only. When the preview is being shown a translucent bar remains on screen as you scroll your listing. Move your mouse pointer over the bar and it becomes opaque and displays any fees applicable to the listing and a Begin Auction button to submit your listing if you are happy with it and an Edit Auction Details button to return and edit the listing details further.

Until you click on the Begin Auction button your listing will not be created on eBid.

Dutch Auctions: What are they and how do they work?

As a Seller

You should ensure that you fully understand how a Dutch Auction works before you start one. Failure to do so could be expensive.

A Dutch Auction is a way of selling multiple quantities of identical items using the sale by bidding format.

A Dutch Auction is listed stating how many of the items you have available for sale and the minimum price (the starting bid) you are willing to sell each item for.

Potential buyers then make bids stating how many of the total available quantity they wish to buy and how much they are willing to pay per item.

At the end of the auction the person who has offered to pay the most per item has first claim for the quantity they bid for from the quantity that are available.
The next highest bidder then has claim to the quantity they bid for from the number of items remaining.
This continues until there are no items left; at which point all other bids are discarded.

Now comes the really important bit that can cost you dear if you get it wrong…

The price ALL winning buyers pay per item is the amount bid per item by the LOWEST successful bidder.

That means that it is entirely possible, if there is insufficient demand, for all of your items to sell at the price you started them at. So make sure that your starting price really is the absolute minimum price you would be happy to sell each item for.

eBid, rather confusingly, also uses the term 'Dutch Auction' to refer to a multiple item listing (i.e. one selling several items at a fixed price rather than by bidding).  These are not the same thing at all and the above warnings do not apply to this type of listing. Each item in a multiple item fixed price (BuyNow) listing will sell for the price asked.

As a Buyer

Be aware that when bidding on a Dutch Auction that there is no proxy bidding. This means that the maximum bid you place is the bid that will be made.

So, for example, if an item has a starting price of £1.00 and you bid £3.00 then £3.00 is what you will have bid and not £1.00 as you would normally expect to see with proxy bidding.

The price ALL winning buyers pay item is the amount bid per item by the LOWEST successful bidder.

What is proxy bidding?

Proxy bidding is a system whereby eBid will make bids on your behalf, up to the maximum amount you set, in order to outbid anyone that subsequently outbids you.

How it works:

You see an item listed on eBid that allows bidding for that item (rather than a fixed BuyNow price). You decide you would like to buy it and would be willing to pay a maximum of £20.00 for it and the current highest bid for the item is only £5.00. You could sit at your computer for the duration of the auction placing bids to beat each new bid made by competitors for the item as they come in - but that would be a rather tedious exercise. Luckily you can let eBid do the work for you while you do something more productive or enjoyable. Here's how...

• You decide the maximum amount you would be willing to pay for the item and enter this amount as your maximum bid.
  
• eBid will then make bids on your behalf, using only as much of your maximum bid amount as is needed, to maintain you as the highest bidder.
  
• If at the end of the auction your bid is the highest then you are the winner and get the item - and possibly for less than you were willing to pay.
  
• If other bidders have outbid your maximum bid when the auction ends then you don't get the item.

If you see that your maximum bid has been beaten during the auction you can enter a new maximum bid if you should wish to stay in the running. It is best though to enter the true maximum you are willing to pay at the start; eBid will not use more of that amount than is needed to try and win you the item. Constantly upping your maximum bid could get you sucked into a bidding war where you may end up paying more to win the item than you intended - and possibly more than the item is actually worth.

Is there a listing program for eBid like the Turbo Lister program on eBay?

Yes, it is known as the eBid Ninja Lister. It is currently only available for use by Seller Plus Lifetime account holders.

To install the eBid Ninja Lister you will need to already have the Adobe AIR Runtime installed on your system. If you do not then you can obtain it here. Once downloaded, double-click on the AdobeAIRInstaller.exe file and follow the prompts to complete installation of the AIR runtime. Note that you require Administrative access to your computer in order to install the AIR Runtime. If you do not have the required access then contact your Systems Administrator.

You obtain the eBid Ninja Lister by going to your My eBid page and selecting My Bulk Upload from the My Options menu at page left.

On your My Bulk Upload page click on the link (arrowed below) to download the application.

Once downloaded, double-click (or right click and select Install) on the ninjalister_x.xx.air file (where x.xx is the current version number) to install the application.

What are 'Buddy Points'?

'Buddy Points' are an eBid reward scheme. You are awarded a varying number of points for achieving certain goals; such as:

• Introducing someone to join eBid. See here...
• Someone you introduced to eBid upgrading to Seller status.
• Someone you introduced to eBid upgrading to Seller Plus status.
• Gaining positive feedback on a transaction.
• Making a bid on an item that meets any reserve price set (or the start price if there is no reserve).
• Winning an auction.
• Using BuyNow to purchase an item.

Points earned can be used to take part in Buddy Point Auctions run by eBid. Points have no cash value.

To see your current Buddy Points statement and current award levels go to your My eBid page and select My Buddy Points from the My Options menu at page left.

How do I add a 'Join eBid here' link to my listings and gain 'Buddy Points'?

You earn Buddy Points for introducing new members to eBid and further points if they then go on to open a Seller or Seller Plus account. To be allocated those points you must get the new member to register via your Buddy Point Link; this carries information to inform eBid that you were the person that made the introduction and are due the points. If they join simply by going direct to the registration page then you will not be awarded any points. So to create a suitable link...

First go to your My eBid page and select My Buddy Points from the My Options menu at page left. Part way down the resulting page is an section captioned My Buddy Point Link - copy the entire text (highlighted and arrowed below) that follows Your Buddy Link is to your clipboard.

[This same link can be used in emails, personal web pages, etc. to gain buddy points from people registering via it.]

Using eBid's WYSIWYG Advanced editor enter the text you want to appear in your listings into either your listing description or into your My Defaults description. For example:

Highlight the text that you want to act as the link e.g. the words Join here... and click on the insert/edit link icon (arrowed below) at the top of the editor.

In the Link dialogue box that appears:

On the Link Info tab:

• From the Link Type dropdown select URL.
• From the Protocol dropdown select http://.
• In the URL box paste in the buddy link you copied to the clipboard previously.

On the Advanced tab:

• In the box captioned Advisory Title enter something descriptive - such as: Jump to eBid's registration page...

Click on the OK button to close the dialogue and save the settings made.

Job done. Your link is now active and you will receive buddy points for anyone registering on eBid via your link.

If you are using eBid's HTML Plain Box editor or editing your own HTML templates then the following HTML code will achieve the same effect. Copy and paste the code in the box below into your own code. Replace the text INSERT_YOUR_BUDDY_LINK_HERE (leave the quote marks in place) with your own buddy link referred to earlier.

How do I create a Google Checkout account?

A very good tutorial to this has been created by eBid user JewelEffects. Rather than me reinventing the wheel click here to view that tutorial.

How do I set up a store on eBid?

To open a store on eBid you must have a Seller Plus account. A Seller Plus account entitles you to create and run up to five stores at no cost.

To commence creating a store go to your My eBid page and select My eBid Stores from the My Options menu at page left . From the resulting displayed page select Click here to open a new eBid Store (arrowed below).

There are three sections that must be completed before you can place your store online and populate it with items for sale. These are:

Section 1: Upload an image to be used as your store logo.
Section 2: Define details of your store and the colours it is presented in.
Section 3: Define store parent categories and optional subcategories in which to place your items for sale.

Any settings you make now can be changed later. Nothing is set in stone so feel free to experiment until you achieve your desired look.

Section 1. Upload an image to be used as your store logo.

The image used as your store logo must be of the correct size and format. Click here for details on creating a suitable image if you have not already done so.

Click on the Browse button and select the image to be used from your computer.

Once you have done that click on the Upload image button to transfer your image to eBid for use in your store. If the upload is successful then your image will be displayed. If your image is not displayed then recheck the image is of the correct size and in the correct format.

Section 2. Define details of your store and the colours it is presented in.

Complete the fields as follows:

Once you have completed all the fields click on the Update Section 2 button to save the details.

How do I create a store logo?

A store logo is a 310 pixel wide by 90 pixel high image in .gif or .jpg format.

You can create this image in any paint or graphic editor program for upload to your store.

If you are 'graphically challenged' then eBid user JewelEffects comes to the rescue with a tutorial on using the BannerFans website. This site employs a 'Pick & Mix' approach to creating a suitable image. View her tutorial here.

Why does my new store not appear in the Stores list?

Stores only appear in the list of stores on eBid if the store is online and the count of the number of items within the store is greater then zero (i.e. the store has stock).

This count is only carried out twice a day (see here); until such time as the next count is made the store will not appear in the list,

Allow newly created stores 24 hours to appear from the time the first item is placed in.

Related topic: Why does the number of auctions next to my store name not match the number that exist in my store?

How do I get my store to appear as a 'Featured Store'?

You don't - is the simple answer.

Featured Stores are chosen entirely at random by eBid. You cannot influence that choice - apart from the more stores you have the more chance there is that one will be picked to display.

Why does the number of auctions next to my store name not match the number that exist in my store?

The count of listings in a store are only updated twice daily - once at 01.00 hours and again at 13.00 hours (UK time). The displayed count will be corrected at the next due update.

If a store is found to be empty of items when this count is made then the store will be taken offline. This prevents empty stores cluttering up eBid and giving users a bad experience.

Why does eBid claim I last visited on 1st. January 1970 when I didn't?

The date and time of your last visit to eBid is calculated and stored as the number of seconds that have passed since the 1st. January 1970; this is a function of the Operating System that drives eBid.

When you first join eBid there is no value (i.e. zero) stored for the date and time of your last visit so it displays as 1st January 1970. As soon as you take an action that causes an update of the value the date and time will correct itself.

How do I create a forums signature?

A forum signature is a block of boilerplate text that is automatically added to the end of each post you make to eBid's forums. It can be used simply as a signature or also carry links to your stores, listings and My All About Me page. It may also contain an optional signature logo which may be your store logo or something entirely different.

For the purposes of this tutorial we are going to include a link to your eBid My All About Me page in your signature. You can of course make a link point to anywhere you wish - say to your eBid store - by substituting a different URL as the link's destination. We will stick with your eBid My All About Me page for now though.

First click on your username (arrowed below) at the top-right of the page to display your My All About Me page.[1]

Copy the URL that appears in the address bar of your browser to the clipboard.

Log into the forums and select User CP from the menu bar near the top of the page.

Enter the text that you want to appear in your signature. Include something that can be used as a link back to your My All About Me page (which will in turn link to your stores/sales). For an example here let's say you enter ' The door is always open. Welcome! ' for use as your link. Now highlight that text and click on the Insert Link icon (arrowed below).

If the above icon does not show then you have the wrong editor set in your forum options. To correct this select Edit Options from the Your Control Panel menu at page left. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select Enhanced Interface - Full WYSIWYG Editing from the dropdown list under Message Editor Interface. Click on the Save Changes button just below and then return to editing your signature.

In the Hyperlink dialogue box that appears - paste in the URL that you copied to the clipboard earlier and click the OK button.

The appearance of this dialogue box may vary depending on your browser.

Click on the Preview Signature button. If all is as you wish then click on the Save Signature button.

The signatures on any previous and future forum posts by you will now display your new signature with a link back to your My All About Me page and sales.

How do I add a logo to my forums signature?

First note that there are some limitations on the image you can use to create your logo. These are a maximum image size of 500 x 100 pixels and a maximum file size of 19.5 KB. If either of these limits are exceeded then adding your logo will fail.

Create the logo you wish to use in accordance with the above limits. If you already have a store banner you can use that as your signature logo.

Log into eBid's forums and from the menu bar near the top of the page select User CP.

From under Settings & Options in the Your Control Panel menu at left of page select Edit Signature.

Upload your prepared logo. Either:

1. Enter the URL (be careful not to enter the http:// part twice) to its location on the web into the box provided (Option 1).

2. Click the Browse button and locate the image file on your computer. (Option 2)

Click the Upload button

If your image upload is successful your image will now appear on the page. Note that adjacent to it is a link captioned Insert Signature Picture (arrowed below). Remember this - you will need it in a moment.

If the above link does not show then you have the wrong editor set in your forum options. To correct this select Edit Options from the Your Control Panel menu at page left. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select Enhanced Interface - Full WYSIWYG Editing from the dropdown list under Message Editor Interface. Click on the Save Changes button just below and then return to editing your signature.

Scroll back up to the editor box and place your cursor where you wish your logo to appear in your signature.

Click on the Insert Signature Picture link. You should now see [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] appear in the editor box.

If you wish to make your logo into a clickable link then see the instructions in the following box - otherwise continue below.

Click on the Preview Signature button. If all is as you wish then click on the Save Signature button.

The signatures on all existing and future forum posts by you will display your new signature with its logo.

How do I add an avatar (picture) to my forum posts?

If you don't already know then avatars are small pictures that appear under your username to the left of any posts you make to eBid's forums.

Note that there are some limitations on the image you can use to create your avatar. These are a maximum image size of 150 x 150 pixels and a maximum file size of 10.0 KB. If either of these limits is exceeded then creating your avatar will fail.

First create the image you wish to use in accordance with the above limits.

Log into eBid's forums and from the menu bar near the top of the page select User CP.

From under Settings & Options in the Your Control Panel menu at left of page select Edit Avatar.

Ensure the Use Custom Avatar option (arrowed below) is set.

Upload your prepared image. Either:

1. Enter the URL to its location on the web into the box provided (Option 1)

2. Click the Browse button and locate the image file on your computer. (Option 2)

Click the Save Changes button. If your image upload is successful your avatar will now appear in the box at the top of the page.

Your new or updated avatar will now appear on any existing and future post by you to the forums.

What are the criteria for my items to be submitted to Google Base by eBid?

If the option is set in your My Defaults eBid submits all eligible listings to Google Base shortly after them being created or reposted. eBid also refreshes any items on Google Base that have remained there long enough to reach the expiry date laid down by Google. Listings undergoing Auto-Repost are not resubmitted to Google as no listing details change and therefore Google Base does not require updating for such items.

Eligible listings for submission are those that meet all the following requirements:

• Are listed on either the United Kingdom, Unites States, or Deutschland sites.
• Have at least 24 hours left to run at the time eBid starts the upload or are On First Bid or are Run Until Sold.
• Have a BuyNow price.
• Are legal.
• Are in categories allowed by Google Base.

Items submitted to Google Base are searchable/viewable by end users using Google Product Search (formerly known as Google Products and  Froogle) and also in general Google searches under the heading of Shopping Results for {search term} in the search results.

Is there a limit to the number of images that can be stored in My Gallery?

No. There is no practical limit to the number of images you may store in your My Gallery area on eBid. However, images will be automatically deleted from your My Gallery area if they are not used in a listing within 10 days of being uploaded, and also after 75 days from the date an image last appeared in an active listing. You are advised to keep your own copy of any images that you may wish to re-use in the future.

Can I upload multiple image files to eBid rather than one at a time?

Multiple image files for use in listings can be uploaded to your My Gallery area by enclosing them in a ZIP file. A ZIP file is a container for multiple files and can optionally be compressed both to reduce the size and decrease transfer times. eBid recognises this type of file from its .zip extension and extracts the individual image files from it after the file is uploaded and places them into your My Gallery area..

Some versions of Windows can handle ZIP files internally (e.g. Windows XP) while others versions of Windows or other Operating Systems may require the use of a standalone program.

There are many suitable standalone programs around - Freeware, Shareware and Commercial. A site such as Tucows.com will offer a good selection. A standalone program will give you far greater control over the creation of ZIP files than the Windows internal ZIP file handler.

To create a ZIP file of images with those versions of Windows that can handle ZIP file internally:

• Select the group of files that you wish to place into the ZIP file.
• Right click on the selection to open the pop-up menu.
• Select Send To > Compressed (zipped) Folder.

A new file will be created with the .zip extension. That is the file containing your multiple images for upload to eBid.

Windows will, unless another handler is installed, display and handle the ZIP file as a folder (though it really is a file - honest). You can treat it like any normal folder and drag and drop more image files into it, or delete image files from it.

Why am I not allowed to list identical items in separate listings?

It is eBid policy that if you have several identical items to sell that they should be sold using a multiple item listing or a Dutch Auction rather than as a series of individual (duplicate) listings. This prevents high volume sellers swamping user search results to the detriment of smaller sellers. This is particularly likely to happen on eBid as it costs nothing to place a listing - which removes the economic factor that may act as a restraint on some sellers.

If eBid deems that you have posted duplicate listings then all are liable to deletion without notice. You may be sent an email indicating the reason why. If you do not receive an email and really do not know what you did wrong, or you wish to contest the decision, then contact user support.

Quite what the criteria are that define a duplicate listing I am not certain - and eBid seem rather tight lipped on the subject. The main one seems to be the title of the listing. If you are listing a quantity of similar items then it is advisable to differentiate between them in the listing title. E.g. Widget (Blue), Widget (Red); or Widget (Large), Widget (Small); or Widget (Type 1), Widget (Type 2); etc. Note that 'massaging' listing titles (e.g. Widget Blue, Blue Widget) in order to circumvent this rule is not acceptable and likely to result in your listings being deleted.

You also may not list the same item separately in more than one category as that would still be classed as a duplicate listing. You may add an extra category to a listing (for a small fee) so that it is displayed when users search or browse either of those categories.

The above does not mean that you cannot list an identical item as someone else - just not identical to one you currently have listed.

Why can't I change the quantity of items for sale in a listing from 1 to n or from n to 1?

A listing created with an initial quantity of one item and a listing created with an initial quantity of more than one item are two different types of listing. The first is a single item listing and the second is a multiple item listing (what eBid insists on calling a 'Dutch Auction' for some unknown reason). You cannot change one type to the other by changing the quantity. You can change the quantity in a multiple item listing to another quantity (99 maximum[1]) - but not to one.

The easiest way to get around this is to close your original listing and re-list it as follows:

Go to your My eBid page and select Auctions I'm Running from the My Trading menu at page left .

For the item you wish to alter click on the adjacent Close? button (arrowed below). Do NOT click the Delete? button or your listing will vanish for ever.

Accept the resulting warning dialogue presented by clicking on OK.

Allow the eBid system a little time to process the closure of the listing and then return to your My eBid page and select Auctions I Ran  unsold (arrowed below) from the My Trading menu at page top-left.

Find the item that you have just closed (if it is not there then eBid is still processing the closure) and click the Repost? button (arrowed below). Do NOT click the Delete? button or your listing will vanish for ever.

You will now be given all the listing options - including the ability to change the quantity.

Make your changes, re-check all the other details[2], and preview/submit your modified listing.

The above routine can be used to change any listing particular that is not editable by the normal means.

Why does my thumbnail image not show in search results?

First off...Thumbnail images in search results do not form a part of Standard (Seller) or Free (Seller Plus)  listings.

To get the thumbnail as a basic Seller you need to create a Platinum type listing. This, for a small fee on listing, not only gives you the thumbnail in search results but also access on that listing to most features normally only available to Seller Plus members.

As a Seller Plus member you need to create at least a Gallery type listing to get the thumbnail in search results. Gallery listings incurs a fee of 2% on the sale price of the item . You can change from a Free to a Gallery listing by editing the listing.

The following applies only to users with basic Seller accounts when creating a Platinum listing and not to Seller Plus account holders.

For the thumbnail image to appear in search results it seems the image it is generated from needs to be located in your My Gallery area. If you self host all your images off site then the thumbnail will not be generated from just a supplied URL. You will need to upload at least one image to your My Gallery area and use that as your main image if you want a thumbnail to be generated.

Can I have additional images in my listings without paying eBid extra for each one?

Yes. This is known as ‘self hosting’ your images. The additional images go into the description area of your listing rather than being added below your free main image(s); as would happen if you paid eBid for them. It requires that you have somewhere to store your images on the web other than in your My Gallery area on eBid. This may be either on your own web space/website or on an image hosting site such as Photobucket.com (which is a site that many seem to use but I have no personal experience of).

Once your images are stored on the web you will need to know the URLs of where each of those images are located. The URLs will look something like: http://mywebspace/myimages/mypicture1.jpg. If the image is on an image hosting site this URL information should be provided to you by the site. If you operate your own web space/website you should already be conversant with the format and use of URLs.

To insert an image into your listing using the WYSIWYG Advanced listing editor proceed as follows…

Position the cursor within the description field where you wish the image to go and click on the Insert/Edit Image icon (arrowed below) and a dialogue box will appear as shown.

Fill in the details as shown on the Image Info tab of the dialogue box. Once you have entered the URL of the image into the URL field your image should appear in the Preview area. If it does not then recheck that your URL is correct. Finally click on the OK button and your image will now be in your description.

You can experiment with the other tabs on the dialogue box if you wish but they are not needed under normal circumstances - apart from maybe giving your image a description on the Advanced tab.

Repeat the above procedure for any additional images you wish to insert into your description.

Are there images of eBid's logo available that I can use for advertising purposes?

Yes. eBid released a copy of their logo with permission for its free use.

Click here to download it. You may need to re-size it for use as it is quite large.

Click here to download copies already reduced in size: The .zip file contains each of 83x68 pixels, 121x100 pixels, 234x193 pixels in .png format.

eBid also released a series of static and animated banners of various styles and sizes (example below) for use on your web pages or listings. Get them here.

These banners have yet to be updated to the new eBid colours.

Why does the feedback count next to my username not display the correct value?

Sometimes the system needs to be 'tickled' to force an update of your displayed feedback count. To do this:

Fully sign out of eBid (do not just close your browser) by clicking on the Logout link (arrowed below).

Sign back in again.

Your feedback count should now reflect the correct value.

How do I search closed listings?

To carry out a search on closed listings click on the Advanced Search link (arrowed below) adjacent to the simple search box. This will open up a selection of options to refine your search, including the option to search for closed listings only.

If you already have the results of a search displayed and wish to refine the search to closed listings only then click on the more search options link (arrowed below). This will open up a selection of options to refine your search, including the option to search for closed listings only.

Closed listing are retained on eBid for 75 days and are then archived without images.

What can I do to help promote my sales?

Add a signature to your forum posts with a link to your items for sale. This will allow other forum users to easily view your listings. Complete your eBid My All About Me page giving potential customers information about yourself. Promote eBid whenever and wherever the opportunity arises (and even when and where it doesn't). Try to bring in more customers. Without 'spamming' and upsetting people - try and let any previous customers know that you are selling on eBid. Print up some eBid stickers to affix to all your parcels and envelopes. Spread the word. Postal workers are buyers too.[1][2] Use the Plug Your Auctions forum to advertise your wares and any special offers you are running.[3] If you have feedback earned on other auction sites consider requesting eBid import it to get your feedback started. Maybe make some small purchases to get your feedback above zero. Feedback over 5 removes the low feedback sunglasses icon. Avoid listing as Run Until Sold or n days from First Bid as both leave your listings at the bottom of search results.

Notes:
[1] Click here to download a Microsoft Word document to print 21 labels on an A4 sheet (Avery^® label sheet style reference: J8560 - 21 x 63.5 mm x 38.1 mm).
[2] Click here for a 6 x 4 inch (15 x 10 cm) eBid advertising image suitable for printing on to postcards.
[3] You are allowed only one thread in the Plug Your Auctions forum to promote your sales and may only 'bump' [to raise to the top of the thread list by posting a new message to the thread] the thread once in every 24 hours. If you want to create a new thread delete the old one first and then create the new one (this counts as a bump). Do not plug your auctions in any other forum. Violation of these conditions can result in your thread(s) being deleted and you being suspended (or banned for repeated infractions) from using the forums.

Why do I have to log in to the forums when I am already logged in to eBid?

The forum software (vBulletin) is a bought-in, bolt-on package to eBid. It has its own logging in system.

The fact that the forums software is bought in means that eBid has little control over the way it works and are not in a position to fundamentally alter the way it works. If something really annoys you about vBulletin forum software then it may be more productive to contact the authors at http://www.vbulletin.com rather than eBid.

Why does my My All About Me page continue to show an old image after I have uploaded a new one?

The first time your browser downloads a web page from the internet it stores a copy of the page in a cache (a storage area) on your computer. The next time the same page is requested the browser checks to see if the page is missing from the cache (a page can instruct a browser not to save a copy in the cache), it has expired in the cache (pages can have a set 'life' in the cache) or if its timestamp is older than that of the page on the source server (i.e. the copy in the cache is out of date). If none are true then the browser retrieves and displays the copy of the page from the cache - which is quicker then fetching the whole page over the internet again. This normally works very well and makes the internet appear to operate faster.

A problem arises when the only thing that has changed on a page is the visual content of an image. As only the visual representation in the image has changed and not the page itself (images are not actually in the page but are stored separately - this means a displayed image can change without any change to the actual page) this is not enough to inform your browser that the copy of the page it holds in its cache is out of date. The browser therefore erroneously displays the out of date page from its cache complete with the old image.

To correctly display the updated page, along with its new image, you must force your browser to fetch a new copy of the page from the source server and ignore any copy it currently holds in its cache - even though it believes it to be valid.

How you force this fetch of the page may vary slightly from browser to browser. Holding down the Ctrl key and pressing F5 [Ctrl+F5][1] or R [Ctrl+R] are common key combinations across different browsers. Alternatively check your browser's help files for how to force a page refresh ignoring the cache; it will often be a command on the browser's View menu such as Reload or Refresh.

This is not an issue unique to eBid; it can happen anywhere when the only change to a page is the visual content of an image. So...if any page does not display as you expect then try forcing a reload of the page as described above.

What are the different levels of forum poster and what do they mean?

There are 5 levels (excluding admin posts) of forum poster. The levels are based simply on the number of posts made to the forums.

They mean absolutely nothing beyond the number of posts made. Posters at all levels have an equal voice and there are no moderators apart from eBid admin.

Quantity does not necessarily equate to quality (check out some of my posts for proof of that). You could risk assuming that someone who has been around long enough to make a lot of posts may have some idea what they are talking about in matters relating to eBid - but no guarantees.

Do I have to provide Repatoo with my username and password in order to verify a selling account?

When verifying a selling account with Repatoo you do have to provide the username to that selling account; this is so Repatoo knows which selling account it is verifying.

You do not have to provide the password to that selling account. Most people are understandably not comfortable giving their account passwords to third parties; it goes against all security protocols. So while using the username / password combination is the simplest and quickest way to verify a selling account Repatoo does provide an alternative method that does not compromise any passwords. This is done by you inserting a small piece of marker text into the selling account's profile. As only you have the access to place that text there Repatoo will use its presence to verify the account.

To verify a selling account without providing Repatoo with that account's password proceed as follows:

• Log in to your Repatoo account.
• Add a selling account as normal, selecting the website from the dropdown list and entering the username of the account.
• Do not enter the password to that account - leave the field blank.
• Click on the Submit button (You will receive a warning that the account cannot be verified but can be done later - accept that warning).
• The added account will now be displayed with a Verify button next to the site's feedback score; click that button.
• At the bottom of the presented dialogue is a link to Alternate Verification; click that link.
• You will then be provided with details on how to insert the marker text into the selling account for Repatoo to read. There is also a link to step by step instructions.
• Once you have inserted the marker text return and click on the Verify button. The account should now be verified.

If you should choose to provide the password to a selling account to allow verification - I would advise that you put a temporary password in place for as long as it takes to verify the account with Repatoo (this should only be a few moments). Once the verification is complete you can change the password back again to the one you normally use to access that selling account.

Related topic: Why can't eBid import my feedback from eBay?
Related topic: How do I insert a Repatoo badge into my listings/My All About Me? I don't understand HTML.

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How do I insert a Repatoo badge into my listings/My All About Me? I don't understand HTML.

 If HTML is like a foreign language to you then getting the badge that links to your Repatoo account into your listings/My All About Me page may seem a little daunting. You can do it without knowing anything about HTML. Proceed as follows to insert your Repatoo badge into a listing, your defaults or your My All About Me page:

Log in to your Repatoo account and select the Create Links tab. Select the badge style of your choice and, with the option set to HTML, click on the Create button. The HTML code for your badge will appear in the box. It will look something like this:

Copy all of this HTML code from the box to your clipboard (Maybe also save it to a text file for future use).

Create or edit a listing, a default or your My All About Me page using eBid's WYSIWYG Advanced editor.

Locate where you wish the badge to go and enter some marker text that you can easily recognise (e.g. XXXXXXXX). It really doesn't matter what it is, or how long it is - you just need to be able to spot it easily later.

Now click on the Source icon (arrowed below) to change to the HTML/Source editor:

Look for the marker text that you just input (XXXXXXXX). Don't concern yourself about any of the other stuff around it - apart from don't alter any of it.

Highlight that marker text and paste in (i.e. replace it with) the HTML code for your Repatoo badge that you previously copied to the clipboard.

Click the Source icon again.

You will now be returned to the WYSIWYG editor and, if all has gone well, your Repatoo badge will now be in place and active.

The above is harder to describe than it is to do, so don't be put off if it appears a little complex. Once you have done it a couple of times it will become second nature. You may even learn some HTML along the way...

Using the same procedure you could insert your Repatoo badge into the auction description field of your listings, your my Defaults or into your My All About Me page.

How can I cancel a user's bid on one of my items?

With the above warning in mind; to delete all bids made by a user on all your items proceed as follows:

Go to your My eBid page and select My Blackball from the My Options menu at page left .

On the resulting page enter the eBid username of the person whose bid(s) you wish to cancel.

Tick the box captioned remove current bids?

Click the Add button.

If you want the user to be able to bid on your items in the future then remember to remove the blackball by clicking on the Remove link
(arrowed below) against their username.

Can I suspend my listings if I am going to be away for a few days?

Yes. There is what is called a 'Holiday Notice'. This can be used for any time, not just holidays, that you are going to be unavailable to process any sales of your items. This is a relatively new feature and the following is my belief of how it works. I would be interested to hear of people's practical experience of this feature if it differs from that given below.

With a 'Holiday Notice' in place:

• Any stores will remain open/online.
• Listings will remain visible for users to browse.
• Users will not be able to place a bid or use Buy Now on any of your listings.
• Users will be shown your custom notice at the top and bottom of each listing.
• Users can still ask a question regarding the listing. You may be able to respond to these while away even if you cannot action sales.[1]
• Listings will continue to run as normal.
• Any listings without Auto-Repost set that are scheduled to end while you are away will end as normal.
• Any listings with Auto-Repost set that are scheduled to end while you are away will repost.
• If all listings in a store end without auto-repost while you are away then the store will be taken offline within 12 hours of the last listing ending.

To enable the 'Holiday Notice':

Go to your My eBid page and select My Notices from the My Options menu at page left.

Either create a new notice or edit an existing one as shown below. Create your message text, tick the Holiday Notice? and Set As Default? boxes and finally click on the Save Notice button.

Your 'Holiday Notice' is now in place. Don't forget to remove it when you come back. Maybe stick a note on your monitor to remind you - otherwise you may end up wondering why you aren't selling anything.

Note that simply taking your store(s) offline will not work as any listings in an offline store revert to being normal listings outside of any store.

How can I change my username on eBid?

You can't do this yourself; you will need to contact eBid user support via email from your registered email address and ask them to do it for you. Provide them with your old username and the username you wish to use in the future.

Why haven't I received my eBid T-Shirt for upgrading to a Seller Plus Lifetime subscription?

You need to contact eBid user support and tell them your eBid username and the size of T-Shirt you require.

Sizes available are:

• Small (S)
• Medium (M)
• Large (L)
• Extra Large (XL)
• Extra Extra Large (XXL).

The T-shirt will be mailed to the address you registered on eBid. It is mailed by the cheapest means possible; this may mean a long delivery time for overseas members.

eBid's Terms and Conditions

eBid's Terms and Conditions as at 11 January 2010. Check here for the latest version.

eBid Terms and Conditions

eBid is designed to create an open and enjoyable experience, but it also has limits and risks that you should understand before participating.

Please help us to keep eBid an enjoyable and positive experience. If you see a listing that violates the rules below, please let us know by contacting us through the eBid contact desk.

eBid' Rights To Terminate.
You agree that eBid, in its sole discretion, may terminate any auction or use of the service immediately and without notice if (a) eBid believes that you have acted inconsistently with the spirit or the letter of this Terms of Service or (b) if eBid believes you have violated or tried to violate the rights of other users.

Your Conduct.
You are solely responsible for the contents of your transmissions through the service. You must ensure that your participation in the selling or buying of items does not violate any applicable laws or regulations. By this we mean that you must check that you entitled to sell or buy the relevant item and that you are not prohibited from doing so by any law or regulation. In particular, you may not sell or buy property which requires a written contract, which is illegal, which requires a licence to buy or sell (for instance firearms, alcohol or pharmaceutical drugs) or which requires you to obtain an export licence.

You must not transmit through the service any unlawful, harassing, libellous, abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, obscene or otherwise objectionable material. You must also not transmit any material that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offence, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable law or regulation.

If either you or we terminate your membership, you will continue to owe us any money which you owed to us before termination.

eBid prohibits the use of another internet service to send or post spam to drive visitors to your site hosted on or through the eBid system, whether or not the messages were originated by you, under your direction of a related or unrelated third party.

Eligibility for Membership.
Our services are available only to individuals who can form legally binding contracts under applicable law. We require your full address and telephone number contact information on registration. Without limiting the foregoing, our services are not available to minors. If you do not qualify, please do not use our services.

eBid is only a Venue.
Our site acts as the venue for sellers to conduct auctions and for bidders to bid on sellers' auctions. We are not involved in the actual transaction between buyers and sellers. As a result, we have no control over the quality, safety or legality of the items advertised, the truth or accuracy of the listings, the ability of sellers to sell items or the ability of buyers to buy items. We cannot and do not control whether or not sellers will complete the sale of items they offer or buyers will complete the purchases of items they have bid on. In addition, note that there are risks of dealing with foreign nationals, underage persons or people acting under false pretence.

There is no agency, partnership, joint venture, employee-employer or franchisor-franchisee relationship between eBid and any User of the service.

You give us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable, sublicenseable (through multiple tiers) right to exercise all copyright and publicity rights, in any existing or future media, known or unknown, over the material or User Data displayed in Your listings or bids. For the purpose of this Agreement, "User Data" shall mean all information (if any) submitted by You, (the "User") to eBid with the exception of credit card numbers, bank account numbers etc.

No Resale or Unauthorised commercial use of the service.
You agree not to make any unauthorised commercial use of the service without express written consent of eBid. eBid makes no warranty that the service will meet your requirements, or that the service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or entirely error free. We do not make any warranty as to the results that may be obtained from the use of the service or as to the accuracy or reliability of any information provided by sellers or buyers and obtained through the service. We will not be liable to you or any third party for any indirect or consequential loss or damage, or for any loss of data, profit, revenue or business, howsoever caused (whether arising out of any negligence or breach of this Agreement or otherwise), even if that loss or damage was foreseeable by, or the possibility of it was brought to the attention of, eBid.

We reserve the right to provide counterparties with information pertaining to a complaint or statement, written or oral, made against them by you or a thirdparty acting with or without your consent. Because we do not and cannot be involved in user-to-user dealings, in the event that you have a dispute with one or more users, you release eBid (and our agents and employees) from claims, demands and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, know and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed, arising out of or in any way connected with such disputes.

User agrees that eBid shall not be responsible or liable to user, or anyone for the statements or conduct of any third party on the service.

No advice or information, whether oral or written, obtained by user from eBid or through or from the service shall create any warranty not expressly stated herein.

You Agree that use of the service is at user's sole risk. The service is provided on an "as is" and an "as available" basis.

You must reimburse us for any loss, cost or expense which we suffer if someone else makes a claim against us as consequence of the use of the service by you or by someone else from your computer.

eBid shall not be responsible for any items sold by Auction, for any damage to items during transit or during the inspection period, nor for misrepresentations and/or breaches of contract by either buyer and/or seller. eBid shall not be responsible for the cost of procurement of substitute goods or any losses resulting from any goods purchased or obtained.

eBid assumes no liability for the content of the listings. The seller shall reimburse eBid for all losses eBid may suffer as a result of the listing, unless that loss is due to eBid's act or omission.

The right to sell items through our service is subject to the purchasing of a security subscription fee. This fee is to be paid on a recurring basis with payment for the coming period to be paid within 24hrs of the end of a previous subscription period. Users can email support@ebid.net during a subscription period to cancel this billing at any time.

The right to sell items through our service is also subject to the eBid Auction Posting Rules. These are available to view via the "Starting Auctions" section of the eBid Helpdesk. If a user is seen to have broken these rules their account will be held and all auctions removed from eBid without notice. It is at the discretion of eBid if the account will be re-opened or not. Multiple offences will result in a permanent ban being placed on the offending account.

Modification to the service.
We reserve the right to modify or discontinue the service if there is a change in the law or our operational requirements. We will not be liable to you for any loss you may suffer if we have to modify or cease the service for reasons beyond our control if we give you at least 30 days notice. In certain exceptional circumstances beyond our control we may have to change or discontinue the service without giving you this amount of notice. If this is the case we will give you as much notice as we can.

If you do not wish to use the new operating rules or policies you should not continue to use the service after the notice requirement.

Laws.
These Terms of Service shall be governed by and constructed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and any disputes will be decided only by the Courts of England and Wales.

eBid's Privacy Policy.

Click here to view eBid's privacy policy.

How do I close my eBid account or end my eBid subscription?

If you wish to fully close your account and remove all trace of yourself from eBid then contact user support and request removal - see here for details. Be aware that if you have your account deleted you may have difficulty should you wish to rejoin eBid at a later date.

If you have paid for Seller Plus Lifetime then there is little point in removing yourself from eBid. I am not aware, nor would I expect, that any refund will be made of your subscription.

Equally if you are registered as a Buyer or Basic Seller then, as there are no ongoing fees involved if you do not use the site, you may as well leave your account open in case you wish to make use of the site at a later date.

If you are signed up to a recurring Seller Plus short term subscription (not applicable to the Seller Plus Lifetime subscription) and wish to cancel that subscription but remain registered to buy and sell on eBid then:

1. Go to your My eBid page and select My eBid Subscription from the My Options menu at page left.

2. Select Stop My Subscription from the drop-down list captioned Change My Subscription.

3. Click on the adjacent Change Subscription button to update your details.

Your subscription will then be terminated at the end of the currently paid for period.

Some Useful Links

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