Declare interest:
If you wish to buy an item, you must declare interest
in the thread and then send a PM to the seller within 24 hours otherwise the seller may move on to the next in line. If there are multiple items on offer, you must specify which item(s) or how many you're interested in. In both cases, this should be clear and unambiguous. Please avoid vague statements like "
PM sent" or "I
might be interested in...", use direct wording such as , "
I am interested in...". The clearer you are in your assertions the less likely there will be any ambiguity as to who is next in line. Remember, English isn't everyone's first language here.
If you need more information about the item, you can declare interest and state that it's "pending some further information". Where reasonable, the information requested should be posted in the thread.
If another member has already declared interest, then they are first in line. You may also declare interest to be "next in line".
When there are multiple items on offer in a thread, you must declare which item(s) or how many you are interested in.
Sending a PM before posting in the thread:
Sending a private message before declaring interest is considered "
silent bidding". You
will lose your place in line to someone who has declared interest in the thread and may receive infraction points for doing so.
Buying an item without a stated asking price:
If a seller has not stated a price for an item, you
cannot declare interest in it or make an offer for it. Report the thread to a moderator.
Asking for splits:
Sellers are
not to be asked to split a lot.
Making an offer:
If a seller has stated that they will accept "near offers", you may make such an offer. You must
first declare interest in the thread,
then PM your offer to the seller. Do not post your offer value in the thread.
Trumping:
You may not attempt to trump or gazump a sale by offering a higher amount.
Time wasting:
Ensure you have sufficient funds before declaring interest in an item. If you try to buy an item and cannot pay on the agreed date, the seller may, on declaration in the thread that they wish to do so, offer the item to the next member in line.
Scalping:
Purchasing of items for the sole purpose of personal profit is strictly prohibited. See
this page on scalping to understand more about this policy.
You can only sell what you legally own:
You may only sell what you own, or have been authorised to sell. In regards to software and firmware devices - unauthorised copies are not permitted to be sold on AmiBay. In particular, there is no legal definition of the term 'abandonware'.
Please see this section on programmable devices for more information about AmiBay's policies on this matter.
Accurate and detailed listing:
Your listings should be clear and honest and avoid ambiguity wherever possible. Providing proper descriptions and photographs will help your sales. You must provide as much information as you can, also stating terms and conditions of sale. Recommended conditions are;
- What payment methods you accept
- Where in the world you will ship to
- Shipping charges
AmiBay is not an auction site:
You must state an asking price for any item you wish to sell. If you do not know how much your item is worth, you will need to do some research. For further guidance see
this section on price driving.
Asking for Offers:
You must not list something as "open to offers." However, you can declare a price and then state, "or near offers". You are under no obligation to accept a lower offer, however you must inform your prospective buyer that you are not accepting it. You should give your prospective buyer an opportunity to revise their offer before moving on to the next-in-line.
Splitting your lot:
Members are not permitted to ask you to split your lot. If you wish to split something and sell as parts, you must state individual prices in the thread for the parts you're wishing to sell.
Declared interest:
Only those members who have stated interest in your thread are to be considered eligible to buy your item. In the case of a dispute, the order of interest declared in the thread is what the staff will use. If a member sends you a PM without declaring interest in the thread, you must advise them to post interest in the thread before you are able to deal with them.
Queue order:
You
must follow the order of declared interest in the thread when selling. If a buyer withdraws interest, you should proceed to the member who has declared interest next-in-line in your thread.
Swaps and Trades:
If you prefer to swap or trade your items for other items, then this type of trade is handled slightly differently than a normal sale thread. You are not forced to accept the first swap or trade that comes along, but you should ensure that the member knows you are interested in the trade or are passing onto the next.
Members you don't wish to trade with:
If at anytime you do not wish to trade with a fellow member who is next in line in your sale / trade thread, then you must contact a member of staff explaining why.
Acceptable response times:
You should give any interested party a
reasonable opportunity to respond. AmiBay users are worldwide and span many timezones. If you have not heard from a buyer within a reasonable time, you may move on to the next-in-line. We require that you give a minimum of 24 hours between messages, however we recommend you use
the AmiBay Trading Process as a guideline.
Keep your threads updated:
You
must keep your sales thread up to date. You may update the original post with the status of your items, using phrases such as
SOLD to [Member Name]. We also recommend updating your thread with a new post with other pertinent information, such as "Money received" and "Item sent".
You may revise your thread at any time, however, you are required to leave the prices, descriptions and your terms of sale in place once a sale has been completed. This information is a receipt of the transaction between you and your buyer. If you are struggling to keep threads updated, please contact a member of staff to help.
Bumping your thread:
'Bumping' is defined as posting in your
For Sale or
Wanted thread for the purpose of bringing it to the top of the list of most recent threads. Unless you have made a
significant change to your thread you may only bump your post
once every two weeks. A significant change, refers to a price change or any other relevant information that will be important to a buyer.
Sensible thread use:
Creating one single thread to sell large amounts of individual items will result in a thread that will be difficult to maintain. Conversely, creating separate threads for several similar items is time-consuming and likely to be considered spamming. You should aim for a sensible middle ground. If in doubt, please ask a member of staff for advice, we are here to help.
Selling on multiple sites:
Members are responsible for maintaining and updating their sales listings, including posting updates if the item(s) gets sold outside of Amibay. Failure to update sales to inform members an item has already sold elsewhere could still incur a warning or infraction against an account. We do however encourage that you state in the thread that it is '
available elsewhere', however this is no longer a strict requirement.
You are welcome to post links to your sales on other sites, however links to auction sites can only be for fixed price 'buy it now' items offered at the same price. Ensure that you check the rules on cross-listing on any other websites that you may also be using, as it may be against their terms and conditions to list in multiple places. If you are in any doubt please contact a member of staff for help.
Responding to Wanted adverts:
To respond to a Wanted advert, you must declare so in the thread. Once you have posted a message, you may send a PM to the thread poster with your offer. If the poster is looking for multiple items, you should state in the thread which one(s) you are offering.
