A guide to our charity auctions
Thanks for your interest in the Real Radio charity auctions.
Whilst we try to keep every part of our website laid out in a clear and concise fashion, the auction process can sometimes be confusing. The common questions and answers in this guide should help you at any of the steps in the auction process.
Where do I begin?
Bidding in the Real Radio charity auctions requires a few extra details from you so we can verify who you are. We remember this information after you tell us the first time so you will only need to tell us your email address and date of birth in the future.
What is a Screen Name?
This is a unique name between 4 and 15 characters which will be displayed on any bids you place. It allows you to place bids without having your real name displayed publicly, it's effectively your Smooth Radio website 'nickname'.
I have given you the extra information - what next?
When we have received all the required extra information successfully, we will send you an automated email from no-reply@realradio.co.uk asking you to verify your account. Please ensure no-reply@realradio.co.uk is on your Trusted Senders list. Clicking on the hyperlink within the email will complete this process - at which point you will be ready to place your first bid!
How do I place my first bid?
We may require your email address and date of birth before placing a bid. After telling us this information, we will remember it until the next time you close your web browser (such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari).
A bid is then placed by entering the highest amount you wish to pay for this item (in whole pounds - without the £ sign) into the My Maximum Bid box. This will record your bid and immediately enter you into the auction against other bidders.
What does My Maximum Bid mean?
My Maximum Bid will allow you to put in the maximum amount you are willing to pay for the item without necessarily paying the full amount you inputted. The minimum value you can place is stated underneath this box - an example being £35 or more. Placing a bid of £35 or more doesn't necessarily guarantee your bid will be the leading bidder. A previous bidder may have already agreed to pay this amount or higher, so you will need to beat any previous bidder before taking the lead in the auction.
If the Current Bid states it is £100, why is the next bid not £101?
The auction process has a Bid Increment which varies depending on the Current Bid amount. On most auctions (there may be exclusions to this rule at the discretion of Real Radio on a lot by lot basis) - the next bid will work as follows:
- Current Bid less than £60: The next minimum acceptable bid will be the Current Bid + £1
- Current Bid greater than or equal to £60 but less than £150: The next minimum acceptable bid will be the Current Bid + £2
- Current Bid greater than or equal to £150 but less than £300: The next minimum acceptable bid will be the Current Bid + £5
- Current Bid greater than or equal to £300 but less than £600: The next minimum acceptable bid will be the Current Bid + £10
- Current Bid greater than or equal to £600: The next minimum acceptable bid will be the Current Bid + £20
What happens when I have won an auction?
We will contact you to by email to discuss delivery/collection of the item and payment shortly after the close of the auction.
What does Bid History mean?
This is a list of all bids received by our bidding system. This will include any automatic bids where the system places bid up to the limit of a bidder's maximum bid. It will also include telephone bids which are received on the day.
Why does Bid History have 2 bids listed for the same amount of money?
The My Maximum Bid system works to ensure that the first person to bid up to and including a specific amount will have their bid safeguarded to ensure they are the winning bidder and pay the least possible.
This means - if Person A places a bid of £30, but Person A only needed to bid £5 at this point in the auction, the system will ensure Person A will always be the winning bidder for any amount between £5 and £30. If Person B places a bid of £15, Person A will automatically have their bid increased to £15 - beating the £15 bid of Person B because it was the bid placed first.Why have I received a message telling me to try placing a lower maximum bid?
Why have I received a message telling me to try placing a lower maximum bid?
To prevent abuse of our charity auctions, each bid must match a certain criteria. The maximum possible bid for each auction will vary from lot to lot and depends on the current price of the item. Whilst this may be frustrating for a minority of bidders, we feel this feature will ensure a fairer auction process for the majority.
Who do I contact if I have further questions?
For any enquiries related to auctions, please use the form below and provide as many details as possible to help us deal with your enquiry.
