Auction Rules

These Auction Rules apply to all auctions conducted through the Hope For Paws Foundation Marketplace. By registering to bid or participating in an auction, you agree to these Auction Rules, the Marketplace Terms of Service, and any terms stated in the individual auction listing.

1. Eligibility and Accounts

You must be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter into a contract to place a bid.

Bidding requires a registered Marketplace account. Account information must be accurate and current.

You are responsible for activity conducted through your account and for keeping your login credentials secure.

Hope For Paws Foundation may require reasonable identity, payment, address, or fraud-prevention verification before allowing bidding.

Unless approved by Hope For Paws Foundation, each person may maintain only one bidding account.

2. Review the Listing Before Bidding

Before placing a bid, review the complete auction listing, including:

• photographs;
• item description;
• condition information;
• shipping or local-pickup terms;
• auction closing time;
• reserve status, when shown;
• current bid and bid increments; and
• applicable taxes, shipping charges, and other disclosed charges.

Photographs form part of the item description.

Ask any questions about an item before the auction closes whenever practical.

3. Placing a Bid

Placing a bid means you intend to purchase the item if your bid remains the winning bid when the auction sale is completed.

Do not bid unless you are prepared and financially able to complete the purchase.

A bid is not merely an indication of interest.

4. Bid Retraction

The Marketplace does not provide bid retraction or bid withdrawal functionality. Before an auction sale is completed, a bidder who believes applicable law requires relief from a bid because of a material bidding, input, account, or system error may contact Hope For Paws Foundation for review.

Submitting a request does not suspend, cancel, or alter the bid and does not guarantee relief. Hope For Paws Foundation will take any action required by applicable law, using the remedies legally available under the circumstances.

Because the Marketplace does not provide bid-withdrawal functionality, an earlier bid will not automatically be restored or revived as a result of a request for relief.

Once the auction sale has been completed and you are the winning bidder, you may no longer withdraw the winning bid merely because you changed your mind.

5. Maximum and Automatic Bidding

When automatic or maximum bidding is available, you may enter the highest amount you are willing to pay.

The Marketplace may then place bids automatically on your behalf, using the applicable bid increments, only as necessary to keep you in the lead up to your maximum amount.

Your private maximum bid is not displayed to other bidders.

6. Bid Increments and Competing Bids

The Marketplace determines the minimum acceptable next bid using the bid increments configured for the auction.

Marketplace server records control the timing, order, and acceptance of bids.

If two bids or bidding requests are received close together, the valid bid recorded first by the Marketplace system controls. The time displayed on an individual bidder's device does not override the Marketplace server record.

7. Auctions With Reserve

An auction is conducted with reserve only when a reserve price has been configured for that auction.

In a reserve auction, the reserve price may remain confidential, and the item will not be sold if the required reserve has not been met.

Before the sale is completed, a reserve-auction item may be withdrawn as permitted by applicable law and these Auction Rules.

If the reserve has not been met when the auction closes, the Marketplace may close the auction without a sale and may later relist the item or otherwise make it available again as permitted by law.

8. No-Reserve Auctions

If no reserve price is configured for an auction, the auction is treated as a no-reserve auction. A listing may also expressly identify the auction as NO RESERVE or WITHOUT RESERVE.

Once bidding has begun on a no-reserve item, the item will not be withdrawn merely because the bidding price is lower than expected.

A no-reserve auction will be completed in accordance with applicable law and these Auction Rules.

9. Auction Closing and Extended Bidding

Each auction listing displays its scheduled closing time.

Unless otherwise stated in the listing, if a valid bid is received during the final two minutes of an auction, the Marketplace may extend that auction for an additional two minutes.

Each additional qualifying bid received during an extension period may trigger another two-minute extension.

Extensions may continue until the applicable extension period expires without another qualifying bid.

The Marketplace server clock controls the official closing time.

10. Completion of the Auction

For Marketplace auctions, the sale is completed when the applicable bidding period and any valid extensions have ended and the Marketplace system closes the auction and records the item as sold to the winning bidder.

Until the sale is completed, any request for legally required relief from a bid, withdrawal of reserve-auction items, and other auction activity remains subject to applicable law and these Auction Rules.

11. Determining the Winning Bidder

The winning bidder is determined from the valid Marketplace server-side bidding records after:

• the auction closes;
• all applicable extensions expire; and
• any reserve requirement has been satisfied.

A temporary screen display, email, text message, push notification, or browser refresh does not override the final Marketplace transaction record.

The winning bidder will receive notice through the Marketplace and/or the contact information associated with the bidder's account.

12. Shill Bidding and Bid Manipulation

Shill bidding, collusion, artificial bidding, and manipulation of an auction are prohibited.

Users may not:

• place bids solely to increase an item's price;
• coordinate bids with another person to manipulate an auction;
• use multiple accounts to distort bidding;
• interfere with another bidder;
• submit fraudulent bids;
• exploit a software error;
• use unauthorized automated bidding tools; or
• otherwise interfere with a fair auction.

Bidding by Hope For Paws Foundation, or by anyone acting on the Foundation's behalf to increase or manipulate the price of Marketplace merchandise, is prohibited.

Hope For Paws Foundation may cancel fraudulent or improper bids and restrict or suspend accounts involved in prohibited conduct.

13. Payment by Winning Bidders

Unless the listing or order expressly provides a different deadline, payment must be completed within forty-eight (48) hours after the Marketplace system finalizes the auction and creates the winning bidder's order.

Winning bidders are responsible for monitoring auctions in which they participate.

Failure to see or receive an email, text, or Marketplace notification does not automatically extend the payment deadline.

A declined or unsuccessful payment attempt also does not automatically extend the deadline.

Payment must be made through an authorized payment method offered through Marketplace checkout.

14. Charges

Before final payment, Marketplace checkout will display the applicable charges for the transaction.

These may include:

• winning bid;
• Shipping & Handling;
• buyer or Marketplace fee, if applicable;
• sales tax; and
• any separately selected optional donation.

Mandatory charges will be disclosed as required before the buyer becomes obligated to pay them.

An optional donation is voluntary and will not be automatically added to the purchase.

15. Failure to Pay

If payment is not completed within the applicable deadline, Hope For Paws Foundation may cancel the unpaid transaction.

The Foundation may then, as appropriate:

• relist the item;
• return the item to Marketplace inventory;
• record the transaction as unpaid;
• restrict the bidder's ability to participate in future auctions; or
• suspend or terminate bidding privileges.

Repeated nonpayment may result in longer or permanent bidding restrictions.

Creating or using another account to avoid a bidding restriction is prohibited.

16. Auction Errors and Technical Problems

If an auction is materially affected by a technical problem, Hope For Paws Foundation may take reasonable corrective action permitted by law.

Examples include:

• server failure;
• incorrect auction timer;
• corrupted or duplicate bid records;
• material software malfunction;
• unauthorized account activity;
• cybersecurity incident;
• payment-system failure;
• material listing error; or
• fraudulent bidding.

Depending on the circumstances, corrective action may include extending the auction, correcting a material listing or system error, cancelling the affected auction, or relisting the item in a new auction when legally permitted.

Any corrective action will be intended to restore a fair auction process rather than favor a particular bidder or avoid the legitimate result of a no-reserve auction.

17. Item Descriptions and Condition

Marketplace merchandise may be donated, pre-owned, vintage, antique, collectible, open-box, discontinued, refurbished, handmade, untested, or one of a kind.

Hope For Paws Foundation will make reasonable efforts to describe known material condition issues accurately.

Photographs are part of the item's description.

Normal age, wear, or imperfections that are disclosed or reasonably consistent with the stated condition do not automatically create a right to return an auction purchase.

Nothing in an AS IS, FINAL SALE, UNTESTED, or similar description permits intentional misrepresentation or eliminates rights that applicable law does not permit to be waived.

18. Shipping and Local Pickup

Shipping or pickup terms shown in the auction listing form part of the transaction.

Auction wins may remain separate orders. Combined shipping may be offered when the Marketplace provides a combined-shipping option or confirmation before shipment, but it is not guaranteed. If no combined-shipping option is provided, each order will be processed separately under the shipping terms shown for that order.

Carrier delivery dates are estimates unless the carrier expressly provides a guarantee.

If Hope For Paws Foundation cannot ship an order within the promised shipping period, the buyer will receive any delay notice, cancellation option, or refund required by applicable law.

Local-pickup items must be collected according to the instructions provided with the listing or order.

19. Returns and Auction Disputes

Auction purchases are final sale, subject only to the limited exceptions in the Returns, Refunds & Damaged Items Policy and rights required by applicable law.

A transaction may qualify for review when, for example:

• the wrong item was received;
• the item was materially misdescribed;
• qualifying shipping damage occurred;
• the item cannot lawfully be sold;
• the transaction resulted from a material Marketplace error; or
• another circumstance is covered by the Marketplace policy or applicable law.

Changing your mind after winning an auction does not, by itself, create a right to return the item.

20. Marketplace Enforcement

Hope For Paws Foundation may investigate suspected fraud, manipulation, unauthorized activity, nonpayment, or other violations of these Auction Rules.

When reasonably necessary and legally permitted, the Foundation may:

• cancel improper bids;
• restrict bidding;
• suspend or terminate accounts;
• cancel unlawful transactions;
• preserve relevant records; and
• cooperate with payment processors or appropriate authorities.

21. Changes to the Auction Rules

Hope For Paws Foundation may update these Auction Rules from time to time.

Material changes will apply prospectively as appropriate.

Unless a later change is required by law or affirmatively accepted by the customer, the Marketplace Terms and policies in effect when a customer places a bid or completes a purchase will generally govern that transaction.

22. Acceptance

By registering to bid and by submitting a bid, you acknowledge that:

1. you have reviewed the applicable auction listing;
2. you understand the disclosed condition of the item;
3. you understand the applicable shipping or pickup requirements;
4. you understand that applicable taxes and disclosed charges may be added;
5. your bid represents a genuine intention to purchase the item if you become the winning bidder;
6. the Marketplace does not provide bid retraction or bid withdrawal functionality; any legally required relief from a bid is subject to applicable law and these Auction Rules;
7. once the auction is completed, the winning bidder must complete the purchase;
8. payment is due within 48 hours after the Marketplace system finalizes the auction and creates the winning order unless the listing or order expressly provides a different deadline;
9. fraudulent, manipulative, or artificial bidding is prohibited; and
10. you agree to comply with these Auction Rules and the applicable Marketplace Terms of Service.

DO NOT PLACE A BID UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO COMPLETE THE PURCHASE IF YOU WIN.