Introduction To Members' Area
After logging in, you will be taken to the Members' Area. This gives you access to all of the main functionality of the auction system and to a list of item categories, showing you how many items are for sale in each one: The main areas of functionality in the members' area are:
Messaging - send and receive private messages about auction items
Bidding - this section gives you an overview of your current auction activity:
§ Current Bids
§ Won Items
§ Invoices Received
§ Watched Items
§ Favorite Stores
Selling - Manage your selling activities
Reputation - view the feedback you have given and received for each item you have bought and sold
Bulk - access PHP Pro Bid's bulk listing software. This enables you to prepare multiple listings offline before uploading them all at once
About Me - create your own "About Me" page, to enable other members to find out a little more about you and your interests
My Store - setup and configure your own "stores" - a private shop where only your items are listed
Wanted Ads - view your current and closed Wanted Ads and create new Wanted Ads
My Account - view and modify your account details and carry out other administrative tasks
Messaging - The messaging section of the Members' Area allows you to read, delete and reply to all the messages you have sent and received: Click on Received or Sent to see a list of your messages. To read a message, simply click on the "To" or "From" user id and the message will load for you.
Bidding - The Bidding section provides you with an overview of all the items you have bid on lists items you have won, outstanding invoices and items you are watching. The Bidding section also provides access to your Favourite Stores list.
Managing & Placing Bids - At the heart of your auction experience is bidding on items you'd like to buy. You may purchase items in several ways:
Standard bidding
Proxy Bidding
Make an Offer
Buy Out
Standard & Proxy Bidding
Standard bidding is the most common way to bid on an item, and is exactly the same as the process used in real-world auction rooms. You bid the minimum amount needed to outbid the current high bidder.
A Proxy bid means that you bid an amount that is higher than necessary. The auction software will raise your actual bid to the minimum necessary, but will remember your maximum. If someone else comes along and tries to outbid you, the auction software will automatically place additional bids on your behalf up to the value of your proxy bid. This means you can stay on top of the bidding without having to be near a computer. Here's how you do it:
1. Find the item you'd like to bid on - either by browsing the categories down the left of your screen, or by using the search box just below the navigation bar:
2. To place a bid, enter your chosen amount into the "Place Bid" field in the item listing: Click the Place Bid button to continue.
3. The bid confirmation screen will display the minimum bid needed (standard bid) and will allow you to adjust your bid accordingly.
a. If you wish to place a standard bid, adjust your bid to match the Minimum Bid value shown
b. If you wish to place a proxy bid, enter your maximum bid into the Your Bid field
4. You will now see confirmation that you are the high bidder or a message telling you that you have been outbid, or that you bid is below the reserve price. You can place as many bids as you want on an item.
Making An Offer
Some sellers allow potential buyers to make an offer to buy their items, to avoid having to wait for the auction to finish. If a seller is open to offers, you will see a logo like this in the item listing: The Make Offer section of the listing also contains information about the price range in which offers can be made.
1. If you would like to make an offer, click on the icon.
2. On the Make Offer page, enter the amount you would like to offer (Remember - your offer must be in the price range specified):
3. Click Proceed to continue and your offer will be confirmed and submitted to the seller.
Swap Offers
Instead of monetary offers, some sellers will accept Swap Offers - offers of an item of appropriate value in exchange for the item being sold. The swap offer process works in a very similar way to the standard Make Offer process.
1. If the seller of the item you are interested in accepts Swap Offers, you will see an entry like this in the item listing:
2. Click on the Make An Offer link and enter a description of the swap you are proposing:
3. Click Proceed and you will see a confirmation message confirming that your swap offer has been passed to the seller.
Buy Out (Buy Now)
Some sellers allow items to be purchased instantly at a fixed price, regardless of any auction bidding that has taken place. This feature is called Buy Out. You will see this logo in item listings offering the Buy Out facility. The Buy Out price will be stated directly below the Buy Out logo.
1. To purchase an item with Buy Out, click on the Buy Out logo:
2. You will be taken to a confirmation page showing the Buy Out price, postage costs and payment methods for the item:
Click Proceed if you are happy to continue.
3. Your purchase will now be confirmed and you will be able to pay the seller's invoice:
Won Items
The Won Items section allows you to see all of your recent purchases and bids at a glance:
Recently-purchased items are then individually listed with their payment status:
When you are ready to pay for the item, simply click on Pay With Direct Payment:
This will take you to a payment screen enabling you to choose you preferred payment method and make an instant payment for your item: Once you have completed the payment, the payment status for the item will be updated in the Won Items table.
Invoices Received - The Bidding section of the Members' Area also allows buyers to see all of their current invoices:
Favourite Stores
Our software allows users to operate their own stores within the auction site. Selecting a store as a favourite allows you quick and easy access to it directly from your Members' Area, without having to search for it.
1. To access a complete list of stores or to search the store directory, click on the stores link in the navigation bar:
2. At the top of each store's home page, there is an Add To Favourites link. Click this to add this store to your Favourite Stores: To see a list of all of your favourite stores, go to Members' Area / Bidding / Favourite Stores:
Watched Items
If you would like to track the progress of an auction without bidding on it, you can choose to watch the item.
1. In every item listing, you will see a Watch This Item link. To add an item to your Watched Items list, simply click the Watch This Item link.
2. To view your Watched Items list, go to the Watched Items section of the Members' Area:
