bid tv FAQ’s
Can I place a bid on an item before the auction starts?
If you can view an auction on the website, then you can place a bid in it!
What is the difference between bid tv on the web and the TV?
They both perform the same function - they let you bid for items either via our website or via the phone. Everything is totally dynamic and you will see the updates on web and TV in real-time! Web bidders do have the advantage of being able to come in a place bids on auctions before TV viewers get the chance to see what's on offer! Internet users can bid free of charge and pre-register to save time once you are a winning bidder
How do I provide bid tv with feedback?
Easy. Select the ‘Contact Us’ title in the header of all pages, in contact us you can select the ‘provide feedback’ link, which will enable you to send your feedback through to us.
How can I see which auctions have been previously auctioned?
The ‘Previous Auctions’ area of the site allows you to review the auctions that have previously closed. The auction information is available for 7 days, so make sure you come back within a week of placing your bid.
How do Categories work?
Everything at bid tv is categorised. So, whether you are bidding for a DVD player, a watch or a holiday, it is listed in a specific category. This means that you can browse the auction house like you would a catalogue: everything is separated into various parts, making items easy to find.
Why do I need to register with bid tv?
To ensure that your bids can be processed quickly and efficiently and that we have all the necessary information to deliver your products to you.
How do I register with bid tv?
Registering at bid tv is easy, fast and of course entirely free of charge! You will be asked for various details, including your name, delivery address, email address and debit or credit card details.
You can also provide us with additional information about yourself, including your specific interests, but only if you want to. Finally, you must accept our terms and conditions to register. These are probably similar to any others you may have seen before, but please read them in full and print them out or store a shortcut for your future reference.
On completing registration you'll be issued with a customer ID and a 4 Digit security number. You will also be sent an email confirming your registration details. Your customer ID and 4 Digit security number are your keys to bid tv. Keep these secret - we do!
Can I register more than once with bid tv?
Multiple registrations are not possible. Imagine if you were in a traditional auction house, you would not be acting as two people! How many times would you have to scratch your head?
If you forget your customer ID or 4 Digit security number, you don't have to re-register with bid tv. If you enter an invalid ID or 4 Digit security number then you will be prompted that you have done so. Simply follow and reply to the prompts and your details will be sent to your email address as soon as possible.
Why do I have to specify a payment method?
Once you bid on a auction we need to know that you can pay for what it is you want. As you would expect, this information is confidential to bid tv and all winning bidders will be notified (and their goods dispatched) before their card is ever charged.
What should my bidder ID and 4 Digit security number look like?
At bid tv you can choose your 4 Digit security number yourself. Once you have done this, we automatically provide you with a unique ten number bidder ID.
Please remember:
Your 4 Digit security number is required to be a 4 digit number.
Why has my registration been rejected?
Perhaps you omitted something when you entered your details. Please understand that we can only activate accounts with all the details complete. The system will try to tell you what extra information you need to complete your registration, remember you always need to re-enter your 4 Digit security number when making any change to your registration.
Name, address and phone number - we need all of these to get in contact with you. So please write down your complete name, don't specify a PO Box and state a phone number where we can reach you at short notice for time critical products such as tickets or in the unlikely event of a problem with processing your winning bid. We reserve the right to reject your registration if we believe that in the past you have attempted to break or circumvent one of our rules - including refusing to pay for any goods you successfully bid for. Please see Auction Terms and Conditions for a full list of examples of behaviour that could lead to your registration being cancelled or rejected. If your registration is still rejected and you do not understand why, we would love to help you! Please e-mail our auction administrator at customerservices@sit-up.tv
Auction Types
What different types of auction are on bid tv?
There are two main auction types; for more information about the different auctions types see the ‘bid tv explained” area.
Rising Price auctions
A specified number of the same item is up for auction (e.g. 10 Sony camcorders) and the price rises from a fixed starting price. In this type of auction the lots will be won by the highest bids for the item when the auction closes. So, in our example, the 10 highest bids will receive the Sony camcorders. All bids are received and processed on a first at specific intervals throughout the auction. The lot will be won by the first person to bid.
Falling Price auctions
A specified number of the same item is available for auction. In this type of auction the price decreases from its starting price by a fixed amount at specific intervals throughout the auction. The first people to bid until the lots sell out will win.
What is a Reserve price?
The Reserve price is the minimum price for which a lot can be sold, although it may not always be displayed - to make the bidding experience more fun!
Bidding
For more information about the different auctions types see the ‘bid tv explained” area.
How do I place a bid?
Prior to bidding on the web you must register your details. After that simply select the auction you want to take part in and enter the auction room. Depending upon the type of auction (this is clearly marked) you can use your skill, judgment and mettle to outbid your fellow bidders.
To bid on the phone simply call the number shown on the TV screen or on the individual web page for each auction.
Calls cost £1.50 from a BT landline. Please ask the bill payers permission before making your call.
If two people have bid the same amount and the auction closes, who wins?
The person who bids first will win the auction.
If I bid on the web and via the phone, is this the same process?
All the bids are collated by our sophisticated auction software, so whilst routes of bidding are different, both phone and website bids are processed in the same way.
What is a Best Bid?
A Best Bid is simply the maximum amount you are willling to bid in an auction.
Can I place a bid in advance of the auction happening?
If you are bidding on the web, you can place your Best Bid on any auction that is currently open, this may be for auctions up to 24 hours in advance, so you place you bid, go off to work, and the bidding will have been done for you. Safe in the knowledge that with Best Bid you will never pay more than you wanted to.
Why would I want to place a Best Bid?
Best Bids make auctions faster, more fun and easier to take part in Once you decide how much you want to pay for the lot, our Intelligent bidding engine will only place bids up to but not exceeding your Best Bid- so you could pay less than you were prepared to pay and save money.
How does a Best Bid work?
All web bids are Best Bids. Our intelligent bidding engine will place your bid at the next available lowest bid for that auction against other bidders taking part, and endeavour to secure the lot for the best possible price. Even if you have set a Best Bid that is higher, the lowest possible bid for you to remain the highest bidder will be accepted.
How do I know you will really do this and not just put my bid in at my Best Bid Maximum?
It is always possible to deduce the complete bidding sequence in any auction. As with all TV and web channels, bid tv is regulated by OFCOM and we follow their and all other relevant legislation very carefully. As important, the ongoing success of our service depends wholly on your continued custom and we would never do anything to cast doubt on the integrity of our bidding process or any other part of our operation.
What if an auction closes at a great deal less than my Best Bid?
In this case your bid will stop at the required level to be a winning bidder. We will ensure your bid is placed at the lowest possible amount in the relevant auction - so you will be a winning bidder at a lower price than the maximum level you entered. In the auction bid window you will only see the bids going up incrementally.
What if I want to increase the amount of my Best Bid?
You can increase your Best Bid simply by entering a new bid which will replace your previous bid amount.
What if I want to stop bidding in an auction after placing my Best Bid?
Once you place your Best Bid, you are committed to participating in the auction and, once the auction closes, if you place a winning bid, that represents a binding contract with bid tv. However, don't forget that you still have the option to watch the bidding unfold and just keep upping your Best Bid in small amounts to stay in contention as the bid needed price rises.
Winning
What happens when I have a winning bid?
We aim to telephone phone bidders after the auction (generally within a few hours) to notify them that they are winners. Winning Web bidders will be notified by email
How quickly will my goods arrive?
Standard GB mainland delivery is usually within 7 days, however speed of delivery may be affected by the size and specifications of an item.
Delivery charges
GB mainland delivery charges are shown in the information provided with each auction. International delivery charges will be quoted separately for each auction winner.
Security
Is it safe to buy from bid tv using my debit/credit card?
At bid tv we take security and our customers' peace of mind very seriously. Any details you give us will be treated confidentially and stored securely. All debit/credit card information will also be encrypted and be impossible to view by anyone other than bid tv.
Are my bids, 4 digit security number code and personal information secure?
To bid you must know your bidder ID and 4 digit security number. It is very important you keep these secret as we use this information to identify you when you are bidding and allow you to have access to your registration information.
Can other bidders find out who I am?
Other bidders can only see your first name and your town: e.g. Alan from London
My Opinions
What do I need "Register" for?
"Register" is your personal registration information at bid tv. Log in at any time with your bidder ID and 4 digit security number to manage your data. To do this go to Register on the Navigation bar, and choose Login, alternatively click on login in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.
How can I change my 4 digit security number?
For your own security we suggest that you change your 4 digit security number regularly. To change your 4 digit security number , Go into "Login" using your bidder ID and current 4 digit security number .
Technology
What browsers are supported by bid tv?
The bid tv website was designed to work with Microsoft Internet Explorer for version 5 and higher on both PCs and MACs. Using these browsers, all bid tv functions are open to you.
What's the best resolution to view bid tv?
The pages have been optimised for a screen resolution of 800*600 pixels but if you can run at 1024*768, you can see more on the screen.
Why is there a constant clicking noise on some website pages?
On some pages of the bid tv website you may hear a clicking sound. This is normal and occurs because the page is constantly updated with information such as minimum bid amount and the name of bidders on the leaderboard.
To turn off the clicking sound from your computer, go to the 'Start' menu, select 'Settings' and click on 'Control panel.' Next double click on the 'Sounds & Multimedia' icon. Select the 'Sounds' tab and click on the drop down box under 'Schemes'. Select 'No Sounds' and click on the 'Apply' button followed by the 'OK' button. Close the window. You should not be able to hear any further clicking noise. Please note, this will disable all sound from your computer. You will need to undo the above steps to resume hearing sounds.
TV & Schedules
How accurate is the TV/Web Auctions schedule?
The TV/Web Auctions list is listed in the order of each day's auctions. We will try to keep as closely as possible to the schedule but, as we are a live channel, occasionally there may be some variation in auction timings.
Can I tune into bid tv if I have Cable or an analogue TV?
bid tv is available on all digital TV platforms: Sky, Virgin TV and Freeview. |