Frequently Asked Questions

New Users:
How do I contact you if I have a question?

Please see our Contact Us page. If you have registered please be sure to provide the e-mail address associated with your auction account and a listing number if you are inquiring about a specific auction.

I am new to Auctions: Where do I start?

Everyone is invited to browse or Search through our auction categories and listings for items on the site. If you see something you would like to bid on you must first register by creating a auctions account, if you do not already have one. Don't worry! Account creation is free and easy!

The Login or Register page will ask you to enter an e-mail address, password and personal information. Your registration will create your auctions account which can be used to bid on auctions. It will also give you access to information about your subscriptions, newsletters, and other personalized content if you opt for these emails.

What is the Privacy Policy?

We are fully committed to protecting your right to privacy within our online auction community. We expect all members to respect and protect the privacy of others. The release of any members’ personal information for reasons other than those specifically provided within our Privacy Policy is prohibited. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our Privacy Policy and contact us if you have any concerns or questions about privacy issues that may affect you.

Registration:
May I browse listings without creating an auctions account?

You may browse as much as you'd like without signing up.

How do I create an auctions account?

It takes just a few minutes. To complete the process, you will need to provide us with your E-mail Address and date of birth, and create a password.

You also have the option of receiving specials or notice of items via e-mail. Once you have confirmed your choices, you will then be required to accept the site rules and restrictions by clicking the Accept button on the following Terms and Conditions page.

You can change your user-specific Password at any time by editing your User Information in My Account.

You may Register now.

Why did my screen "refresh" after I submitted my registration information?

Your cookies have probably been disabled! Cookies are enabled through menu options in your internet browser. If your cookies are disabled, you may not be able to access some features of this site.

Below are directions on how to enable cookies on the most popular browsers supported by our site:

  1. Internet Explorer Version 8
    1. Click on the Tools menu and select Internet Options
    2. In the Privacy tab, the bar on the right slides up or down, setting the cookie level
    3. Configure your browser to accept cookies, at your preferred level
  2. Firefox (PC)
    1. Click on the Tools menu
    2. Select Options
    3. Click the Privacy tab
    4. Check "Accept cookies from sites"
    5. Click OK
  3. Firefox (Mac)
    1. Pull down the Firefox menu and select Preferences
    2. Click the Privacy tab
    3. Check the "Accept cookies from sites" box
  4. Safari (Mac)
    1. Pull down the Safari menu and select Preferences
    2. Select the Security tab
    3. Configure your browser to accept cookies, at your preferred level.
  5. Safari (PC)
    1. Pull down the Edit menu and select Preferences
    2. Select the Security tab
    3. Configure your browser to accept cookies, at your preferred level.
  6. Chrome
    1. Click on the Tools menu and select Options
    2. Choose the Under the Hood tab
    3. Configure your browser to allow cookies, at your preferred level.

DISCLAIMER REGARDING CHANGING YOU COMPUTER'S CONFIGURATION

Any change(s) you make to your configurations is at your own risk. In no event shall CBS Sports be responsible or liable for any damage, failure, interruption or error to your computer, software and/or operating system with respect to any changes made based on the above suggested configurations.

Do I have to enter my credit card information when I Register?

The registration process does not require you to enter your credit card information. You will be prompted for this information before you place a bid for an item. You may also go to My Auction Account to enter your credit card information at any time.

What are the System Requirements needed to use the site?

For information on our system requirements please see the System Requirements FAQ.

Why can't I have a PO Box as my Mailing Address?

Auction items cannot be delivered to P.O. Boxes. We require a street delivery address to ensure your items reach you.

What do I do if I have forgotten my password?

If you forgot your account password, click on the Login button on the top right of most of the page. Then click on the Forgot Your Password? link in the drop down menu. On the following page, enter the email address associated with your Major League Baseball Auctions account for us to send you a new password. Check your email for the password that we have sent you. Use this new password to log in to your Auctions. After logging in, we recommend changing the password to the one that you would prefer.

Why do I need to register for an Auctions Account?

By registering for an auctions account, you are letting other members know that your will participate in an honest and professional manner. You must provide us with valid contact information so that we may contact you regarding your auction purchase(s).

What does it cost to register?

There is no cost to register for an Auctions account.

Do I have to buy anything after I register?

No. Registered users are not obligated to buy anything.

Can I update my registration information?

Auction users are expected to maintain valid accounts by keeping their contact information (e-mail address, mailing address, and phone number) up-to-date. This is a vital aspect of creating an honest and secure trading environment for auction users.

What is my Watch List?

You can use the auctions Watch List feature to keep track of the items you’re not yet ready to bid on but you want to monitor closely so you can bid on them when you are ready.

On each auction listing page there is a link called Add to Watch List. Click on that link to add an item of interest to your Watch List.

You can review the full list of items you're watching at anytime when you go to the Manage My Bids > View My Watch List section of your My Auction Account.

Bidding:
How can I submit a Bid?

After you review the Listing Information for the item that interests you, click on Place Bid and follow the directions to enter and confirm your bid. Please Note: Although you may already have a registered auctions account, you may be required to update your profile within your auctions account in order to place a bid.

Is there a charge to place bids?

No. Browsing and bidding for items is free. You are not obligated to buy anything after you have registered. You are welcome to drop by anytime and look around. If you see something you would like to bid on you can do so quickly as a registered member.

Do I need to use a credit card to bid?

Yes, to ensure fair bidding a valid MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover credit card will be required to place a bid. Your credit card information is required only for the first time you place a bid on the auction site. A $4 authorization will be made on the credit card for validity, but you will never be charged this amount. Additional bids will not require a credit card verification; however, be sure that your payment card must match the billing address entered from you auctions account. If the billing addresses do NOT match, the transaction may fail at the close of the auction and the order will go unpaid.

If you need to update your credit card information, you can do so at any time from the section called Manage My Account>Update Credit Card Info within My Auction Account section. Please Note: a $4 authorization will be made every time a new card is inputted to verify that the card is valid.

How do I increase my Bid?

To increase your bid, you can do so by simply entering another bid on the auction. This bid will not change your current bidding amount if you are the winning bidder but will ensure you are still winning up until the new amount.

I placed a bid. Why isn't it showing up on the item page?

There are four steps to placing a bid on an auction. You must complete all four steps in order for our system to record and display your bid in a listing's Bid History.

  1. Click the Place Bid button on the listing page of the item you are viewing. You will be asked to Login, if you haven't done so already.
  2. Enter your bid for the item, review your shipping address, confirm that you are 18 years or older, and click the Place Bid button.
  3. Scroll down the Bid Confirmation page, review your bid information, and check it for accuracy. At this point, you will have the opportunity either to go back and modify or correct the desired quantity and Bid amount or you can submit your bid.
  4. To place your confirmed bid click the Confirm my Bid button.

Once submitted, you will see information about your bid indicating the bid amount placed, and if your bid is currently the winning bid. To place additional bids, click the Place Another Bid button, which is located beneath the Bid History on the Summary page. You can then re-enter a new id amount according to the "Next Bid" amount as currently shown on the listing page.

When reviewing an item's Bid History after having placed a bid, you should reload, or refresh, your browser so that it displays the most current information.

I have confirmed my bid, but it tells me it is invalid. why?
There are two reasons why a bid may be considered invalid:
  1. You have entered an invalid value in the "Bid Amount" field. Make sure that your bid amount contains only numbers and decimal points, i.e. 45.00 Do not enter any dollar signs ($) or commas (,) into the Bid Amount field.
  2. Your bid amount is less than the "Next Bid" value. Make sure that your bid is equal to or greater than the current "Next Bid" value shown on the listing page.
Why doesn't my bid show up online after I bid?

The Bid History should show your bid as soon as it is entered. If it doesn't appear, you may be viewing an old version of the page. Try clicking your browser's "refresh" or "reload" buttons.

The Listing page updates 10-20 seconds after you make your bid to reflect the new Current Bid.

Is my Bid amount visible to others?

With Open Auctions, your maximum bid (if you are the current high bidder) will not be shown to other bidders while the current high bid amount is below that maximum bid threshold. The highest amount that will appear is one bid increment above the most recent competitive bid.

With Reserve Price auctions, if you are the current high bidder and the Reserve Price has not yet been met, your maximum bid amount and nickname will be visible to other bidders as the current auction "Highest Bid" amount. Once the Reserve Price has been met, however, the maximum bid amount (if you are the current high bidder) will not be shown to other bidders while the current high bid amount remains below that maximum bid threshold.

How will I know if my bid is no longer a winning bid?
We will send you an email when your bid is no longer a winning bid. However, there can be unpredictable delays in e-mail transmission. We suggest that you regularly visit the auction website to check your "Bidding Activity" in My Account.
Why did a bid from earlier today beat my bid?

If the same bidding amount is entered, the bid placed earlier in time takes priority over all bids at the same price. It can be to your advantage to get an initial bid in as early as possible to ensure time priority at your bid price.

Why does the number of Bids on the listing information page display more Bids in the table than are listed after I click the Bid History link?

If the Number of Bids in the listing info table lists more bids than are listed in the Bid History of the item, it is probably because one or more of the bidders have at one point during the auction increased and initial bid. Every bid made, whether it is an initial bid by a user, or an increase, is recorded in the Number of Bids.

What is a Maximum Bid/Automatic Bidding?

This system offers a convenient bidding system, so you don't have to continuously login to re-bid. When you place your maximum Bid, you enter the highest price you are willing to pay for an item. Your maximum bid is kept confidential until it is exceeded by another bidder.

The automatic bidding system will place bids on your behalf at the bid increment amount above the current high bid. The system will bid by the increment to ensure you remain the highest bidder or to meet the reserve price (if applicable), up to your maximum bid amount that was previously entered.

If and only if duplicate maximum bids are entered, the customer who entered the maximum bid first will get priority and will be the winning bidder.

If another bidder places a higher maximum bid, you will be emailed to login and place another bid.

Example:

  1. The current bid for an item is $100 with a $10 increment.
  2. Customer A enters a max bid of $200; Customer A is now winning at $110
  3. Customer B enters a max bid of $150
  4. System will now bid $160 (next bid increment) on Customer A’s behalf to ensure Customer A is still winning
  5. Customer B re-enters a max bid of $200
  6. Customer A is now winning the auction at $200 because he was the first to enter a max bid of $200
How are bids displayed within the Bid History list?

The Bid History list only displays the current winning bid amount and losing bids manually entered by bidders. Bid History does not display losing bids placed by the system (Maximum Bid/Automatically Bidding) for a maximum bid amount.

Can I increase my maximum bid amount after I have placed a bid?

Yes. If your maximum bid amount has been outbid, or you want to increase the dollar amount of your existing winning bid, you can place another bid at a higher amount. To increase your current bid amount, simply return to the listing and enter and submit a new, higher maximum bid amount (this amount is the most you're willing to pay for the item).

If you are logged in to your account, the site will recognize your Nickname when you place an additional Bid. You won't be bidding against yourself when you want to increase your maximum bid amount even though if you're the current high bidder.

It appears as if someone is intentionally overbidding himself. Why is this happening?

In some cases, it might appear that a single bidder is bidding against himself. For instance, the same bidder A might bid $10, $12, $14, $16, and so on. Nothing fraudulent is going on! Most likely, you or bidder A is causing this effect by bidding against bidder B's "Maximum Bid". Bidder A is trying to find the point where his/her Bid will outbid the maximum bid being increased by proxy on each bid. At the time the maximum bid price of the bidder B is exceeded, the new bidder A will have a winning bid.

I appear to have been overbid by an amount smaller than the bid increment. How has this occurred?

When a bidder places a "Maximum Bid", that bidder may have entered a maximum bid that is higher than your bid, but at a smaller bid increment because at the time the maximum bid was placed, it was in an amount far greater than the required increment. In this case, the bidder using proxy bid will be winning at exactly their maximum bid.

Example: An item has a bid increment of $2.00. The current winning bid is at $30.00. You bid $49.00 (Maximum Bid) and Bidder B bids $49.01 (also a Maximum Bid). In this case Bidder B will be winning at exactly $49.01 even though it appears to not meet the minimum increment. It was more than the bid increment when he placed the bid. The bid was only at $30.00 so a bid of $49.01 is a $19.01 bid increment.

Do all auctions close at exactly the scheduled closing time?

"Maximum Bid" helps to ensure that bidders will always have a chance to challenge bids placed in the final minutes of an auction. When indicated on a listing page by the "Or Later" link, if a bid is placed during the last 5 minutes of an Open or Reserve Price auction, the auction will be automatically extended for an additional 5 minutes from the time of the latest bid. You will have to refresh the listing page to get the most updated bid information for each individual listing. The auction will close once all bidding activity has stopped for a period of 5 minutes.

Can I retract a confirmed Bid?

Confirmed bids may only be retracted under special circumstances and require that you submit a formal request to retract, as described below.

Once you have submitted your confirmed bid, it can only be retracted under the following circumstances.

  • You made a typographical error when placing a bid amount.
  • You submitted your valid bid retraction more than 24 hours before the auction closes.
  • New item information added by the seller changed your understanding of the item for which your bid was placed.
  • You cannot reach the seller via e-mail, or your question to the seller is returned as undeliverable.

When placing a bid you are required to confirm that you are 18 years of age or older. We will not honor bid retraction requests because a person under 18 years of age placed the bid in error. You will be held responsible for the transaction and payment.

To make a formal request to retract a confirmed bid, you must contact Customer Service. Please include the item listing number and the reason for the retraction. Bid retraction requests received less than 24 hours before an auction closes will not be processed regardless of the explanation. All bid retraction requests received without a valid explanation will be denied. Bidders who retract their bids may not place new bids on that item unless you made a typographical error when placing a Bid amount. All bid retraction requests will be accepted or rejected at our sole discretion.

What is a Dutch Auction?

A Dutch Auction occurs automatically when a seller has multiple, identical items offered for sale. The seller specifies the minimum price (the Opening Value) and the number of items for sale. Bidders can then bid at or above the minimum price for the quantity of items they which to purchase. At the close of the auction, all winning bidders purchase the items at the same price, which is the lowest successful Bid.

How are winning bids determined in multi-item listings?

In some auctions, a number of identical items are offered for sale at the same time. When the listing closes, the highest Bidders win the available inventory. Bids are sorted in order with priority given to price, the quantity bid for, and then finally to time a bid was placed. The time of a bid is determined based on its records. If bids are tied for price, the Buyer who has bid in the greater quantity wins. If there are two bids at the same price for the same quantity, the early bid wins.

Why did a bid for more items at the same price beat mine even though I transmitted my bid first?

Bids are given priority based on the following characteristics: price, quantity, and finally time placed. As an example, if you bid $50.00 on 50 units and someone else then bids $50.00 on 100 units at a later time, the second bidder will be winning for all 100 units. If you then raise your bid to $60.00 for 50 items, you will be winning for 50 units (at $60.00) because your price is higher. The second bidder will then be winning for only 50 units at $50.00.

What is a Fixed Price auction?

Fixed Price Sale listings or "Buy it Now" auctions have a fixed price set by the seller. Buyers simply choose to buy the item at that price. Fixed Price listings will remain active until all items have been sold or the close date and time set by the seller has been reached. Please allow 2-4 weeks after you make your purchase for delivery. The end time for a "Buy it Now" listing does not determine the ship window.

What is an Open auction?

In an Open Auction, buyers bid until the auction ends. The item is then sold to the highest bidder at the end of the auction period. There is no reserve price in an Open auction. The seller must sell the item to the highest bidder. Bidding can start as low as the Opening Value (minimum price or starting amount) of the auction.

Once the auction closes, email notification providing contact information is sent to the buyer and seller automatically so that arrangements for payment and shipment of the item can be determined.

What is a Reserve Auction?

In a Reserve Auction, the seller sets the Reserve Price, which is higher than the Opening Value. A reserve price allows the seller to initiate bidder interest and determine the fair market value of an item. If the seller has set a Reserve Price you will see either a "Reserve NOT MET" or "RESERVE MET" message on the listing page depending on whether the current bid is below, or at or above, the reserve.

RESERVE NOT MET- The current amount of the highest bid is below the reserve price and the item will not sell at auction close.

RESERVE MET - The current amount of the highest bid is equal to, or greater than, the reserve price and the item will be sold.

If the highest bid at the auction close does not meet the seller's Reserve Price, the seller is not required to sell the item unless the seller chooses to do so. In this case, the seller will have a period after the auction close in which to contact the highest bidder whose offer was below the reserve price. Bidders who are contacted under these circumstances, however, are under no obligation to purchase the item.

Why does a seller use a Reserve Price?

In a Reserve Price auction, the seller starts the auction at a value below the lowest price at which s/he is willing to sell (the Reserve Price) to capture the bidder interest. This way, the bidders are not forced to bid at fair market value from the start of the auction. Also, many sellers prefer Reserve Price auctions when they are not sure of the market value of an item, and want to find an audience by enticing multiple bidders' interest.

Why is my Bid not winning when it is the Current Highest Bid?

If you have bid on a Reserve Auction, your bid may be below the Reserve Price. Even if you are the highest bidder in a Reserve Auction, you may still be losing if your bid does not match or exceed the Reserve Price. At the close of the auction, you will see either a "Reserve NOT MET" or "RESERVE MET" message on the listing page depending on whether the current bid is below, at, or above the reserve price.

How can I view all bids I've submitted?

Go to My Account and select Manage Bidding Activity. From here you can view all live auctions (winning or losing) in which a bid has been placed, as well as closed auctions that you have won.

Where can I monitor my bidding activity?

You can monitor all of your bidding activity from within the Manage My Bids>View My Bid Status section of your My Auction Account.

I appear to have been outbid by an amount smaller than the bid increment. How has this occurred?

This occurs when a maximum bid, previously placed, becomes the new winning bid. The new winning bid is allowed by the system because when the previous maximum bid was placed, it was above the minimum bid increment at that time.

What is Real Time Bid Refresh?

The Real Time Bid Refresh feature is in place in order to deliver the best possible online auction experience by presenting the most up-to-date auction information, including Auction Time Remaining, Bid Count, and Current Bid Amount. When a new bid is placed or an auction goes in to Bid Extend, the most recent auction information will automatically be presented on the screen without the need to manually refresh the current browser page.

Why did Real Time Bid Refresh automatically deactivate?

Real Time Bid Refresh is set to automatically deactivate after 12 minutes of inactivity on a page that presents auction data such as Auction Time Remaining, Bid Count, and Current Bid Amount. This is to ensure that, in case an active browser session is forgotten and left open, users do not have fresh data constantly feeding into their active browser session and unnecessarily using up network data. When presented with the message “Real Time Bid Refresh is no long active on the site”, users can choose to click the “Reactivate” button, which will cause the system to resume pushing up-to-date auction data into the active browser session, or users can click “Cancel”, which will prevent Real Time Bid Refresh from reactivating on the current page. Note: if a user chooses to click “Cancel” when presented with this message, they will NOT be shown the most up-to-date auction data, or any new bid activity placed on the listing by other customers. However, manually refreshing the browser window OR clicking through to a new auction page will cause Real Time Bid Refresh to reactivate automatically.

Why can I only bid with a multiple of the bid increment?

Users are now required to bid with a multiple of the bid increment on all auctions. Customers will receive an error message if an attempt is made to bid at less than or more than a multiple of the bid increment, and a field will be made available for users to edit their bid before re-submission.

Can I view Buy Now items that I have added to my cart?

Yes, all you need to do is simply log-in (or register) to your account to view Buy Now items you have added to your cart.

Can I purchase items in multiple formats?

Yes, items can be purchased in two formats on the Auctions site – Placing a bid on the online Auction format and Buy Now (direct purchase) checkout format.

After The Auction:
How do I find out if an auction has ended?

You can locate an auction you have bid on from within the Manage My Bids>View My Bid Status section of My Auction Account section of the auction website, or by entering the listing's listing number, if known from the Search page.

How will I know if I win?

We will notify you by email if you win; although you are responsible for determining if you have won by visiting the site and checking the status of your bid in My Account.

What happens if I win an auction?

If you are the winning bidder when an auction closes, We will send you an email notification telling you that you have won the item(s).

You are responsible for returning to the auctions website to verify that you have won the auction. If you do not receive notice and believe you are the successful bidder, you must verify the auction status from the Manage My Bids>View My Bid Status in the My Auction Account section of the auction website. As a winning bidder, the primary payment card you have on file will be automatically charged the amount of your winning Bid plus any shipping, handling, and applicable taxes.

I won an auction but my item has not been delivered within the designated shipping window, what do I do?

Please send an email to Customer Service with the item listing number and any additional information you have regarding the order and request the shipping status.

Below are some common reasons for auction items not being delivered or shipped on time:

Invalid Credit Card. Please verify your credit card information by visiting your Auction Account. If your card number is no longer valid or the expiration date has passed please login to your auctions account and re-enter your credit card information by following the instructions below:

  • Select "My Account" on the Auctions home page
  • Scroll down and select "Payments"
  • Select "Checkout" and re-enter your credit card/billing information
  • Confirm Payment

Please Note: In order to successfully checkout for your auction items, the billing address for your credit card must match the billing address entered for your auctions account. If the billing addresses do NOT match, the transaction may fail at the close of the auction and the order will go unpaid. We cannot guarantee item availability if your card failed to clear after the auction close date.

P.O. Box. If you have designated a P.O. Box in your shipping preferences, this could be the reason for the delay as most carriers and its partners do not deliver to P.O. Boxes.

Real Time Bid Refresh is no longer active on the site

Click "Reactivate" below to enable Real Time Bid Refresh and see the most recent bidding activity, or click "Cancel" to keep it disabled. Please visit the FAQ page to learn more about Real Time Bid Refresh.