Buying and bidding.

Before you bid

Bidding requires a card on file and acceptance of the buyer agreement. When you place a bid, binovy places an authorization hold on your card: a real reservation of funds, not a charge. Holds are released when you're outbid; if an auction runs long enough that a hold expires, it refreshes automatically for the leading bidder.

The hold is 10% of your maximum (your proxy ceiling, or your bid if you don't set one), rounded up to the dollar: at least $10, never more than $100 per auction. It's released when you're outbid, refreshed automatically while you lead (holds expire after about a week; if a refresh is declined your bid stands and we ask you to update your card), and released when payment completes after a win.

Bids are binding and can't be retracted. If the reserve isn't met, your high bid stands for 48 hours after close; the seller may accept it, and the lot is then yours at your bid.

How the auction works

• Duration: set per lot (3, 7, or 14 days) and shown on the lot page.
• Bid increments: $10 under $500, $25 under $2,000, $50 under $10,000, and $250 above that.
• Proxy bidding: optionally set a private maximum. binovy bids the minimum needed on your behalf, instantly, up to your max. Your maximum is never visible to anyone. You can also bid manually; proxy is a convenience, not a requirement.
• Anti-snipe: any bid in the final 2 minutes extends the clock by 2 minutes. Auctions end when the bidding actually stops.
• Reserves: lots are marked no reserve, reserve, or reserve met. If a reserve lot closes below reserve, the seller has 48 hours to accept your high bid anyway, so a lost reserve auction can still become your win.

Winning and paying

You have 48 hours to complete checkout. You pay one all-in amount: the hammer price, the buyer's fee, and shipping, with no surprise lines. The current fee schedule is in Policies and trust (roughly 11% on the first $1,000 and 8% above, plus $10, capped at $500, all-in). If payment isn't completed in 48 hours, the lot may be offered to the runner-up. Live carrier rates: you choose the service at checkout. Signed in, you can estimate shipping to your ZIP right on the lot page before you bid; the final rate is always confirmed at checkout.

Escrow, delivery, and your protection

Your money is held by binovy; the seller is not paid at delivery. The timeline:

1. The seller ships (platform label with tracking), or you arrange local pickup and confirm the handoff in person.
2. Delivery (or your pickup confirmation) starts the protection window: 7 days for lots sold with a functional claim, 72 hours for lots sold as Untested (no functional claim).
3. If the window passes with no problem reported, funds release to the seller. If you report a problem, funds stay held until the case resolves.

Reporting a problem: from your purchase tracking page, within the window. Describe the issue and attach evidence photos. A human reviews every case, with a five-business-day resolution target; outcomes are full release, full refund, or a partial refund. The full process, including outcomes and who pays return shipping, is documented in Policies and trust.

Local pickup carries the same escrow protection as shipped lots. Confirm the handoff in the app: the seller's six-digit code is your receipt, and your protection window runs from that moment. This is protection no local-marketplace alternative extends.

Your purchase history

Purchases you win join the public record: realized results and the purchases section on your profile carry your handle unless you turn record identity off in settings. This is disclosed when you bid. Your payment details, addresses, and private collection pieces are never public.

Notifications

Watch any lot to follow it; the bell shows outbid notices, watched-lot activity, and case updates.

Email alerts cover three moments: outbid, ending soon, won. They're on by default; turn any of them off under notifications in your settings, and every alert email also carries a one-click unsubscribe link.

Saved searches live on the search page and the auctions feed. Each saved search has its own alert channel: in-app only, an instant email per match, or a daily digest. Manage your saved searches, including each one's channel, from the same notifications section in settings.