FS Market

Shill Bidding

Shill Bidding is the artificial inflation of bid prices, by a seller who bids on his/her own auctions, or works with a friend to bid on the auctions. This is not only a serious infraction which we do not tolerate, but it is a criminal activity that we will help authorities to prosecute.

We utilize a number of mechanisms to scan for suspicious bidding activity. Members are allowed to have one UserName only, so attempting to register multiple accounts will be considered deceptive. If someone asks you to bid on their auction to help raise the bid, contact us immediately. You should bid only on those auctions where you are serious about purchasing. If you believe that an auction has suspicious bids, please contact us.

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Bid Shielding

Bid Shielding is the artificial protection of a low bid with a very high bid that is later retracted. The strategy is to use the high bid to discourage other bidders, and then cancel the high bid at the last minute. To prevent this practice, we do not allow bid retractions. In cases of extreme events, bidders may contact auction staff to explain why they might need to have their bid cancelled. Otherwise, submitted a bid is the equivalent of entering into a contract.

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Bid Siphoning

Bid Siphoning is when a seller contacts bidders on other seller's auctions, in an effort to sell a similar item. This practice is unfair to the original seller, and dangerous for buyers. The new seller has not listed the item publicly, so there will be no record of the item's description, nor will there be a record of the transaction. Thus, it is extremely risky for bidders to transact with such an unethical seller.

To prevent Bid Siphoning, we do not display bidder's Usernames within single item auction listings. However, it is still possible for a seller to place a false bid on another auction, just to see the bidders. This practice will have violated two rules (false bidding and bid siphoning), and result in immediate suspension of access privileges.

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False Bids

All bidders are expected to ask any questions, or conduct any research needed before submitting a bid. Submitting a bid is the equivalent of entering into a contract. Bidding without intention to buy is not tolerated in this marketplace. Failure to follow through on a winning bid will be considered violation of our rules, and it is against the law in many states. If you are not a serious buyer, do not bid.

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False Feedback

Members are not allowed to leave feedback for themselves, and they may leave feedback for other members only if a transaction was consummated. Each person or business is allowed only one UserName, so any attempts to register multiple accounts will be considered to be deceptive activity. Submitted feedback must be accurate and factual, which may need to be proven if contested by the other party. If you leave feedback for someone, base it on the facts of the transaction only. If you try to leave feedback for yourself, you may never participate in this community again.

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Inaccurate item description

All items offered for sale must be well described within the listing. Sellers are expected to reveal any flaws or shortcomings, without being asked. Do not use terms such as "mint" or "perfect" unless the item is indeed exactly as new. Inaccurate facts about the item (such as original selling price, age, etc), if found by our staff, will result in immediate cancellation of listing and may lead to the suspension of access privileges.

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Failure to pay/deliver item

All members are expected to conduct business with the honor system in mind. Buyers are expected to send valid payment on time, and sellers are expected to deliver the merchandise as promised. Failure to ship merchandise that was purchased, or failure to pay for merchandise received, is a criminal act which will lead to immediate suspension of access privileges. Furthermore, we will help legal authorities in any way we can, to recover the property or prosecute the offender. Would-be con artists should keep in mind that this is a relatively small, closely monitored community where we have zero tolerance for fraud.

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Reporting a Violation

If you believe that you have observed deceptive activities, or have been damaged by fraudulent activity, then please contact us immediately. Please include as much information as possible in your email. Our team investigates every situation and maintains records of questionable activity. We are not a law enforcement agency, but we will cooperate fully with legal authorities when investigating criminal activities related to usage of this service.

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