1.0 Introduction
1.1 Overview
There are three ways to trade using our fast, fun and intuitive auction platform. These include:
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Auction: Auction items purchased by placing bids similar to a physical auction process. Selected items will have the option to be acquired at a Buy Now price, which will end an auction immediately. A Buyer Premium will apply and will be charged in addition to the Bid amount. Auction items are listed exclusively for sale for 7-14 days. |
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Buy Now: Buy now items are purchased for a fixed retail price format only. These items are not auctioned. If a Buyer Premium applies, this will be listed on the Website. Buyer Premium may be applicable to such items where disclosed on the item page. |
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Classifieds: The Website also provides access to limited classified advertising for items available for purchase through our Sellers store network only. These items are not available for purchase through us. |
1.2 Advantages
The Website manages and facilitates all required actions as detailed below
Sellers
- New channel to sell items in an efficient, secure and trusted way
- No fixed upfront selling costs
- Assists Sellers with inventory turns
- Access national and international demographic of Buyers
- Make trading items quicker and easier than ever before (24 hour, 7 days a week access)
- Realise higher prices, inventory turns with lower associated selling costs
- Sales channel to compliment rather than replace existing store outlets
Buyers
- Search, view and purchase items
- Intuitive and easy to use interface
- Full tax invoicing
- Bulletin board forum allows interaction between individuals with similar interests
- Advanced freight / invoicing capability
1.3 Introduction – Purchasing
Step 1: Locate / View Item
Getting around is simple and fast. On the top of each page you'll find intuitive tabs for navigating around. Using the “Browse” tab, items can be located by either selecting the categories on the left hand side or by using the “Advanced Search” tab.
Step 2: Register as a Buyer
Registering as a Buyer is safe, free and secure. Simply provide us with some basic information such as name, address, billing information, etc and you are ready to go. Credit card details are required at registration to verify security details. When you join, you will need to choose a login name (which will be you email address) along with a password. Please note that the email address you use for the registration process is also your account name, so please make sure you use an email address that is unlikely to change.
Before you use our Website, please fully review this Help Document, our User Agreement and Privacy Agreement which are accessible from the links contained on our home page.
Step 3: Placing Bids / using Buy Now
After locating the item, use the “Place Bid” tab for an Auction item or “Buy Now” tab for a Retail item. If the Buy Now price is available for an Auction item, this can be used to purchase the item immediately.
Step 4: Items Sold / Invoiced
The Buyer will be emailed and advised that they have been successful and provided with confirmation of the item and other relevant details.
Step 5: Paying for an Item
We use a split payment mechanism for invoicing and settlement. You will receive an invoice typically within 24 hours of purchase showing the amount paid and any amount owing which is due immediately.
Step 6: Receiving Products
When purchasing an item, please note that only selected items are available for freight so please carefully review the item page prior to bidding.
Delivery: Once an item has been paid in full, if the item is selected for Delivery, you will be emailed the consignment details of the item purchased and provided with a link to locate the relevant items.
Pickup / Custom Delivery: If you select Pickup / Custom delivery for an item purchased, you will need to contact the Seller to pick up the item or request that the Seller arrange forwarding. For items selected Pickup / Custom Delivery, unless specified otherwise, the Buyer will be responsible for any additional freight charges. If you are picking up the item from the Seller, you must provide photographic id such as a drivers license and also confirm your credit card details.
1.4 Introduction – Auction (How it works)
Auction items can be purchased in two ways. The winning bidder for an Auction item is a person deemed to have placed the highest bid at the conclusion of the auction. Alternatively, you can purchase an item immediately using the Buy Now button if this option is available. By using the “Buy Now” tab, you can automatically take this item “off the market” and stop the auction.
Auction items are listed exclusively on our Website for the auction duration of between 7 and 14 days.
There are three easy ways to stay informed during an online auction - monitor your My Auctions, the item bid page of that particular online auction, or through e-mail.
By using the My Account tab, you are able to review the details of your bidding history, including seeing items won, purchased and bid-on.
If you are out-bid for an Auction item, you will be notified via email. When this occurs, click on our website link provided in the email from our system and increase your bid. You can also copy and paste a link into your browser. To re-bid, simply follow the same steps as when you placed your original bid.
You can also use the Auto Bid function to assist with winning an auction which will allow you to bid up to a predetermined bid price specified, at the relevant bid increment.
1.5 Introduction – Buy Now
Buy Now items are similar to a retail concept, where items purchased for a fixed retail price format, and can be purchased immediately. If a Buyer Premium applies, this will be listed on the item page. These items are not auctioned to the highest bidder.
1.6 Introduction – Classifieds
Classified items listed are not available for purchase. These items are available for viewing and purchase through our Seller store network. Please contact the Seller to view these items.
1.7 Introduction – Advertising
Tailored advertising packages are available for Sellers and third parties. Please contact us on 1300 88 14 98 or view the Contact Us page for further details.
1.8 Introduction – Creating a Listing / Selling a single item
To list an item you must first be registered as a Seller. To apply to become a registered Seller please click on the Sell tab on the home page.
Once you are registered and approved as a Seller, you are able to list items for sale on our Website:
- Upload a single item;
- Upload multiple items
To upload an individual item, use the “Up Load” button. To upload multiple items at once, use the “Upload multiple items” tab.
Uploading a single item By logging in as a Seller you are able to upload items individually through the “Upload an Item” section. Simply fill out required fields and complete and submit for approval. There are three simple steps to follow:
- Complete required details
- Attach photographs (and additional documents as required such as a valuation or certificate of authenticity)
- Submit the item for approval
Taking photographs
To achieve successful sales online it is crucial you take good quality photographs. Below are some key points that should be followed and details of free software that will allow you to compress multiple images prior to uploading onto the Website.
Free software is available for download for cropping, resizing and digital enhancement from the internet. These include Picasa http://picasa.google.com.au which we recommend you download
Picassa is a free piece of software that allows all basic graphic editing functions and is recommended for download.
1) Taking Photographs
a. We recommend using a good recognised brand of digital camera that allows you to take photos greater than 3.1 Mega pixels.
b. We recommend taking photo’s at the highest resolution
2) Storing Photographs
When naming the pictures it is important to name them with the same number as your internal reference number. If you have multiple photo’s for one item (maximum of 5 photos per item) you can still use the same reference number but add an underscore and sequential numbers to differentiate them.
For example: Reference Number is 10000
Picture names are: 10000_1, 10000_2, 10000_3
3) Resizing photographs
a. Our platform will only allow you to upload pictures that are less then 300kb in size (100kb = 100,000 bytes and 1Mb = 1,000,000 bytes). (If you need to see the size of your image go to your file directory – chose view at the top and then select details)
b. The majority of digital cameras produce images that are around 1.5Mb or 3.0Mb. You will therefore need to reduce the size of the images taken. To do this we recommend a free software package called Picassa which can easily downloaded from the internet: (http://picasa.google.com.au)
c. Steps are as follows:
Step1: Download Picassa software using from the following link http://picasa.google.com.au
(Please chose the save option and a suitable file directory on your computer. Once you have downloaded you will need to click on the zip file to extract all files.)
Step 2:Install the program by clicking on the setup.
Step 3:Open program. A shortcut key will be on your toolbar
Step 4: Store all photos taken in My Documents / Pictures
Step 5:Open Pictures in Picassa
Step 6: Edit Photos using “Auto Colour”, “Crop” and “Contrast” functions
Step 7: Select “Export” and save the pictures under 340 pixels
4) Attach Photos to items and submit for approval
Using Windows Explorer, you will need to check that the file size is under 300kb now to ensure compliance. This will reduce all your pictures to the correct size and store them in your newly created folder ready for attachment. Detailed below is an overview of the upload process for a single item:
Each item uploaded will have the following information and associated files.
1. Item Title
Detailed below is an example of how the Item Title should be written for an art piece.
Art Item Title – Format
Artists first name and surname in upper case (Birth year – Year of death), title of the painting and year it was painted if known.
Art Item Title – Worked Example
ARTHUR BOYD (1920-1999), Three Heads, 1964
2. Description
Replicate exactly the same information from the Item Title field by using the copy and past button and then add:
Medium
Height x Width (cm) of picture
Signing comments
Provenance
Art Description – Worked Example
ARTHUR BOYD
(1920-1999)
Three Heads, 1964
Pastel on paper
47.5 cm height x 63 cm width
Signed lower right: Arthur Boyd
Inscribed lower left: I LOVE YOU LITTLE SPIDER
Provenance: Hamet Gallery, London: 1970
Please use standard descriptive text to accurately describe the item you are selling which provides potential Buyers with a clear understanding of the item they are purchasing. This should include any damage, defects and a brief overview of the condition of the piece thereby ensuring the item is correctly listed. It should also include additional information necessary such as any special freight instructions or similar.
Important Notice: Copyright may apply to photographs
DO NOT UPLOAD any photographs on to our Website that may breach or offend copyright.
We suggest that you review the Viscopy website, www.viscopy.com.au in particular to identify whether the author of any works is entitled to copyright fees, collectable by Viscopy. Sellers are solely responsible to copyright agencies, including Viscopy directly for any licensing fees payable. Please contact Viscopy directly to discuss and arrange payment should such fees apply.
As per our stated terms and conditions, if any copyright agency notifies us of a potential breach, we may act to remove immediately non-compliant items without further notice to a Seller where we are advised that a license has not been obtained.
If you are unsure as to whether copyright held by some third party exists in the image displayed in the photograph or in the photograph itself, you should go to the Australian Copyright Council website www.copyright.org.au and review the Council’s information brochures and also consider obtaining your own legal advice before uploading the photograph.
3. Type
Select classification type:
- Auction – items are bid on with the item won by the highest bidder when the specified auction period closes.
- Retail - items featured are at a fixed retail cost and can purchased as soon as the item is offered for sale on the site.
- Classified – this advertises an item not offered exclusively through our site.
4. Price
When uploading items, the Seller should enter the following fields:
Reserve Price: The reserve price is the auction start price. and only needs to be completed when listing auction items.
Buy Now Price: The Buy Now price is a fixed price at which a Buyer can acquire an item during an auction in order to end the auction early. It should therefore be set at a figure that is significantly higher than the starting price .
This field must be completed for a Retail item to clearly illustrate the price an item is offered for sale.
Low Estimated Price Range: This field determines the Sellers Low estimated market value for an auction item.
High Estimated Price Range: This field determines the Sellers High estimated market value for an auction item.
5. Photographs
High quality photographs must be uploaded. You can upload up to 5 photographs using the upload template. The first photograph uploaded is the main photograph that will be displayed.
6. Additional Information Document
One document can be attached to support the integrity of an item. This may include a certificate of authenticity, condition report, artist biography or a valuation certificate. This Additional information can be uploaded as .jpg, .gif or .pdf files. Please note Word .doc files cannot be accepted.
7. Item timing
Items Start Date is the date in which the item will go live on the Website so that potential Buyers can place bids or purchase the item.
Item Duration is how long the item will be listed for. For Auction items the Seller has an option to select an exclusive period for listing between 7-14 days . For Retail items, the default period is 28 days- this cannot be amended.
8. Freight
A seller wishing to use our freight module can select the following options from a drop down menu in the individual upload or bulk upload template.
- Delivery: The item will be sent through our preferred carrier Australian Air Express and the cost of delivery will be charged to the Buyer and added to the price paid as specified during the purchasing process.
- Delivery or Pickup/Custom Delivery: If the Buyer select delivery the item will sent through our preferred carrier Australian Air Express and the cost of delivery will be charged to the Buyer and added to the price paid as specified during the purchasing process.
Alternatively in this case the Buyer has the option to pick the item up from the Seller within 7 days or contacting you the Seller by telephone or using the “Ask Seller a Question” tab to agree on an alternative means of transport. Any additional costs incurred would be met by the Buyer through negotiation with the Seller directly. - Free Delivery: The item will be delivered free of charge throughout Australia at the expense of the Seller. When uploading, you must select this option and specify in the description field that this item will be delivered for Free.
- Free Delivery or Pickup/Custom Delivery: These items are available to be delivered any where in Australia at the expense of the seller. Alternatively the buyer has the option of contacting you the Seller by telephone or using the “Ask Seller a Question” tab to agree on an alternative means of transport. Any additional costs incurred would be met by the Buyer through negotiation with the Seller directly.
- Pickup Only/Custom Delivery: In this case the Buyer has the option to pick the item up from the seller within 7 days or contacting you the Seller by telephone or using the “Ask Seller a Question” tab to agree on an alternative means of transport. Any additional costs incurred would be met by the Buyer through negotiation with the Seller directly.
If you chose to offer a delivery option it is important to ensure that the packed dimensions (height, width, depth) and weight of the item are entered into the upload template where indicated. This information along with the postcode of the Seller and Buyer will be used to calculate the freight cost. The Website will only allow for freight of items less than 30 kg and under 1.5m in Height, Width or Depth within Australia.
Please note: For registered users outside Australia, delivery through the Website is not available at this stage. As such, the Buyer will need to arrange this directly by contacting the Seller once payment has been made. Also, if applicable, international Buyers may register for a GST exemption rebate and will be required to provide evidence of export to the Seller on pick-up.
For more details on Freight, refer to Section 5.0 of this document.
9. Condition
Select one of the following to depict the condition of the item:
- Excellent: The item is in an immaculate condition
- Good: The item is in good condition
- Satisfactory: The item has some wear and tear
- Poor: The item is in need of restoration/ repair
Please note that if the item is satisfactory or poor then further details should be given in the description.
10. Classification
Select one of the following to accurately depict how the item should be classified:
- New: Item is brand new
- Original: Item is in its original condition
- Restored: Item has had some restoration work carried out on it
- Additions/Alterations: The item has been altered from its original form through alterations and/or additions
- Reproduction: Item is a reproduction piece
- Used: Second hand items which are not in their original condition
11. Promotional extras
Select any additional promotional features you may wish to use which will increase the marketing of your item. Current options available include:
- Feature listing: Items are available to be randomly selected by the platform for viewing on the home page
- Bold listing: The item will have its title listed in a bold font.
Uploading multiple items
To make things quicker we have provided a bulk upload template for Sellers wishing to upload multiple items at once. An ‘Excel’ template is available upon request. This Excel spreadsheet should be completed using the instructions for listing items contained on the example excel template. Once completed you upload the file via the “Upload multiple items” link and then attach photographs (and additional documentation as required). The items will be held in a “draft mode” until submitted. To complete this process, simply follow the following steps:
- Complete the Microsoft Excel template using the instruction guide contained in the example Microsoft Excel template
- Select the Excel file spreadsheet using the “Browse” button
- Attach photographs (and additional document if required such as a valuation or certificate of authenticity) after bulk upload
- Submit for Approval
1.9 What items can be sold
The following items can be listed for sale on our Website:
- Art (paintings / photographs / sculpture)
- Collectables (including sporting memorabilia etc)
- Estate sales
- Jewellery / Watches
- Liquidation / Importers stock
- Memorabilia
- Wine / Alcohol
- Vintage fashion and clothing
- Other tradable items
2.0 Buyer Registration and Login
2.1 Registering
Registration is effectively free, costing just $1c. There is a simple registration form which we require you to fill in before you can start trading. This can be accessed using the following link: http://www.lawsonsonline.com/Auctions/BuyerRegistration.aspx
If you haven't received a confirmation email you should check your junk mail settings aren't blocking our emails.
Please note: For registered users outside Australia, delivery through the Website is not available at this stage. As such, the Buyer will need to arrange this directly by contacting the Seller once payment has been made. Also, if applicable, international Buyers may register for a GST exemption rebate and will be required to provide evidence of export to the Seller on pick-up.
2.2 Logging in / Details
From the home page you are able to login by entering your email address and password using the login tab. Once you have logged in you are able to view your bid history and manage your account details.
There are several possible reasons why you may not be able to login:
Incorrect email / password If you enter the wrong email address and password combination you will see a message telling you that your entry was incorrect. If you cannot remember your password, you can request a password reminder be sent to your registered email address by using the “Retrieve Password” button on the home page.
Your membership is not enabled You need to click on the link in the confirmation email we send you to activate your membership. Sometimes our emails are blocked by junk mail settings on your email account. Please ensure your junk mail settings will allow our emails to get through to you.
Your Credit Card has expired or is inactive
You need to make sure that your credit card is valid at all times. Please update your credit card details using the My Account tab as necessary. Our system currently accepts Visa and MasterCard.
2.3 My Account
By selecting the “Items I’m Following” tab you are able to view successful items, current winning items, items with unsuccessful bids and unsuccessful items that have ended. By clicking on the item title you will have a direct link through to the item.
2.4 User Details
By Selecting the My Account tab you are able to view and edit your account details. It is important that these details are kept up to date. Please note that the same credit card details and photographic ID will be required to be shown when items are selected for Pickup.
3.0 Bidding & Buying
3.1 Finding Items
Browse
There are a number of ways in which you can search for items
- Category selection: By clicking on the categories on the left hand side of the home page you are able to view items in identified categories. By selecting a category heading you are able to select a sub-category to further refine your search.
- Key words: A key word search can be undertaken using the search function.
- Advanced search tab: From here you are able to refine the search criteria even further by limiting the search based on other criteria. For example, the following fields can be used:
- State search based on location of Seller
- Specific category
- Auction End Date
- No reserve auctions
3.2 Tracking Items
Adding items to My Account
When you place a bid on an item it is automatically added to your “Items I’m Following” tab. When you login you are able to view items you have placed bids on. They will be broken up into three sections:
- Items you are bidding on (with leading or outbid indicated)
- Items won – items successfully won and now closed
- Items missed - you were un-successful on and have now closed
3.3 Listing rules and policies
Bid Precedence
Bids placed on online auctions are determined by the time at which the Website accepts the bids. Bids need to be at least one increment above the current winning bid. In the case when two Auto Bids are placed for the same value then the one which was accepted by the Website first will becom