FAQ's
So how does Fast Bidding work?
Fast Bidding is a unique version of a new auction concept to reach the UK market. No other penny auction website offers as many differing auction types all rolled into one auction site. We offer high quality brand new genuine products that can be won for a small fraction of the recommended retail price (RRP).
How do I participate?
First you need to register. Registration is totally free and you will receive 3 bids to get you started. See our how it works section for an easy to follow user guide. You may then buy bid packages as required. The bids can then be used to participate in our online auctions. When you place a bid the timer will run down and if no one else bids, you are the winner. If another user does bid then the timer will automatically reset.
What are bids packages and how do I use the bids?
The bids packs you buy securely via our website are stored as credits in your bid bank ready for you to use in our online auctions. Each time you click on the '"Bid" or "Bid Now" button, one bid will be deducted from your bid bank (unless the auction is a bid for free) and the auction price increases or decreases by the amount shown on the more info page for the specific auction, (generally 1p, 2, or 5p.
You also have the option of setting up Autobids (see user guide for how to do this), and this facility can be used for when you wish to participate in auctions at times when you are away from your computer.
How can I buy bid packages?
You can buy bid packages securely online via the Buy Bids page of our website. Bid packages can be paid for using any of our payment processors which include credit or debit cards. We do not store your card details for security reasons.
How much do the bids cost?
All bids on Fast Bidding cost 50p per bid, no matter which bid pack size you buy. We also run some Bid 4 Free auctions and with these you can bid as many times as you like without reducing your bid bank.
Is my personal information secure?
What are your opening hours?
The opening times for the auctions during the summer months are normally between 6.00pm and 11.30pm seven days a week, but this varies with 24 Hour, Early Bird and Bid Extender auctions being run at times too. If a product has not been sold by 11.30pm and is not a 24 hour auction, then the auction is paused and set to resume the following day. If the auction is auto bid enabled then all auto bids are saved and will continue when the auction resumes.
What does it mean when I win the auction?
If you win an auction you have won the right to buy that item at the price the bidding has reached when the item is shown as sold. There is of course shipping and handling. This is clearly stated on the auction more info page.
How much does Delivery cost?
All products are sent Special Delivery and require a signature upon receipt. The cost of delivery (or shipping & handling) is set according to the weight of the product and therefore determined by the prices set by Royal Mail or other courier. In the case of bid packs, the price for digital delivery is according to the transaction charges by payment processors and credit/debit card companies. (This means that there is still a small delivery charge on bid 4 free bid pack auctions).
How long does it take for the items I have won to be delivered?
Delivery times can vary but as a general rule, you can expect to receive the products you have won on Fast Bidding within 14 working days from the day you make payment (depending on stock levels with the manufacturer or our suppliers so please allow up to 28 days). We process the order the day following your payment. We also have to wait 7 days for full credit or debit card clearance. Our aim is to have all items delivered as speedily as possible and you will be notified by email when your product has been shipped.
Are the products new?
Indeed all the products we auction are genuine, brand new and come with the relevant warranties wherever applicable.
Are there any hidden costs?
No, there are no hidden costs on Fast Bidding. The current auction price is always clearly stated whilst the auctions are running, along with the V.A.T plus the shipping and handling charge, so you will always be aware of what the final cost will be. This information is available by clicking the "read more info" button on our auctions page. You can also view this information by clicking on the individual auction titles from the easy view page.
What happens when I win?
When the auction ends, the winner will be contacted by email to inform them they have won an auction and to arrange payment. We will then contact you again by email to notify shipment.
What happens if at a new auction only one bid is submitted?
The auction closes and the winner has the right to buy that product for 1 penny plus the delivery cost.
Can I withdraw bids already submitted?
No. Submitted bids cannot be withdrawn.
Can I bid for the same product more than once?
Yes you can. We do not limit the number of times you can bid on any product. You can set as may bids as you want, either with the auto bid facility and/or by bidding manually.
Can I bid for more than one product at a time?
Yes there are no limitations on the number of products you can bid on. We do however have win limits set which are based on a 30 rolling period in order to give all our users a fair chance to win products and bid packs.
Can I increase the bid by more than 1 penny?
The bidding increment on the majority of our auctions is 1p. However there are occasional auctions where the increment is 2p, 5, 10p etc, mostly in the case of higher priced auctions and bids packs. The higher increments are to prevent high value auctions from running for very long periods of time. Details of individual auction increments are availble by clicking on the auction titles. The price increment is clearly stated in red text beneath the product image, so there are no hidden surprises.
Can I bid during the night?
We have at times, auctions that run 24hrs. You will be able to bid on these auctions outside of our normal opening hours as the auction will continue to run after closing time, or you can set up autobids so that bids are placed automatically for you whilst you sleep.
What happens if I am the last bidder at normal closing hours?
The auction will be paused and no new bids can be placed. However, at the indicated time the next day the auction will resume and people may continue to bid. The last bidder of the evening will be listed as the highest bidder throughout the night.
No. Purchased bids are non refundable. Please only buy as many bids as you feel you need to use.
How do I pay for the product I have won?
You can pay for your product via your UserCP (located next to the login box) using any of our payment processors which include credit or debit card. Please make sure you pay promptly to avoid relisting the product. This will result in your bids being forfeited.
I have received a faulty product what should I do?
On rare occasions an item might not work or may get damaged in transit. If a package shows signs of damage do not sign for it without verifying the contents are intact. Please note that you must inform us of any damaged or faulty goods within 5 days of receipt. We cannot accept responsibility for damaged or faulty goods once 5 days have lapsed. If you notify us within this time, we will aim to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Please do not send the item back to us without contacting us. This could cause a delay in getting a replacement item to you. If your item does need replacing we will contact you and tell you what to do.
What happens if I receive the wrong item?
If you recieve the wrong item, please email us in the first instance to info@fastbidding.com. We will then contact you to let you know what to do and to arrange for the correct product to be sent to you as soon as possible.
Can I return the product I have won?
Yes you can return the product you have won providing it has not been opened. Please contact us to give a reason of why you want to return the product. We can only offer a refund on the final price of the item, not on the cost of the bids placed or the delivery costs.
Can I bid from anywhere in the world?
No. The auctions are only available to UK residents.
What age do you have to be to use the Fast Bidding website?
As a responsible auction website, you must be at least 18 years old in order to be able to register with us.
What can I do to improve my chances of winning?
a) Firstly we suggest you read all the information on the website. Then choose an auction view that you are comfortable with, either the auction page or the easy view page or even the product more info page. For a larger viewing area press F11 to view in full screen mode.
The easy view page is there for viewers who wish to bid on multiple products at one time, or wish to have a better overview of all the products that are being auctioned.
b) Take some time out and study how other bidders are bidding and decide on your own bidding strategy. You may choose to bid early, bid late or a combination of both. Keep your eyes focused on the countdown timer. Do not leave placing your bid too late though. Once the "checking" point is reached, the only hope you have is that there are people on auto bid otherwise you may lose out!
c) Use the auto bid feature to your advantage. Place auto bids at times when you are away from your PC. It is also a useful tool to use to exhaust the competition.
d) Remember you can view the last few bidders from the more info page. Understanding your competition is a very important aspect of winning.
e) If you are a new user, we suggest you try our "Virgin" and "Starter" auctions to practice on and get a feel for the site.
f) Try to concentrate your bidding on a few product items. Random bidding is risky and often you will come away with nothing.
g) Understand how other bidders place their bids and what time of the day they are bidding. There will be busy times and there will be quiet times. The number of bidders continually changes. Bidders can use this to pick up bargains by bidding when others are having breakfast or watching the soaps.
What should I not do?
Do not start bidding without having read the responsible bidding information. It is very important to set a budget and keep to it.
Is Fastbidding classed as a lottery?
According to the Lotteries and Other Games Act, a “game of chance” is a game for money and, or prizes with a monetary value, the results of which are totally accidental, while a “game of chance and skill” is a game for money and, or prizes with a monetary value, the results of which are not totally accidental but depend, to a certain extent, on the skill of the participant. A “lottery” is described as any game of chance where prizes are distributed by lot or chance among participants in the game.Fastbidding therefore is definitely not a lottery. Fastbidding is an auction site where these types of auctions, have no chance or random elements attached and the person placing the last bid is then bound to purchase the product at the last bid closed auction price. Furthermore, there is no element of prize as the last bidder has to pay for the full auction price to purchase the product. Also to enter the auction (i.e. place the bid) a user has to pay the participation fee. Once a bid is submitted, this constitutes the willingness of that user to enter into a binding contract with Fastbidding.
My AOL browser gives me problems when using Fast Bidding. What could be wrong?
Unfortunately, AOL does not allow cookies to be stored on their browser. This is a requirement for Fast Bidding which allows our system to identify users. We therefore recommend our clients to use either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.
If I have additional questions, how do I contact Fast Bidding?
You can either email info@fastbidding.com, or telephone us on 0871 288 3845 (10am to 6pm).
Fast Bidding is a unique version of a new auction concept to reach the UK market. No other penny auction website offers as many differing auction types all rolled into one auction site. We offer high quality brand new genuine products that can be won for a small fraction of the recommended retail price (RRP).
How do I participate?
First you need to register. Registration is totally free and you will receive 3 bids to get you started. See our how it works section for an easy to follow user guide. You may then buy bid packages as required. The bids can then be used to participate in our online auctions. When you place a bid the timer will run down and if no one else bids, you are the winner. If another user does bid then the timer will automatically reset.
What are bids packages and how do I use the bids?
The bids packs you buy securely via our website are stored as credits in your bid bank ready for you to use in our online auctions. Each time you click on the '"Bid" or "Bid Now" button, one bid will be deducted from your bid bank (unless the auction is a bid for free) and the auction price increases or decreases by the amount shown on the more info page for the specific auction, (generally 1p, 2, or 5p.
You also have the option of setting up Autobids (see user guide for how to do this), and this facility can be used for when you wish to participate in auctions at times when you are away from your computer.
How can I buy bid packages?
You can buy bid packages securely online via the Buy Bids page of our website. Bid packages can be paid for using any of our payment processors which include credit or debit cards. We do not store your card details for security reasons.
How much do the bids cost?
All bids on Fast Bidding cost 50p per bid, no matter which bid pack size you buy. We also run some Bid 4 Free auctions and with these you can bid as many times as you like without reducing your bid bank.
Is my personal information secure?
Yes your personal data is
100% safe and secure. Fast Bidding is secured by GeoTrust. Sites
secured by GeoTrust SSL certificates are providing up to 256 bit
encryption thereby offering the highest level of encryption and security
possible. This means you can rest assured that communications between
your browser and this site's web servers are private and secure.
What are your opening hours?
The opening times for the auctions during the summer months are normally between 6.00pm and 11.30pm seven days a week, but this varies with 24 Hour, Early Bird and Bid Extender auctions being run at times too. If a product has not been sold by 11.30pm and is not a 24 hour auction, then the auction is paused and set to resume the following day. If the auction is auto bid enabled then all auto bids are saved and will continue when the auction resumes.
What does it mean when I win the auction?
If you win an auction you have won the right to buy that item at the price the bidding has reached when the item is shown as sold. There is of course shipping and handling. This is clearly stated on the auction more info page.
How much does Delivery cost?
All products are sent Special Delivery and require a signature upon receipt. The cost of delivery (or shipping & handling) is set according to the weight of the product and therefore determined by the prices set by Royal Mail or other courier. In the case of bid packs, the price for digital delivery is according to the transaction charges by payment processors and credit/debit card companies. (This means that there is still a small delivery charge on bid 4 free bid pack auctions).
How long does it take for the items I have won to be delivered?
Delivery times can vary but as a general rule, you can expect to receive the products you have won on Fast Bidding within 14 working days from the day you make payment (depending on stock levels with the manufacturer or our suppliers so please allow up to 28 days). We process the order the day following your payment. We also have to wait 7 days for full credit or debit card clearance. Our aim is to have all items delivered as speedily as possible and you will be notified by email when your product has been shipped.
Are the products new?
Indeed all the products we auction are genuine, brand new and come with the relevant warranties wherever applicable.
Are there any hidden costs?
No, there are no hidden costs on Fast Bidding. The current auction price is always clearly stated whilst the auctions are running, along with the V.A.T plus the shipping and handling charge, so you will always be aware of what the final cost will be. This information is available by clicking the "read more info" button on our auctions page. You can also view this information by clicking on the individual auction titles from the easy view page.
What happens when I win?
When the auction ends, the winner will be contacted by email to inform them they have won an auction and to arrange payment. We will then contact you again by email to notify shipment.
What happens if at a new auction only one bid is submitted?
The auction closes and the winner has the right to buy that product for 1 penny plus the delivery cost.
Can I withdraw bids already submitted?
No. Submitted bids cannot be withdrawn.
Can I bid for the same product more than once?
Yes you can. We do not limit the number of times you can bid on any product. You can set as may bids as you want, either with the auto bid facility and/or by bidding manually.
Can I bid for more than one product at a time?
Yes there are no limitations on the number of products you can bid on. We do however have win limits set which are based on a 30 rolling period in order to give all our users a fair chance to win products and bid packs.
Can I increase the bid by more than 1 penny?
The bidding increment on the majority of our auctions is 1p. However there are occasional auctions where the increment is 2p, 5, 10p etc, mostly in the case of higher priced auctions and bids packs. The higher increments are to prevent high value auctions from running for very long periods of time. Details of individual auction increments are availble by clicking on the auction titles. The price increment is clearly stated in red text beneath the product image, so there are no hidden surprises.
Can I bid during the night?
We have at times, auctions that run 24hrs. You will be able to bid on these auctions outside of our normal opening hours as the auction will continue to run after closing time, or you can set up autobids so that bids are placed automatically for you whilst you sleep.
What happens if I am the last bidder at normal closing hours?
The auction will be paused and no new bids can be placed. However, at the indicated time the next day the auction will resume and people may continue to bid. The last bidder of the evening will be listed as the highest bidder throughout the night.
Can I get a refund on unused bids?
No. Purchased bids are non refundable. Please only buy as many bids as you feel you need to use.
How do I pay for the product I have won?
You can pay for your product via your UserCP (located next to the login box) using any of our payment processors which include credit or debit card. Please make sure you pay promptly to avoid relisting the product. This will result in your bids being forfeited.
I have received a faulty product what should I do?
On rare occasions an item might not work or may get damaged in transit. If a package shows signs of damage do not sign for it without verifying the contents are intact. Please note that you must inform us of any damaged or faulty goods within 5 days of receipt. We cannot accept responsibility for damaged or faulty goods once 5 days have lapsed. If you notify us within this time, we will aim to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Please do not send the item back to us without contacting us. This could cause a delay in getting a replacement item to you. If your item does need replacing we will contact you and tell you what to do.
What happens if I receive the wrong item?
If you recieve the wrong item, please email us in the first instance to info@fastbidding.com. We will then contact you to let you know what to do and to arrange for the correct product to be sent to you as soon as possible.
Can I return the product I have won?
Yes you can return the product you have won providing it has not been opened. Please contact us to give a reason of why you want to return the product. We can only offer a refund on the final price of the item, not on the cost of the bids placed or the delivery costs.
Can I bid from anywhere in the world?
No. The auctions are only available to UK residents.
What age do you have to be to use the Fast Bidding website?
As a responsible auction website, you must be at least 18 years old in order to be able to register with us.
What can I do to improve my chances of winning?
a) Firstly we suggest you read all the information on the website. Then choose an auction view that you are comfortable with, either the auction page or the easy view page or even the product more info page. For a larger viewing area press F11 to view in full screen mode.
The easy view page is there for viewers who wish to bid on multiple products at one time, or wish to have a better overview of all the products that are being auctioned.
b) Take some time out and study how other bidders are bidding and decide on your own bidding strategy. You may choose to bid early, bid late or a combination of both. Keep your eyes focused on the countdown timer. Do not leave placing your bid too late though. Once the "checking" point is reached, the only hope you have is that there are people on auto bid otherwise you may lose out!
c) Use the auto bid feature to your advantage. Place auto bids at times when you are away from your PC. It is also a useful tool to use to exhaust the competition.
d) Remember you can view the last few bidders from the more info page. Understanding your competition is a very important aspect of winning.
e) If you are a new user, we suggest you try our "Virgin" and "Starter" auctions to practice on and get a feel for the site.
f) Try to concentrate your bidding on a few product items. Random bidding is risky and often you will come away with nothing.
g) Understand how other bidders place their bids and what time of the day they are bidding. There will be busy times and there will be quiet times. The number of bidders continually changes. Bidders can use this to pick up bargains by bidding when others are having breakfast or watching the soaps.
What should I not do?
Do not start bidding without having read the responsible bidding information. It is very important to set a budget and keep to it.
Is Fastbidding classed as a lottery?
According to the Lotteries and Other Games Act, a “game of chance” is a game for money and, or prizes with a monetary value, the results of which are totally accidental, while a “game of chance and skill” is a game for money and, or prizes with a monetary value, the results of which are not totally accidental but depend, to a certain extent, on the skill of the participant. A “lottery” is described as any game of chance where prizes are distributed by lot or chance among participants in the game.Fastbidding therefore is definitely not a lottery. Fastbidding is an auction site where these types of auctions, have no chance or random elements attached and the person placing the last bid is then bound to purchase the product at the last bid closed auction price. Furthermore, there is no element of prize as the last bidder has to pay for the full auction price to purchase the product. Also to enter the auction (i.e. place the bid) a user has to pay the participation fee. Once a bid is submitted, this constitutes the willingness of that user to enter into a binding contract with Fastbidding.
My AOL browser gives me problems when using Fast Bidding. What could be wrong?
Unfortunately, AOL does not allow cookies to be stored on their browser. This is a requirement for Fast Bidding which allows our system to identify users. We therefore recommend our clients to use either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.
If I have additional questions, how do I contact Fast Bidding?
You can either email info@fastbidding.com, or telephone us on 0871 288 3845 (10am to 6pm).