What You Want and What You Need
Central Treasures is owned by passionate collectors who understand the thrill of the hunt. You may be looking for a specific item to add to your collection, browsing for something you didn’t realize that you need (but figure out you’d like to have) or just interested in scoring a good deal.
We’ve been hunting online and live auctions for years and know that no matter your purpose in checking out an auction, it’s satisfying to win. We aim for your experience from bidding to picking up your items to also be satisfying. We want to be your partner to help you find what you need and what you want.
Outlined below are some common buyer questions, but feel free to contact us if you have additional questions.
Common Buyer Questions
How do I create an account and register to bid?
Is there a startup fee or other associated fees?
Do I have to pay sales tax on items I won?
What if I’m tax exempt or have a Texas Resale Certificate?
Can I preview auction items before I bid?
Can I return items for a refund?
Can I win an item for less than my bid amount?
How do I know if I won an item/s?
How do I know If I’ve been outbid on an item? Will I receive an outbid notification?
When do I have to pick up and pay for won items?
What happens if I bid and fail to pay for or pick up an item?
What type of payments are accepted?
What is your shipping and handling policy?
How do I create an account and register to bid?
Creating an account and registering to bid on HiBid platforms is free and easy! First you must create a HiBid Account, if you do not already have one. PLEASE NOTE: If you already have an active HiBid Account, you are not required to complete the following steps. You are already registered and ready to bid! Just use your existing HiBid Username and Password, to create a HiBid Account (if you do not already have one), follow the instructions below.
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Click on “Current Auctions” tab
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Click “Login/New Bidder” tab
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Click “New Bidder? Click Here” tab
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Enter and confirm your email address
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Click “Check Email”
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Complete all the required information to generate a User Name and Password
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Click “Submit New Account”
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Accept Terms and Conditions
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Click “Submit Registration”
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Next, you must register to bid for Current Auction
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Click “Register to Bid” tab
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You will receive a prompt for “Email List Sign Up”. Enter and confirm your email. This will provide you with automatic email notifications for new future online auctions and send you a link to future auction catalogs.
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Complete Payment Details and follow instructions
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Enter your HiBid User Name and Password. Click “Logon”
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Accept Terms and Conditions. Click “Submit Registration”
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You will see “Registration Successful” highlighted
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Click “View Catalog” to see auction items and bid
Is there a startup fee or other associated fees?
There are no startup or hidden bidder fees of any kind. As a winning bidder, your invoice will reflect item cost, buyer’s premium, and sales tax (if applicable).
Is there a buyer’s premium?
Yes. A buyer’s premium is a percentage added to the winning bid amount that is a standard cost auction companies use to promote the auction and to help defray the auction expense costs. At Central Treasures, the buyer’s premium is 16 percent with a 3 percent cash discount.
Do I have to pay sales tax on items I won?
Yes, in most cases. We are required by the state of Texas to collect sales tax from the buyer on all personal purchases. Taxes are collected from the buyer in the following scenarios:
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Bidder is a Texas resident and does not have a Texas Resale Certificate on file with Central Treasures.
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The buyer is having the items shipped to a Texas address and does not have a resale certificate on file.
If purchaser is from out of the state of Texas, or item/s being shipped outside of Texas, then sales tax is not collected.
What if I’m tax exempt or have a Texas Resale Certificate?
If you are tax exempt and have a Texas Resale Certificate, we would gladly deduct tax from your purchases. In order for Central Treasures to deduct sales tax, a tax exempt or Texas Resale Certificate must be presented at time of purchase or on file prior to payment being made. The Texas Resale Certificate must be fully completed to include tax ID number, signature and date. If a bidder claims to be tax exempt or have a Texas Resale Certificate and has not provided the documentation, tax will be collected until forms have been filed.
What is a soft close auction?
Like most online auction companies, Central Treasures predominately runs “soft close” auctions. A soft close auction is an online auction in which the item expiration clock is reset due to last minute bids. For example, if there is a bid on an expiring lot in the last 7 minutes, the bidding on that lot can be extended by another 7 minutes. This allows interested parties to put in their maximum bids and have the opportunity to rebid if someone bids against them. Each bid within that timeframe will reset the clock. Once all bids are in and the clock expires with no additional bid, then the auction for that particular lot has ended with the highest bidder as the winner.
Can I preview auction items before I bid?
In most cases, a preview date and associated time frame will be scheduled for auctions. We highly encourage all potential bidders to preview items and ask any questions they may have. We try our best to accurately describe and photograph each listed item. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need additional insight on any item.
Can I return items for a refund?
All sales are final and sold “as-is, where-is” with no guarantee or warranty expressed or implied. Please see “Terms and Conditions” under the “Auction Details” tab for each auction.
“If” an item has been grossly misrepresented we will make every effort to reach a satisfactory agreement between buyer and auction house. We try our best to accurately describe and photograph each listed item. We do at times rely on the consignor to provide descriptions and representation of item/s he or she may consign and rely on that knowledge.
Can I cancel my bid?
As a general rule, bids cannot be cancelled. If you feel there has been an error, please do not hesitate to contact us right away. All bidders are responsible to abide by their legal binding contractual payment obligation.
Can I win an item for less than my bid amount?
Absolutely. Placing a maximum bid does not automatically raise the bid status to that level. Unlike a live auction, other online bidders cannot see what you’re willing to pay for an item. Bids are adjusted by monetary increments as bids are placed.
While you certainly can win the item at your maximum bid, you can also win an item lot below that maximum bid number.
For example, you place a maximum bid on an item at $100 and the next highest bid by another individual is $50. With no other bids to raise the price, then you will win that item at the next monetary bid increment, ie. $52.
How do I know if I won an item/s?
At the end of each auction, successful bidders will be sent an invoice via email. The invoice will reflect pick up date/s, pick up time, pick up location, an itemized list of auction items won and total cost.
How do I know If I’ve been outbid on an item? Will I receive an outbid notification?
There are a number of ways to know when you have been outbid on an item. One of the most useful is getting email notification when you have been outbid on an item. When you register for a HiBid Account, you have the option to select or deselect the account parameter marked “send email when outbid on an item”. This option provides you with quick, near real time email outbid status notifications on any items you had bid on and allows you to counter bid on items. We highly recommend you select this very helpful feature.
If you did not select this option upon initial account setup, no worries. After logging into your account, click the drop down menu next to your account name. You can then select “Account Info” and go to the bottom to select “send email when outbid on an item”. Then click “Save Account Info” -- it’s that easy.
You can also sign in to current online auctions by clicking “Register to Bid” and entering your user id and password. Once you are logged in (registered) you can select the “Bids” icon at the top of the page which will reflect items you are currently winning and items you have been outbid on.
When do I have to pick up and pay for won items?
Pick up and payment is expected on the day/s of and between the hours specified on the auction post and on the invoice. We understand that larger items or special circumstances may sometimes require more time. Communication is key. If you need more time for pick up, please communicate your needs prior to pick up deadline the date/time and we will work with you the best we can. Please keep in mind that we do not have a lot of space for storage and need all items paid for and picked up as soon as possible. If items not picked up by agreed time, additional storage costs may occur.
What happens if I bid and fail to pay for or pick up an item?
Creating an account, registering to bid and placing bids constitutes entering into a legal binding contract. Failure to pay for or pick up items on the specified or agreed date is a breach of contract and may result in bidding privileges being suspended, permanently revoked or legal restitution action being taken.
What type of payments are accepted?
We accept cash and major credit cards. NO CHECKS or PAYPAL.
What is your shipping and handling policy?
Central Treasures is pleased to provide shipping to our customers through USPS or UPS with tracking and a handling fee based on the size and complexity of the shipment. If you require to have items shipped, please indicate in the notes that you would like shipping for any items won and we will process payment with your credit card information on file with HiBid.
All shipments will be insured for an equivalent amount of the buyer's cost for the items won. Insurance, shipping and handling costs will be added to a purchaser’s final invoice.
If you wish to send a mover, alternate shipping company or individual to pick up your items, please make sure and contact us ASAP to coordinate this request and check our availability. We are not responsible for tracking or damages by third party movers or shipping companies.