Account FAQ
Registering to Bid?
Registering for an account on BFOBIDS.com is free and easy. You must become a registered bidder before you can place a bid. The login link is located in the upper right corner of the website. You may log in using either your bidder number or email address, and your password.
Update Account Information
Once logged in, you can click on the "Account Tab" at any time to update your account
Why is my bidder account disabled?
BFOBIDS reserves the right to remove bidding privileges for any user violating BFOBIDS's terms or auction specific terms.
If your bidding has been disabled it is most often due to an unpaid invoice. If you discover your bidding privileges have been suspended, please:
Check the Your Invoices section of your dashboard.
If an invoice has been marked as No-Show, contact the Vendor to make arrangements to pay the invoice and take possession of the assets.
If the items are no longer available, it may be possible to have your bidding privileges reinstated after paying a reinstatement fee. Please inquire about this possibility by filling out and submitting this form.
BFOBIDs's policy on bidder reinstatement due to unpaid invoices:
In the event that bidding rights are terminated due to no-show invoices, bidders MAY be reinstated at the discretion of BFOBIDS only after a penalty fee of $25.00 plus 20% of the unpaid invoice(s) has been paid to BFOBIDS and a scanned copy of your driver's license emailed to us. INVOICED ITEMS WILL NOT BE AWARDED. The payment is punitive and meant to deter no-shows.
Prompt payment during the scheduled removal days and complying with auction terms and conditions is required to remain an active user on BFOBIDS.com. If you believe that your bidding has been disabled in error, please contact us.
How "No-Show" invoices impact sellers.
When a bidder wins an item(s) and fails to complete the purchase, BFOBIDS classifies the invoice as a "No-Show" transaction.
In our business, "No-Show" invoices can be one of the most difficult and frustrating aspects of the job. We see it as an equivalent to ordering a pizza to the wrong address or not showing up for a medical appointment– both have an impact on the business's bottom line and waste valuable time and resources.
"No-Show" invoices may feel like a minor inconvenience from the outside. “After all, they still have the item and can just sell it to someone else, right?” In reality, “No-Show” invoices have a much bigger impact on everyone involved in the auction:
Vendors- Many hours go into the online auction process. Recruiting and working with sellers, cataloging assets and taking pictures, scheduling inspections and removing the items; these aspects are just a portion of the auction process. Some auctions have remote locations with strict timelines, finding other solutions can be nearly impossible for unpaid items.
Other Bidders - "No-Show" invoices prevent other bidders from being able to complete the purchase. They may have been one bid away but really wanted the item, we hate to take away that opportunity!
Consignment Sellers - Some sellers are in a tight spot and desperately need the proceeds of the auction or need to get out of the warehouse, garage, house, etc. "No-Show" invoices can delay that process and put sellers and Vendors in a difficult position.
When a winning bidder “No-Shows”, getting the item sold is rarely a simple matter of awarding it to the next highest bidder. An estimated 20% or less of these transactions are completed as most second place buyers have hesitations as to why the item did not sell the first time. Typically, the Vendor is forced to go back to square one and resell the item on a future auction or other outlets – both causing more time and effort.
BFOBIDS believes it is important to take a firm stance with "No-Show" invoices by disabling accounts which fail to fulfill their obligations. While we take no pleasure in losing customers, it is truly the only recourse we have to protect our Vendors, their sellers and other buyers from "No-Show" buyers in the online auction process.
We understand that things happen in life that can make it difficult for buyers to complete a purchase. If you find yourself in this situation, we ask that you contact the Vendor as soon as possible to see if other arrangements can be made. If that is not possible, we have instituted a reinstatement policy that allows bidders to retain their bidding privileges.
Updating your card on file
BFOBIDS.com requires a credit card on file for bidders to register and bid on the website. This card on file will be used to initiate online payments on winning bids.
To update your card on file, navigate to the account tab and select "Manage Payment Options"
Why do I need a Credit Card to register?
BFOBIDS.com requires users to register with a credit card to verify identity. To prevent fraud, all users are required to use a valid credit card that matches their registration information. Visa and Mastercard are the accepted credit cards for registration. American Express is not accepted for registration, but may be used for auction payments if accepted by the Vendor managing the auction. Please review the auction terms or contact the Vendor for details.
Closed/Delete my Account
Once logged in, you can click on the "Account Tab" at any time and select "Close Account" to disable your account
Verifying your Phone
BFOBIDS.com requires that new registrations verify their phone number. This allows us to verify your identity and gives Vendors the correct contact information to contact you regarding auction purchases. To verify your phone number, head over to the Account tab once logged into BFOBIDS.com. Scroll down and verify that the phone number is correct and select Verify your phone number. A text will be sent to the number on file and you will enter it on the next page. Standard message rates may apply. If you have a landline, you will see an option to request a phone call where the verification code will be given to you over the phone.