No. All we need from you at that time is a valid e-mail address. There is only one account issued per e-mail address. Once you register, we'll send you confirmation e-mail with a link that you will need to click in order to activate your account. If you are the winning bidder, you can pay online through the checkout.

In order to retrieve your password, you will have to complete three challenges, each more daunting than the last…just kidding. There is an automated "Forgot Password" functionality that you can use to get your password e-mailed to you. You can find this under Account on the top right hand corner.

Any time you want, just go to the Account in the top right-hand corner of the page.

No. The only information that will be posted publicly is your display name. So feel free to bid vehemently against your mother-in-law, she'll never know it was you.

We do not store your credit card information. All transactions are conducted via a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encrypted channel and only after you've won an item. Your credit card information and other personally identifiable information (PII) is never sent in plain unencrypted text; in addition, transaction information is stored in a secure and encrypted manner. From a physical security standpoint, our servers are maintained in a secured, limited-access data center.

We've made it an easy, three step process to get the auction item of your dreams:

1. Sign Up as A Bidder
   You don't need to give us your credit card information, just a valid e-mail address and a display name of your choice. Choose wisely – this will be your user/bidding name that other bidders will see.
2. Activate your Account.
   You will receive an email from us. Click the button to activate and you are set to get bidding. Don't see the email? Check your junk mail.
3. View Auction of choice
4. Find something you like, enter the amount and click BID NOW.
   You'll get an e-mail confirming your bid along with a pop up telling you are the high bidder.

You'll get an e-mail confirming you have been "outbid" meaning you need to click the button in the email and get bidding again.

Choosing a Max Bid is a good way to indicate the maximum amount you are willing to bid, without necessarily spending the maximum, or having to monitor the auction and increasing your bid. Auctioning without effort, if you will.

You indicate the highest bid you are willing to pay for an item by placing a Max Bid. Your Max Bid will automatically increase in the minimum bid increments, up to the maximum that you have indicated, but only if and when you have been outbid -- so your winning bid may end up less than your designated maximum. Which is exciting, everyone likes a deal. The use of a Max Bid means not having to check your e-mail or watch the auction to see if your bid needs to be raised

In order to place a max bid, please check off the "Max bid" checkbox when you are submitting a bid on the item that you would like.

Absolutely. We call it the "stalker strategy." Click the "Add to watch list" button on the item that you would like to add. Items will automatically be added to your watch list. See below for more on Watch list.

A watch list displays items you wish to monitor. Watching an item helps you keep track of it without having to bid or buy it immediately. If you decide to bid or buy it, you can do it quickly by clicking the watched listing in my Watch list under account menu.

To watch an item from an Elevate Auction:

1. Go to the item you are interested in.
2. Click on the Button.

To View your Watch list:

1. Go to My Account.
2. Then go to My Watch list.

* The Watch list can span over multiple auctions

Bids placed within the final 3 minutes before an auction's designated close time, will be extended by an additional 3 minutes from when the last bid was placed. This gives all bidders an opportunity to place a competing bid. All items will close when there have been no bids placed within the last remaining 3 minutes. Think of it as sudden death overtime in the auction world.

A reserve price is the minimum price the organizer is willing to accept for the item. It usually means that it's a pretty amazing item and you should bid.

Items marked as "Live" mean the item will be carrying on to the physical auction event most likely with the assistance of a professional auctioneer. The highest online bidder will begin the live event bidding.

We're working on having sparkles shoot out of your computer but until technology catches up with us, A pop up will appear saying "Congrats - You are the High Bidder". Your display name will also be shown underneath the "Bid Increment" on the Item page.

Yes. You will receive an e-mail once you have been outbid.

Once you "win" an item, payment is due within 24 hours of purchase. We accept payment through Visa or Mastercard online. When you would like to pay, login to the system and under the Account header, click the "Checkout" Tab and follow instructions from there. Again, we don't store your credit card information and our checkout process is secure.

Shipping is at the discretion of the nonprofit hosting the auction. It should be posted under the shipping tab on the item. If you have any questions about the status of your item, please contact the cause you are supporting directly for questions regarding this.

At the request of a significant number of our donors and winners, we do not disclose the final auction price of closed items.

There are no "take backs." All bids placed on our website are legally binding. If you are the successful bidder, you enter into a legal contract to purchase the item and will be considered the buyer of the item. Please consider your bids carefully before placing them.

Since this is a transaction, buyers will not be provided a charitable tax receipt. A charitable tax receipt from the charity may be requested if the buyer is submitting a cash donation only. Please contact your local charity for this information