LivePayments: Frequently Asked Questions

Set yourself up for success and ensure a positive LivePayments experience by reviewing our FAQs 

When can I expect to receive my first disbursement? 

Please note that all first withdrawals are subject to a 5-business day payout delay. This is a one-time security hold, all future withdrawals are then set to go out bi-weekly without delay, every Tuesday and Friday. To determine when this hold will be lifted, review the date of your first withdrawal in the “Disbursements” tab and count 5 business days after that date. The funds should then appear in your account in 1-2 business days, depending on your bank.

How are the online payments fee, commission, and sales tax calculated? 

  • The credit/debit card fee is calculated based on the gross invoice total (including the sales tax, shipping costs, or any other alterations)
    • Please note, online payment fees may differ for regulated items such as firearms and ammunition
  • The bank transfer (ACH) fee is calculated based on the gross invoice total (including the sales tax, shipping costs, or any other alterations)
  • The commission is calculated based on the hammer price
  • The sales tax is calculated using our advanced sales tax calculation engine. Based on the destination ZIP code, the calculator applies the correct state and local sales tax rate on the hammer price and shipping and handling fees. Online payment fees and buyer’s premium may also be taxable depending on the state. For more information, please review Internet Sales Tax: When LiveAuctioneers Collects and Remits and FAQ: Sales Tax Collection & Remittance through LivePayments

When is safe to ship/release items paid for via LivePayments? 

Once a payment passes all fraud checks and is approved by our processor, the status will become "pending disbursement." At this point, you can release the item to the winning bidder. If you plan on shipping the item, please make sure you are sending the item to the address listed on the payment received email.

For more information on payment status, please review LivePayments: Understanding Payment Status.

Where can I find a breakdown of my disbursements? 

This report is available in the 'Reporting' tab of your LivePayments dashboard (see below). The disbursement report will give you a full breakdown of the invoices included in each disbursement. 

Note: It may take up to 1 business day for the disbursement report to be fully updated after the listed disbursement date.

What is a negative disbursement?

This occurs when a refund or chargeback is requested that is greater than the LiveAuctioneers account balance. The funds are immediately debited from the bank account on file via a temporary negative disbursement. This type of disbursement will only be triggered if the negative balance is greater than $500.

Due to the nature of these disbursements, they do not include a breakdown of the included invoices. The LivePayments team can provide you with a revised disbursement report for a breakdown of the invoices included in the negative disbursement. To request one, please contact us via payments@liveauctioneers.com.

What is the process for a negative disbursement? 

  • A refund or chargeback is requested that exceeds the auction house's LiveAuctioneers account balance triggering the negative disbursement to be debited from the auction house's bank account. 
  • This debiting process usually takes approximately 5-7 business days to clear and the processor does not receive the funds until it clears. 
    • If a payment is received by the auction house within this 5-7 day period then that amount will be accounted for in the negative disbursement. If it covers the full amount of the negative disbursement then the house will receive the remaining amount via payout. If it does not cover the full amount of the negative disbursement then the process will continue but only for the remaining funds needed to fulfill it. 
  • When the debit clears around that 7th business day, it is processed normally and the temporary debit is returned to the auction house’s balance.

Example: 

  • A refund is issued for $2,500 and the account balance in LiveAuctioneers is $0. The account balance will now reflect (-$2,500) which triggers a negative disbursement. 
  • $2,500 is deducted from the auction house's bank account on file via an ACH debit. This debit will be pending for 5-7 business days. 
    • A payment is received by the auction house for $3,000 within that 5-7 day period. The needed $2,500 will be administered to the negative disbursement and the remaining $500 will be paid out to the auction house. 
  • On or around the 7th business day the ACH debit will clear and the negative disbursement will be fulfilled therefore fulfilling the originally requested refund.

Will any holidays affect my disbursements?

Only Bank Holidays that are recognized by the United States Federal Reserve. A list of the applicable holidays for 2024 can be found here 2024 Bank Holidays. 

What is a chargeback and why were the funds deducted from my account?

A chargeback is an action taken by the cardholder’s bank to force a transaction reversal and trigger a dispute resolution process.  Chargebacks are, unfortunately, an unavoidable part of any credit/debit card processing (and are not unique to LivePayments). 

Once a chargeback has been issued, the disputed amount will be withdrawn from your payments account. Disputes are handled with the bidder's bank, so we do not have any specific information on how it will be reviewed. That said, we will be happy to provide guidance along the way. Once a decision has been issued, you will see the disputed amount either returned or remain debited (depending on the result). 

Note: The chargeback process can be quite lengthy, cardholders typically have up to 120 days to file a chargeback and banks can take up to 6 weeks to issue a decision.

For any chargeback, the best first step is to reach out to the bidder. This will help you get a better understanding of the dispute and your outreach can serve as evidence of a good faith attempt to resolve the issue.

For more information on chargebacks, please review our Chargeback FAQs

When a full refund is requested, how are the funds broken up between the bidder and myself? 

When a full refund if executed by the LiveAuctioneers team, the following will occur:

  • The bidder who requested the refund will receive the full payment back that they made (this includes the hammer, sales tax, and online payment fee (if they paid it)).
  • You (the auction house) will receive a credit on your LiveAuctioneers account which will account for the applicable sales tax and commissions. The online payment fee will not be credited back to you as it is viewed as a service that has been used, exhausted, and paid for. 

Please review all of our LivePayments articles and resources here.

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