This article describes the process for submitting and resolving disputes submitted against non-paying bidders, as well as the impact of those disputes.
This article contains the following sections:
About Disputes
Disputes are a way for Auction Houses to notify LiveAuctioneers of a non-paying bidder they had in an auction.
When you file a dispute against a bidder, you are creating a permanent mark on their account and notifying other sellers of the bidder's non-payment. If a bidder receives two or more disputes, their account will be suspended and they will not be allowed to bid on LiveAuctioneers until ALL unpaid disputes are resolved.
- You can only file a dispute between 5-45 calendar days from the end time of the sale.
When a dispute is filed, a notification is sent to the bidder advising them of the dispute. They will also be sent three weekly emails from LiveAuctioneers, warning of the consequences of non-payment.
Filing a dispute will remove any related commissions owed to LiveAuctioneers for the unpaid items, which will be automatically adjusted on your invoice at the next billing cycle.
Filing a Dispute
Please note, if an item has an open dispute on it, you will not be able to remove it from the EOA. The dispute will need to be closed with the bidder before the item can be removed
If you file a dispute in error, mark the dispute as resolved on your EOA, then send an email to our Seller Support team to explain the error and request its complete removal.
- From your Seller Dashboard, navigate to the End of Auction report (EOA) for the auction.
-
Check the box in the Disputes column to the right of the applicable bidder.
- This option will not be available unless it has been between 5-45 calendar days from the end of the sale.
- Use the drop-down box that appears in the Disputes column to select the reason for filing the dispute.
- Click the Submit button to save the reason for the dispute.
- Once it processes, a Red Checkmark will appear to the right of the bidder's name on every lot they purchased in that auction.
Resolving/Closing Disputes
Bidders can resolve a dispute directly by paying the amount owed via their 'Won Items' page.
If the issue was resolved in another manner, you can resolve/close the dispute manually:
- From your Seller Dashboard, navigate to the End of Auction report (EOA) for the auction in which the dispute was filed.
- Click on the Red Checkmark in the Disputes column to the right of the applicable bidder.
- Use the drop-down box that appears in the Disputes column to select the reason for settling the dispute.
- Click the Submit button to save the reason for settling the dispute.
- Resolving the dispute will close it, but a mark will still appear on the bidder's history.
Example:
Suspended Bidder Accounts
If a bidder receives two or more disputes on their account, they will be suspended and lose their ability to participate in any online live auctions through LiveAuctioneers.com.
Once a bidder has been suspended:
- Their status is immediately changed to “Suspended” for all auctions in which the bidder is registered.
- The bidder is notified via e-mail as well as the ‘My Profile’ section of their account.
- All of their pending absentee bids will remain unsent and in 'Pending' status until all disputes have been resolved.