This article describes what VIP Bidders are and how sellers can identify and manage them through their Seller Dashboard.
This article contains the following sections:
What are VIP bidders?
VIP bidders are the top 1% of spenders on LiveAuctioneers over the last 12 months. They're identified based on spending volume, bidding history, and dispute record. Bidders who meet the criteria will be automatically marked as being VIP Bidders on the Bidder Dashboard. The VIP Bidder status is re-evaluated weekly. Bidders who no longer meet the necessary criteria will no longer display the VIP Bidder indicator.
VIP Bidder Criteria
A bidder is assigned VIP Status if and only if BOTH of the following are true:
- Top 1% by spending volume: The bidder's spending volume for the last 12 months is ≥ the 99th percentile of across all bidders.
- Dispute ratio below threshold: The bidder's dispute amount for the last 12 months divided by their spending volume for the last 12 months is strictly less than 5%.
Disputes only affect VIP status if they are (1) in the last 12 months; (2) unresolved. If a dispute is longer ago than 12 months, or if a dispute is later resolved (paid, refunded, or withdrawn) then it no longer counts in the determination of VIP status.
Does eventual payment negate the impact of a dispute for purposes of the VIP designation?
Yes, eventual payment negates the impact of a dispute for purposes of the VIP designation.
Is dispute frequency considered separately from final payment completion?
Dispute frequency (i.e., the number of disputes in a certain time period) is not a driving factor of VIP designation; it is specifically determined based on the amount of spending volume tied to unresolved disputes in the last 12 months.
Are auction-house-specific dispute patterns considered?
No, auction-house-specific patterns are not considered in VIP Status determination; it is specifically determined based on the amount of spending volume tied to unresolved disputes in the last 12 months.
VIP Bidder Management
VIP Bidders have a Crown badge to the right of their name on the Bidder Dashboard (on all tabs), as well as above their name in the Bidder Profile panel on the right side of the page.
You can manually approve or decline VIP Bidders just as you would any other bidder. VIP Bidders are not auto-approved for your auctions, unless they also meet your auto-approval criteria.
VIP Bidders can also be listed as Favorite bidders and Premium bidders alongside being a VIP Bidder, so one bidder may display multiple icons at a time.
VIP bidders have a proven track record of following through. They're our highest-value, most reliable buyers. However, approving them for your sale is ultimately up to you. You can view their full bidding history and activity in their Bidder Profile before making your decision.
On the rare occasion that you may encounter a non-paying VIP Bidder, you can submit a dispute as you would normally and our teams will action that dispute per the standard dispute process.