Auction Rules Policy
This Auction Rules Policy explains the rules that apply when buyers and sellers participate in auctions on our platform. By listing an item, placing a bid, or using any auction-related feature, you agree to follow this policy, our Terms and Conditions, and all other applicable platform policies.
1
Eligibility to Participate
To participate in an auction, users must:
- Have a registered account
- Provide accurate account information
- Verify their email address or mobile number
- Meet the minimum age requirement
- Complete identity verification when requested
- Add a valid payment method if required
- Accept the applicable auction terms
We may limit or remove auction access if an account cannot be verified or shows unusual, fraudulent, or abusive activity.
Sellers must provide complete and accurate information about every auction item, including:
- Product name and description
- Item condition
- Clear and recent images
- Starting bid
- Bid increment
- Auction start and end time
- Reserve-price status, where applicable
- Shipping charges and delivery information
- Return or cancellation conditions
- Known defects, damage, repairs, or missing parts
Sellers must not provide misleading descriptions, hide important defects, use unrelated images, or misrepresent an item’s condition, origin, authenticity, ownership, or value.
The starting bid is the minimum amount required to begin bidding on an item.
Once a valid first bid is placed, the auction price will increase according to the bid increment and any eligible automatic bids.
Sellers cannot change the starting bid after the first valid bid has been accepted.
Every auction has a minimum bid increment. The increment determines how much higher the next bid must be than the current bid.
For example, if the current bid is ₹2,000 and the increment is ₹100, the next valid bid must be at least ₹2,100.
Bid increments may vary depending on the product, price range, category, or auction settings.
Before placing a bid, buyers must carefully review:
- The product description
- Product images
- Item condition
- Seller information
- Current auction price
- Shipping charges
- Delivery availability
- Return conditions
- Auction end time
After entering a valid amount, the buyer must confirm the bid. Once accepted, the bid becomes active and is generally considered a commitment to purchase the item if the buyer wins.
Buyers should bid only when they are ready and financially able to complete the purchase.
Buyers may enter the highest amount they are willing to pay. This amount is called the maximum bid.
The maximum bid is kept private and is not displayed to other buyers or the seller. The platform automatically places the lowest required bid on the buyer’s behalf and continues increasing it when competing bids are received.
Automatic bidding will never exceed the buyer’s chosen maximum amount.
Example
If the current bid is ₹5,000, the bid increment is ₹250, and a buyer sets a maximum bid of ₹7,000, the platform may initially bid ₹5,250.
If another buyer bids ₹5,500, the platform may automatically increase the first buyer’s bid to ₹5,750. This continues until the buyer becomes the highest bidder or reaches the ₹7,000 limit.
If two buyers enter the same maximum bid, the maximum bid received first will normally receive priority.
The platform’s recorded server time will be used to determine which bid was submitted first.
A seller may set a reserve price for selected auctions. The reserve price is the minimum amount the seller is willing to accept.
The exact reserve price may remain private. However, the auction page may display one of the following:
- Reserve Not Met: The current price has not reached the seller’s minimum amount.
- Reserve Met: The current price has reached the seller’s minimum amount.
Being the highest bidder does not guarantee a purchase if the reserve price has not been met.
If the auction ends without meeting the reserve price, the seller is not normally required to complete the sale.
Any platform-operated reserve mechanism, where offered, must be clearly identified and must not operate beyond the seller’s declared reserve threshold.
Every auction displays an expected closing time. The platform’s server time is the official time used to determine when an auction begins and ends.
A buyer’s device clock, internet delay, page-loading delay, or notification-delivery time does not override the platform’s recorded time.
Buyers should not wait until the final moment to place a bid.
10
Time Extension and Anti-Sniping
Selected auctions may use an automatic time-extension feature.
If a valid bid is placed during the final 10 seconds, the auction may be extended by one minute. Additional qualifying bids during the extended period may result in further extensions.
The auction will close when the countdown reaches zero without receiving another qualifying bid during the extension period.
The applicable extension rules will be displayed on the auction page.
A buyer shown as the highest bidder is currently leading the auction. This does not mean the buyer has won the item.
The highest-bidder status may change when:
- Another buyer places a higher bid
- An existing automatic bid responds
- A previously placed bid is removed after a review
- The auction is extended
- A technical or account-verification issue is resolved
A buyer becomes the winner only after the auction officially closes and all applicable conditions have been satisfied.
When an auction ends, the highest eligible bidder may be declared the winner if:
- The final bid is valid
- The reserve price has been met, when applicable
- The buyer’s account remains eligible
- No bidding violation has been identified
- The listing has not been cancelled or removed
- All other auction conditions have been satisfied
The winner will receive a confirmation through the website, application, email, SMS, or push notification.
The winning amount is the final valid bid recorded by the platform.
The winning bidder must complete payment within the period shown in the auction terms. Unless otherwise stated, payment should be completed within 48 hours of winning.
The total payable amount may include:
- Winning bid amount
- Applicable taxes
- Shipping charges
- Platform or service charges, if disclosed
- Other charges clearly shown before payment
If payment is not completed within the permitted period, the platform may:
- Cancel the order
- Restrict the buyer’s bidding access
- Suspend the buyer’s account
- Offer the item to another eligible bidder
- Allow the seller to relist the item
- Apply other actions permitted by the platform’s policies
14
Bid Cancellation and Retraction
Bids are generally final and cannot be withdrawn because a buyer:
- Changed their mind
- Found another item
- Bid more than intended
- Failed to read the description
- Did not review shipping charges
- No longer wants the item
A bid may be reviewed for cancellation only in exceptional circumstances, such as:
- A clear typing error
- A major description change made after the bid
- Suspected unauthorized account access
- A verified technical failure
- A listing that violates platform rules
Submitting a request does not guarantee that the bid will be removed.
15
Seller Changes and Auction Cancellation
After receiving a valid bid, sellers must not make major changes to the listing, including changes to:
- Product identity
- Item condition
- Product quantity
- Starting price
- Reserve conditions
- Shipping charges
- Delivery restrictions
- Return conditions
A seller may request auction cancellation only for a valid reason, such as:
- The item was damaged or lost
- The listing contains a serious error
- The item is no longer legally available for sale
- A safety or authenticity concern has been identified
Repeated or unjustified auction cancellations may result in listing restrictions, account suspension, or other action.
16
Prohibited Bidding Activity
The following activities are strictly prohibited:
- Bidding on your own item
- Asking friends, relatives, employees, or associates to increase an item’s price
- Using multiple accounts to influence an auction
- Coordinating bids between buyers
- Placing bids without intending to pay
- Manipulating the auction countdown or bidding system
- Using unauthorized bots, scripts, or automated tools
- Creating false demand or misleading bidding activity
- Threatening or pressuring another bidder
- Attempting to complete the transaction outside the platform
- Using stolen payment information
- Participating in fraudulent or unlawful transactions
The platform may investigate unusual bidding patterns and take action without prior notice when necessary to protect users.
17
Suspicious or Invalid Bids
A bid may be rejected, cancelled, or removed if it:
- Comes from an unverified or restricted account
- Is linked to suspected fraud
- Violates this policy
- Results from unauthorized access
- Is created through a technical error
- Is placed using prohibited automation
- Is connected to seller-controlled bidding
- Is part of coordinated price manipulation
- Cannot be validated by the platform
Removing an invalid bid may change the current auction price or highest bidder.
18
Seller Responsibilities After a Sale
After receiving successful payment, the seller must:
- Prepare the correct item for dispatch
- Package the item securely
- Ship it within the stated handling time
- Provide valid tracking information when available
- Avoid replacing the item with another product
- Cooperate with delivery and support enquiries
- Follow the applicable return and refund policy
Sellers must not delay shipment to demand additional payment from the buyer.
19
Buyer Responsibilities After Winning
The winning buyer must:
- Complete payment within the permitted time
- Provide an accurate delivery address
- Remain available for delivery communication
- Inspect the product after receiving it
- Report genuine problems within the applicable period
- Avoid making false damage, non-delivery, or authenticity claims
- Cooperate with reasonable verification requests
Failure to meet these responsibilities may affect the buyer’s eligibility for certain resolutions.
Shipping times and costs may vary based on the seller, product type, delivery location, and logistics provider.
Estimated delivery dates are provided for guidance and are not guaranteed. Delays may occur due to weather, public holidays, courier issues, address problems, or other events beyond reasonable control.
Buyers and sellers should keep all shipping-related communication within the platform wherever possible.
21
Returns, Refunds and Disputes
Return eligibility depends on the item, seller terms, product category, and the platform’s Return and Refund Policy.
A return may be considered when:
- The wrong item is delivered
- The item is materially different from its description
- The item arrives damaged
- The item is confirmed as counterfeit
- Important defects were not disclosed
A return may not be accepted solely because the buyer changed their mind, unless the listing or applicable policy specifically allows it.
Buyers must provide requested evidence, such as photographs, an unboxing video, courier information, or written details of the issue.
The platform works to keep auctions accurate and available. However, temporary technical issues may occasionally affect bidding, notifications, countdown displays, or page access.
When a technical issue materially affects an auction, the platform may:
- Extend the auction
- Pause the auction
- Cancel invalid bids
- Restore the correct bidding status
- Restart or cancel the auction
- Take another reasonable corrective action
The platform’s transaction logs and server records will be used when reviewing technical issues.
Users may receive notifications about bid confirmations, outbid activity, auction extensions, auction results, payments, and shipping.
Notifications are provided for convenience and may be delayed by internet issues, device settings, email filters, or third-party services.
Users remain responsible for monitoring active auctions through their account.
The platform may warn, restrict, suspend, or permanently close an account for:
- Repeated non-payment
- False bidding
- Seller-controlled bidding
- Fraudulent activity
- Harassment or abusive behaviour
- Multiple-account misuse
- Repeated auction cancellation
- False product information
- Attempts to avoid platform charges
- Serious or repeated policy violations
Where necessary, related accounts, devices, payment methods, addresses, or contact details may also be reviewed.
We may update this Auction Rules Policy to reflect changes in platform features, legal requirements, safety practices, or operational processes.
The updated version will be published on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. Continued participation in auctions after an update means that users agree to follow the revised policy.
Have a question, concern, or need assistance with anything on VIKRYA? Please contact our customer support team through the support channels provided on our website. We’re here to help and ensure you have a smooth and hassle-free experience with VIKRYA.