CONDITIONS & TERMS OF SALE

TERMS, CONDITIONS & PRIVACY POLICY.  By registering on our website you are confirming you have read, understand and accept the privacy policy (available for reading on our website) and the following terms:

 BIDDING AGREEMENT.  By bidding you are agreeing to the following terms and are entering into a legal binding agreement to follow through with the purchase of those auction lots from Pole Top Discoveries Auctions, also referred below as the "auctioneer," "we," "our," and/or "auction house."

GUARANTEE REGARDING DESCRIPTIONS.  Your complete satisfaction is our primary goal!  Pole Top Discoveries guarantees the description of items to be correct in the auction listing in regard to authenticity, estimated age (within 20 years) and condition.  

BIDDING METHODS.  Absentee bids will be accepted by phone, postal mail, email or though our "live" online auction site.  All items have an Opening Bid.  No bids are accepted below the opening bid amount.  If you wish to place a bid you may enter an amount equal to or above the next acceptable bid increment.  Minimum Bidding increments  are as follows:

$0 up to $20.........$2 increase          $20 up to $50............ $5 increase.               $50 up to $250..............$10 increase             $250 up to $750..........$25 increase

$750 up to $1500........$50 increase             $1500 op to $3000.......$100 increase            $3000 to $6000....$250 increase

$6000 to $12000.....$500 increase           $12000 to $30000.....$1000 increase          $30000 & up...........$2500 increase 

Our auction system uses "proxy bidding."  Proxy bidding allows a bidder to place a bid amount at the next increment level or higher.  In the event the amount is higher (maximum) than the next minimum required, the auction system will bid only as needed, automatically on your behalf, up to the maximum amount of your bid.  The proxy bidding system will not reveal your maximum bid to other bidders.  Leaving higher maximum bids with the proxy system avoids any problems that might occur near the auction close (server slowdown or shutdown). 

Revision, 9:15 A.M. August 5, 2020: Our current auction software does accept bids in non-incremental amounts, so long as they are greater than the required minimum increment. However, we ask that everyone bid in the set amounts stated above.  Any bids placed at odd amounts that are "off increment" (example $1010) will be manually lowered by the auction house to the next lower increment level.  Please use the chart above to establish acceptable bid amounts.

TIMER EXTENSIONS.  To avoid being outbid very close to the auction closing (snipe bidding), "Timer Extensions" will be enabled. A small timer clock will appear online next to each lot description, starting at 9:54 PM on closing night.  Timers will be in place as follows:

At 9:54 P.M. a 6 minute timer will start.  Any lot that does not receive a bid between 9:54 PM and 10 PM will close at 10 PM.  If one or more new bids are placed on a given lot between 9:54 PM and 10 P.M, the clock will be reset to 10:06 PM on each lot involved.  

If no new bids are received on a given extended lot between 10 PM and 10:06 PM, that lot will close at 10:06 PM.   If one or more bids are received on an extended lot between 10 P.M. and 10:06 P.M., the timer will reset to 10:12 P.M. for that one lot.  6 minute timers will be in effect until 10:12.

Any lots not resolved by 10:12 P.M, the timer will be changed from 6 minute intervals to 2 minute intervals.  The timer reduction from six minutes to two minutes must be reset by us manually, thus the switch to quicker ending timers might be off, one way or the other, by a few seconds.

OFFICE HOURS.  Phone bids or auction related questions may be made between 8 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time throughout the sale period.  On closing day, the hours are extended from 8 AM to 10 PM. We suggest phone bidding early to avoid any phone "bottleneck" near sale closing time.  In auctions which include a printed Catalogue (available by purchase), those persons receiving the Catalogue may place phone bids with us any time after receipt (even before online bidding starts).  We will then execute bids for you online, in order received immediately after the online version becomes live.

BID REMOVAL.  After placing a bid, you cannot remove a bid if it is currently the high bid amount.  However, if you placed a "maximum bid," higher than the "current high bid," you may later reduce your maximum to a lower amount, so long as it is equal to or higher than the current high bid.  Anyone who makes an error bid MUST CALL US IMMEDIATELY to make a correction: 440-548-5408.

ITEM REMOVAL, SALE POSTPONEMENT / TERMINATION.  The auction house reserves the right to remove any item(s) from the sale at any time during the sale period or post auction period, and refuse/remove any bid believed not to have been made in good faith.  If, during the sale period an act or circumstance takes place which impedes or affects the normal sale procedure, the auction can be postponed or terminated at the auctioneer's discretion.  This would include, but not limited to events such as host server failure, national emergency, health crisis, etc.  

BUYER PREMIUM.  A 12% buyer premium will be added to the invoice for all items purchased.  This is in addition to your winning bid amount.

PAYMENT.  Payment is due immediately upon auction invoicing.  If payment is not made promptly, the purchase contract may be voided at the discretion of Pole Top Discoveries and the item(s) offered to other parties or otherwise disposed.  Payment should be received by us no longer than 14 days after sale closing.  We are understanding of special circumstances, but prompt communication is required.  Layaway is available, but must be arranged PRIOR to bidding (see below).  US purchasers may make payment in the form of personal check, money order or US currency.  Sorry, no credit cards or Paypal for US purchasers.  Canada purchasers may use a cheque so long as it is a pre-printed US dollar account or bank money order. No PayPal for Canadian orders.  International outside US and Canada, please inquire. 

LAYAWAY.  We offer a layaway plan, which requires approval by us PRIOR to bids being placed. A minimum 25% non-refundable deposit must be received within 14 days of auction closing date on all layaways.  If the 25% non-refundable deposit is not received within 14 days, the purchase contract may be voided at the discretion of Pole Top Discoveries and the item(s) offered to other parties or otherwise disposed.  We prefer full payment for layaways not exceed 90 days from sale closing date.  A payment plan taking longer than 90 days MUST be pre-approved.  Any deviation from the preferred plan must be cleared by us PRIOR to bidding. Those requiring longer than 90 days will be subject to interest charges.  If a purchaser fails to pay by the agreed "paid in full date" the auction house reserves the right to cancel the purchase and retain the 25% deposit.  Unpaid items may also be offered in subsequent auctions at the discretion of Pole Top Discoveries, in which case the defaulted purchaser will be liable for standard consignor fees for the resale of said lots. 

SHIPPING & INSURANCE.  Invoices are typically generated and emailed by us within 24 hours of auction finalization.  Please do not send payment until after all shipping and insurance charges are calculated and added to your invoice.  All bidders will have access to your invoice on the auction site.  All parcels are shipped using US Postal Service.  We will estimate your USPS shipping/insurance charges and attempt to invoice as close to the actual USPS amount as possible.  We provide excellent packaging for all parcels.  Although rare, shipping damage or a lost package can occur, therefore full value insurance is mandatory on all domestic parcels.  If you were to discover shipping damage, please save all packaging materials and call us immediately.  We will advise you of the proper procedure at that time.

SALES TAX.  As a registered retail vendor in the state of Ohio, we are required by state law to collect 6.75% sales tax on all items shipped to Ohio destinations, items picked up at our office in Ohio, or delivered within the state of Ohio.  If you are an Ohio Registered Vendor buying for resale, send us a completed exemption form to be exempt from sales tax.  Please note, legislation during recent years regarding sales tax on internet sales may affect some out of state shipments.  Each state varies, and our interpretation is that most or all states appear to have relatively high, maximum allowable total exemptions for out of state sales.  Although sales/use tax may not be added by us on your out of state invoice, it is the responsibility of the purchaser to pay said taxes in the event we failed to make said charge on the original invoice.  Pole Top Discoveries assumes no liability in the case of taxes or duties due, which were not charged/collected by us.

RETURNS.  Items which qualify for refund based on an inaccurate condition report in the auction description must be reported  to us by phone within 48 hours of receipt.  440-548-5408.  This 48-hour period begins at the time of delivery as recorded by electronic shipment tracking.  Returned items must be in the same condition as when sent from our office, and posted within 72 hours of receipt, and only after our approval. If not reported/returned in the time frame stated, all sales become final.  Returned items must be in our possession before refunds will be made. Refunds based on the grounds of authenticity must be requested within 21 days of sale closing date.  Minor manufacturing flaws or traces of use, which, in our opinion do not significantly detract monetarily from the item are not subject to refund.  In the unlikely event of a dispute, Pole Top Discoveries will make the final decision regarding refunds.

Thank You!

Latest Revision: 9:50 A.M., May 8, 2023