FAQ and Page-A-Mod
GENERAL INFO
When will the auction start and end?
Auction Start: December 30th, 12:00 noon
Auction End: January 20th, 12:00 midnight (the midnight between the 20th and 21st)
All times are in Eastern Standard Time [EST] for the sake of simplicity. To convert to your own timezone there's a handy converter right here.
What currency will be used for these auctions?
Everything will be in USD, for ALL transactions. This will make it easier both on the people making the bids and on the organizations who will be accepting the donations. There's a currency converter for your use right here.
Can offers and/or bids be made anonymously?
Unfortunately, no - there's no way to hold bidders or offerers accountable if they don't have an account. Making a Livejournal is free; it's required.
Can I retract my offer and/or bid?
As a general rule, no. Please do not offer or bid if you are unsure about being able to fully commit. However, if there are extraordinary circumstances that absolutely require that you retract an offer and/or bid, please PM the mods right away. Do not delete a bid or offer without first engaging in clear communication with the mods, as well as any offerers/bidders involved.
OFFERING
I am offering / donating [something], how do I go about it?
All auction posts will open on Friday, December 30th, 12:00 noon. Here's the setup of auction posts that will be going up:
Words (fanfiction or original fiction)
Art offerings (fanart or original art; anything but graphics)
Graphics offerings (icons, site layouts, mood themes, misc graphics)
Audio (fanmixes or original music)
Food (food)
Everything else (catch-all category: jewelry, crafts, clothing, etc.)
The offerer sets the minimum bid for the item/s up for auction, and has the option to include a "buy it now" price as well.
Can I offer store-bought items? Or are only self-made works allowed?
Yes, you can absolutely offer store-bought items as long as you make it clear that that's what you're offering.
Can I offer completed works? Or are only commissioned works allowed?
Yes, you may offer completed works, as well. However, please keep in mind that bidders are less likely to bid on already-completed fics and artworks. Those are allowed, but it's up to the bidder whether they'll accept that. Popular completed works include such items as knitted scarves and plushies.
If I am making visual or tangible works, should I include previews/samples of similar or previous work that I've done?
It is not required to do so, but it would be the best way to let bidders get a better idea of what they would be bidding on.
Can I specify which fandoms I'm willing to offer for? Can I specify what I'm not willing to do?
Please do specify which fandoms you're willing to offer for. If you are offering original work, please state as such. Also, you are welcome to specify what you are not willing to do (e.g. for fanfic, "I'm not willing to write breathplay or mpreg"). As a general rule, please do be as specific as possible in your offer, so that bidders are informed beforehand.
Should I make one thread for multiple offers? Or a separate thread for each offer?
A separate thread should be posted for each item that a person can bid separately on. For example, if you're a writer, you could post several threads that all have the same offer - but each thread will be a separate auction, and you'll be responsible for three separate fics, one for each winner. Same goes for art or crafts - for each particular bidding chain, each item that a person can win from you, make a thread.
If you have something that's more of a combined auction - for example, if you offer a 300-word drabble to anyone who donates $5 for a maximum of five drabbles, that would constitute one single thread.
When you're posting multiple threads, please number them - Digital Art: Offer #2, etc. More information will be avaliable on each auction type post.
Can I specify which charities I prefer the winning bidder make the donation to?
Yes, you can specify as such in your offer post. Please do ensure that you and the winning bidder(s) agree on which charity will be receiving the donation.
How do I determine who has won my offer?
If your offer is not a buy-it-now offer, then the person who has placed the highest bid will be considered the winning bidder. If your offer is buy-it-now, then the first person to bid the dictated amount (and follow up with proof of donation) will be considered the winning bidder. As a general rule, winning is determined on a first-come-first-served basis.
After a bidder has won a buy-it-now auction, how do I let the mods know that the donation has been confirmed?
There will be a donation confirmation post coming soon, where offerers can leave comments. The offerer must confirm having received proof of documentation (email receipt, screencaps, and/or e-copy of physical receipt), and let us know which organization the donation was sent to. This is so we can ensure accurate recording of all transactions. For each separate offer, make a separate comment on the confirmation post.
Is there a deadline by which I should submit my work to the winning bidder?
No, there is no set deadline. However, you should communicate with the winning bidder either via PM or email to ensure that you both settle on an agreeable timeline. If you anticipate not being able to deliver your work for some time, please do state as such in your offer post (or in a comment within the same thread). It is your responsibility to ensure that bidders are aware of any potential delays.
Do I retain copyright of my works? Are there any legal concerns I should be aware of?
Yes, the creator's right still belongs to you. (Though if you are utilizing other sources to create your work, please credit appropriately.) However, please keep in mind that you are gifting your work to the winning bidder, not selling. The winning bidder will be making the donation directly to charity, so it is not considered payment for your work. This holds true, as long as the offerer is not profiting monetarily in any way from the auction. For such offers as fanfics and artwork, please come to a consensus with the winning bidder as to whether or not the work can be made public.
If I am shipping edible items overseas, are there regulations I should be aware of?
Yes. Please ensure that you read the customs regulations and follow the proper procedures of the country to which you are shipping food. It is your responsibility to make sure that your package will not be seized by customs due to the nature of its contents.
US regulations
UK regulations
Canadian regulations
Australian regulations
BIDDING & DONATING
I will be bidding for [something], how do I go about it?
When the auctions open up, people can already start making bids on offerings. The minimum amount for each item is up to the offerer; after that, it will be up to the bidders.
Near the end of the auctions we will be going through the offerings posts to determine the winners, and we will inform both the offerer and the winning bidder so that they can get in touch and coordinate on the item and on the donation.
If you wish to bid for something immediately, go right ahead - but remember that a lot of people will be putting up offers and you might want to look around to see if your favorite author or artist will be putting something up.
If I win an auction, what are the arrangements for making the donation and receiving the item that I bid for?
Winning bidders must contact the offerers and show them proof of donation, such as confirmation numbers, Bank Identification Numbers, receipts, or screencaps. Once that's settled, the offerer and the winning bidder can discuss the arrangements for delivering the item that was bid for and won.
Please discuss these arrangements in private, off the auction posts, as much as is possible. If you have your PMs set to block non-friends, please open that up to ease communication.
Can I make a donation online? What about via mail or in-person?
Yes, we encourage making donations online to vetted charity organizations, as this will be the fastest and most secure way to transfer your funds and obtain donation confirmation. You can also write a check to vetted charities that accept checks, but please ensure that you'll be receiving an official receipt in return, so that you may make an e-copy to send to the offerer. You can also donate in-person, but again, please ensure you'll be receiving an official receipt in return.
Can I make a general donation (instead of a Mindanao/Typhoon Sendong donation) to a charity organization?
No. Yes, there are many charities that need donations, but this auction is for Typhoon Sendong. There are many, many other livejournal-run fandom auctions that take general donations; please understand that this particular auction is for a specific purpose.
Can I make a non-buy-it-now donation prior to the end of auction, in order to send money more quickly to charities?
Absolutely. Please ensure that the amount on your receipt will either match or exceed the winning bid amount. If you are making a lump-sum donation with the intention to bid on multiple offers, please ensure that the amount on your receipt will either match or exceed the winning bid amount(s). All offerers should be notified of this by the end of the auction and you must provide to them a breakdown of the lump-sum donation.
most of this text is from help_japan with a few changes; you guys are great ♥
If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave a comment on this post, and one of the mods will answer it as soon as possible!
When will the auction start and end?
Auction Start: December 30th, 12:00 noon
Auction End: January 20th, 12:00 midnight (the midnight between the 20th and 21st)
All times are in Eastern Standard Time [EST] for the sake of simplicity. To convert to your own timezone there's a handy converter right here.
What currency will be used for these auctions?
Everything will be in USD, for ALL transactions. This will make it easier both on the people making the bids and on the organizations who will be accepting the donations. There's a currency converter for your use right here.
Can offers and/or bids be made anonymously?
Unfortunately, no - there's no way to hold bidders or offerers accountable if they don't have an account. Making a Livejournal is free; it's required.
Can I retract my offer and/or bid?
As a general rule, no. Please do not offer or bid if you are unsure about being able to fully commit. However, if there are extraordinary circumstances that absolutely require that you retract an offer and/or bid, please PM the mods right away. Do not delete a bid or offer without first engaging in clear communication with the mods, as well as any offerers/bidders involved.
OFFERING
I am offering / donating [something], how do I go about it?
All auction posts will open on Friday, December 30th, 12:00 noon. Here's the setup of auction posts that will be going up:
Words (fanfiction or original fiction)
Art offerings (fanart or original art; anything but graphics)
Graphics offerings (icons, site layouts, mood themes, misc graphics)
Audio (fanmixes or original music)
Food (food)
Everything else (catch-all category: jewelry, crafts, clothing, etc.)
The offerer sets the minimum bid for the item/s up for auction, and has the option to include a "buy it now" price as well.
Can I offer store-bought items? Or are only self-made works allowed?
Yes, you can absolutely offer store-bought items as long as you make it clear that that's what you're offering.
Can I offer completed works? Or are only commissioned works allowed?
Yes, you may offer completed works, as well. However, please keep in mind that bidders are less likely to bid on already-completed fics and artworks. Those are allowed, but it's up to the bidder whether they'll accept that. Popular completed works include such items as knitted scarves and plushies.
If I am making visual or tangible works, should I include previews/samples of similar or previous work that I've done?
It is not required to do so, but it would be the best way to let bidders get a better idea of what they would be bidding on.
Can I specify which fandoms I'm willing to offer for? Can I specify what I'm not willing to do?
Please do specify which fandoms you're willing to offer for. If you are offering original work, please state as such. Also, you are welcome to specify what you are not willing to do (e.g. for fanfic, "I'm not willing to write breathplay or mpreg"). As a general rule, please do be as specific as possible in your offer, so that bidders are informed beforehand.
Should I make one thread for multiple offers? Or a separate thread for each offer?
A separate thread should be posted for each item that a person can bid separately on. For example, if you're a writer, you could post several threads that all have the same offer - but each thread will be a separate auction, and you'll be responsible for three separate fics, one for each winner. Same goes for art or crafts - for each particular bidding chain, each item that a person can win from you, make a thread.
If you have something that's more of a combined auction - for example, if you offer a 300-word drabble to anyone who donates $5 for a maximum of five drabbles, that would constitute one single thread.
When you're posting multiple threads, please number them - Digital Art: Offer #2, etc. More information will be avaliable on each auction type post.
Can I specify which charities I prefer the winning bidder make the donation to?
Yes, you can specify as such in your offer post. Please do ensure that you and the winning bidder(s) agree on which charity will be receiving the donation.
How do I determine who has won my offer?
If your offer is not a buy-it-now offer, then the person who has placed the highest bid will be considered the winning bidder. If your offer is buy-it-now, then the first person to bid the dictated amount (and follow up with proof of donation) will be considered the winning bidder. As a general rule, winning is determined on a first-come-first-served basis.
After a bidder has won a buy-it-now auction, how do I let the mods know that the donation has been confirmed?
There will be a donation confirmation post coming soon, where offerers can leave comments. The offerer must confirm having received proof of documentation (email receipt, screencaps, and/or e-copy of physical receipt), and let us know which organization the donation was sent to. This is so we can ensure accurate recording of all transactions. For each separate offer, make a separate comment on the confirmation post.
Is there a deadline by which I should submit my work to the winning bidder?
No, there is no set deadline. However, you should communicate with the winning bidder either via PM or email to ensure that you both settle on an agreeable timeline. If you anticipate not being able to deliver your work for some time, please do state as such in your offer post (or in a comment within the same thread). It is your responsibility to ensure that bidders are aware of any potential delays.
Do I retain copyright of my works? Are there any legal concerns I should be aware of?
Yes, the creator's right still belongs to you. (Though if you are utilizing other sources to create your work, please credit appropriately.) However, please keep in mind that you are gifting your work to the winning bidder, not selling. The winning bidder will be making the donation directly to charity, so it is not considered payment for your work. This holds true, as long as the offerer is not profiting monetarily in any way from the auction. For such offers as fanfics and artwork, please come to a consensus with the winning bidder as to whether or not the work can be made public.
If I am shipping edible items overseas, are there regulations I should be aware of?
Yes. Please ensure that you read the customs regulations and follow the proper procedures of the country to which you are shipping food. It is your responsibility to make sure that your package will not be seized by customs due to the nature of its contents.
US regulations
UK regulations
Canadian regulations
Australian regulations
BIDDING & DONATING
I will be bidding for [something], how do I go about it?
When the auctions open up, people can already start making bids on offerings. The minimum amount for each item is up to the offerer; after that, it will be up to the bidders.
Near the end of the auctions we will be going through the offerings posts to determine the winners, and we will inform both the offerer and the winning bidder so that they can get in touch and coordinate on the item and on the donation.
If you wish to bid for something immediately, go right ahead - but remember that a lot of people will be putting up offers and you might want to look around to see if your favorite author or artist will be putting something up.
If I win an auction, what are the arrangements for making the donation and receiving the item that I bid for?
Winning bidders must contact the offerers and show them proof of donation, such as confirmation numbers, Bank Identification Numbers, receipts, or screencaps. Once that's settled, the offerer and the winning bidder can discuss the arrangements for delivering the item that was bid for and won.
Please discuss these arrangements in private, off the auction posts, as much as is possible. If you have your PMs set to block non-friends, please open that up to ease communication.
Can I make a donation online? What about via mail or in-person?
Yes, we encourage making donations online to vetted charity organizations, as this will be the fastest and most secure way to transfer your funds and obtain donation confirmation. You can also write a check to vetted charities that accept checks, but please ensure that you'll be receiving an official receipt in return, so that you may make an e-copy to send to the offerer. You can also donate in-person, but again, please ensure you'll be receiving an official receipt in return.
Can I make a general donation (instead of a Mindanao/Typhoon Sendong donation) to a charity organization?
No. Yes, there are many charities that need donations, but this auction is for Typhoon Sendong. There are many, many other livejournal-run fandom auctions that take general donations; please understand that this particular auction is for a specific purpose.
Can I make a non-buy-it-now donation prior to the end of auction, in order to send money more quickly to charities?
Absolutely. Please ensure that the amount on your receipt will either match or exceed the winning bid amount. If you are making a lump-sum donation with the intention to bid on multiple offers, please ensure that the amount on your receipt will either match or exceed the winning bid amount(s). All offerers should be notified of this by the end of the auction and you must provide to them a breakdown of the lump-sum donation.
most of this text is from help_japan with a few changes; you guys are great ♥
If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave a comment on this post, and one of the mods will answer it as soon as possible!