How does it work?

ILValleyDeals.com auctions features merchandise and services from local and National businesses which are customers of The Times. You can place your bids on items available by these local and National vendors and, if you are the highest bidder, pay for and receive a certificate to pick up the item directly from the vendor. A set of guidelines which are covered in the ‘Quick Facts’ as well as the Terms & Conditions covers the entire process.

The Times provides this open and/or reserve auction and online marketplace for sellers to advertise and promote their items. The Times is not involved in any of the transactions entered into through the auction except to the extent The Times will collect the total purchase price for items other than real estate or automobiles, as outlined herein. The Times (unless noted) is not involved in the actual buying, selling, exchanging of goods in the online auction, nor is The Times soliciting orders on behalf of sellers. The Times charges no fee to buyers who purchase items from the online auction.

The goods and services offered through the auction are usually provided by businesses on an "as is" basis. The Times makes no representations or warranties and there are no conditions of any kind, express or implied, statutory or otherwise, with respect to the goods and services offered through the auction, including without limitation: warranties of merchandise, title, and so forth.

Items in the auction are brand new, unless otherwise indicated, and come with normal applicable warranties, determined by the seller. The Times is not the vendor of items thus assuming no responsibility for these items in anyway. The sellers of each item are solely responsible for descriptions in the auction as well as the condition, estimates, authenticity, title, representations of price, as well as other matters relating to offer and sale of the any particular items.

The auction features a form of proxy bidding whereby you can submit a maximum private bid for an item, the auction site will then execute on your behalf to place bids up to your maximum if your leading bid is outbid by another participant's bid. The advantage of this is that it allows you continue bidding without constant monitoring of the auction item of interest.

Participation in the bidding process is simple:

1. Simply register on the auction site with your name, address, phone number and e-mail address.
2. Find the items or items you wish to place bids on.
3. If you wish, you may determine the maximum amount you are willing to bid on any particular item. That will be your private secret bid amount. You can rest assured that you will never pay more you’re your maximum private bid, but you may pay less depending on the bidding patterns of competitors.
4. The auction site will show your current status and bid history. You can also keep a ‘watch list’ to track items you wish to monitor.
5. If you are outbid, you will receive a notification indicating as such so you can increase your maximum private bid amount if you choose.
6. You will be notified via e-mail if and when the bidding concludes and you are the winning bidder.
7. Once you receive your winning bid notification, you can follow the instructions with the notification taking you to a secure site to make payments via Visa, MasterCard or American Express.

Common Questions:

Why a Maximum Private Bid?
Because this is not a live auction, you will not be able to react instantly to other item bidders. To combat this, we the Maximum Private Bid’ feature. With this feature, you simply place the amount you are willing to pay for an item in the queue. This is a secret bid known only to you; the auction software then places a bid on your behalf at the lowest level possible to make you the leading bidder. If another bidder places a higher bid on the same item, the software automatically raises your bid until you are the leading bidder at that stage or your maximum secret bid level is reached. Your automated bid will not exceed your maximum private bid unless you submit a new higher private bid amount. This process will reduce the odds of being outbid at the last minute.

When do the open and/or reserve auctions begin and end?
Auctions may begin and end based on the desires of the businesses presenting items for auction. Each auction will have a clock indicating auction beginning and end times. The Times reserves the right, at its sole determination and with or without notice, to extend, terminate or modify the auction in the event of unforeseen software or technical difficulties that alter the functioning of the auction.

When can I place a bid?
Bids can be placed 24 hours per day at the auction website, between the auction start date/time and the auction end date/time.

Do I need to Monitor my bids?
Yes, The Times takes no responsible for bids that are lost, misdirected, incomplete or illegible, failed, partial or garbled computer transmissions, for technical failures of any kind including, but not limited to, malfunctioning of any network, hardware or software, which may limit a bidder's ability to participate in the auction. Proof of sending will not be proof of receipt by The Times. The Times is not responsible for any online, long distance telephone, or other charges you may incur in connection with participating in the online marketplace.

How Long Do I Have To Pay?
You have three (3) business days in which to make full payment. As a buyer, you may not retract your bid and are obligated to make full payment of the total purchase price within three days of notification. If a buyer cannot be contacted, or if payment is not received in full, within three days of contact first being initiated, the buyer may be disqualified and the next highest bidder will be declared the winner. Buyers may not retract bids and are obligated to make full payment of the total auction bid within two days of notification. If a buyer cannot be contacted or for any reason or if payment is not received in full, the auction site reserves the right to continue the process of disqualification and notification of subsequent bidders or remove items from sale.

Be it known, The Times is collecting the total purchase price from the buyer on behalf of the seller.

Once payment is received in full, the buyer will receive an Item Certificate to be presented to the seller to release the item to the buyer. Delivery and/or pick-up must be made with the seller. Delivery may incur additional charges above and beyond the total purchase price, to be negotiated separately between the buyer and seller. All sales are final. Once item certificates are picked by the winning bidder, it is the bidder's responsibility to ensure safekeeping of said certificate.