AW Daily - Tips & Tactics - Before the Auction: Reading User Agreements

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Before the Auction: Understanding User Agreements continued ...

Not for Sale
User agreements are also where sites can inform sellers and buyers about any listing restrictions and illegal or infringing items. These usually include firearms, weapons, explosives, live animals, embargoed items (i.e., Cuban cigars), pirated software, music, and movies, and more. As seller, a user agreement will let you know what you can't sell, and as a buyer you'll know what kinds of items you won't be able to purchase.

Keep It Private
A user agreement should contain mention of a site's privacy policy, either by including it within the user agreement itself or by providing a link to a more comprehensive page. Part of the registration process for any site entails providing your personal information (i.e., your name, address, phone number, email address, credit card number, and so on). Understand how an auction site plans to use that information, both internally and externally. Basically, you want to know what kind of information the site collects, as well as what the site does or doesn't do with that information. The real concern here is how a site might disclose information about you to other companies, which can in turn lead to annoying spam.

Some of your personal information is used internally to understand user patterns of usage, as well as to conduct research on a site's demographics. Your information may also be used internally to contact you regarding administrative notices, new product offerings, and disputes. Again, determine if a site will be sending your personal information to another company.

Lastly, just because you register and OK a user agreement doesn't mean that it's set in stone. Sites periodically update their agreements. User agreements should indicate the day on which they were last revised.

Understanding Copyright
Getting Licensed
Starting an Auction Business