Big 5 Sporting Goods FAQ
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- Applying & Logging In
- Bidding
- Payment & Shipping
- Other Questions & Troubleshooting
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How do I apply on Big 5 Sporting Goods? Is there any cost to me?
Click here to create an account. Fill in the required fields, attach a valid reseller's certificate and click the submit button. We will notify you within one business day if your account is approved. There is no fee for applying or for being an approved buyer on Big 5 Sporting Goods.
Can I apply if I am located outside of the United States?
If you are registering as an international buyer on Big 5 Sporting Goods, we require some form of official documentation that shows the purchase is for export so we can ensure that sales tax does not need to be charged on your purchases. This can include an exporter's license, registration with the department of revenue with your country, or business registration form
If you have already registered, you can fax this form to (650) 241-3328 or you can submit it here. Please note all orders must ship to a United States address, so international buyers must use a freight forwarder.
I am an exporter located in the United States. Can I apply?
A reseller's certificate is required for approval of any buyer located in the United States, not including states that do not charge sales tax. You are able to export your purchases in accordance with US law.
What is a reseller's certificate and why do I need it? Do all states require a reseller's certificate?
A reseller's certificate exempts buyers from paying sales tax on their purchases as sales tax will be collected at the time of resale. We never collect sales tax on behalf of our sellers. Creating a new registration on Big 5 Sporting Goods will generate a resale form with the information you provide if we do not already have your certificate on file.
For instructions on how to obtain a reseller's certificate, example of images, or a blank form for your state, please visit our reseller certificate instructions page. If you live in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire or Oregon, this is not required as part of your application, but you must still provide proper proof of business.
Can I submit my EIN (Employer Identification Number) as a reseller document?
You must submit your EIN during registration, but an EIN alone is not sufficient for approval. You must provide a sales tax number or the equivalent for your state. For states where sales tax is not collected, you may be asked to provide another form of business documentation.
How do I get a reseller's certificate?
For instructions on how to obtain a reseller's certificate for your state, please visit our reseller certificate instructions page.
How do I submit my reseller's certificate?
Click here to submit your resale certificate.
Why hasn't my account been approved yet?
Please allow one full business day for your application to be approved. If you have not been approved, it is likely because we have not received the proper reseller form from you. For instructions on how to obtain a reseller's certificate, example of images or a blank form for your state, please visit our reseller certificate instructions page.
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How do I bid?
Once you are an approved buyer on Big 5 Sporting Goods, you can go to any auction page and enter the highest amount that you are willing to pay. Enter the amount in the white box to the right of "My Maximum Bid". Below, you will see the minimum allowable bid amount. Once the amount has been entered, click the "Bid Now" button. Please note the message near the top of the page, which indicates if your bid is high enough to become the current high bid. If not, you may wish to increase your bid. For each bid you enter, you will receive an email confirmation that your bid was successfully placed.
How large are the lots being sold?
Please refer to each auction title and description for detailed information.
What condition is the merchandise in? Is it all new?
Please see our Conditions page for the conditions used on Big 5 Sporting Goods. Refer to each auction title and description for detailed information.
Why do auctions extend at the end?
If a bid is placed in the last 5 minutes of an auction, the auction end time will extend for an additional 3 minutes. This is called "Popcorn Bidding" and gives all bidders an equal chance of winning an auction by extending the end time of the auction if a last minute bid is placed. Popcorn Bidding is used to simulate a live auction and prevents other bidders from "sniping" an auction at the last second.
How can I enter my maximum bid without it appearing to other bidders?
All bids placed on Big 5 Sporting Goods act as "proxy" bids. You can bid the highest amount you are willing to bid and allow the system to manage the bidding for you. The Current Bid displayed on each auction is equivalent to the second highest bidder's bid, plus one bid increment ($25 on Big 5 Sporting Goods). If the high bidder has placed a higher bid, it will not display. This allows bidders to know that if they place a proxy bid, they could still win the auction for any amount below or at their maximum bid. Please note that bid increments will increase at higher bid amounts.
Example: If you find an item that you are interested in that is currently at $1,000 without any bids and choose to bid $5,000, you will be winning the auction at $1,000. If another bidder places a bid for $1,100, you will be winning the auction at $1,125, one increment higher. The system will continue to automatically outbid other bidders on your behalf, but will never exceed your proxy bid of $5,000.
Can I buy merchandise without bidding on it?
All merchandise sold on Big 5 Sporting Goods is in auction format only. If you only want to place one bid, you can always place a proxy bid.
Can I cancel my bid?
Please remember that every bid on B-Stock operated marketplaces is a binding contract. You are agreeing to buy the lot at the price you indicate should you ultimately be the high bidder. Bids may not be cancelled once submitted. If you accidentally enter a wrong bid amount (for example, you entered $1000 instead of $100) you can click on the Cancel link within the bid confirmation pop-up window to change your bid amount prior to submission. Changing your mind does not qualify as accidentally entering a wrong bid amount.
Your bids affect how other users bid within the auction and the auction's final selling price. We provide ample opportunity for you to check and double check your bid before submitting, so requests to cancel bids will most likely result in the suspension of your account.
A record of all bids is kept on file. If a current winning bid is disqualified in an auction for any reason, B-Stock will restore the next highest non-winning bid to winning status. This decision is made at the sole discretion of B-Stock Solutions.Are the images on the site actual images of the merchandise?
Merchandise may be displayed in its current condition, or with a stock image. If it is unclear in any way, contact us prior to bidding.
Can I inspect the merchandise before bidding?
Merchandise cannot be inspected prior to bidding. All known available information is detailed on the auction page, the manifest, and the Conditions page.
Why did I lose the auction if I bid the same amount as another bidder?
In order to win an auction, you need to bid a higher amount than the current high bidder. If both you and another buyer placed maximum bids of $10,000, but the other bidder placed their bid before yours, they will win the auction.
How do I know if I win?
At the close of the auction, the winning bidder is notified by email. This will also show up as an order on the "Orders" page under the "Account" dropdown.
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What do I do after I win an auction? How long do I have to pay?
You will receive a "Bid Won" email when you win an auction, with instructions to complete the checkout process. This is your final chance to confirm/change your shipping address, and request services such as lift gate and residential delivery. Your order total and wire instructions are made available.
All auctions must be paid by wire transfer, within 2 business days of auction close. Wire instructions will be included in your "Bid Won" email and on your Orders page after winning each auction. If you are unfamiliar with sending a wire, you can do it easily from your bank (usually for a small fee that varies by bank). Many banks allow you to send wires via their website. Ask your bank for details. Wire transfer confirmation may take up to 24 hours.
Please contact [email protected] or fill out the "Ask Us" form with any questions regarding payment.
What forms of payment do you accept? Do you accept credit cards?
Wire payment is the only form of payment accepted, as it is both instant and secure. This is the standard practice in the sale of liquidation lots. We do not accept credit cards, personal checks or Western Union for payments.
If you have credit on your B-Stock account, you can apply it to any outstanding balance from your Order page, prior to sending a wire payment.
Can I combine multiple payments together?
You may always combine multiple payments into one wire for auctions won within 2 days of each other, if you are complying with the payment policy. Please be sure to put all order numbers in the memo section of the wire.
What do I do after I have paid?
You should receive an email from Big 5 Sporting Goods confirming your payment within 2 business days and the status of your order will be changed to "Paid" on your account. The shipping provider will contact you via email or phone within 5 business days of this confirmation to arrange delivery of your merchandise.
Please be ready to receive your shipment from the carrier when it arrives, and buyers must be prepared to accept an incoming shipment as soon as an order has been paid. If you do not hear from the shipping provider for 5 full business days after confirmation of your payment, please contact us.
How does shipping work?
Buyers are responsible for paying the calculated "Shipping Cost" displayed on the auction page. This cost is based on the preferred address on your account, and does not include fees associated with residential delivery or unloading of the truck. Buyers may not arrange their own shipping.
The shipping provider will contact you via email or phone within 5 business days of payment confirmation to arrange delivery of your merchandise. Buyers must be prepared to accept delivery immediately after payment. Once your order is shipped, you will be provided with necessary tracking information.
Please see our Shipping page for detailed information on shipping.
Can I pick up the merchandise myself? Can I just pay when I pick it up?
Big 5 Sporting Goods will arrange shipping of your merchandise. Buyers can't arrange their own pick up.
Do I pay you for shipping?
You are responsible for paying for shipping, which is displayed as "Shipping Cost" on the auction page, and included in your Bid Won notification.
What should I know about receiving my shipment?
Please refer to the Receiving Procedures page for best practices to receive, review, inspect, and document your incoming shipment.
I am no longer interested in the auction I won. Do I still have to pay?
All bids placed on Big 5 Sporting Goods are binding. In the event that you do not pay for your order, you may be given the chance to pay a reinstatement fee, in order to prevent the deactivation of your account. The fee amounts are as follows, within any 12-month period:
1st Offense: $0-$10,000 Purchase Price: $100 Fee
1st Offense: $10,000+ Purchase Price: $500 Fee
2nd Offense: $0-$10,000 Purchase Price: $500 Fee
2nd Offense: $10,000+ Purchase Price: $1,000 Fee
3rd Offense: $1,000 Fee
What if there is a problem with my order?
All merchandise on Big 5 Sporting Goods is sold "as is", but Big 5 Sporting Goods attempts to be accurate as possible with the information provided. For full details, please view the Terms of Purchase. Buyers have up to 5 business days from the date merchandise is received to inspect the shipment and file a dispute by clicking the "Problem?" button from your "Orders" page and following the instructions. Please include your original manifest, and highlight any line item(s) not as described or missing, with a comment. Please also include any images, if available.
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Am I buying this merchandise directly from Big 5 Sporting Goods?
Yes! All merchandise on Big 5 Sporting Goods is coming directly from Big 5 Sporting Goods. All orders are shipped from their location(s).
Where is the auction merchandise located?
The auctions on Big 5 Sporting Goods are located throughout the United States. Please refer to each auction title and description for detailed information.How often are there new auctions?
New auctions can be posted at any time during normal business hours. Buyers that are subscribed to the Big 5 Sporting Goods newsletter will receive an email when auctions are opening and closing each day.
How can I update my personal information / change my password?
As an approved buyer, if you are logged into Big 5 Sporting Goods and select "Account Information" from the "My Account" drop down. You can update all contact information or change the password on your account. You can also click the green "I forgot" text on the login page if you cannot remember your password.
How do I report a technical problem?
Contact us to report your issue. Please be as specific as possible and be sure to include any information that would help us determine the cause of your problem, including: which web browser you are using (Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc.), the web page you are on, steps to replicate the issue you are having, and other details and screenshots for our review.
I am approved and having trouble logging in. What can I do?
Sometimes your browser can cause login problems. Please try the following fixes:
- Clear your browser's cache, then close it and reopen it and try logging in again.
- Try logging in with a different browser. We recommend using the latest version of Firefox, Chrome or Safari.
When I try to log in, I see the message "Invalid login or password." Why?
If you receive this notification, then you either have not yet applied on Big 5 Sporting Goods, or you are entering an incorrect password. You can reset your password by clicking the "I forgot" link below your password entry and entering your email address. If you have not applied, then you can click the Create An Account button to begin your application.
When I try to log in, I see the message "Your application is still pending." What do I do?
If you receive this notification, then we have either not yet reviewed your application or you have not submitted us the proper reseller's certificate. If it has been more than 1 business day since you applied, then we are still waiting on the proper documentation from you. You can submit your reseller certificate here or fax it to (650) 241-3328.
Still have questions?
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