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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Penny Auctions Canada?

Penny Auctions Canada Inc., as our name implies, is an online auctioneer providing a value driven alternative to retail shopping. We list only the latest brand name products, fulfilling both your personal and business shopping requirements. Our live auctions are best described as the fusion of an online retail store and a thrilling shopping experience designed to save you both time and money.

What is a Penny Auction?

A penny auction is similar to a traditional auction that has evolved to produce a few innovative features. A penny auction differs from a traditional auction in the following ways.

  1. Each bid placed into a penny auction can only increase the bid price by an increment set by the auctioneer, usually one (1) penny. Participants are not entitled and are unable to increase the bid price by any other value, other than that set by the auctioneer. For example, if a particular auction has a current highest bid price of $1.35, the next bid placed will increase the bid price to a new highest bid price of $1.36. Participants are unable to increase the bid price by any other value.
  2. Each live auction window contains a unique item up for sale. All auctions have a distinctively set countdown timer (auction clock). When the timer falls below the fifteen (15) second mark, each new bid increases the timer by a specified amount of time dictated by the auctioneer. The last bidder to place a bid then becomes the new "highest" bidder. The auction will end when the timer reaches a value of nil (0). The final, or "highest", bidder who places a bid before the auction timer has run out of time is declared the winner and is expected to purchase the item at the final auction price.
  3. Bidding for all items begins with a price of zero ($0.00)
  4. In order to place a bid, auction participants must have bid credits, which can be either purchased or won in another auction. Each time a participant places a bid, one bid credit is deducted (from their account). Bids are sold in "bid packs" at a price of $0.75 per bid. Bid packs are available in several sizes.

What are the Costs Associated with Participation in an Auction Hosted by Penny Auctions Canada?

There are three (3) separate costs associated with shopping with us.

  1. Purchasing bids in the form of bid packs in order to participate in the auctions.
  2. Purchasing of the item for the final auction price.
  3. Any shipping and/or handling fees associated with shipping the item to you.

*please note that sales tax will be applied, where applicable, to all of the above. Penny Auctions Canada operates in the Province of Ontario

What are the Actual Costs Relating to Participation in a Penny Auction?

The actual cost of winning an auction is the combination of the number of bids placed in order to win a particular item plus the final auction price. For example, if you placed 30 bids into an auction, each bid costing $0.75, your cost, related to the bidding process is $22.50. If you won the auction for a final auction price of $1.00, the total auction cost is $23.50. All shipping & handling fees and applicable taxes will be applied in addition to the bidding cost.

How do I Begin to Bid?

In order to begin the bidding process you must first create an account with Penny Auctions Canada. Registration is quick, simple, and secure. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the sign up page and enter all your personal and contact information.
  2. Enter your e-mail address that can be accessed immediately. You will receive an e-mail from us upon the completion of your registration that will ask you to verify your e-mail address. We will use this e-mail address to send you confirmations of winning auctions and provide you with shipping and payment information. All your shipping documents and invoices will be e-mailed to this address.
  3. Choose a username and a password. You will use these each time you log into Penny Auctions Canada. When choosing your username, never use personal information that you do not want others to see, as it will show up inside the auction window each time you place a bid. Our online registration process will guide you in choosing a successful username and to create a secure password.
  4. Read, understand, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy, Purchase Terms and Conditions, Website Use Agreement, Auction Use Agreement.
  5. Read the "How it Works" section of our website. We recommend that you spend a short while watching the auctions so that you become familiar with them and perhaps gather some strategies to win.
  6. Enjoy and have fun!


Account Management

Can I be a Holder of More Than One (1) Account?

Absolutely NOT! Registering for more than 1 account is a violation of our Auction Use Agreement. Each user is limited to only one (1) registered, active account per name, per household, per IP address. Penny Auctions Canada reserves the right to cancel or terminate any accounts that do not meet this requirement and aren't bound to this limitation with or without notice. If you have an additional user of Penny Auctions Canada in the same household, you must contact us at customerservice@pennyauctionscanada.com for further instructions.

What Information is Stored in My Account?

Your account will contain all personal information provided to us at registration such as name, address, email address. You may change or edit your personal information that is stored in your account at any time.

WE DO NOT STORE YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION ON FILE. Your account will also contain a list of items in your checkout cart including the items you have won previously. You may change or edit your personal information that is stored in your account at any time.

How do I Choose a Proper Username?

Your username will be displayed at the auction window each time you place a bid. We therefore encourage you to choose a username that does not contain any personal information that you do not want others to see. Your username can be a combination of alphanumeric characters of your choice. We do however recommend that you chose a name that is not offensive, abusive, or does not possesses a negative message or idea. Penny Auctions Canada Inc. reserves the right to suspend and cancel any account that violates this policy. Please see our AUCTION USE AGREEMENT for more information.

The Bidding

How do I Purchase Bids?

Bids are sold in packages, or bid packs. Each bid pack is sold for $0.75 per bid (prices subject to change, for latest price info, see the purchase bids page). Bid packages are not refundable. You may use your PayPal account, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or any other major credit card accepted by PayPal. For alternative payment options please refer to the Purchase of Bids in our Auction Use Agreement.

How do I Place a Bid?

After you register and create your account, you must purchase a bid pack. Once you have "loaded up" on bids, proceed to the live auctions homepage. You may browse through live ongoing auctions and pick an item you wish to bid on. You may then click on the "Bid" button in the auction of your choice, to place your bid; you should then see your username appear as the highest bidder in that auction window. Once another user places a bid, that user will then replace you as the highest bidder. You may also browse though the upcoming auctions section to find an item that you wish to bid on. Novice users should always focus on one auction window at a time. Penny Auctions Canada does not offer, nor allow any automated bidding software of any kind. Therefore, each bid must be placed manually. Once again we remind you that any bid placed into an auction window is considered "used" and is not refundable.

The Auctions

What Types of Auctions Does Penny Auctions Canada host?

We host 2 types of auctions, although they are both in the same format. Our regular penny auctions are fun, entertaining, and produce real value for our customers. Charity Auctions is our proud initiative we have formed with some vital foundations. Charity Auctions are designed to increase awareness of several important organizations while raising funds for them. Penny Auctions Canada is committed to taking part of fund raising and donates 100% of all proceeds that are raised in our Charity Auctions. We have been featured in several newsletters and community editorials. For more information about our Charity Auctions and fund raising initiatives please contact us at info@pennyauctionscanada.com.

Can I View Previously Held Auctions?

You may view a listing of previously ended auctions by clicking on the recent winners tab. You will be able to see the following details: Item won, the time the auction ended, the final bid price, and the username of the winning participant.

Are There Any Purchase Limits at Penny Auctions Canada?

Indeed there are:

  • 6 items per a 24 hour period, comprised of a maximum of 3 items (products) and a maximum of 3 bid packs.
  • Number of purchases are not to exceed a total of 30 (products + bid packs) in a given calendar month.
  • Users having reached their auction limits that would like to enter a promotional contest or participate in a Charity Auction, must receive written authorization from Penny Auctions Canada. Users must submit an Email stating which contest or charity auction they would like to participate in. Please send an Email to: customerservice@pennyauctionscanada.com. Please indicate the Contest or Charity Auction number that you would like to participate in. Once you receive confirmation with authorization, you may begin to bid in that specified auction. Penny Auctions Canada Inc. will under no circumstance refund, credit back, or honour any bids used or items purchased by users who have reached their limits and do not receive authorization to continue bidding. Penny Auctions Canada is committed to provide a safe, secure, enjoyable, and fair bidding environment for all our customers.

Please respect these limitations we set, as they are for the benefit of everyone using our site.

Shipping & Handling

What are the Charges Associated with Shipping the Item I Have Purchased?

Shipping & Handling rates are unique to each item. You can find these rates at the bottom of the description page of each product. Simply click on the item name or picture. Shipping and handling fees documented in the description field are reflected onto delivery service within "mainland" Canada. Some rural addresses and/or areas outside of mainland Canada may experience additional shipping charges. We will provide further information on a case by case basis.

What Shipping Services Does Penny Auctions Canada Utilize to Ship My Item?

At the present time Penny Auctions Canada depends on the following carriers for shipping services:

  1. Canada Post
  2. Purolator
  3. UPS / SCS

As our main objective is increasing value and bringing you the lowest possible prices, we continuously look for better shipping rates. We reserve the right to use any shipping option that is available to us in order to accomplish our objectives. Therefore, we may use a combination of the shipping methods above, depending on the item specifications. Please note: all deliveries will require a signature upon receipt. Some high value items will require a mandatory ID presentation at that time. Please see our PURCHASE TERMS AND CONDITIONS for more information about shipping methods. We do not ship to PO boxes. Penny Auctions Canada will only ship to the address we have on file that you have provided to us upon registration. Please contact us at customerservice@pennyauctionscanada.com for more information. Customers residing in the US will be charged international rates for shipping. US customers (as with any international customer) are responsible for all customs and/or duty charges. Please contact us for more details.

Will I Receive Notification That My Item Has Been Shipped?

Once your item has shipped, you will receive a notification by email. If we do not have your item in stock, you will receive the shipping notification once the item becomes available. For your convenience, we will provide you with the tracking number for each of your parcels. Please see our PURCHASE TERMS AND CONDITIONS for more information.

What are the Shipment Lead Times?

The shipment lead times are dependent on the carrier we shipped your item with. In most cases, you will receive your item in four (4) business days from the time the item has been shipped. However, due to unforeseen challenges, your shipment may take longer to arrive. We do our very best to provide you with good and reliable service. Most orders, depending on inventory, are processed within 24 hours of payment and are shipped the next business day. Shipments that are experiencing delays will be notified to our customers. Please see our PURCHASE TERMS AND CONDITIONS for more information.

Returns, Complaints, Damages, Malfunctions and/or Troubleshooting

What are the Policies Regarding Returns, Complaints, and Other Inquiries?

For questions regarding Returns, Complaints, Damages, Malfunctions and/or Troubleshooting please refer to our PURCHASE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Legal Items

What are the General Legal Policies of Penny Auctions Canada?

Please refer to the following sections:

  1. Privacy Policy
  2. Web Site Use Agreement
  3. Purchase Terms and Conditions
  4. Auction Use Agreement

Technical Information

What are the Minimum System Requirements for Participating in Penny Auctions Canada Web Site?

Participants may access any live auctions with virtually any PC or MAC that provides access to the internet. For best performance, we recommend at least a Cable or DSL internet connection. We recommend the following browsers: Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher, Firefox 3.0 or higher, Opera 8.0 or higher, or Safari 4.0 or higher. You will also be required to turn on Javascript. Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, MAC OS X 10.3 or higher, Linux.

What Kinds of Technical Problems Can Live Auctions Experience and What Happens During a System Downtime?

Although we at Penny Auctions Canada strive to produce and relay to our users the best possible service, we still depend on technology and other means beyond our control. In the unlikely event that a "system down" or a "system outage" has occurred, such that no bids can be submitted for items due to an unforeseeable disruption in our system, auctions will be temporarily halted and all data "frozen". Once the system has been restored and is working in the proper manner, the remaining times for the auctions, the current bid price, and the current highest bidder will be maintained. Once the auctions return to "live" or "running" status, all information will be restored to the last available moment before the "system down" time. As a courtesy to our customers, an additional 20 minutes will be added to any auction that was interrupted. Auction windows that have been temporarily halted, or have experienced "system down" time, will be clearly indicated and emphasized. Please see our AUCTION USE AGREEMENT for more information.

What Security Features Are Enforced and Maintained on Penny Auctions Canada Web Site?

For the protection and security of our customers we do not store any payment information on our website. You will be required to verify payment information each time you make a purchase on our website. Our website is equipped with an SSL certificate and all passwords are encrypted. Furthermore, our websites are hosted on a regularly maintained virtual dedicated server. This means that we are hosting the site on a virtual computer and no other client is sharing or has access to.

Contact Information



Our Mailing Address is:

Penny Auctions Canada Inc.
1881 Steeles Ave West, Suite 349
Toronto, ON
M3H 0A1

More Info:

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