Terms of Use

01Eligibility and Acceptance

You must be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering into binding contracts to register, bid, purchase, consign, or otherwise participate in transactions through East Lansing Auction.

By using the services, you represent that the information you provide is accurate, that you have authority to enter into transactions using your account, and that your use of the services complies with applicable law.

We may refuse, restrict, suspend, or terminate access to our services when reasonably necessary to protect East Lansing Auction, our consignors, bidders, customers, service providers, or the integrity of an auction.

02Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms from time to time. Updated Terms become effective when posted on our website unless a later effective date is stated.

Your continued use of the services after updated Terms take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to an updated version, you should stop using the services.

Auction rules, schedules, services, features, and policies may also be changed, added, suspended, or discontinued when operationally necessary.

03Accounts and Registration

Some services may require registration through East Lansing Auction or through a third-party bidding platform such as HiBid.

You are responsible for:

• providing current and accurate registration, billing, contact, and payment information;
• keeping usernames, passwords, PINs, and other account credentials confidential;
• activity conducted through your account or credentials;
• promptly updating information that becomes inaccurate; and
• notifying us or the applicable platform promptly if you believe your account has been compromised or used without authorization.

You may not create accounts using false information, impersonate another person or business, use another person's account without permission, or use payment credentials that you are not authorized to use.

Registration or approval for one auction does not guarantee approval for any future auction. We may require additional verification or decline participation when reasonably necessary.

04Auction Services and Third-Party Platforms

East Lansing Auction conducts auctions and may use third-party technology, payment, communication, shipping, scheduling, or bidding services to support those auctions.

Online bidding may be made available through HiBid or another third-party platform. When you use a third-party platform, your use of that platform is also subject to the platform provider's own terms, privacy practices, technical requirements, and account rules.

East Lansing Auction does not control the operation of third-party systems and cannot guarantee that an outside platform, internet connection, payment processor, email provider, text-message service, webcast, or other external service will operate without delay, interruption, or error.

A link to or use of a third-party service does not make that third party part of East Lansing Auction unless expressly stated.

4.1 Fixed-Price Marketplace Storefront

In addition to timed auctions, East Lansing Auction may offer items for sale at fixed prices through a third-party marketplace storefront, such as our eBay storefront. Purchases made through that storefront are completed on the third-party marketplace and are governed by that marketplace's own terms, policies, fees, and buyer protections, not by these Terms.

4.2 Truck and Equipment Rental (U-Haul)

East Lansing Auction is an authorized U-Haul dealer and may offer truck, trailer, and moving-equipment rentals. Any rental is a separate transaction between you and U-Haul and/or its authorized rental system, and is governed by U-Haul's own rental contract, terms, and policies. These Terms do not govern the rental relationship.

05Auction-Specific Terms

Each auction may include additional terms governing participation and purchase. These may address matters such as:

• bidder approval;
• auction format;
• opening bids and bid increments;
• soft-close or extended-bidding rules;
• webcast or live-bidding procedures;
• buyer's premium;
• taxes and payment processing;
• payment deadlines and accepted payment methods;
• pickup location and scheduling;
• shipping eligibility, costs, and handling;
• storage or late-removal charges;
• forfeited, abandoned, or unclaimed purchases;
• item-specific restrictions; and
• any other conditions applicable to that particular sale.

You are responsible for reviewing the terms posted for an auction before bidding. Placing a bid constitutes your agreement to the applicable auction-specific terms.

06Bidding

A bid is an offer to purchase the applicable lot under the terms of the auction. Bids should be placed only after you have reviewed the lot information and are prepared to complete the transaction if you are the successful bidder.

Depending on the auction format, bidding may be timed, may include a soft close or extended-bidding period, or may occur through a webcast or other live-bidding format.

East Lansing Auction may, to the extent permitted by law and the applicable auction rules:

• determine the successful bidder;
• reject or disregard a bid that appears erroneous, fraudulent, abusive, or disruptive;
• reopen or extend bidding when a technical or administrative issue materially affects the sale;
• withdraw, combine, divide, reorder, or modify lots before or during an auction;
• correct clerical, cataloging, or bidding errors; and
• resolve bidding disputes using available platform records and other relevant information.

A displayed bid, notification, email, text message, or status indicator is not necessarily final until the auction system and East Lansing Auction have confirmed the result.

Do not assume that a bid was accepted merely because it was submitted from your device. You are responsible for confirming your bidding status through the applicable auction platform.

07Lot Information, Photos, Condition, and Estimates

We make reasonable efforts to present useful information about auction items. However, photographs, descriptions, titles, measurements, condition notes, categories, estimates, manufacturer information, model information, and other lot details may be based on visual inspection, consignor-provided information, research, or other available sources.

Unless East Lansing Auction expressly guarantees a particular fact in writing, lot information is provided for identification and informational purposes and should not be treated as a professional appraisal, certification, authentication, or guarantee.

Colors, scale, wear, damage, repairs, missing components, age, functionality, or other characteristics may not be fully visible in photographs or descriptions. Bidders should use their own judgment and, where inspection is offered, inspect items before bidding.

Any estimate or opinion of value is only an estimate and is not a representation of the price an item will achieve, its retail value, its resale value, or its future value.

If an auction listing contains a material error, East Lansing Auction may correct the listing or take other reasonable action consistent with the applicable auction rules and law.

08Fees, Taxes, Payment, Pickup, and Shipping

The winning bidder is responsible for the winning bid amount together with any buyer's premium, applicable taxes, payment processing charges, shipping or handling charges, storage charges, late-removal charges, or other amounts disclosed in the applicable auction terms.

Payment must be made using an accepted payment method and within the deadline stated for the auction. We may use third-party payment processors, and transactions processed by those providers may also be subject to their terms.

Pickup and removal requirements are part of the purchase terms. Buyers are responsible for reviewing pickup instructions, arriving during authorized pickup periods or scheduled appointments, bringing appropriate labor and equipment when necessary, and removing purchases in accordance with posted rules.

Shipping is not available for every lot or auction. When shipping is offered, the buyer is responsible for applicable shipping and handling costs unless the auction terms expressly state otherwise. Shipping may be completed by East Lansing Auction or by a third-party provider.

Failure to pay for or timely remove a purchased item may result in remedies described in the applicable auction terms, including account restrictions, additional charges, resale of the item, treatment of the item as abandoned or forfeited where permitted, or collection activity.

09Cancellations, Bid Retractions, and Transaction Disputes

Bids generally should be treated as binding once placed, subject to the rules of the applicable auction and bidding platform.

A bidder should not rely on being able to retract or cancel a bid. Any request to correct or withdraw a bid may be accepted or denied based on the auction format, timing, platform capabilities, applicable law, and the circumstances of the request.

Repeated or abusive bid-cancellation requests, nonpayment, fraudulent activity, chargeback abuse, or other conduct that threatens the integrity of an auction may result in suspension or termination of bidding privileges.

Questions or disputes involving a transaction should be reported promptly to East Lansing Auction so that available records can be reviewed.

10User-Submitted Information and Content

You may provide information or content to us through registrations, forms, email, text messages, consignment submissions, photographs, descriptions, messages, or other interactions with our services (“User Content”).

You are responsible for User Content you submit and represent that you have the right to provide it.

You may not submit content that:

• is knowingly false or materially misleading;
• infringes another person's copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights;
• is unlawful, defamatory, threatening, harassing, obscene, fraudulent, or deceptive;
• contains malicious code, viruses, automated attacks, or other harmful technology;
• promotes counterfeit, stolen, prohibited, or unlawfully obtained property; or
• is intended to interfere with an auction, another user, or the operation of our services.

To the extent reasonably necessary to operate, advertise, document, archive, and support our auction services, you grant East Lansing Auction a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, reproduce, display, format, and use User Content that you submit to us. This license does not transfer ownership of your User Content to East Lansing Auction.

11Intellectual Property and Permitted Website Use

The East Lansing Auction website and its original text, graphics, branding, photographs, layouts, software, databases, auction materials, and other content are protected by intellectual-property laws to the extent applicable.

Except where another owner is identified, East Lansing Auction or its licensors retain their rights in that content.

You may use the website and its content for ordinary personal use related to viewing auctions, bidding, purchasing, consigning, or communicating with us. Unless we give prior written permission, you may not:

• republish substantial portions of our website or auction catalog;
• commercially exploit our photographs, descriptions, databases, or other content;
• systematically copy or download auction listings;
• scrape, crawl, harvest, data-mine, or use automated tools to extract website or auction data;
• collect user contact information;
• frame, mirror, reproduce, or create an unauthorized substitute for our services;
• bypass security, access restrictions, rate limits, or technical controls; or
• use our trademarks, branding, or content in a way that falsely suggests endorsement, affiliation, or sponsorship.

Publicly available information is not permission to copy, scrape, republish, or commercially exploit that information in violation of these Terms or applicable law.

12Acceptable Use and Security

You may use our services only for lawful purposes.

You may not attempt to:

• disrupt or overload the website, auction platform, servers, networks, or connected services;
• gain unauthorized access to accounts, systems, databases, or administrative tools;
• interfere with another bidder's participation;
• manipulate bidding activity through fraud, collusion, false accounts, or deceptive conduct;
• introduce malware or harmful code;
• probe or test system vulnerabilities without written authorization;
• evade access controls, account restrictions, or security measures; or
• use the services in a manner that violates applicable law or the rights of another person.

We may monitor activity reasonably necessary to operate the services, investigate suspected violations, prevent fraud, maintain system security, enforce auction rules, and comply with legal obligations.

13Suspension and Termination

We may warn, restrict, suspend, or terminate a user's access to some or all services when we reasonably believe that the user:

• violated these Terms or auction-specific terms;
• provided false or unverifiable information;
• failed to pay amounts due;
• engaged in fraud, abuse, harassment, manipulation, or unlawful activity;
• created unacceptable security, operational, legal, or financial risk; or
• otherwise interfered with the fair or orderly operation of an auction.

Termination or suspension does not eliminate obligations that arose before the restriction, including payment, pickup, shipping, indemnification, intellectual-property, or other obligations that by their nature should survive termination.

14External Websites and Services

Our website or communications may link to third-party websites or services, including bidding platforms, payment processors, shipping providers, scheduling services, maps, social-media platforms, or other resources.

Those services are operated independently and may have their own terms and privacy policies. East Lansing Auction is not responsible for the content, availability, security, policies, or performance of a third-party service that we do not control.

You use third-party websites and services at your own discretion and subject to the third party's terms.

15Availability of the Website and Auction Technology

We work to keep our services available, but no website, bidding system, webcast, internet connection, payment service, email service, or communications network is guaranteed to operate without interruption or error.

Auctions may be affected by circumstances including internet outages, software errors, power failures, hosting problems, delayed communications, platform failures, equipment problems, cyber incidents, or other events outside our reasonable control.

When a technical issue materially affects an auction, East Lansing Auction may take reasonable corrective action under the applicable auction rules, which may include extending bidding, reopening a lot, rescheduling an event, correcting records, or cancelling affected activity when appropriate.

16Disclaimer of Warranties

Nothing in these Terms eliminates any warranty, remedy, or consumer right that cannot legally be excluded.

The condition, authenticity, merchantability, fitness, provenance, title, or other characteristics of a particular auction item are governed by the applicable auction listing, auction-specific terms, and any express written representations made by East Lansing Auction regarding that item.

17Limitation of Liability

TO THE EXTENT A LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS NOT PERMITTED BY LAW, LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT THE LAW ALLOWS.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot legally be limited or excluded.

18Indemnification

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless East Lansing Auction LLC and its owners, officers, employees, contractors, agents, and representatives from third-party claims, losses, liabilities, damages, judgments, costs, and reasonable legal fees arising from:

• your unlawful or unauthorized use of the services;
• your violation of these Terms or applicable auction terms;
• User Content you submit;
• your infringement of another person's rights; or
• fraud, misconduct, or unlawful activity carried out through your account.

This section does not require you to indemnify East Lansing Auction for matters to the extent caused by East Lansing Auction's own conduct where such indemnification is prohibited by law.

19Copyright and Intellectual-Property Complaints

We respect intellectual-property rights. If you believe content displayed through East Lansing Auction infringes a copyright, trademark, or other intellectual-property right that you own or are authorized to enforce, please contact us with enough information to identify:

1. the protected work or right you believe is being infringed;
2. the material you believe is infringing and where it appears;
3. your name and contact information;
4. the basis for your ownership or authority to act for the rights holder; and
5. a statement explaining why you believe the use is unauthorized.

For copyright notices intended to comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the notice should also include any statements, signatures, and other information required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3).

We may remove or restrict access to material when appropriate and may take action regarding repeat infringement.

20Privacy

Our collection and use of personal information are governed by the East Lansing Auction Privacy Policy, as updated from time to time.

Information submitted directly to a third-party platform, payment processor, shipping provider, scheduling service, or other outside provider may also be governed by that provider's privacy policy.

21Governing Law and Venue

These Terms and disputes arising from or relating to these Terms, the website, or East Lansing Auction's services will be governed by the laws of the State of Michigan, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where federal law applies.

Unless applicable law requires otherwise, any court proceeding arising from or relating to these Terms or the services must be brought in a state or federal court with jurisdiction over the area in which East Lansing Auction LLC is located, and the parties consent to the jurisdiction of those courts.

22General Provisions

22.1 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect, and the unenforceable provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law or modified as necessary to make it enforceable.

22.2 No Waiver

A failure or delay by East Lansing Auction in enforcing a provision of these Terms does not waive our right to enforce that provision or any other provision later.

22.3 Assignment

You may not transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our written consent. East Lansing Auction may assign these Terms as part of a merger, restructuring, sale, transfer of assets, or other lawful business transaction.

22.4 Headings

Section titles are included for convenience and do not change the meaning of these Terms.

22.5 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the applicable auction-specific terms, bidder terms, conditions of sale, privacy policy, consignment agreement, and any other agreement expressly incorporated into a transaction, form the agreement governing your use of the relevant East Lansing Auction services.

22.6 Survival

Provisions that by their nature should continue after termination—including provisions concerning payment obligations, intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, disputes, and governing law—will survive termination of these Terms.

23Contact and Notices

Questions about these Terms may be sent to:

Formal legal notices to East Lansing Auction should be sent to the mailing address above unless we publish a replacement notice address.

We may send notices to you using the email address, phone number, mailing address, account notification system, or other contact information associated with your account or transaction.

24Questions About a Specific Auction

Because individual auctions may have different bidding formats, fees, pickup arrangements, shipping options, and other requirements, you should review the terms displayed with the specific auction before bidding.

For auctions conducted through HiBid, visit: https://eastlansingauction.hibid.com/

If you have questions about an East Lansing Auction policy or a specific transaction, contact us before placing a bid whenever possible.