FAQ

Suncoast Find is an online auction platform that allows you to bid on an array of unique events and experiences in Sarasota.

You may browse as much as you'd like without registering or logging in.

When you attempt to place a bid for the first time, you will be prompted to fill out a registration page. To complete the registration process, you will need to provide us with your address and phone number. By filling in this information you are agreeing to the Suncoast Find Terms and Conditions which can be found here.

Your cookies have probably been disabled. Check the Internet Options or Preferences from your browser's toolbar. If your cookies are disabled, you will not be able to navigate the site.

If you have forgotten your password, you can go to the login page and click "Forgot Password".

To increase your bid, repeat the bidding instructions above. Remember all bids are final and cannot be reversed. You can increase your bid at any time. 

Many of our bidders prefer to use the convenience of "proxy bidding." Proxy bidding allows the system to bid for you when you can't be at your computer to increase your bid as other members may outbid you.

How proxy bidding works:

1. Decide the maximum number of miles you're willing to bid and enter this amount after clicking "Bid Now."
2. The system will then confidentially continue to bid up to your maximum amount for you so that you don't have to keep an eye on your auction as it unfolds.
3. If another bidder outbids your maximum, you will not be the highest bidder. But if you have the highest bid at the time the auction closes, you're the winner--and the final mileage amount might even be less than the maximum you had been willing to spend.

The Bid History should show your bid as soon as it is entered and confirmed. If it doesn't appear, try clicking your browser's "refresh" or "reload" buttons. 

We will automatically send you an email when your bid is no longer the current highest bid, if you have your email preferences set to receive these alerts. To adjust your email preferences, log in, click on "Update Profile" and then "Email Preferences."

As there can sometimes be delays in e-mail transmissions, we recommend logging in and clicking on "Bid Status" to check the latest status of your auctions.

Log in and click "Bid Status" on the left-hand side of the website.

A Dutch Auction occurs automatically on Suncoast Find when a seller has multiple, identical items offered for sale. The seller specifies the minimum price (the Opening Value) and the number of items for sale. Bidders can then bid at or above the minimum price for the quantity of items they which to purchase. At the close of the auction, all winning bidders purchase the items at the same price, which is the lowest successful Bid.

In some auctions, a number of identical items are offered for sale at the same time. When the listing closes, the highest Bidders win the available inventory. Bids are sorted in order with priority given to price, the quantity bid for, and then finally to time a bid was placed. The time of a bid is determined by Suncoast Find based on its records. If bids are tied for price, the Buyer who has bid in the greater quantity wins. If there are two bids at the same price for the same quantity, the early bid wins.

Bids are given priority based on the following characteristics: price, quantity, and finally time placed. As an example, if you bid $50.00 on 50 units and someone else then bids $50.00 on 100 units at a later time, the second bidder will be winning for all 100 units. If you then raise your bid to $60.00 for 50 items, you will be winning for 50 units (at $60.00) because your price is higher. The second bidder will then be winning for only 50 units at $50.00.

Fixed Price Sale listings or 'Buy it Now' auctions have a fixed price set by the seller. Buyers simply choose to buy the item at that price. Fixed Price listings will remain active until all items have been sold or the close date and time set by the seller has been reached. Please allow 2-4 weeks after you make your purchase for delivery. The end time for a 'Buy it Now' listing does not determine the ship window.

In an Open Auction, buyers bid until the auction ends. The item is then sold to the highest bidder at the end of the auction period. There is no reserve price in an Open auction. The seller must sell the item to the highest bidder. Bidding can start as low as the Opening Value (minimum price or starting amount) of the auction.

Once the auction closes, email notification providing contact information is sent to the buyer and seller automatically so that arrangements for payment and shipment of the item can be determined.

In a Reserve Auction, the seller sets the Reserve Price, which is higher than the Opening Value. A reserve price allows the seller to initiate bidder interest and determine the fair market value of an item. If the seller has set a Reserve Price you will see either a 'Reserve NOT MET' or 'RESERVE MET' message on the listing page depending on whether the current bid is below, or at or above, the reserve.

RESERVE NOT MET- The current amount of the highest bid is below the reserve price and the item will not sell at auction close.

RESERVE MET - The current amount of the highest bid is equal to, or greater than, the reserve price and the item will be sold.

If the highest bid at the auction close does not meet the seller's Reserve Price, the seller is not required to sell the item unless the seller chooses to do so. In this case, the seller will have a period after the auction close in which to contact the highest bidder whose offer was below the reserve price. Bidders who are contacted under these circumstances, however, are under no obligation to purchase the item.

In a Reserve Price auction, the seller starts the auction at a value below the lowest price at which s/he is willing to sell (the Reserve Price) to capture the bidder interest. This way, the bidders are not forced to bid at fair market value from the start of the auction. Also, many sellers prefer Reserve Price auctions when they are not sure of the market value of an item, and want to find an audience by enticing multiple bidders' interest.

There is no cost to the participating business. The business will participate in the auction marketing, regardless of whether an item sells, at no cost.

The participating business will receive advertising credits only for print or digital advertising in the future.

A participant will receive full retail value of their sold item to pay for advertising regardless of what the item sells for in the auction.

The auctions run for one week, Thursday at 9 AM to Wednesday to 9 pm. We change up the product mix to keep the auction interesting We suggest participants submit a variety of products (i.e. pairs of season tickets, specific event tickets and specific value gift certificates to be used for purchasing tickets - $50, $100).

Not immediately included it on the platform, but we have plans for later to implement the posting of items donated to the nonprofits form their patrons, members or sponsors.