2025-auction/terms-and-conditions/

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Terms and conditions for the Free Software Foundation’s Memorabilia Silent Auction

By participating in the Free Software Foundation’s (“FSF”, “we”, “us”, “our”) Memorabilia Silent Auction (“auction”), anyone (individual or business representative) who bids will be understood to have read the following silent auction terms and conditions (“terms and conditions”) and agrees to be bound by them.

The memorabilia up for sale (“item”) are listed on the auction page on the LibrePlanet wiki (“LibrePlanet wiki”). Each item has its own page linked to from https://libreplanet.org/wiki/2025-auction (“item page”) as well as its own bidding page (“bidding page”) that is again linked from the item page. The bidding pages will only go online once an item is unlocked. If an item is grayed-out on the LibrePlanet wiki this means that bidding has not yet started for this item.

The FSF reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to update, revise, supplement, replace or otherwise change any of these terms and conditions.

Bidding rules

  1. Bidding will take place on the bidding page of each item on the LibrePlanet wiki
    Only bids added to the bidding page of each item on the LibrePlanet wiki are legitimate. Bids sent to any email address of the FSF are not legitimate until they are added to the bidding page of the respective item on the LibrePlanet wiki.

  2. In order to place a bid, you must have a my.fsf.org account.

  3. Bidding period
    Bidding for the first items will start at 12:00 EDT (16:00 UTC) on March 17, 2025. More items will be unlocked each day at 12:00 EDT (16:00 UTC) until March 20, 2025. For all items, the bid period will end on March 21, 2025 at 15:00 EDT (19:00 UTC).

  4. Eligibility: Bidders must be individuals who can enter into legally binding contracts under applicable law
    If you are a minor, you may only participate in the auction in conjunction with your parent or legal guardian. If you are registered as a business entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind such entity to these terms and conditions.

  5. Bids exclude the costs for shipping, insurance, and customs.

  6. Bids must meet the minimum bidding increment requirement (or risk disqualification)
    Bids that do not meet the minimum bidding increment requirement are illegitimate. E.g., bids for an item with bid increments of $200 USD could jump from $2000 USD to $2200 USD, but not to $2100 USD.

  7. Bidding multiple bid increments at a time is allowed
    Bidding greater than one increment at a time is allowed so long as the bid is a multiple of the minimum bidding increment amount. E.g., bids for an item with bid increments of $200 USD could jump from $2000 USD to $2400 USD or $2600 USD but not to $2300 USD.

  8. Bidding on an item multiple times is allowed.

  9. Bidders may (and are explicitly invited to) bid on multiple items at the same time.

  10. All bids and sales of auction items are binding
    You acknowledge when adding a bid that each bid submitted is irrevocable and cannot be amended or corrected, even if submitted in error. You accept full liability for all bids submitted via your my.fsf.org account (including the liability to pay in full and on time in accordance with the terms and conditions).

  11. All bids placed are considered to be in $USD.

  12. You should keep your account details confidential and not permit any third party access to your account; you are liable for any and all bids made via your account.

  13. Bidders are to conduct themselves appropriately during the bidding period
    Inappropriate bidding actions include but are not limited to:

    1. Removal of another bidder’s bid.
    2. Placing a bid under another user’s name.
    3. Taking action with intent to dissuade others from participating in bidding on one or more items.
    4. Posting, sending, uploading, or in any other way publishing materials leading up to and during the bidding period that could interfere with another bidder’s use of the site; are abusive, illegal, indecent, obscene, offensive, or threatening in any way; interfere with the privacy of another bidder; and/or contain false or misleading statements of fact or descriptions of the item.

  14. Bidders should expect to be contacted during the silent auction
    We may contact bidders via email or phone during the silent auction to determine if their bid is legitimate. If a bidder is not reachable via email or phone within 24 hours of contact during the silent auction, we may declare their bid illegitimate and remove it.

  15. Illegitimate bids will be removed
    We reserve the right to remove illegitimate bids during the silent auction without further notice. Illegitimate bids are defined as bids that do not adhere to the bidding increment requirement; bids which are are made in the name of another user or by a user who does not meet the eligibility criteria; and/or bids which are in any other way in violation of these terms and conditions. Furthermore, the FSF can declare bids illegitimate if the bidder is not reachable via email or phone within 24 hours of contact.

  16. Some items have a reserve price
    As many of these items have an historical and sentimental value, we want to be sure that they go to people who will preserve them and who care as deeply about these items as we do. Otherwise, we would rather continue to preserve and store these artifacts ourselves. For this reason, we set a reserve price for some of the auction items. The reserve price must be met for these items to be sold. The reserve price is confidential, but the FSF may reveal the reserve price closer to the end of the silent auction if the bidding stays below it.

  17. The FSF is not responsible for interruption in service, errors, and/or omissions
    This is the first time that the FSF is conducting a memorabilia auction and the first time that we use the LibrePlanet wiki for something like this. We have tested everything and have prepared well for this event, but ask for your understanding if you should encounter any interruptions in service. Feel free to contact us at info@fsf.org if you encounter technical difficulties. Although we will monitor this email queue, closely please plan for a 12-hour response time, especially if you are not located in the EDT time zone. The FSF cannot be held responsible for any interruption in service, errors, and/or omissions caused by any means and does not guarantee continual, uninterrupted or error free service or use of the LibrePlanet wiki.

  18. By submitting a bid, you agree that the FSF may contact you with the email address or phone number you provided in your my.fsf.org account to confirm your bid and to arrange for the payment process and shipping if you win an item, even if you set your preferences to not receive emails or calls. Please be assured that we prioritize your privacy and do not sell or distribute our contact lists. Read our full privacy policy.

After the silent auction

  1. Determining the winners
    The bidder with the highest legitimate bid received by the end of the bid period wins the auction item, so long as the reserve price is met. The FSF reserves the right to offer an auction item to the next highest bidder if the original highest bidder is not reachable via email or phone within 48 hours of contact or does not pay the full amount within fourteen days (“payment period”).

  2. Bidders should expect to be contacted in the week following the auction
    In the week following the silent auction, we will contact the highest bidders, communicate ways to pay, and verify the delivery method and shipping address (if applicable). If a bidder is not reachable via email or phone within 48 hours of contact, we will declare their bid illegitimate and offer the item to the next highest bidder. Bidders who did not submit the highest bid should therefore also remain available in the weeks following the auction in case the higher bid(s) turn out to be illegitimate.

  3. Winning bidders must pay what they bid plus costs for shipping, insurance, and customs
    We won’t release items to winners until we have received the full payment, including costs for shipping, insurance, and customs where applicable. We reserve the right to offer an auction item to the next highest bidder if a bidder is not reachable within forty eight hours of contact or does not pay the full amount within the payment period.

  4. Bidders may collect the items they won in Boston, MA, USA or receive them by postal mail
    When being contacted after the auction, winning bidders must specify if they want to collect the item(s) in person, otherwise we will assume that they want to receive the item(s) by postal mail and will charge the winning bidder for the costs for shipping, insurance, and customs where applicable in addition to the winning bid amount. Please consult the list of destinations for which the USPS is currently suspending international mail acceptance due to inadequate transportation options or service disruptions within the country. Bidders are responsible for ensuring that we can ship the items they bid on to them.

  5. Items are in as-is condition
    It is the buyer’s responsibility to carefully read the description and inspect the photos of the auction item(s) we provide on the LibrePlanet wiki. The buyer may not return an item(s) because of damages or discrepancies that were already visible on the photos or outlined in the auction item(s) description on the LibrePlanet wiki.

  6. Any auction item sold may be affected by laws on exports from the US and import restrictions of other countries. Many countries require a declaration of export for property leaving the country and/or an import declaration on entry of property into the country. Obtaining the necessary permits and/or licenses may result in additional cost and subsequent delays. Bidders are responsible for getting advice about and meeting the requirements of any laws or regulations which apply to exporting or importing any items prior to bidding. Bidders will cover all import and/or export related costs. International buyers (non-US) bear the risk of orders being held or destroyed by the customs department.

  7. FSF will refund the payment if an item gets damaged during shipping
    We will pack all items auctioned off with exceptional care. If any of the auction items gets damaged during shipping nevertheless and the recipient does not want the item anymore because of this damage, the recipient can return the item. The FSF will then refund the payment, but cannot be held liable beyond that.

  8. Bidders assume any and all risks or hazards associated with items they win.

  9. If you are a US resident, for tax purposes, purchases above the fair market value may be tax-deductible for you. Consult with your tax advisor to verify if this is the case.

  10. Some of these items have great historical value. We would really appreciate it if the winners keep us up to date about their whereabouts.

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