Auction - Bidding on an auction is done in specified increments. The user with the highest sucessfull bid "wins" the auction and the ability to purchase the item. Auctions use Proxy Bidding (see definition below).  

Swap - To swap an item, begin by making a swap offer. The "Seller" can Accept or Decline your offer. If your offer is declined the "Seller" might send a counter offer. You can make multiple offers on any Swap listing. There are no bidding or "Buy Now" features in a swap.

Proxy Bidding - An automatic method of bidding that increases your bid to the next lowest price when another user bids on the same item. Your bid is increased until your maximum bid amount is reached or the auction ends.

Buy Now - This allows you to purchase an item instantly at the "Buy Now" price listed by the seller.

Ask The Seller - At the bottom of every listing there is a "Comments" section where you can ask the Seller a question, or view previous questions from other users.

When submitting a question to a Seller, the message gets sent directly to their email address on file. The Seller can respond by following the link in the email.

To ask the Seller a question:

1. Log into your account.
2. Go to the Item listing.
3. Scroll down to the section marked "Comments."
4. Click the text "Ask the seller a question." This will take you to a Contact User form.
5. Enter your message.
6. Click "Send" button.

Note that each seller may have his or her own shipping and return policies.  They are usually listed in their auction, however if they are not, you should use the "Ask the Seller" system to clarify this before you make a purchase.