Alerts: Yahoo! Auctions alerts notify you when a new auction is posted that matches your interests. Track specific categories, favorite sellers, or search for your selected keywords across all categories. When a new item matches your interest, you'll receive an email with the details of the auction. You must be signed in to create your alerts. Learn how to set up your alerts.

Auto Extension: This option for sellers automatically extends the amount of time left to bid by five minutes if someone places a bid near the end of the auction.

Auto Resubmit: This option for sellers automatically resubmits your auction if your item isn't sold when the auction closes. The auction reopens with the same information. If you wish to edit the auction after it's been resubmitted, read more about editing your auction.

Automatic Bidding: The system automatically places bids on your behalf at the lowest possible increments. You enter the highest amount you are willing to pay, then the computer goes to work for you. The goal is for you to win your item at the lowest possible price. Your maximum bid amount is placed only when another bidder has actually bid up to that amount.

Bid Increments: Any new bid you place must be greater than the current high bid. The amount by which you must increase your bid depends on the current price of the item being auctioned. Here are the bid increments for Yahoo! Auctions:

Blacklist: Under certain circumstances, you might want to block specific bidders from participating in your auctions. Your blacklist is a place to enter the Yahoo! IDs of users you want to block from participating in your auctions. Learn more about blacklisting.

Bulk Loader: The Bulk Loader is a tool that allows you to load a batch of auctions all at once. Instead of submitting individual auctions one by one, you can submit all of your auctions in CSV file format and send that information directly to us. The Bulk Loader then uploads multiple auctions, saving you time and effort. Learn more about the Bulk Loader.

Buy Price: The Buy Price is the price for which a seller is willing to immediately close their auction and sell their item. If a bidder bids an auction's Buy Price, they automatically win the auction. However, the Buy Price doesn't have to be met for an auction to close successfully.

CSV: CSV stands for "comma separated values." It's a type of file usually created with a spreadsheet program: each line (or row) consists of one record, and each field of the record is separated by commas. You need to use this format to present batch auctions so that the Bulk Loader can read the information. Each item to be auctioned has its own record, consisting of fields containing information separated by commas and enclosed by double-quotes.

Early Close: Sellers can choose to close their auctions early if they're satisfied with the current bid price and wish to sell the item to the current winning bidder.

Escrow Service: An escrow service can be employed to help you carry out a transaction after the winner of the auction is decided. Internet escrow services such as Escrow.com collect funds from the buyer and hold them until the buyer receives the item. The service then releases the funds to the seller.

Event Notification: Buyers or sellers can choose to be notified by email, Yahoo! Messenger, or both, when something happens in one of their auctions. Learn how to set up your preferences for event notification.

Length of Auction: This is the number of days people can bid on your auction. You select a length of time from two to ten days.

Listings Page: The seller's listings page is a publicly accessible page where all of the seller's current auctions are listed. Learn more about listing pages.

Minimum Bidder Rating: This option determines the minimum rating that bidders must meet before bidding on your auction. The default is zero—this means that bidders with a negative rating won't be able to bid on your item. Please note that all bidders, no matter what their ratings, must enter a valid credit card before being able to bid on any item. If you want anyone to be able to bid on your item, regardless of rating, set the Minimum Bid Rating to zero.

My Auctions: As a buyer or seller, you can track your auction activity in one online location. Follow the auctions that interest you (as a bidder or seller) by clicking the "My Auctions" link in the grey bar at the top of any auctions page. You can also gain quick access to auction alerts, event notification, winning email customization, profile editing, blacklist, and account information features

Neighborhood Watch: The Neighborhood Watch feature allows our Yahoo! Auctions users to voice their opinions about the items that are currently running on our site that might violate our Terms of Service or be in the wrong category. Anyone with a positive rating is allowed to review an auction. When the auction gets a certain number of ratings, the auction will be forwarded to Customer Care for review.

Photo Upload: Photo upload is a feature for adding photos to your auctions using the Yahoo! Auctions submission process. Learn more about photo upload.

Ratings and Feedback: Yahoo! Auctions ratings are a way for the buyers and sellers to evaluate their transactions for the benefit of the entire auctions community. Let others know if you've had a good or bad auction experience. Learn more about ratings.

Register: In order to place a bid or sell an item, you need to register at Yahoo!. Registration is free, and it's required. This helps provide all participants with a safer environment to buy and sell. Your registration information is private. You can find out more about how Yahoo! handles your personal information by reading the Yahoo! Privacy Policy.

Reserve Price: The reserve price is the lowest price at which a seller is willing to sell an item. The seller sets a starting price and allows buyers to drive up the price by placing bids. If, at the close of auction, the bidders haven't met the reserve price, the seller isn't obligated to sell. Learn more about the reserve price.

Sales Policies: As a seller, you choose how you want your transactions to proceed. There are three things you need to specify:

• What types of payment you're willing to accept from buyers (personal checks, cashiers checks, money orders, credit cards, PayPal, or payment via an escrow service).
• Who pays the shipping costs, you or the buyer.
• Whether you will ship the item after the close of the auction or after you receive payment.

Starting Price: All bidding for your item starts at this price. Please keep this amount as low as possible. Bids below this amount won't be accepted.

Watchlist: You can track your favorite auctions by clicking the "Add to My Watchlist" link located above the bid box on any item page. When you're ready to bid, access your watchlist by clicking the "My Auctions" link.