Terms of Service

Welcome to BidByU. These terms explain the rules for buying and selling on BidByU. By creating an account or using the site, you agree to them. If you don't agree, please don't use BidByU.

1. BidByU is a venue, not the seller

BidByU is an online place where people in your area list items and other people bid on or buy them. BidByU does not own, inspect, or sell the items listed. Each sale is between the buyer and the seller. Sellers are responsible for describing their items honestly and for having the right to sell them. Buyers are responsible for checking an item before they accept it at pickup.

2. You must be 18 or older

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, list, bid, or buy on BidByU.

3. Your account

• Give accurate information and keep your password safe.
• You are responsible for what happens on your account.
• We may suspend or close accounts that break these terms or put other users at risk.

4. Fees

• Listing is free. When an item sells, BidByU keeps a 2% fee from the amount paid through BidByU.
• For vehicles, the fee is 2% of the $500 deposit only — that's $10 per vehicle. BidByU charges no fee on the balance paid in person.
• Buyers do not pay a BidByU fee on top of the price.

5. Payments and pickup

• Payments are processed by Stripe. BidByU does not store your full card number. By paying or getting paid, you also agree to Stripe's terms.
• When a buyer pays, BidByU holds the seller's share until the buyer scans the seller's pickup QR code at the meetup. The scan confirms the buyer received the item, and the seller's payout is then sent.
• Buyers can inspect the item at pickup. If you decide not to buy it, don't scan the QR code — tap "I'm not buying it — refund me" on the pickup page instead, and you'll get a full refund of what you paid through BidByU. The seller is not paid for a declined sale.
• For items other than vehicles: if the pickup QR code isn't scanned within 14 days of the scheduled pickup (or payment) and no problem has been reported, the payout is released to the seller automatically.
• BidByU keeps a record of declined pickups and may limit or close accounts that decline in bad faith.
• If a seller doesn't show up for the pickup, the buyer can report a no-show and get a refund.
• Meet in a safe, public place. BidByU is not responsible for what happens at a meetup.

6. Vehicles and deposits

These categories are treated as vehicles: Cars & Trucks, SUVs & Vans, Classic & Project Cars, Motorcycles & Powersports, ATVs/UTVs, Boats & Watercraft, RVs & Campers, Trailers, Heavy Equipment.

• The buyer pays a deposit of $500 through BidByU (or the full price, if it's under $500). The rest of the price is paid directly to the seller in person at pickup. That in-person payment is between the buyer and seller.
• The seller gets the deposit, minus the fee, after the pickup QR code is scanned.
• The buyer can inspect the vehicle at pickup and decline it for a full refund of the deposit.
• If a vehicle pickup isn't confirmed with the QR code within 14 days, the deposit is refunded to the buyer (not paid to the seller).
• Sellers must give the VIN (or hull/serial number) and mileage, and must own the vehicle with the title in their own name.
• Sellers must sign over the title and follow Ohio title-transfer rules at the sale.
• Ohio treats people who sell more than 5 vehicles in a year as dealers. BidByU is for private sellers, so each seller can sell up to 5 vehicles per calendar year.
• The Carfax button opens Carfax's own website. Carfax reports are bought from Carfax, not BidByU, and BidByU is not responsible for their contents.

7. Bidding, Buy It Now, and reserve prices

• A bid is a promise to buy. If you win, you agree to pay by the payment deadline.
• A seller can set a reserve price — a hidden minimum. If an auction ends below the reserve, no sale is made and nobody pays.
• Buy It Now lets a buyer purchase immediately at the listed price.
• Don't bid on your own items or have someone bid for you to raise the price.

8. Prohibited items

You may not list or sell these on BidByU:

• Catalytic converters
• Guns and gun parts
• Ammunition
• Explosives and fireworks
• Drugs and drug paraphernalia
• Alcohol
• Tobacco and vapes
• Prescription medications
• Recalled items
• Used airbags
• Stolen goods
• Counterfeit items
• Live animals
• Adult content
• Anything else that is illegal to sell in Ohio or under U.S. law

We automatically block listings that look like prohibited items and may remove any listing at our discretion. If you see one, please use the Report button on the listing.

9. Your content

You own the photos and text you post. You give BidByU permission to show them on the site and in promotions of your listing. Don't post anything you don't have the right to share.

10. Disclaimers and limits

BidByU is provided "as is." We don't guarantee any item, user, or sale. To the fullest extent the law allows, BidByU is not liable for indirect or consequential losses, and our total liability for any claim is limited to the fees BidByU collected on the sale involved.

11. Ohio law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Ohio. Any dispute will be handled in the state or federal courts located in Ohio.

12. Changes

We may update these terms. If we make a big change, we'll let you know on the site. Using BidByU after an update means you accept it.

See also our Privacy Policy.