Auction Terms & Conditions

Snagged Auctions (the “Platform,” “we,” “us”) is operated by Snagged Domains (“Operator”). These Auction Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your participation as a bidder in any auction conducted on the Platform. By registering, bidding, or otherwise using the Platform, you accept these Terms.

Each auction listing identifies the specific internet domain name (the “Domain”) being offered. Where the Domain is held in the Operator's custodial account at the time of auction, this is disclosed on the listing. Domains held by third-party sellers are sold subject to the seller's consignment agreement with the Operator.

To bid you must (a) be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter a binding contract; (b) provide accurate registration information; and (c) successfully complete identity and payment-method verification. The Operator may, in its sole discretion, refuse or terminate any registration.

• Each bidder must register an individual account. Sharing accounts is prohibited.
• Identity, business, and/or source-of-funds verification may be required prior to approval. Submission of false or misleading information will result in suspension or disqualification and may be reported to law enforcement.
• Approval is discretionary. The Operator may deny, suspend, or remove any bidder for any reason consistent with applicable law.

A valid credit or debit card is required to register. The card is verified through our payment processor (Stripe), which may place a temporary authorization hold; this is not a charge. By registering you authorize the Operator to:

• place verification authorizations on the card from time to time to confirm its validity;
• retain the payment method on file for the duration of any active or recently concluded auction; and
• use that payment method to collect amounts you have separately agreed to under these Terms — for example, the buyer-default amount described in Section 16 — subject to the disclosure and authorization rules of our payment processor and applicable card-network rules. Disputed amounts will be resolved in good faith before collection is attempted.

Any verification fees, deposit fees, or processor fees are non-refundable unless the relevant auction is canceled by the Operator under Section 13.

Auctions may be listed with a reserve price. The reserve is the minimum the seller will accept; it may or may not be disclosed. The listing will indicate whether the reserve has been met. If bidding closes below reserve, the seller is not obligated to sell and the Operator may at its discretion (a) negotiate a post-auction sale between the highest bidder and the seller, or (b) relist the Domain.

Each bid must meet or exceed the minimum next bid shown on the listing. Minimums are determined by a tiered increment ladder based on the current standing bid (for example, $100 increments under $10,000, scaling to $25,000 increments above $1M). The full ladder is published in the auction description and may be updated by the Operator with notice.

Bidders may enter a maximum bid. The Platform will bid on the bidder's behalf in increments only as high as needed to keep the bidder in the lead, up to the maximum. A bidder's maximum bid is kept strictly confidential. Bids placed in the closing window may be subject to a higher minimum increment (see Section 9).

If a qualifying bid is placed within the last several minutes of the scheduled end time (the “closing window”, length disclosed per listing), the auction end time is automatically extended by a configured interval. Extensions may repeat until no qualifying bid is placed in the closing window. During the closing window the minimum increment may be multiplied (typically 2×) so that extensions require meaningful price movement.

Each listing displays the start and end times. All times are evaluated in UTC by the Platform and displayed to the bidder in local time. Bidders are responsible for ensuring their device clock is accurate.

A bid is valid only when (a) submitted by an approved bidder through the Platform, (b) at or above the minimum next bid, (c) before the auction ends, and (d) accepted and acknowledged by the Platform. Bids placed in error, by a banned user, by automated means in violation of these Terms, or that result from a system outage or display error may be voided by the Operator.

To preserve auction integrity, the Operator reserves the right — in cases of bid error, system outage, fraud, abuse, seller non-performance, legal or compliance issues, or other circumstances reasonably affecting the fair conduct of an auction — to: void or reinstate bids; suspend, pause, extend, restart, or cancel an auction; correct listing or display errors; ban a user; or amend these Terms on prospective notice. Where reasonably practical we will notify affected bidders. The Platform is provided on a best-effort basis and we make no guarantee of uninterrupted availability.

If an auction is canceled by the Operator before close: (a) no winning bidder is declared; (b) no purchase obligation arises; (c) any deposit or authorization hold will be released; and (d) verification fees may be refunded at the Operator's discretion. Cancellation by the seller, after the auction closes at or above reserve, may entitle the winning bidder to remedies under Section 17.

The highest valid bid at the end of the auction (and at or above reserve, if any) wins. The winning bidder agrees to:

• open an escrow transaction at Escrow.com within 48 hours of receiving the closing notice;
• fund the escrow in full within 5 business days of opening;
• cooperate in good faith with the registrar transfer process; and
• pay any applicable Escrow.com fees as allocated on the listing (typically split or buyer-paid).

All transactions are settled through Escrow.com, an independent online escrow service widely used for domain-name transactions. The Operator does nothold buyer funds at any time. Escrow.com holds the buyer's funds in trust until the Domain is transferred to the buyer through an ICANN-accredited registrar, after which funds are released to the seller (net of any seller-paid fees and Platform commission). Escrow.com's own terms apply to the escrow leg of the transaction.

Unless the listing states otherwise, Escrow.com fees are split 50/50 between buyer and seller. Any per-listing variation is disclosed on the auction page.

A buyer is in default if they fail to open or fund escrow within the windows in Section 14, fail to cooperate with transfer, or otherwise repudiate the sale. On default the Operator may, without limiting other remedies:

• declare the buyer's bid forfeited;
• award the Domain to the next-highest qualifying bidder at that bidder's last bid;
• permanently ban the buyer from the Platform;
• charge the buyer's card on file for liquidated damages equal to the lesser of (i) 10% of the winning bid or (ii) $10,000; and
• pursue any other remedy available at law or equity, including specific performance.

If after a successful auction the seller fails to transfer the Domain through escrow, the buyer is entitled to a full refund of any escrowed funds. The Operator may additionally pursue the seller under the Seller Agreement for liquidated damages and may credit the affected buyer with priority access on future listings. The Operator's sole liability to the buyer in this scenario is the return of escrowed funds.

The following are strictly prohibited and may result in voided bids, account suspension, permanent ban, and/or referral to law enforcement:

• shill bidding (bidding on a Domain in which you have a direct or indirect interest as seller, or coordinating bids with the seller);
• collusion or bid-rigging between bidders;
• operating multiple accounts;
• submitting false registration, identity, or payment information;
• interfering with the bidding process, the Platform, or other users (including denial-of-service, scraping, or automation);
• placing bids you do not intend to honor in order to trigger extensions or manipulate price; and
• any other conduct intended to undermine the integrity of an auction.

• Domains are sold “as-is, where-is.” The Operator makes no representation as to traffic, revenue, monetization potential, SEO history, or trademark availability.
• The buyer is solely responsible for any legal due diligence and for lawful use of the Domain after acquisition.
• Registrar transfer timing varies (typically 3–7 business days) and may be affected by ICANN transfer locks, registrar policies, or DNS configuration.
• Where the Domain is in the Operator's custodial account, transfer can usually be initiated immediately on funding.

The seller represents that they own or have full authority to sell the Domain and that the transfer to the buyer will be free of any registrar dispute, UDRP proceeding, lien, or competing claim of which the seller is aware. The Operator relies on these representations and does not independently verify title beyond standard registrar checks.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Operator's total liability to any bidder, arising out of or relating to these Terms or any auction, is limited to the greater of (a) the verification or platform fees you paid in the prior 12 months or (b) US$100. The Operator is not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, lost profits, lost opportunity, or loss of data.

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Operator, its affiliates, officers, and agents from any claim arising out of your breach of these Terms, your violation of law, or your infringement of any third-party right.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, USA, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or any auction shall be resolved by binding arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules, seated in Wilmington, Delaware. Each party waives any right to participate in a class, collective, or representative action.

By checking the agreement boxes during registration and by submitting any bid, you provide your electronic signature and consent to these Terms. You agree that electronic records and signatures have the same effect as paper signatures.

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date and, where appropriate, surfaced in-product. Continued participation after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

Questions about these Terms: auctions@snagged.com. Full contact details on the Contact page.