Sealabid
FAQ
Plain-English answers. If anything here contradicts the legal docs, Terms and Fees win.
The three things most people need:
Sealed offers: buyers submit one private envelope before the deadline.
No charge to offer: you’re not charged to submit an envelope — you pay only if selected.
Approval first: listings go public only after admin approval to cut down scams and spam.
For buyers (sealed bids explained)
What is Sealabid?▾
Sealabid is a sealed-bid marketplace. Buyers submit one private offer (“an envelope”) before a deadline. After the deadline, the seller opens all envelopes and chooses who they want to deal with — or chooses no sale.
What’s an envelope?▾
An envelope is a private offer you submit on a listing. Other buyers can’t see it. Sellers don’t see envelope amounts until the listing ends.
Can I submit more than one envelope on the same listing?▾
No — one envelope per buyer per listing. You can update your envelope before the deadline, but you can’t place multiple separate envelopes.
Can I change my envelope?▾
Yes, up until the deadline. After the deadline, it’s sealed and the seller reviews it.
Do I pay to submit an envelope?▾
No — placing an envelope is not a purchase. You aren’t charged just for making an offer. You only pay if a seller selects you and the deal proceeds through Sealabid.
When do I pay?▾
Payment happens after the deadline only if the seller selects you. If you’re not selected, you don’t pay anything for that listing.
Does the highest offer automatically win?▾
No. The seller can pick any buyer (or no sale). Price matters, but so does reliability, pickup speed, and communication. That’s the whole point of “Buying is Subjective”.
Is sealed bidding fair for buyers?▾
Sealed bids reduce “price-chasing” and last-second games because other buyers can’t see your offer. You make your best offer based on the item, not the crowd.
Sellers still choose who they want to deal with, so a strong buyer profile and fast, reliable completion can matter too.
What happens at the deadline?▾
The sealed-bid window closes. The seller then opens the envelopes and decides who to deal with (or marks no sale).
If I’m chosen, am I forced to pay?▾
If a seller chooses you, you’re expected to proceed in good faith. If you repeatedly get chosen and fail to pay or disappear, your account may be restricted.
Can I contact the seller before the deadline?▾
Keep it simple: use the listing details to decide your offer. Final logistics (collection/delivery details, timing, address) should be agreed privately after a buyer is selected.
Do sold prices show publicly?▾
The intention is discretion: sold outcomes are kept private between the seller and the chosen buyer where supported. (If anything changes in how outcomes are displayed, we’ll make it clear in the flow and update Terms/FAQ.)
For sellers (listing, approval, ending)
Do listings go live instantly?▾
Not always. When you submit a listing it goes into pending approval. It only becomes public once an admin approves it. This cuts down scams, prohibited items and spam.
Why does my listing say “pending approval”?▾
Because listings aren’t public until approved. Pending approval means it’s in the admin queue being reviewed. Once approved it becomes live and buyers can see it.
How long does approval take?▾
It depends on demand and staffing (early launch = sometimes manual). If your listing is complete, clear and within the rules, approval is usually quick. If something’s missing or unclear, it may be rejected with a reason so you can fix it and resubmit.
What happens if my listing is rejected?▾
Rejected listings aren’t public. We may give a reason (for example: missing info, prohibited item, misleading wording, unsafe content).
Usually you can edit the draft and submit again. Repeated attempts to post prohibited items or obvious spam can lead to account restrictions.
When does the deadline start — when I submit or when it’s approved?▾
The countdown matters only when the listing is live. Approval is what makes it public and sets the deadline shown to buyers. (If it’s pending approval, buyers can’t see it anyway.)
What happens when my listing ends?▾
At the deadline, the sealed-bid window closes and you can review the envelopes.
- If envelopes exist: choose a buyer, or mark no sale.
- If there are zero envelopes: it ends unsold.
After the deadline you typically have a short decision window (around 2 hours) to choose, or it may expire as no sale.
Can I reject all envelopes?▾
Yes. You’re not forced to accept any offer. If behaviour looks like abuse or manipulation (e.g. fake listings to harvest attention), accounts can be restricted under our Terms.
Can I relist / submit the same item again?▾
Yes — there’s no fixed cap on relisting/resubmitting.
But don’t spam Browse or manipulate visibility. If activity looks abusive (constant bumps, fake urgency, repeated junk), we can restrict accounts or remove listings under our Terms.
Is there a limit on how many listings I can have live?▾
There’s no fixed live listing cap at the moment. If someone floods Browse, posts spam, or tries to game visibility, we can reduce visibility, restrict accounts, or require additional verification under our Terms.
How do delivery and collection work?▾
Sellers choose either delivery (with a delivery charge) or collection (usually shown publicly as outward postcode only). Full addresses should never be posted publicly.
Once a buyer is accepted, you arrange the final details privately and (where supported) confirm dispatch / received in the platform.
Fees & rules
Is it free to list?▾
Yes — it’s currently free to create and submit listings. We only earn commission if a sale completes through Sealabid. If we ever add a listing fee (for example a deposit to reduce spam), we’ll show it clearly in the submit flow and on the Fees page.
When do you charge commission?▾
Only when a sale completes through Sealabid. See Fees for rates and examples.
Do buyers pay a buyer premium?▾
Currently no.
Can I do the deal off-platform to avoid commission?▾
Don’t. If we reasonably suspect avoidance or rule dodging, we may restrict accounts and remove listings under our Terms.
Where are the full legal terms?▾
Read Terms & Conditions and Fees.
How do I contact you?▾
Email info@sealabid.com.
Premium Storefronts (retail partners)
What is a Premium Storefront?▾
It’s a dedicated shop page (branding + curated listings) for premium retailers/suppliers. Offers are sealed, and outcomes are discreet. It’s invitation-only and approval is required.
Who qualifies for a storefront?▾
Businesses selling premium goods with high-integrity listings and a strong fit for the platform. If something feels low-trust, low-quality, or spammy, it won’t be approved.
How do I apply?▾
Use Premium Storefronts to register interest. You’ll get an acknowledgement email after submission.
Will you reply within 24 hours?▾
That’s the target for applications (early launch), but verification can take longer if we need extra details. If we need anything, we’ll ask.
What happens if I’m approved?▾
We’ll send a claim/invite link to enable partner access, agree terms where applicable (tier/rates), and then you can build out your storefront branding in the Partner Portal.
Can you reject or remove a storefront?▾
Yes. It’s discretionary. If there’s fraud, rule breaches, prohibited goods, commission avoidance, impersonation, non-payment, or other misuse, we can unpublish or remove storefront access.