Terms and conditions for the Free Software Foundation's Live Memorabilia Auction
The memorabilia up for sale ("aucton item") in the live auction are listed in the Live Auction Booklet ("Auction Booklet"). The live auction will take place on March 23, 2025 on Galène and start at 14:00 EDT (18:00 UTC).
The FSF reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to update, revise, supplement, replace or otherwise change any of these terms and conditions.
Bidding rules
1. Registration
To participate in the live auction, you must register in advance.
2. Bidding
Bidding will take place in the chat of the Galène room ("Galène room"), to which you will receive the link upon registration.
3. The host's ("auctioneer") rights
The auctioneer has the final word in all bidding situations. The auctioneer decides the bidding increments, how long bidding for the item is open, and who wins the bidding. The auctioneer may decide, at any time during the live auction and in their, his, or her sole discretion whether to accept or decline your bid or suspend online bidding.
4. Eligibility
Bidders must be individuals who can enter into legally binding contracts under applicable law. If you are a minor, you may only participate in the live auction in conjunction with your parent or legal guardian. If you are registered as a business entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind such entity to these terms and conditions.
5. Bids exclude the costs for shipping, insurance, and customs
6. Bidding increments
The bidding increments outlined in the Auction Booklet are approximate. The auctioneer can change the bidding increments during the live auction. Bids must meet the minimum bidding increment requirement or risk disqualification.
7. Bidding on an item multiple times is allowed
8. Bidders may (and are explicitly invited to) bid on multiple items.
9. Bidding multiple bid increments at a time is allowed
Bidding greater than one increment at a time is allowed so long as the bid is a multiple of the minimum bidding increment amount. E.g., bids for an item with bid increments of $200 USD could jump from $2000 USD to $2400 USD or $2600 USD but not to $2300 USD.
10. All bids and sales of live auction items are binding
You acknowledge when adding a bid that each bid submitted is irrevocable and cannot be amended or corrected, even if submitted in error. You accept full liability for all bids submitted via your my.fsf.org account (including the liability to pay in full and on time in accordance with the terms and conditions).
11. All bids placed are considered to be in $USD
12. Absentee bid
If you are unable to attend the live auction you may place an absentee bid. To place an absentee bid, send a signed letter (PDF) to campaigns@fsf.org in which you grant an FSF staff member or the auctioneer permission to bid on your behalf. The letter has to specify the top amount of the absentee bid and the item(s) you want to bid on. The letter has to be in a free document format such as PDF.
13. Bidders are to conduct themselves appropriately during the bidding period
Inappropriate bidding actions include but are not limited to:
a. Removal of another bidder's bid.
b. Placing a bid under another user's name.
c. Taking action with intent to dissuade others from participating in bidding on one or more items.
d. Posting, sending, uploading, or in any other way publishing materials leading up to and during the bidding period that could interfere with another bidder's use of the site; are abusive, illegal, indecent, obscene, offensive, or threatening in any way; interfere with the privacy of another bidder; and/or contain false or misleading statements of fact or descriptions of the item.
14. Bidders should expect to be contacted during the live auction
We may contact bidders and especially the winners via direct message during the live auction to confirm their contact details and to share the payment information with them.
15. Some items have a reserve price
As many of these items have an historical and sentimental value, we want to be sure that they go to people who will preserve them and who care as deeply about these items as we do. Otherwise, we would rather continue to preserve and store these artifacts ourselves. For this reason, we set a reserve price for some of the live auction items. The reserve price must be met for these items to be sold. The reserve price is confidential, but the FSF may reveal the reserve price closer to the end of the live auction if the bidding stays below it.
16. The FSF is not responsible for interruption in service, errors, and/or omissions
This is the first time that the FSF is conducting a memorabilia auction and the first time that we use Galène for something like this. We have tested everything and have prepared well for this event, but ask for your understanding if you should encounter any interruptions in service. Feel free to call us at +1-617-542-5942 if you encounter technical difficulties. The FSF cannot be held responsible for any interruption in service, errors, and/or omissions, caused by any means and does not guarantee continual, uninterrupted or error free service or use of Galène.
17. By submitting a bid, you agree that the FSF may contact you with the email address or phone number you provided in your my.fsf.org account
We may reach out to confirm your bid and to arrange for the payment process and shipping if you win an item, even if you set your preferences to not to receive emails or calls; be assured that we prioritize your privacy and do not sell or distribute our contact lists. Read our full privacy policy.
After the live auction
1. Payment period
Winners must pay what they bid plus costs for shipping, insurance, and customs (if applicable) within fourteen days ("payment period") after the live auction, i.e. by April 6, 2025. The FSF reserves the right to offer an auction item to another bidder if the original winner does not pay the full amount within the payment period.
2. Bidders should expect to be contacted in the week following the live auction
We may contact the winners in the week following the live auction if we lack information. If a winner is not reachable via email or phone within 48 hours of contact, we will offer the item to another bidder. Bidders should therefore remain available in the weeks following the live auction even if they did not win an item during the live auction itself in case the winning bid turns out to be illegitimate.
3. Winning bidders must pay what they bid plus costs for shipping, insurance, and customs
We won’t release items to winners until we have received the full payment, including costs for shipping, insurance, and customs where applicable. We reserve the right to offer an auction item to the next highest bidder if a bidder is not reachable within forty eight hours of contact or does not pay the full amount within the payment period.
4. Bidders may collect the items they won in Boston, MA, USA or receive them by postal mail
When being contacted after the auction, winning bidders must specify if they want to collect the item(s) in person, otherwise we will assume that they want to receive the item(s) by postal mail and will charge the winning bidder for the costs for shipping, insurance, and customs where applicable in addition to the winning bid amount. Please consult the list of destinations for which the USPS is currently suspending international mail acceptance due to inadequate transportation options or service disruptions within the country. Bidders are responsible for ensuring that we can ship the items they bid on to them.
5. Items are in as-is condition
It is the buyer’s responsibility to carefully read the description and inspect the photos of the auction item(s) we provide in the Auction Booklet. The buyer may not return an item(s) because of damages or discrepancies that were already visible on the photos or outlined in the auction item(s) description on the LibrePlanet wiki.
6. Any auction item sold may be affected by laws on exports from the US and import restrictions of other countries
Many countries require a declaration of export for property leaving the country and/or an import declaration on entry of property into the country. Obtaining the necessary permits and/or licenses may result in additional cost and subsequent delays. Bidders are responsible for getting advice about and meeting the requirements of any laws or regulations which apply to exporting or importing any items prior to bidding. Bidders will cover all import and/or export related costs. International buyers (non-US) bear the risk of orders being held or destroyed by the customs department.
7. FSF will refund the payment if an item gets damaged during shipping
We will pack all items auctioned off with exceptional care. If any of the auction items gets damaged during shipping nevertheless and the recipient does not want the item anymore because of this damage, the recipient can return the item. The FSF will then refund the payment, but cannot be held liable beyond that.