THE RULES OF THE GAME

You must know the lingo, KWIM? (That’s “know what I mean,” in case you don’t.) If you are admitted to a group, understand the rules before you post or bid. That way you’ll avoid obvious first-timer mistakes—like posting an auction to the wall (the group’s Facebook feed) rather than creating an album and posting that to the wall. The rules will spell out bid increments, ability to turn down an item (if it’s not in the condition described), minimum number of items in an auction, etc.

When you’re buying, if an auction item doesn’t have the information you are looking for, ask. Chances are, other people are also wondering how tall that stuffed giraffe is. And just because something is a deal doesn’t mean you should buy it. Be wary of the impulse buy, or loading up on 10-pound pants—“Those will look so cute on me once I lose those 10 pounds!”

And, while “please” and “thanks” go a long way, online auction sites have their own lingo. Here are some common terms:

SB: Starting bid. DNBH: Do not bid here; this is used on the secondary photos of items. NWT: New with tags; never washed or worn; no flaws. NWOT: New without tags; never washed or worn; no flaws. LN: Like new; appears new, no signs of wear; washed and possibly worn; no flaws. EUC: Excellent used condition; previously worn, with only very slight wash wear; no flaws. VGUC: Very good used condition; previously worn with moderate wash wear/fade, but no visible flaws. GUC: Good used condition; possible minor visible flaw(s) and/or wash wear/fade. Play: Previously worn with minor visible flaw(s) and/or significant wash wear/fade. Fair: Previously worn with significant visible flaw(s), and/or significant wash wear/fade. *: Placing one of these on an item in an auction means you are watching it, and will receive notice of any further activity on the piece; it’s not allowed, but people do it all the time anyway. DM: Direct message, a way to communicate in private.