Frequently Asked
CGL Charity Auction Questions!
CGL PRE-AUCTION & REGISTRATION PROCESS
When will I be able to see the items in your next charity auction?
We aim to open our online charity auctions in Preview Mode a week prior to the auction itself opening for bids! At that time, you will be able to view all auction items and starting bid prices, as well as register to participate. We will share the live link to our latest CGL charity auction in Preview Mode once it is loaded and ready, here and on Twitter and Instagram!
But please note: until the auction opens for actual bidding, every listing will say “Online Bidding Not Available For This Item.” Ignore that please! Because online bidding WILL open on our designated date.
Do you I need to register for this auction if I registered for a previous CGL auction?
Once we share the live link to our charity auction in Preview Mode, you must click that exact link to our external auction site hosting that specific CGL auction. Once there, you should be able to sign in with your existing username and password!
Thank you for your patience in advance, as CGL must approve each bidder individually. This process is necessary but quick; all approvals will occur within hours of registration (except when we are sleeping!).
INTERNATIONAL friends: your registration status will be set as Pending until we have a chance to discuss the very high shipping costs with you. Please email us after reading all details and let us know what country you’d like to bid from.
IMPORTANT: Please register to bid using an email account that you actually check/use! It has become a challenging issue for us after charity auctions when we are unable to contact a few winning bidders (because they never check the email they registered with again, and therefore they never made donations or received their auction items)!
Do I need to provide a method of payment when I register for a CGL charity auction?
When you register for a CGL charity auction on our external host site iCollector, it WILL ask you for a credit card. HOWEVER! It is for security purposes only and CGL will NOT charge anything to your card. This is because post-auction payments are ONLY possible via the CGL PayPal account (which you can only access via our website).
iCollector is owned by Live Auction, which is based in Canada. So, this is the message you’ll see when you register:
“By clicking ‘Confirm Your Information’ below, you agree to allow your credit card to be authorized for $1.00 CAD by ‘LIVE AUCTION GROUP PORT COQUITLA BC’ to ensure your card is valid. This amount will be held for 7 to 30 days before being automatically released.”
Why do I need to get approved to participate as a bidder in the CGL charity auction?
Sadly, we’ve experienced fraudulent bidders in the last few charity auctions, so we take the time to check our lists for those names before approving everyone. And FYI: if you’ve previously bid on items in a CGL charity auction but failed to pay for them, we will not approve your registration for any of our future charity auctions.
Are there any extra costs/fees involved if I participate in a CGL charity auction?
No! Most auctions of this magnitude require winning bidders to pay a Buyer’s Premium fee per item, in addition to the winning bid and shipping cost. CGL generously covers all Buyers Premium Fees (3% per item) in our auctions, so that you don’t have to! Winning bidders only have to pay for items won + shipping. This allows CGL to donate 100% of ALL auction proceeds to the cancer charity we’ve selected as our beneficiary for each auction!
CGL CHARITY AUCTION SHIPPING
How much will it cost to ship my auction package?
Shipping costs depend on the size and weight of each CGL auction package, as well as the shipping destination. We always seek out affordable options, but we must include both insurance and tracking for every single auction package.
When multiple items are purchased by the same buyer, we try to ship them all together. However, there are exceptions. For example: if one item in the lot you won requires a poster tube and but the other item requires a shoe-box sized package, we will then have to ship you two separate packages.
Shipping notifications with tracking info will be emailed to winning bidders when items are shipped out!
FYI: in order to save money and also help the environment, CGL uses repurposed packaging and boxes as often as possible. Thus, your auction package may not be pretty on the outside, but it’s what inside that counts. :)
Do you ship auction packages internationally?
We do ship auction items internationally, but CGL has to limit the number of bidders abroad due to very high shipping costs and customs fees! PLEASE READ THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COST ESTIMATES SECTION LOCATED BELOW this FAQ!
IMPORTANT: winning bidders are entirely responsible for ANY/ALL Customs and Import Duties that may apply once CGL packages arrive in your country. Please check your own country fees and duties before placing bids and decide for yourself if you are willing and able to cover the additional fees/duties!
If you live in a country outside of the U.S. and are interested in participating in an upcoming CGL online charity auction (knowing in advance how expensive the shipping will be) please email us with the types of items you’re interested in. We can provide a rough estimate of shipping costs. Please keep in mind that there is no way for us to estimate the cost of your individual country’s customs fees, VAT, etc. on any package we ship!
ALSO! If you live abroad but have friends/family/an office in the U.S. where CGL can ship your auction items if you win any, that will save you SO much money in shipping and customs fees. Please let us know!
Are there countries that CGL does not ship to?
Yes. CGL has to adhere to international shipping restrictions. And there are countries that require prohibitively high customs fees when items arrive, so we try to avoid shipping there. This also includes locations currently affected by war or widespread disasters (earthquakes, floods, etc.). Therefore, please check the list of countries below that we are unable to ship to before registering to bid in our charity auction. Thank you.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Columbia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Cote D’ivoire, Cuba, East Timor, Egypt, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Korea (North and South), Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Papa New Guinea, Pitcairn, Reunion, Russian Federation, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Georgia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Wallis & Futuna, Yemen.
*SHIPPING TRANSPARENCY NOTE
As you know, almost all of our CGL auction items are either rare or 1-of-a-kind. Some are absolutely irreplaceable. Because of ongoing global shipping issues, there is a greater risk that a package might get lost or damaged in transit (which is out of our control). If that happens to your auction item, we will have to reimburse you for your donation. Which means that CGL has to subtract that amount from the grand total we’re donating to the designated cancer charity. Which we try to avoid if it all possible!
In addition, although we insure each auction package, if something happens to it – the carrier only reimburses us for a tiny portion of its value. If we were to insure auction packages with the actual Final Bidding Prices, there is no way y’all would pay for shipping. Prohibitively expensive is an understatement!
CGL POST-AUCTION PROCESS
What happens after a CGL charity auction ends and I’ve won an item?
If you win an item in a CGL online charity auction, you will receive an email from us with an auction invoice 1-2 days after end of auction, with exact instructions and links!
PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT PAYMENT BEFORE YOU RECEIVE AN INVOICE VIA EMAIL FROM CANCER GETS LOST! CGL will email ALL winning bidders within 2 days of auction close, with the payment link, instructions, and item total(s) + shipping costs. If you win multiple items, they will be combined on one invoice!
There is NOT an option to pay for your auction items via our external host site, iCollector. Please do not attempt to make a payment anywhere on that site after winning a CGL charity auction item! And the only official auction invoice you will receive will be from CGL, not iCollector.
How do I pay for my CGL auction items?
CGL accepts PayPal only. You do not have to have a PayPal account, but we strongly recommend it. PayPal does, however, offer the option to pay via credit card.
In the post-auction email you receive from us, there will be a link to the Cancer Gets Lost PayPal account (the same one linked in the DONATE button this site), for winning bidders to complete payment. Please do NOT go directly to the PayPal site or app to make this payment; you must ONLY use the PayPal link on this website in order for the winning bid payments to be made to our fiscal sponsor FJC, for them to process. If you try to make a payment via the PayPal site or app, FJC will never see or process it.
PLEASE make sure that you enter the exact amount when you make your PayPal payment! This includes your winning bid amount(s) and shipping costs.
AFTER you make your auction item payment, please forward your PayPal email receipt to CGL (CGLauctions at gmail dot com) and include BOTH your billing and shipping addresses in the email, as we are not able to view or access them via PayPal! We need both addresses (if separate), for shipping and tax receipt purposes.
You will have 7 DAYS from the day you receive the email and invoice from CGL (after the auction ends) to complete payments for all items won.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If the name on your PayPal account used to pay for your auction item is NOT your real full name (i.e., a nickname or a name of a business), you must let us know! CGL does not have access to our PayPal account, nor are we able to see any addresses you input into your PayPal. Our fiscal sponsor FJC sends us a report of payments to our PayPal account but requires that they match the REAL FULL NAMES of winning bidders (for tax receipt purposes)!
FYI: when you click on the Donate button on our website to pay for your auction item(s), please note: a new window or tab will open, and it will say:
“Donate to FJC - A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds/Cancer Gets Lost.”
That is the correct location to make payment! Our fiscal sponsor FJC oversees the CGL PayPal account exclusively.
Ok, but what is a Fiscal Sponsor?
CGL is a 501c (3)-sponsored organization. We operate under the umbrella of our fiscal sponsor FJC, A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds. They are a 501c (3) public charity that provides management of charitable giving for small organizations like ours. FJC oversees all of the financials for Cancer Gets Lost, they collect tax-deductible contributions made via CGL, and then disburse final auction proceed checks to designated cancer charities on our behalf. FJC has earned a top 4-star rating on Charity Navigator!
Full disclosure: our two Co-Founders fund Cancer Gets Lost themselves. They have never and will never earn/keep any money raised in any of our charity auctions. CGL is a genuine passion project and labor of love!
When will I receive my CGL auction items?
Shipping of all CGL auction items will take place after ALL payments have been received, confirmed, and processed by FJC.
Because CGL is a one-person operation, shipment of all auction packages will begin 3-4 weeks after the auction ends. And just a heads-up that auction participants around the globe are still experiencing longer-than-usual shipping delays due to many events out of our control. We really appreciate your patience!
When does CGL make the donation to the designated cancer charity?
After payments for all items won in the CGL online charity auction have been received and processed, AND after Cancer Gets Lost has completed shipment of all items - we will then donate 100% of ALL auction proceeds to the cancer charity of choice that year. We will share the total amount of money to be donated once that amount has been finalized!
Will I receive a tax receipt if I win an item in a CGL charity auction?
You will receive a tax receipt from FJC if the difference between the your winning bid and the starting bid of the CGL auction item is over $250. For example, if your winning bid is $300 and the starting price was $10, you’ll receive a tax receipt for $290. Please note: FJC mails out tax receipts to the mailing address you provide us with, usually 2-3 months after the auction ends.
DONATING ITEMS OR MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO CGL
What if I want to make a financial contribution or donate an auction item to CGL, but have no interest in participating in a charity auction?
For those of you interested in supporting CGL in addition to or instead of participating in one of our charity auctions, there is always the option to make a tax-deductible financial contribution to CGL via FJC! On the top of the CGL homepage, there is a Donate tab, for your convenience. These donations help offset the costs of auction hosting, buyers’ premiums, shipping supplies, etc. - and we appreciate every cent contributed toward the cause!
If you’re interested in donating an item to a future Cancer Gets Lost charity auction, we are always grateful for and open to donations of rare or signed pop culture collectibles! Please contact email us to discuss, at your convenience.
FURTHER QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about Cancer Gets Lost online charity auctions that have not been answered above, please simply reach out to us via email (CGLauctions at gmail dot com)!
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COSTS: ESTIMATES & EXAMPLES
Here are current shipping cost examples/estimates (NOT including individual country customs fees/duties that each winning bidder is responsible for paying) from three different shipping carriers, all of which include the cost of insurance and tracking services.
We selected various types of auction items for these examples (based on size, weight, and contents).
Poster tube
US to Canada: $50-$100
US to UK: $70-$125
Flat envelope 8.5 x 11
US to Canada: $30-$50
US to UK: $40-$80
Small box
US to Canada: $30-$60
US to UK: $45-$70
Medium box
US to Canada: $55-$85
US to UK: $85-$125
Large box
US to Canada: $70-$100
US to UK: $100-$175
The choice to participate in a CGL online charity auction is yours! We just feel as though it is very important to be candid with you about the state of the shipping world and the expenses involved.
CGL CHARITY AUCTION SHIPPING
How much will it cost to ship my auction package?
Shipping costs depend on the size and weight of each CGL auction package, as well as the shipping destination. We always seek out affordable options, but we must include both insurance and tracking for every single auction package.
When multiple items are purchased by the same buyer, we try to ship them all together. But if one item requires a poster tube and another requires a hardcover flat envelope, we will then have to ship two separate packages to that winning bidder.
Shipping notifications with tracking info will be emailed to winning bidders when items are shipped out!
FYI: in order to save money and also help the environment, CGL uses repurposed packaging and boxes as often as possible. Thus, your auction package may not be pretty on the outside, but it’s what inside that counts. :)
Do you ship auction packages internationally?
We do ship auction items internationally, but CGL has to limit the number of bidders abroad due to very high shipping costs and customs fees! PLEASE READ THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COST ESTIMATES SECTION BELOW this FAQ!
IMPORTANT: winning bidders are entirely responsible for ANY/ALL Customs and Import Duties that may apply once CGL packages arrive in your country. Please check your own country fees and duties before placing bids and decide for yourself if you are willing and able to cover the additional fees/duties!
If you live in a country outside of the U.S. and are interested in participating in an upcoming CGL online charity auction (knowing in advance how expensive the shipping will be) please email us with the types of items you’re interested in. We can provide a rough estimate of shipping costs. Please keep in mind that there is no way for us to estimate the cost of your individual country’s customs fees, VAT, etc. on any package we ship!
ALSO! If you live abroad but have friends/family/an office in the U.S. where CGL can ship your auction items if you win any, that will save you SO much money in shipping and customs fees. Please let us know!
Are there countries that CGL does not ship to?
Yes. CGL has to adhere to international shipping restrictions. And there are countries that require prohibitively high customs fees when items arrive, so we try to avoid shipping there. This also includes locations currently affected by war or widespread disasters (earthquakes, floods, etc.). Therefore, please check the list of countries below that we are unable to ship to before registering to bid in our charity auction. Thank you.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote D’ivoire, Cuba, Egypt, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, Gambia, Gibraltar, Greenland, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Korea (North and South), Kuwait, Lao, Liberia, Madagascar, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pitcairn, Reunion, Russia, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre & Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Georgia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Wallis & Futuna, Yemen.
*SHIPPING TRANSPARENCY NOTE
As you know, almost all of our CGL auction items are either rare or 1-of-a-kind. Some are absolutely irreplaceable. Because of ongoing global shipping issues, there is a greater risk that a package might get lost or damaged in transit (which is out of our control). If that happens to your auction item, we will have to reimburse you for your donation. Which means that CGL has to subtract that amount from the grand total we’re donating to the designated cancer charity. Which we try to avoid if it all possible!
In addition, although we insure each auction package, if something happens to it – the carrier only reimburses us for a tiny portion of its value. If we were to insure auction packages with the actual Final Bidding Prices, there is no way y’all would pay for shipping. Prohibitively expensive is an understatement!