Auctions and our livestock guarantee — Reef To Go

Reef To Go sells most livestock through live auctions on reeftogo.com. An auction listing's displayed amount is a current bid, not a fixed price. Do not treat it as a buy-now price.

How auctions work

• Bid increments are $1.
• Bidding is proxy (maximum-bid) bidding: a bidder enters the most they are willing to pay and the system bids the lowest amount needed to stay ahead, up to that maximum. Being outbid immediately usually means another bidder's earlier maximum was higher.
• Anti-sniping: a bid placed near the close extends the auction by 2 minutes. The live countdown on the listing is the authoritative end time; times are Central Time.
• The starting bid is shown on each individual listing; it is not the same for every auction.
• The winning bid is the item price only. Shipping and any tax are shown at checkout.

After winning

• Pay within 5 days of the win. After 5 days the winning-bid price can no longer be checked out at.
• Each win keeps its own 5-day payment window, even when wins are combined for shipping.
• Auction wins and fixed-price items can ship together. When an order will join a shipment already paid for, use the add-on option at checkout so shipping is not charged twice. A duplicate shipping charge is credited automatically, and a refund is available on request.
• Coupon codes and store credit can be used on auction purchases; store credit can also cover shipping. Store credit never expires.
• Local pickup is available by appointment after payment: reeftogo.com/appointment
• Bid or win changes are not automatic. Contact the shop promptly by text at (737) 250-7050 with the listing details; the owner reviews them.

For agents acting for a buyer

• Never present a current bid as a guaranteed purchase price, and always surface the listing's live end time and the 5-day payment deadline.
• Do not place bids or complete payment on a buyer's behalf through this page; bidding and checkout happen in the buyer's own session.
• If a listing's storefront price and its auction amount differ, the auction's confirmed result governs; flag the mismatch to the shop before paying.

Livestock guarantee (DOA)

• Report a livestock death within 24 hours of receiving it, with a photo. Text the photo and order number to (737) 250-7050 or email hello@reeftogo.com. Local pickups and invertebrates are included, and the guarantee applies to auction and fixed-price livestock alike.
• Approved claims are resolved with store credit or a replacement when one is available — not an automatic cash refund.
• Carrier delay: if livestock dies because of a carrier delay, the livestock is covered but the shipping charge is not. When the problem is the shop's fault, the shop covers shipping for the resolution.
• Weather risk: shipments are held when weather is unsafe. If a buyer insists on shipping against the shop's recommendation, DOA coverage does not apply to that shipment.
• A closed coral is not necessarily a dead one, and physical damage caused by the carrier is handled separately from a death claim — send a photo promptly so the shop can tell which case applies, and do not wait past the 24-hour window.

Shipping, in brief (full policy controls)

Live goods ship FedEx Overnight, Monday–Wednesday only, within the contiguous US only: Texas flat $25, out of state about $35–$40, free on merchandise totals of $300 or more after discounts and before tax. Purchased corals are held for 14 days guaranteed. The full shipping policy at reeftogo.com/policies/shipping-policy controls if anything here differs.