1. Welcome to our website!
Welcome to Gavel (the Platform). By accessing or using our marketplace, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform.
Gavel is an auction marketplace where users place bids with tokens and winners complete payment through supported payment providers. Unless explicitly stated, Gavel acts as a marketplace facilitator and not the manufacturer or direct seller of listed items.
2. User Eligibility and Responsibilities
To use Gavel, you must be at least 18 years old, have legal capacity to enter binding agreements, and provide accurate account information.
You are responsible for protecting your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.
- Be at least 18 years old
- Provide truthful registration information
- Maintain account security and confidentiality
- Notify us promptly of unauthorized access
3. Account Creation and Management
You agree to keep your profile details current and accurate. We may suspend or terminate accounts involved in fraud, abuse, or manipulation of platform systems.
- False or misleading profile details
- Fraudulent or abusive behavior
- Auction manipulation or bid interference
- Token abuse or payment abuse
4. Token Purchases and Usage
Tokens are digital credits used to place bids on Gavel. Tokens are not currency, are non-transferable, and are not redeemable for cash.
All token purchases are final except where applicable law requires otherwise. Payment processing is handled by third-party providers.
- A successful bid placement deducts tokens
- Token deduction does not guarantee winning
- Bid tokens are non-refundable even if you do not win
- Gavel is not liable for third-party payment processor failures
5. Auction Participation Rules
All bids are binding. If you place a winning bid, you are required to complete payment within the allowed window.
Gavel may cancel auctions, reverse fraudulent bids, disqualify suspicious accounts, or correct technical errors where needed to maintain platform integrity.
Anti-sniping protections may extend closing time when valid bids are submitted near auction close.
6. Winner Payment and Fallback
- The current winner has one (1) hour to complete payment after payment rights are assigned
- If payment is not completed in time, payment rights may pass to the next highest eligible bidder above reserve
- Fallback may continue while reserve conditions are still met
- If no remaining bidder meets reserve, the item closes unsold
- Failure to pay may result in forfeiture of purchase rights and account penalties
- Gavel may relist unpaid or unsold items
7. Shipping and Delivery
Sellers are responsible for shipping and delivery commitments. Gavel does not guarantee shipping timelines and is not responsible for delivery disputes between buyers and sellers.
- Lost packages
- Damaged goods
- Delivery delays
- Incorrect addresses provided by users
8. Acceptable Use and Conduct
You must not misuse the Platform or interfere with auctions, payments, or user safety.
- No bots or automated bidding tools
- No multi-account abuse
- No fraud or chargeback abuse
- No reverse engineering or attempts to bypass security
9. Platform Availability
We strive for reliable service, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted uptime, error-free operation, or immediate processing in all cases.
We may suspend, update, or modify Platform functionality at any time to improve service quality, security, or compliance.
10. Third-Party Services
Gavel depends on third-party providers for payment, hosting, and authentication. We are not responsible for outages or failures caused by third-party systems.
11. Intellectual Property Rights
All platform content, branding, software, and systems are owned by or licensed to Gavel. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, distribute, or reverse engineer platform assets without written permission.
12. Payment and Refund Policy
Token purchases are final except where required by law. Auction win payments must be completed within the stated deadline to maintain purchase rights.
13. Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability
The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or guaranteed listing accuracy. We do not warrant that the Platform will be error-free, uninterrupted, or secure at all times. Items listed may be inaccurate, misrepresented, or unavailable, and Gavel is not liable for the accuracy, completeness, or legitimacy of any listing.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Gavel, its owners, employees, and agents are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost data, lost savings, lost business opportunities, auction outcome losses, or shipping disputes, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
Your sole and exclusive remedy for dissatisfaction with the Platform is to discontinue your use of the Platform. If you are not satisfied with the Platform or any service, your only recourse is to stop using the Platform.
Our total liability under these Terms is limited to the lesser of: (a) the amount of fees paid by you in the 30 days prior to the claim, or (b) fifty thousand Ghana cedis (GHS 50,000). This limit applies to all claims regardless of cause, including breach of contract, warranty, tort, negligence, or any other theory of liability.
14. User Assumption of Risk and Responsibility
Your use of the Platform and all transactions conducted through it are at your sole risk. You assume total and complete responsibility for all outcomes of your participation in auctions, including losing bids, winning high-priced items, and failing to complete payments. You also assume responsibility for your own due diligence regarding auction items, seller credibility, item value, and delivery arrangements.
You are responsible for verifying all item descriptions, seller information, photographs, and auction terms before placing a bid. Once a winning bid is placed, you are contractually bound to complete payment. Gavel is not liable if an item does not meet your expectations, differs from its described condition, or arrives damaged due to shipping negligence by sellers or third-party couriers.
You agree to assess your own risk tolerance and financial capacity before participating in any auction. You accept full responsibility for market fluctuations in item values and shall not hold Gavel liable for losing bids on items that appreciate or depreciate in value after auction conclusion.
15. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Gavel, its owners, employees, agents, and service providers from and against any claims, damages, losses, costs, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: your use of the Platform, your violations of these Terms, your violations of applicable laws, any disputes with sellers or buyers, auction outcomes, disputes with payment processors, disputes with delivery services, and any false or misleading content or transactions you initiate on the Platform.
16. Release of Claims
By participating in auctions or using Gavel for purchases, you hereby release and discharge Gavel from all claims arising from auction outcomes, item conditions, delivery failures, seller actions, payment processing delays, and disputes with other users. This release applies whether or not you have discovered all facts and circumstances giving rise to a claim, and applies even if those facts would be known to you or discoverable with reasonable diligence.
17. Fraud Prevention and Enforcement
We may investigate suspicious activity, freeze affected accounts, reverse suspicious transactions, and cooperate with law enforcement where required by law.
Fraudulent chargebacks or confirmed abuse may result in permanent account bans.
18. Suspension and Termination
We may suspend or terminate accounts for Terms violations, suspected fraud, abusive behavior, or failure to complete auction obligations. Termination may include loss of account access and remaining tokens where permitted by law.
19. Governing Law and Dispute Handling
These Terms are governed by applicable laws in the jurisdiction where Gavel operates. Disputes will be handled by competent courts in that jurisdiction unless applicable law requires otherwise.
20. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Platform after updates means you accept the revised Terms.
21. Contact Information
For questions about these Terms, contact support@gavelgh.com.