Auction rules
How bidding, authorization holds, payouts and proof work.
Last updated: September 15, 2026
These are the auction rules that apply to every placement on IRLSlots. They follow the same logic that the platform enforces on the server.
One line, separate lots
A line like «Back ×5» creates five separate lots — Back #1 to Back #5 — and each lot has its own auction. There is no «buy all five» option.
How to place a bid
There is no free-form amount field. Use the stepper and the Min / +10% / +25% / Max chips. The server checks that your bid stays inside the allowed range for the current price, inside a transaction that locks the slot.
| Current price | Minimum next bid |
|---|---|
| No bids yet | start price |
| Under $500 | current +5%, rounded up to $1 |
| $500 – $1,999 | current +5%, rounded up to $5 |
| $2,000 and up | current +5%, rounded up to $10 |
Your first bid on a slot must include a creative: your logo or image, a headline, a link and any instructions the seller needs. Later bids on the same slot reuse it and you can update it.
A bid is an authorization, not a charge
When you place a bid you authorize the winning bid plus the buyer service fee on your saved card. The fee is calculated for each bid and shown as one line before you confirm. Nothing is charged at that moment. The two modes — pay the service fee on top, or deduct it from my bid — are on the Pricing & fees page.
If someone outbids you
When a higher bid is authorized, the previous leader's authorization is released. You pay nothing for losing an auction, and you can bid again until it ends.
If you win
When the auction ends, the winner's authorized amount is captured: the winning bid goes to the creator and the buyer service fee is collected. Bidders who lost are not charged anything — their authorizations were already released.
If the placement is not delivered
If the creator does not show up, does not post the agreed proof, or cancels after winning, the payment processing cost is deducted from the creator's next sale and refunded to the advertiser. The creator's profile records +1 cancelled deal when they cancel after winning, and +1 no-show when they do not show up or the agreed proof is missing. If the fault is ours, the advertiser receives a full refund including that cost. The Refund & cancellation policy explains how to request it.
Auction length
Creators choose 24 hours, 3 days or 5 days when they list a slot. Anti-sniping can extend the end by 5 minutes at a time, and an auction never runs more than 6 days after it is published.
A bid placed in the last 5 minutes extends the auction by 5 minutes. That keeps the end fair and gives everyone a chance to answer.
Creators must set up payouts
A creator must complete Stripe payout onboarding (Set up payouts) before a placement can be published. Stripe collects identity and bank details directly; IRLSlots stores only the account id, country, currency and status.
Limits
You can place at most 30 bids per hour. You cannot outbid yourself, and a seller cannot bid on their own slots.
Bids of $5,000 and up — $10,000 and up for Trusted accounts — need a quick manual review before they lead the auction.
Advertiser-supplied items
When a slot says «I wear what you send», you mail the item to the seller: a T-shirt, hoodie, cap, stickers, a temporary tattoo or a similar item. Shipping is paid by the advertiser. After the auction, the seller enters a receiving address that only the winning advertiser can see; it is encrypted and deleted 30 days after the deal completes. The item stays with the seller unless you marked «return requested» in your bid, in which case the return is at your cost and arranged in chat. If the item has not arrived by the seller's ship-by date, either side can cancel the deal with no penalty and the authorization on the advertiser's card is released.
Props: stickers, clothing, temporary tattoos. Usually the advertiser makes them and ships them to the creator; the creator can also say what they'll wear and what to send, or you agree in the deal chat.
Proof
The seller posts photo proof at the times listed on the slot. Proof photos must show the ad actually in the real world, and for supplied items they must show the item that was sent.
Disputes
If something is wrong — the ad never appeared, the proof does not match, or the item was not what was agreed — use «Problem with placement» on the deal. The deal is paused and reported to moderation, which reviews the chat, the creative and the proof photos and decides the outcome.
Prohibited ad content
You may not advertise: anything illegal; tobacco, vapes and nicotine products; gambling without a licence; adult or sexual content; political advertising; content that discriminates against people; or counterfeit goods. Sellers may refuse a creative before approving the ad.