"Alright, I've got my Wig Reservation Code, now what do I do with it?"

After the grace period ends, the two week bidding period begins. To place a bid, go the Current Auction page, and enter your Wig Reservation Code. (The Wig ID you entered before is automatically loaded with your Wig Reservation Code, so you don't need to enter that again.) Your minimum bid of $10 per unit will be shown in the auction, and you will now be given the opportunity to modify your bid (in 25 cent increments...) if you choose.

Remember, you are bidding for "units of styling time", not the overall cost. There is a "Calculate Potential Bid" button to show you what your Grand Total will be based on your current bid, including materials and shipping charges. (Remember to add $10 if you are a Non-US resident.) If you wish to raise how much you are bidding per unit, enter your new bid in the box, and click on the "Bid" button.

If you bid, you are agreeing to pay the Grand Total within 48 hours of the end of the auction if you win a spot on the roster. (If you pay by money order, your payment must be postmarked within that 48 hour period.) If you do not pay within that time, the units you have bid for will be added back into the total available for the auction, and you will not be able to get your wig during the month you bid for. You will also not get a refund on your deposit.

"Ok, so I understand how to bid, but what determines whether or not I'm on the roster for the month?"
On the Current Auction page, you will see all the currrent bids, how many units of time they're requesting, and the name of the wig. The ones in Orange Bold are currently going to get a space on the roster. The ones in Grey are not.

"So wait a sec, the whoever pays the most for their wig is guaranteed a space?"
No, no, no, that's not how it works. Bids are given priority based on a couple of factors, it's not as simple as "well this person will pay the the most, so they're on top". It's a combination of the amount you bid per unit, and how many units you need in comparison to how many are available. These are how the factors break down:

1. Higher "Per Unit" amounts have priority over lower ones.

2. If two people bid identical "Per Unit" amounts, the first one to bid that amount gets priority.

3. If your wig requires more units than are currently left on the roster after the first two factors, you will be knocked off the roster unless you raise your "Per Unit" bid high enough to reclaim adequate units.

Remember that different wigs take different amounts of time to make, and I only have a limited amount of time available on the roster. Since you're not bidding on the overall price of the wig, but instead on the units of time to make it, every wig has an equal chance to make it onto the roster.

Look at this sample auction to see what I mean:

Another reason I switched to this system is to make it so you can see where your order stands in comparison to how much time I have available. I don't know how many times I've heard, "you must have a little bit of time, can't you just squeeze me in?" With this public roster, you can see exactly how much time is or IS NOT left, and you have a chance to try to get your order onto the roster even if it normally wouldn't make it.

If you understand how to bid, go to What Happens Next?