Seychelles Revenue Commission |02 December 2020
Online public auction sale – Coming soon!
With more than a decade of experience in holding public auction sale, the Seychelles Revenue Commission is pleased to announce that very soon it will be launching its first ever online platform for its public auction sale.
With the new platform coming into play, the ‘SRC Public Auction Sale’ activity will now transition from its traditional form of being an in-house activity to an online based activity. It is anticipated that as from 9am on Monday December 7 to 3pm on Friday December 11, 2020, members of the general public will be able to take part and experience SRC’s new online platform for public auction sale; provided that of course they (i) have internet access, (ii) meet all the online registration requirements as well as the terms and conditions as per listed on the website and (iii) have also successfully registered themselves as a bidder onto the new - SRC public auction sale website at www.auction.src.gov.sc
To ensure that potential bidders are kept up to date with the new method of conducting SRC public auction sales, below are a few important questions and answers to swiftly guide all potential bidders through the online registration process and through the user experience of the new online auction website.
Question: I want to place a bid, must I register to do this?
Answer: Yes, it is a mandatory requirement set by the Seychelles Revenue Commission for all potential bidders to first register.
Question: What are the registration requirements for me to get a user account?
Answer: In order for potential bidders to be eligible for a user account, the potential bidder must above all be of ‘age of majority’ - meaning 18 years and above as per the laws of the Republic of Seychelles. The potential bidders must also not be a member of the governing board or a staff of the Seychelles Revenue Commission.
Question: What information will I need to register for a user account?
Answer: In order for a potential bidder to register, the potential bidder must ensure that he/she has the following valid information on hand:
i. a national identification number; OR
ii. a passport number;
iii. an email address account; and
iv. a contact number;
In the event that a registered bidder submits incorrect information to SRC through the online auction in line with the SRC online auction list of Terms & Conditions; the sworn auctioneer and the appraiser reserve the right to reject the bid with immediate effect if there is sufficient evidence to support the decision.
Question: Where and how should I register to get a user account?
Answer: Registration should be done online, only by first time users of the website through SRC’s online public auction sale webpage www.auction.src.gov.sc
Once on thewebsite, click on the top menu option entitled ‘My Account’. This will lead you to the My Account page – on this page complete the necessary registration fields (Please note: All fields denoted by an asterisk symbol (*) are mandatory fields that need to be completed. For the NIN section, enter only the NIN number without any dash (-) symbol). After inserting and checking all your entries, click on the tab entitled ‘Register’. Successful registration will provide you with a notification email and a personal user account.
Question: I have registered once, and would like to place bids on another day?
Answer: Once deemed as a registered bidder, there is no need to register again; the next time you want to go on the website to place a bid, simply just ‘Log In’ using your same registered username or email address and the same password and start bidding from the comfort of your own home or office.
Question:I have forgotten my password?
Answer: If you forget your password, click on the ‘Forgot my password’ link available under the login menu, this will automatically reset your password and send you a new temporary password through the same registered email address.
Question:Can I bid anonymously online?
Answer: As a registered bidder, you have the option to place your bid as an anonymous person online. This means that you can either bid online under a visible username other than your real name or in incognito to other bidders. To do this, it is the responsibility of the registered bidder to state in their online user account whether or not they would like to have their username seen publicly upon each bid made on the SRC online public auction sale website. Registered users will have to click on the ‘My Account’ menu available at the top of the webpage - this will open the ‘My Account’ page. Users must then click on ‘Auction Settings’. Note: Should a registered bidder ‘opt to’ display his/her name publicly; then he or she should tick the box next to the text ‘Display your name publicly (Optional)’. If a registered bidder ‘opts not to’ display his/her name publicly; then he or she should not tick the box next to the text ‘Display your name publicly (Optional)’ - both options should be followed by clicking on the ‘Save Changes’ button to save the necessary changes made. Please note that all details entered during the registration process will remain visible to SRC only.
Question: How many times can I place a bid?
Answer: SRC’s online public auction system will allow bidders to bid more than once for the same item, or/and on multiple items, until the end/close of the bidding time.
Question: What is the bidding time?
Answer: The bidding time refers to the exact opening and closing time that the auction will be open to the public for placing their bid(s). Prior to an SRC online auction sale, the bidding time will be communicated in advance by SRC, in accordance to the auctioners terms. The bidding time will also be communicated through the Seychelles Revenue Commission’s official Facebook page, or the SRC website at www.src.gov.sc or through other media publications. The time indicated on the online auction page will be the system time of Seychelles Revenue Commission and no other time will be taken into account.
Question: How do I view the items being auctioned?
Answer: Public viewing of the goods intended for auction will be displayed online on the SRC auction sale website only through the set of published photos. To view the photos bigger, bidders can simply click on the photos available on the page followed by hovering their cursor over the photo. This will result in a ‘zoom in’ effect on the photo chosen whilst moving the cursor around. The sale also remains on an ‘AS IS’ basis. This means that pictures posted on the SRC online auction sale website may not reflect the quantity, weight, size, dimensions, specifications and features of the actual physical item. Such details may be made available in the item description section seen under each lot of items when clicked upon. Should there be a need for more information based on the item(s) seen on the online public auction sale, the bidder may seek for more information from SRC through the ‘Message’ option available under each item/lots. Interested bidders may also contact the Seychelles Revenue Commission on 4293786 or 2823022 during working hours, to request for an appointment for physical viewing of the goods prior to placing any online bids and prior to the closing bidding time.
Question: How do I place a bid?
Answer: If a user is interested in placing a bid; for example on ‘Item/Lot Number 2’, the user will need to click on the item/lot photo where you will now not only see the photo of the item, but also the item description. Below the item description, there is a section where bidders will need to enter a bidding amount that is only acceptable in Seychelles rupees. Note: The sum to be entered here should be more than or equal to the quantity indicated near the item visible on the online auction page. If a bid has been placed on the same item, the next amount that can be entered should be more than the other bidder’s amount and not below that sum. A bidder is allowed to place more than one bid per item as long as it is placed within the prescribed bidding time.
Question: How will I know if I have won the bid?
Answer: Each time a person places a bid on the interested item, an email notification will be sent to group of bidders informing that (i) your bid has been placed on the item and (ii) someone else has topped your bid. After which the bidding time is closed, only the person considered as the highest bidder who will be issued with an email notification confirming that he/she has won the bid. Upon receipt of this notification, the user must click on the ‘Pay’ tab seen in the email. This should re-direct you to the online page where you will see the total amount due to SRC. The winner will need to tick the appropriate tab to confirm the bid.
Question: Where do I collect my winning bid?
Answer: The venue and time for collection of the bid, will be communicated to each winning bidder through a primary notification email and text message issued from the Seychelles Revenue Commission whereby the highest successful bidder will be notified that they have won a bid. The Seychelles Revenue Commission will contact the successful bidder, and provide him or her with an appointment (*date and time) for collection of the bid won. Collection of all winning bids should be done on the same day and time prescribed by SRC as being your collection appointment day. Collection of the winning bid(s) should be done by the winning bidder where he/she has to present SRC with his/her original identification card/passport as well as a copy of the letter and email received from SRC that confirms the individual as the official winner of the bid(s).
In the event that a winner is unable to collect his/her bid, another person can be nominated in writing to collect the goods on their behalf. The person will have to present SRC with (1) his/her identification card or passport, (2) the identification card or passport of the bid winner & (3) a copy of the letter and/or email issued to the winning bidder that confirms the individual as the official winner of the bid(s).
Question: What happens if I do not collect/claim the bid won?
Answer: If a winning bidder or the person collecting the bid on their behalf is unable to meet the scheduled appointment date and time, he/she should notify SRC well in advance on 4293786 or 2823022 of such and request for another appointment for collection and payment of the winning bid. Please note that the next appointment issued by SRC is subject to availability. In the event that a winning bidder does not respect the agreed collection appointment or does not pay or refuse to pay or collect the bid, the sworn Auctioneer and the Appraiser , reserves the right to offer the winning bid to the next highest bidder at his/her respective bidding offer.
All successful bidders are informed that for now no bidding payments will done directly through the website itself. All successful or winning bidders will however have to effect the necessary bid payments to the Seychelles Revenue Commission, as per the details below in accordance with the appointment received from SRC:
- A winning bid that is less than or equal to 300 Seychelles rupees – payment can be made in cash or by VISA card through POS at Customs House, New Port.
- A winning bid that is more than 300 Seychelles rupees – payment can be made by either:
- VISA card through POS at Customs House, New Port; Or through
- Bank transfers- where payment should be effected to the Seychelles Revenue Commission through the Government General Account with the Central Bank of Seychelles using Account Number 1401; Please Note: when making a bank transfer, Tax payers are required to clearly state (i) that the payment transfer is for Customs Division and (ii) the necessary correct payment details. It is also advisable for clients to submit a copy of their debit advice to SRC, so that SRC can follow up on payment with Treasury in order to expedite the payment process at our end.
After careful consideration and with the involvement of the auctioneer, to realise the digitisation process of the online auction process was a major call for, as it is indeed an activity that encourages mass social gathering yet contributes with revenue collection. Therefore, in order to limit pressure on our services especially whilst also ensuring that all health measures are strictly abided to by our clients, our team at SRC together with the local auctioneer agreed that the way forward would be to step up the public auction experience by making it an online based activity. SRC would like to encourage, members of the public to visit the new platform for all SRC related public auction biddings and for any future public sales.
It is to be reminded, that by having such a platform in place it is foreseen to bring numerous benefits to potential bidders. These include benefiting from (i) Lengthier time for viewing and for placing of bids, (ii) Having no commuting needed to come place bids with SRC with exception being for payment and collection of bids, (iii) provides easy and safe biding from the comfort of one’s home, office space or whilst on the go, and above all (iv) no need to be part of mass gatherings.
Contributed by SRC