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Frequently asked questions

Where an answer here describes a rule, it links to the clause that actually carries it in the conditions of sale. The conditions win in any disagreement between the two.

Bidding

Do I have to register before I can bid?: Yes. Browsing is open to anyone; bidding needs an approved registration, which asks for your legal name, address, phone number and a government identity document. Staff review each application. Start at Bid Online.
How does the maximum bid work?: You enter the most you are willing to pay. The platform then bids for you, in the published increments, only as far as it needs to keep you in the lead — and stops at your maximum. Nobody, including staff, shows your maximum to another bidder. If you are outbid, you are told.
Can I cancel a bid?: No. Every bid is a binding offer to buy at that price plus the buyer's premium and any tax. See section 3 of the conditions.
What stops someone winning a lot by bidding in the last second?: A bid in the closing moments pushes that lot's close time out by the sale's anti-snipe interval, and keeps doing so while bidding continues. A lot cannot be won on timing alone.
What does “reserve met” mean, and why do some lots not show it?: A reserve is the lowest price a consignor will accept. The figure is confidential and is never published. Whether the platform shows that a reserve has been reached is a setting of each sale, and a lot with no reserve at all shows nothing — saying “reserve met” about an item that never had one would be untrue.
Does where I live affect what I can bid on?: No. Every published lot is shown to everyone, and no bid is refused on the basis of the country on your registration. If a lot you expected to see is missing, tell us — that is a fault, not a rule.

Paying and collecting

What do I pay on top of the hammer price?: The buyer's premium at the published rate, any per-lot fee, and any applicable tax. Your invoice after the sale is the authoritative figure and itemises each part.
When can I collect?: Once the invoice has cleared in full. Title does not pass, and nothing is released, before that. Lots left past the published collection deadline accrue storage charges.
What happens if an invoice goes unpaid?: Any deposit may be forfeited, the registration may be suspended, and the lot may be resold with the original buyer liable for the shortfall and the costs of reselling. Section 5.

Consigning

How do I sell something through you?: Apply once as a consignor, accept the conditions, and you can submit items to any sale that is taking them. Start at Consign Now.
Why is the published description not the one I wrote?: Every item is re-inspected by staff before it is catalogued, and what is published is the staff-verified description, condition report and estimate. Your own wording is kept unchanged as the record of what was claimed, and the difference between the two is recorded. This is what makes a condition report worth anything to a buyer.
What does it cost me?: A lot entry fee per item at submission, charged whether or not the item sells or is even delivered; seller's commission on the hammer price of items that sell; and a buy-in fee on items that reach the sale and do not meet their reserve. All three are itemised on your settlement statement, never netted silently.
When am I paid?: After the buyer's invoice for your lot has cleared in full. Your statement shows each lot, what it made, and every deduction against it.
Do I get a record of what you are holding for me?: Yes. When items are taken in, staff issue a property list itemising what was received and what was accepted for sale. Both parties sign it, and you keep a copy. Check it before you sign.

Both sides

Can I be a bidder and a consignor at the same time?: Yes, and many people are. What you may never do is bid on a lot you consigned yourself. The platform refuses those bids outright, and any that slips through is void. Section 4.
What happens to my identity document?: It goes into encrypted private storage that only the staff reviewing your application can open, and it is deleted automatically at the end of the retention period. The document number itself is never stored in readable form.
Will you email me?: About your own registration, bids, invoices and settlements, yes — that is part of the service. Push notifications are optional, and you can turn them off whenever you like.

Not answered here?