Save the object file before the countdown
Read the title and description together with all photographs, condition statements and any seller answers. Confirm the object count, dimensions, replaced parts and basis of attribution. A date in the title may describe a design or period claim rather than a documented production year.
Check the seller’s location and status. Ask whether the object can be viewed, how it is packed and what the shipping amount covers. Save the final description and answers before bidding so a later question can be compared with what you actually agreed to buy.
The platform’s involvement does not remove the distinction between a trader and a private seller. Your Europe explains why seller status matters for consumer rights. Read the lot and applicable conditions rather than assuming an online auction automatically has, or automatically excludes, a change-of-mind right.[3]
The buyer fee is 9% of the final bid, plus €3
Catawiki’s help page checked on 10 September 2026 states a Buyer Protection fee of 9% of the final bid plus €3, including VAT where applicable. Shipping is excluded from that fee calculation. Other charges, such as import VAT, may still apply. Check the current lot and checkout before relying on this worked example.[1]
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Winning bid | €700 |
| Buyer Protection fee: 9% × €700 + €3 | €66 |
| Assumed delivery | €180 |
| Complete example total | €946 |
The shipping figure here is invented for the calculation. Replace it with the actual accepted service. If import charges apply, this table is incomplete until they are included. Do not borrow the shipping price from another cabinet or another destination.
A €1,000 budget does not allow a €1,000 bid
With a €1,000 complete budget, assumed €180 delivery, a €3 fixed fee and no other charges, the amount available for the bid and percentage fee is €817. Divide by 1.09: the mathematical maximum bid is about €749.54. Choose an allowed bid at or below that ceiling; if the next increment would exceed it, stop.
At €750, the total would be €750 + €67.50 + €3 + €180 = €1,000.50. A small overrun is still an overrun. The point of writing the limit down is to avoid recalculating it emotionally every time someone bids against you.
If you enter an automatic maximum bid, use the bid amount the interface requests, not the complete budget. Check the current bidding instructions and remember that other costs sit outside that entered figure.
Winning is the beginning of the delivery job
For collection, confirm the deadline, opening hours, lifting help and packing. For shipping, confirm access at both ends and whether the quote includes carrying into the home. Ask about storage charges or constraints that could matter if the carrier cannot attend immediately.
Do not bid first and investigate cancellation later. Catawiki’s fee page states that an unpaid cancelled order can still leave the Buyer Protection fee payable. Read the current obligations before bidding and keep enough money available to complete the purchase.[1]
Be ready when the item arrives
Catawiki’s delivery-problem guidance, checked on the same date, asks buyers to report an issue within three days of delivery and describes payment release after that period. Use the formal problem route promptly, retain packaging and keep the seller informed. This platform deadline is distinct from any statutory rights that may apply.[2]
Pre-bid question
Please confirm [dimensions, condition and included parts], the evidence for [attribution/date] and whether [delivery amount] covers my address and access. Who packs the object, what are the collection or dispatch deadlines, and are there any costs not included in the lot’s stated price and shipping terms?
Bid when the lot file, complete cost and journey are resolved. A winning bid is satisfying only if you still want the purchase at the amount you will actually pay.