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Understanding buyer fees and optional contributions

1. What is a buyer’s fee?

A buyer’s fee, or buyer’s premium, is an extra percentage added to the final (hammer) price. It is paid by the winning bidder and helps cover auction costs.

2. How do I add a buyer’s fee?

To add a buyer’s fee when setting up your auction:

  1. Choose your auction template and go to the Auction Setup page.

  2. Scroll down to the Auction Rules section.

  3. In the Buyer Fee field, select an option or enter a custom rate.

  4. Click Save.

3. How much should my buyer’s fee be?

You can choose from four main types:

  • Percentage based fee – A common choice is around 9% of the final hammer price. You can adjust this based on your auction type and needs.

  • Voluntary contribution - Allows winning bidders to voluntarily add a percentage to their total payment at checkout. 

  • Fixed fee – A set amount added to each winning bid, e.g., £50 per lot.

  • No buyer fees 

Setting buyer fees in the Auction Creator

4. What is a voluntary contribution?

A voluntary contribution is a feature that allows winning bidders to choose to add a percentage to their total payment at checkout. This contribution helps you cover the cost of running the auction without implementing a mandatory buyer fee. Bidders can choose from a set of precalculated percentages, or they can choose not to contribute.

5. How do I activate voluntary contributions?

To turn on voluntary contributions for your auction:

  1. Go to the Auction Setup page.
  2. Scroll down to the Auction Rules section.
  3. Locate the Voluntary Contribution field, and select to enable it.
  4. Choose the default recommendation percentage that you want to display to buyers.
  5. Click Save.

Screenshot 2026-08-03 115107Setting up voluntary contribution in the Auction Creator

6. When I choose voluntary contributions, what do buyers see at checkout?

When a winning bidder proceeds to checkout, the platform presents a dedicated contribution block before the final total. Bidders can select one of the following options:

  • 2% of the item price total
  • 5% of the item price total (marked as recommended by default)
  • 10% of the item price total
  • I prefer not to contribute this time

If a buyer selects a contribution, the platform automatically recalculates the final amount and adds it to the total price before processing the automated payment.

Voluntary contribution

Voluntary contribution in checkout

7. Can I use both a buyer fee and a voluntary contribution?

No. You must choose between a mandatory buyer fee or a voluntary contribution. While a buyer fee adds a fixed, mandatory percentage to every winning bid, the voluntary contribution gives your audience the flexibility to support your initiative in the way that works for them.

8. Will buyers know about these additional amounts?

Yes. Mandatory buyer fees are clearly displayed in the Auction Rules on the main auction page. If you choose to use voluntary contributions instead, these are clearly presented to the user during the checkout process before any payment is taken.

 


Auction rules