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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 three main types:

  • No additional fees

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

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

Setting buyer fees in the Auction Creator

4. What is an optional buyer contribution?

An optional buyer contribution is a feature that allows winning bidders to voluntarily 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 optional buyer contributions?

To turn on optional buyer contributions for your auction:

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

6. What options 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

Obtional buyer contribution in checkout

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

No. You must choose between a mandatory buyer fee or an optional buyer contribution. While a buyer fee adds a fixed, mandatory percentage to every winning bid, the optional 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 optional buyer contributions instead, these are clearly presented to the user during the checkout process before any payment is taken.

 


Auction rules