Frequently Asked Questions

At Wine Auctioneer, we accept consignments from both private collectors and trade sellers. Whether you have a single bottle of something special or need to clear out older stock, we're here to help you find the right buyers.

We offer free, no-obligation valuations and support you with getting your bottles to us, including free bottle collection within the UK and EU (subject to value and volume).

Once your wine arrives at our warehouse, we handle everything – from creating professional listings and taking photos to promoting your bottles to a global audience. With a user-friendly website, low buyer commissions, and worldwide shipping options, our auctions attract a wide range of buyers from all over the world, increasing the chances of a great sale.

If you’re ready to sell, visit our Seller’s Guide to get started.

The value of a bottle can change based on supply and demand, so it’s important to get an up-to-date valuation. At Wine Auctioneer, we provide accurate valuations based on the latest market trends.

For a free, no-obligation valuation, simply complete our quick and easy Seller Form, and we'll get back to you with an estimate.

All the information you need to sell your wine can be found in our step-by-step Seller’s Guide. This guide is designed to walk you through our easy, hassle-free process and help you get started with selling your wine at auction online.

You can find all the details about the fees involved in selling wine at auction on our Seller Fees and Payment Terms page.

You can submit as many bottles as you like!

For larger private collections, Wine Auctioneer offers a full range of services to make the process as seamless and straightforward as possible. We work closely with collectors to ensure everything runs smoothly.

To find out how we can help with selling your collection, simply complete our Seller Form and one of our experts will be in touch.

Wine Auctioneer accepts a wide variety of wines, including red, white, rosé, sparkling wines, and fortified wines such as Port, Sherry, and Marsala.

We do not accept consignments of miniature bottles, spirits, vermouth, beers, ciders, or non-alcoholic wines. If you would like to sell spirits, please see our sister-sites, Whisky Auctioneer and Rum Auctioneer.

Our team conducts a thorough authenticity and condition check for all bottles received. We only accept bottles in good condition with intact seals and no leakage. Wine Auctioneer reserves the right to withdraw or reject any bottle that shows signs of leakage at any point before the auction ends. If a bottle is deemed unlikely to meet the starting bid value, it may be rejected at our discretion.

Sellers are paid within 21 business days after the auction closes, but payment is only processed once the buyer has completed their payment.

Payments are made via direct bank transfer and may take a few days to appear in your account. Please note that any banking fees or exchange rates are paid for by the seller.

To ensure a smooth payment process, please make sure your Seller Payment Details are updated in your Personal Profile.

If your item does not meet the reserve price, the listing fee and reserve fee will still apply.

You can choose to re-list the item (subject to fees) or discuss having the bottle returned to you (subject to delivery charges).

As an online business, Wine Auctioneer is required by law to collect and report taxpayer information for sellers who earn certain income on our platform, in compliance with the DAC7 Directive (EU Council Directive 2021/514) and the Platform Operators (Due Diligence and Reporting Requirement) Regulations 2023.

Please note: This requirement does not create new tax obligations or change your existing ones. For more information, please refer to our Tax Reporting Obligations for Sellers.

​In order to bid above £2,000 we require an identity check. This is to ensure the legitimacy of users so that bids are valid and fair. 

You can verify your account and upload your identity documents on your Personal Profile.

You can find all the details about the fees involved in buying wine at auction on our Buyer Fees and Payment Terms page.

We use a structured bidding system to ensure a fair and smooth auction process.

Whether you set a maximum bid or manually place a single bid, the system will automatically increase your bid according to the following increments outlined in the table below.

We take your privacy seriously - user information and identity are never revealed during the bidding process. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.

When browsing the bidding history for a specific lot, you will see that all bids are anonymised and only display a date and time stamp.

Our monthly auctions end from 7:00 PM (UK local time) on the closing date. If a bid is placed after 7:00 PM on any lot, the entire auction will be extended by an additional two minutes. 

The auction will end once all bidding has ceased for two minutes. Based on previous auction activity, the auction will continue for several hours and is most likely to finish between 9pm - 11pm (UK local time).  

Buyers have 72 hours (3 days) from the close of the auction to make payment. If payment is not received within this time, a late payment charge of 3% of the outstanding balance will be applied to the order.

Yes, you can collect your bottles in person. Please be sure to book an appointment in advance, our booking calendars can be found on our Contact Us page.

Please note: Collections are only available from our Head Office in Perth. While our London office is available for drop-offs, we do not offer order collection services from that location.

Bottles sold 'in bond' have not had duty or VAT paid on them and are stored in a bonded warehouse, rather than physically held by Wine Auctioneer.

In-bond lots are identified with their In Bond lot symbol, image and lot number which will end with "IB". If you win an In Bond Lot, please contact us as after payment to arrange separate handling of these bottles. 

For more information, please read our guides to Buying Wine In Bond and Selling Wine In Bond. 

Yes, Wine Auctioneer offers secure storage services. For more information and details on applicable charges, please visit our Storage page.

You can store your bottles with Wine Auctioneer for as long as you like! Storage is charged at 3% (ex. VAT) of the bottle's hammer price for the first 90 days. After this, storage is charged at 1% (ex. VAT) for every 30 days your bottles are in storage with us.

Please note: there is a minimum storage fee of £5 per order (per 30 day period).

For full details, please visit our Storage page.

Yes! If you selected "Store" during checkout, your order will automatically be added to your Collection in your Personal Profile under "Stored." From there, you can select individual bottles and use the "Manage" three-dot icon to choose "Ship."

You'll then receive a shipping calculation for those bottles and have the option to proceed to checkout for payment.

Our storage services give peace of mind to customers who are looking to store their bottles in a secure facility. Whilst under our care, your wine will be insured and expertly managed by our team.

Our initial storage term lasts for 90 days. After that, your storage will automatically extend on a monthly basis, charged at 1% for every 30-day period, as agreed during checkout. Extensions will renew on the 15th of each month.

To avoid automatic renewal, simply select "Ship" for your stored orders (this can be managed through your Collection on our website) or book an appointment to collect your bottles. Please contact our Client Service team for assistance.

Yes, we can ship to many countries worldwide. For a full list of available destinations, along with shipping costs and any restrictions, please visit our Shipping page.

Our standard courier options include DHL, UPS, Parcelforce, DPD, and CID. The courier will vary depending on the order.

If you prefer a specific courier, you can leave an order comment during checkout, and our warehouse team will try to accommodate your request.

Please note: Wine Auctioneer can only ship with the couriers listed above. If you'd like to use a different courier, you’ll need to arrange collection from our Perth Office. Select 'Collection' at checkout and contact our Client Service team for guidance.

*Please note: CID is only available for US-bound orders.

All Wine Auctioneer orders are fully tracked, so you can easily follow your bottle’s journey. Tracking updates will begin once your order has been dispatched from our warehouse.

For orders processed by a forwarding company, such as those to the U.S., you'll receive additional tracking information as soon as it's available.

We aim to ship all orders within 10 business days of receiving payment. Once your order has left our warehouse, you can expect delivery within 5 business days to most locations. Please visit our Shipping page for more information.

Loss and Breakage Assurance (LBA) covers any breakage or loss that occurs during transit. Please note, it does not cover damage resulting from an item's condition, such as seal failures, cosmetic damage, or leakage due to natural deterioration.

LBA is optional and, if selected, is charged at 4% of the total hammer price and buying commission for all lots in your order.

If breakage occurs during transit, it’s important to keep all original packaging and contact us immediately.

Despite the new regulations, we remain committed to providing a compliant shipment service to the U.S., ensuring you can continue adding to your collection without interruption. 

Starting April 5th, the U.S. government will apply tariffs to all imports, including wine. These are based on the product’s country of origin and calculated as a percentage of the hammer price. As per an update on 9th April 2025, a universal 10% tariff applies to all countries (excluding China, Mexico and Canada) for 90 days. Please note, U.S. products are exempt from tariffs.

If you are shipping lots to the U.S., please complete checkout as normal. Once your order is finalised, we will calculate the tariff amount specific to your purchase and send you a separate payment link. Once the tariff is paid, we’ll promptly dispatch your order. The tariff is not included in your bid price and is charged in addition to the buyer’s commission and shipping costs.

Please note: Your order will not be dispatched until we have received payment for the tariff.

Please note, the tariff landscape is subject to change and we recommend staying informed with the latest updates.

If you have any questions, please contact our Client Service team.