How does it work?
Estimates
Estimates are there to help you gauge what sort of price you may be looking at to
purchase a particular item. Estimates may change and should not be thought of as the
sale price, more of a guide on what to expect when bidding.
The lower estimate may represent the seller's reserve price (the minimum price for #
which a lot may be sold) and in these cases will never be lower than the reserve price.
Estimates are prepared some time before the auction and may occasionally change,
depending on variable factors. Estimates do not include the buyer’s premium or VAT
(where chargeable).
Bidding at Auction
You will need to register an account with us before you are able to start leaving
advanced bids or bidding in the live auction. Make sure you register with plenty of time
before the auction starts so we are able to carry out the necessary security checks to
activate your account.
Any time you bid you are acknowledging that you have sufficient funds to complete the
purchase should your bid be successful. Make sure you read our
Terms of Sale before
you go ahead and start bidding, so you're fully aware of how the process works.
All winning bids are subject to a buyer’s premium. Because we sell on behalf of a
vendor, buyer and seller premiums are our primary source of income, covering costs for
the running of the business. Premium details can be found on every item listing on our
website, making it easy for you to find, and allowing you to make an informed decision
on how much you’d be willing to bid.
Advanced Bids
When leaving an advanced bid, you should indicate the maximum amount you would be
willing to pay at auction (excluding buyer’s premium and VAT). Our system will bid on
your behalf ahead of and during the auction, and we’ll notify you if you’ve been outbid.
This means you don’t have to be there as the live auction takes place – we’ll let you
know if you’ve successfully won the item once bidding ends.
Live Bidding
Most of our auctions take place at our Saleroom in Scarborough, but if you can’t make it
in person our virtual auction room, DD Live, allows you to view the auction and bid live
as the sale commences.
Joining the auction online is easy, just visit our auctions page, find the sale you’re
looking for and click the button to join the auction on DD Live. You can even set up an
SMS auction alert via the catalogue page, to notify you 15 minutes before the auction
begins - so you never miss a thing.
Make an Offer
As well as the items destined for sale at auction, we have a number of lots available for
immediate offers on our Make an Offer page. Each item accepting offers will have a
guide price, this will help you understand the estimated market value of the item and
what the seller may want to achieve. Once you’ve decided what you’d be willing to pay,
all you need to do is submit your offer online and our team will get in touch to let you
know if you’ve been successful.
Payment
All successful bidders will receive an invoice with an online payment link via email once
the auction has ended. We do ask that all lots are paid for within 5 working days of the
sale to avoid potential further charges.
Payment can be made by cash, debit card, BACS transfer or cheque. Please note we are
unable to accept credit cards as a method of payment.
Ready to start bidding? Browse our categories and get involved in the magic of buying at auction.