When you bid on certain high-value objects, we may ask your bank to place a temporary hold on your credit card. This isn’t a charge – the money is just set aside and won’t be deducted unless you win the object. 

Learn more about bid reservations.

When may I be asked for a bid reservation?


Bid reservations are triggered automatically based on account and bidding factors designed to reduce non-payment risk.

• If you haven’t completed a purchase on Catawiki before.
• If your account is missing required details.
• If you're bidding on multiple objects at once and the combined total is significant.
• If you have failed to pay for objects you have won.

How much is reserved?


• That depends on the bid and any other bid reservations that may already be in place on your credit card. The reservation is generally a percentage of your bid, with a maximum of €1,000 (or the equivalent in your currency). A reservation is only requested once your bid exceeds certain thresholds in place for the object in question.

What happens if I’m not the highest bidder?


Your bank will release the hold automatically within a week of the auction end. Exact timing varies depending on your bank.

What happens if I am the highest bidder?


• We deduct the reserved amount from your invoice.
• You pay the remaining balance through your Orders page within three business days.

What happens if the sale is cancelled?


If for some reason the sale is cancelled, we will aim to refund your payment within 10 business days of the cancellation. This timeline does not apply if the sale is cancelled because payment was not completed by the winning bidder. 

What happens to the reserved amount if I‘m the highest bidder and don’t pay on time?


The sale will be cancelled due to non-payment and you’ll be notified. As you have won the object, you are required to pay the Buyer Protection fee. This must be paid before we can process a refund for your bid reservation. Until you have paid, we may restrict your ability to bid on other objects.

After paying the Buyer Protection fee, please contact our Customer Service team to ask them for the release of your bid reservation.