Next auction starts 11 July. Ready to sell your rum? Sell with us in our next auction
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Find answers to questions about buying and selling rum at auction, payment, global delivery and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting started with Rum Auctioneer
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Rum Auctioneer makes it easy for rum enthusiasts and collectors worldwide to buy and sell rum through our monthly online auctions.
For Sellers:
- Our expert Client Service team provides free valuations and support on safely getting your bottles to our offices in Perth, Utrecht or London.
- Once received, your bottles are authenticated, professionally photographed, and listed in the next available auction (or an auction of your choice).
- After the auction closes, you’ll receive payment within 21 working days, with seller fees deducted from the final amount.
For Buyers:
- Browse and bid on an exceptional selection of rum from around the world.
- If you win, you’ll be notified by email and have 72 hours to complete payment.
- Choose to have your bottles shipped, stored, or collected. Buyer fees are applied at checkout.
Whether you’re selling rare vintages or looking for your next great bottle, our online auctions provide an effortless, trusted, and exciting way to buy and sell collectible rum online.
Selling on Rum Auctioneer
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At Rum 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 rum 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.
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The value of a bottle can change based on supply and demand, so it’s important to get an up-to-date valuation. At Rum 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.
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All the information you need to sell your rum 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 rum at auction online.
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You can find all the details about the fees involved in selling rum at auction on our Seller Fees and Payment Terms page.
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You can submit as many bottles as you like!
For larger private collections, Rum 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.
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Rum Auctioneer reserves the right to accept or reject any bottles/items at our own discretion. We do not accept the following items for auction:
- Cream liqueurs.
- Khukri rum.
- Home-made merchandise.
- Items which could contain risk to our customers, for example liqueur chocolates.
- All unofficial miniature re-bottlings, with the exception of Perfect Measure and Drinks by the Dram.
- Items that have exceeded “Use by” or ”Best before” dates.
- Merchandise or non-rum ephemera, with the exception of original artworks, books or items of historical significance.
- Cask Ends.
- Glassware or ceramics that are not packaged as part of an original gift set (glasses, jugs, empty decanters, etc).
- Unsealed bottles originally sold with a sealed closure.
- Bottles that we believe to be counterfeit, or where we have reasonable doubts regarding their authenticity.
For Whisky or Rum, please visit our sister sites Whisky Auctioneer and Rum Auctioneer!
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Yes. Rum Auctioneer can offer sellers a full range of services when it comes to larger private collections. The time and effort required to build such a collection shows commitment, care and enthusiasm and as rum enthusiasts ourselves, we understand this and use our extensive experience in order to treat collectors prized possessions with the respect, esteem and attention they deserve. We work hand in hand with private collectors to make the process of using our services as seamless and straightforward as possible.
To find out how we can help sell your large collection, please complete our Seller Form and one of our experts will be in touch.
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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).
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As an online business, Rum 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.
Bidding and buying on Rum Auctioneer
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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. Once you submit the required documents, our Client Services team will review the documentation and you will then be alerted whether you have been approved or not. Please note, for an approval to take place, we also require verification of your contact number. In order for us to do this, we will give you a call when reviewing your application to ensure the number is correct and valid.
Once approved, you will be able to bid over £2,000 on any lot across the auction. Please note, that should circumstances arise as per our terms and conditions, we reserve the right to revoke approval, or, alternatively, provide approval following further review should an individual not be approved.
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You can find all the details about the fees involved in buying wine at auction on our Buyer Fees and Payment Terms page.
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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.
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Due to the governing laws for licensing in Scotland, there is a minimum price for alcohol units. As a result we have introduced a minimum bid price for each item, £20 will be the starting bid for most bottles of rum, but this will be calculated on a lot-by-lot basis (for example, multiple bottle lots will have a higher starting bid).
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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).
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Rum Auctioneer's payment window for buyers is three days (72 hours) from close of auction. If payment for an order is not received within this 3-day window, a late payment charge of 3% of the total balance outstanding will be added to that order.
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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:
- UK lots can only be collected from our Perth Office.
- EU lots are available for collection from our Utrecht Office.
- Our London Office is open for drop-offs only. Collections aren’t available from this location.
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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.
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All items auctioned from the Netherlands require an excise charge. If you choose to ship your order, this charge is reflected in your shipping cost.
If you choose to collect your order in-person or arrange a third-party courier collection, the excise charge will be invoiced separately, and payment will be required before collection. The amount is calculated based on the bottle's size, ABV (alcohol content) and the duty rate of the Netherlands (as the country of Collection). It ensures your purchase is fully compliant with local regulations.
Excise duties are payable in the country to which the bottle is sent. In this case, since the bottle remains in the Netherlands, the local excise fees will apply and will be paid to the relevant authorities.
Storage with Rum Auctioneer
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Yes, Rum Auctioneer offers secure storage services. For more information and details on applicable charges, please visit our Storage page.
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You can store your bottles with Rum 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.
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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.
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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 rum will be insured and expertly managed by our team.
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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.
Shipping with Rum Auctioneer
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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.
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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: Rum 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 or Utrecht Office. Select 'Collection' at checkout and contact our Client Service team for guidance.
*Please note: CID is only available for US-bound orders.
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All Rum 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.
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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.
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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.
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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 import tariffs to spirits, including rum and whisky. 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.
Still have questions?
Our Buying and Selling pages have all the information you need to help you through our auctions. Whether you are are a buyer, a seller, or at the start of your journey with Rum Auctioneer, our helpful guides will give you the tools you need to make the most of our services.
If you still can’t find the answer you’re looking for, please contact our Client Service team and they’ll be happy to assist you and link to our contact form.