FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQs
What are your opening times?
UK Head Office Opening Times: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
Book Appointment for UK Head Office
Please note, items can only be collected after 10.00am due to licensing laws and our offices can only be accessed if you have booked an appointment in advance.
London Seller Services Hub Opening Times: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm
Book London Drop-Off Appointment (Bottle drop-offs only)
Germany Seller Services Hub Opening Times: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
Complete our Seller Form and Request to Book a Germany Drop-Off Appointment (Bottle drop-offs for sellers based in Germany only)
Netherlands Office Opening Times: Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm
Book Appointment for Netherlands Office
Please note: our offices can only be accessed if you have booked an appointment in advance.
How does an online rum auction work?
Customers across the world can choose to sell their rum with Rum Auctioneer. Our Client Services team will support sellers by providing valuations for their bottles and advice on the best way to get their bottles to us for sale in our next auction.
The bottles will be checked-in, authenticated, photographed, and then listed into the next available auction by our expert team. Rum Auctioneer hosts monthly auctions, where registered users from across the globe can bid on bottles via our website.
After the auction closing date, the highest bidder will be notified by email. Payment is required within 72hrs. The buyer can then choose to ship, store, or collect the bottle(s). Buyer fees are applied during the online checkout process.
The seller will receive payment within 21 working days of the end of the auction, directly to their chosen bank account. Seller fees will be applied to the seller’s invoice after the auction.
How much is my rum worth?
The value of a bottle of rum is constantly fluctuating according to supply and demand. Rum Auctioneer can provide a valuation according to the latest market trends. If you would like a free, no-obligation valuation, please visit our Free Auction Estimate page.
What fees are involved for selling rum?
All of the information that you need about the fees involved for selling can be found on our dedicated Seller's Fees and Payment Terms page.
How many items can I submit to sell?
You can submit as many bottles as you like!
Are there any items you don't accept?
Due to various reasons we don't accept the following items:
- Cream liqueurs
- 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.
Rum Auctioneer reserves he right to accept or reject any bottles at their own discretion.
I have a large collection to sell - can Rum Auctioneer help me?
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.
What happens if my item does not meet the reserve price I set?
If your item fails to meet a reserve price, we still require the listing fee and reserve fee be paid.
We will then offer you a chance to re-list the item (subject to fees) or discuss returning the bottle to you (subject to delivery charge).
When and how do I get paid for my sold lot(s)?
Sellers are paid within 21 business days from the end of an auction, however, payment is only completed if the buyer has paid us.
Payment is made by direct bank transfer and can take a few days to show in your account.
Any banking charges or exchange rates are paid for by the seller.
When and how does an auction end?
The end date of the current auction will always be clearly displayed on the notification bar at the top of the website.
Our auctions will end anytime from 7pm (UK Local Time). Once 7pm is reached, activity on any item will prolong the ENTIRE auction by a further 2 minutes.
This means that the entire auction will end when there has been no bidding activity placed within the last two minutes after 7pm. The auction will usually take several hours to finish after 7pm has passed.
What fees are involved for buying rum?
All of the information that you need about the fees involved for buying can be found on our dedicated Buyer's Fees and Payment Terms page.
How can I appear as an anonymised bidder?
When browsing the bidding history on a specific lot, the list of recent bidders is shown as 'anonymised bidders' with the exception of any bids placed through your account - which would appear as your username.
When logged into your account your bids are shown with your username, however, other users are not able to see this and you will appear as an 'anonymised bidder'.
User information/identity will never be revealed in the bidding process. We take user data and information protection very seriously at Rum Auctioneer. Find further GDPR info here.
What is incremental bidding?
Once your maximum bid is placed, our system automatically increases the bid level of the lot incrementally (based on the table below) until it reaches your maximum bid;
The bid increments vary based on the current bid. Please see the table below.
Lower Price | Increment |
£0.01 - £0.99 | £0.25 |
£1.00 - £4.99 | £1.00 |
£5.00 - £24.99 | £2.00 |
£25.00 - £99.99 | £5.00 |
£100.00 - £499.99 | £10.00 |
£500.00 - £999.99 | £25.00 |
£1,000.00 - £1,999.99 | £50.00 |
£2,000.00 - No Limit | £100.00 |
Why do bids start at £15 and not £0?
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, £15 will be the starting bid for most bottles of rum, but this will be calculated on a lot by lot basis.
Can I store items to save on shipping costs at a later date?
Items can be stored with us for combining multiple orders and dispatching at a later date. Please visit our Storage Services page for more information.
When you want to have items shipped please complete our Ship Stored Orders form.
How long does it take to receive my winning lot(s)?
If you are successful at auction, once payment is received by Rum Auctioneer then your order will be dispatched within 10 working days.
If after 10 days you still haven't received shipping/tracking details for all your orders to be shipped, please contact our Client Services Team who will be happy to help.
For more information, please visit our shipping page.