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’re the highest bidder.
Learn more about bid reservations.
When will I be asked for a bid reservation?
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.
How much is reserved?
We reserve an amount of your bid – maximum €1,000 (or the equivalent in your currency).
If you raise your bid, the hold amount will increase – the total hold will never exceed €1,000 in total, regardless of how many active bids you have.
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, your bank will release the hold within 10 business days of the auction ending.
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 won the object, you’re required to pay the Buyer Protection fee. This must be paid before we can process a refund for your bid reservation.
After paying the Buyer Protection fee, please contact our Customer Service team to release the hold on your credit card and complete the refund of your bid reservation. Note that the refund will only be issued after the Buyer Protection fee has been paid and you have reached out to our team.