Ways to bid with RWB Auctions

Different Ways To Bid

Did you know that you don't have to attend the sale to bid at auction? In fact, there are several ways to bid from home.

Online Auction Bidding

You can bid online for lots in RWB Auction sales via Easy Live Auctions and The Saleroom.

Both platforms have similarities, allowing you to bid live or via pre-sale bids.

Whichever method you choose, if you're the winning bidder, you are bound to pay the hammer price plus our 20% Buyer’s Premium and VAT. The Saleroom and Easy Live Auction both levy a small internet bidding surcharge for using their platform.

Remember to register and verify your account before the day of the sale. You will be asked to provide your name, contact information and payment details, just like if you were bidding in person.

When you're bidding live online, you are up against bidders in the room and on the telephone. Make sure you have a fast internet connection on your PC or mobile phone so that your bids can be submitted quickly. We recommend following the live video feed of the sale while bidding live online.

If you're not available on the day of the auction, you can also set pre-sale bids online. This is similar to bidding on an eBay auction. You can set a maximum bid, and the online platform you're using will bid for you against other bidders up to your limit. The auctioneer will start the live bidding at the price the lot has reached during pre-sale bidding. You can amend your pre-sale bid if you have been outbid but when you’re the highest bidder, you’re bound to pay the hammer price should you win the lot, plus associated fees.

In-Person Bidding

In-person bidding is when you place your bids in the saleroom: it’s the sort of auction bidding you see on TV and in movies.

When you arrive for the sale you’ll need to register at reception. This is a quick and easy process where our staff will record your name, address and payment details.

After registering, you will be issued a card displaying your Bidder's Number. Without a Bidder's Number, you won't be able to bid.

You'll need to raise your numbered card to submit your bids to the auctioneer. Lower your card if the bidding has outstripped your budget: that's how the auctioneer will know you are out of the running.

The fall of the hammer constitutes a sale. If you're the highest bidder, your Bidder's Number will be recorded against the lot.

Telephone Bidding

If you would like to bid by telephone, you need to contact us at least one day before the start of the sale.

You will be asked to register as a bidder and be issued a Bidder's Number before the sale.

It is important that you are in a location with a strong and reliable telephone signal during the sale.

Before your lot comes up, a member of our team will ring you on the phone number you're provided and talk you through the bidding process as the lot is sold. They will act as your agent in the saleroom.

Though someone else is bidding on your behalf, telephone bids do bind you to paying for the lot if you end up the highest bidder.

Commission Bidding

Commission bidding is like setting up automatic bidding on eBay.

Once you have lodged your commission bid on a lot, the auctioneer will bid on your behalf against other bidders up to a top price you have set in advance. If your bid wins you are bound to pay for the lot.

You will need to register as a bidder first and get a Bidder's Number from reception. Next, you will need to fill out a Commission Bidding Form. This form lists the lots you're interested in and the maximum price you are prepared to pay for them.

We keep commission bids absolutely confidential. Your bid will not be divulged to the seller or other bidders.

You can withdraw or amend your bids before the sale starts.

Bidding increments:

£20 - £100 - £5s

£100 - £200 - £10s

£200 - £500 - £20s

£500 - £1000 - £50s

£1000 - £2000 - £100s

£2000 - £5000 - £200s

£5000 - £10,000 - £500s

£10,000 - £50,000 - £1000s

£50,000 - £100,000 - £5000s