Frequently Asked Questions

Creating an account is simple:

1. Click the "Register" button in the top right corner of any page
2. Fill out the registration form with your details
3. You're ready to start bidding or selling!

To place a bid on an item:

1. Navigate to the item's page
2. Click the "Submit Bid" button
3. Enter your bid amount (must be higher than the current highest bid)
4. Confirm your bid

You'll receive notifications about your bid status, including if you're outbid or if you win the auction.

When you win an auction:

1. You'll receive a notification confirming your win
2. You'll be directed to make a payment for your winning bid amount
3. Once payment is completed, the seller will be notified to ship your item
4. You can track the status of your won auctions in your dashboard

For auction integrity, bids generally cannot be canceled once placed. This ensures fair competition among all bidders. If you have exceptional circumstances, please contact our support team who may consider your request on a case-by-case basis.

To list an item for auction:

1. Log into your account
2. Click on "Create Auction" in the navigation bar
3. Fill out the item details including title, description, category, and minimum price
4. Upload quality photos of your item (up to 5 images)
5. Set the auction end date and time
6. Optionally select to have your item authenticated by our experts
7. Submit your listing

Vintage Vault charges a base platform fee on successful sales, calculated as a percentage of the final selling price. Currently, our fee structure is:

• Base platform fee: Varies (check current rate on the Create Auction page)
• Additional fee for authenticated items
• No listing fees - you only pay when your item sells

These fees help us maintain the platform, provide authentication services, and ensure secure transactions.

Our authentication process ensures that items are genuine:

1. When creating a listing, select the "Authenticate Item" option
2. Your request is reviewed by our management team
3. An expert specialising in your item's category is assigned
4. The expert reviews images and information about your item
5. You may be asked additional questions or to provide more images
6. The expert makes a determination on authenticity
7. Your item is marked as "Authenticated" or "Authentication Declined"

Authenticated items typically attract more bidders and higher final prices.

Our authentication experts are specialists in various categories of collectibles and antiques. They have extensive experience and qualifications in their areas of expertise. Each expert undergoes a thorough vetting process before joining our team. Their identities are kept confidential to ensure unbiased evaluations.

We accept the following payment methods:

• Credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
• Revolut

All payments are processed securely through our payment providers.

Security is a top priority at Vintage Vault:

• All data is encrypted using industry-standard protocols
• Payment information is never stored on our servers
• All transactions are processed through secure, trusted payment providers
• We use authentication protections including CSRF tokens and secure cookie practices
• Regular security audits and updates are performed on our platform