CATAWIKI new BUYER PROTECTION FEE

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

What do you think about this new 3€ fee ? I saw forgeries on this platform in the past, but nothing in comparison of Ebay. I like the idea that the seller only get paid 3 days after the reception of the coin. Never had any bad experience there, but I’d be curious to know your stories. And here are some coins I bought there.

 

 

 

 

 

[Prieure de Sion]

1 minute ago, Ocatarinetabellatchitchix said:

Never had any bad experience there, but I’d be curious to know your stories.

Not as bad as Ebay, I agree. But almost every time I look at Catawiki, I find 1, 2 or 3 fakes.

[Heliodromus]

I guess calling it a "buyer protection fee" maybe makes it sound nicer than just "buyers fee", but at the end of the day that seems to be all it is - an extra 9% (+EUR 3) fee.

 

 

 

[Numisnewbie]

I don't know about Catawiki and coins, but as far as Catawiki and antiquities they don't have the best reputation, unless things have changed in the last couple years. I can't remember this specific seller's name anymore because I stopped even looking at Catawiki, but he listed a lot of dubious "antiquities" (and was known to do so in his brick and mortar store in London, too), and Catawiki happily listed them anyway. Eventually he just changed his seller name and continued right on selling questionable items without missing a beat. That's just one seller example, but the website was full of "antiquities" that raised a lot of questions.

[red_spork]

If they frame it as a "buyers protection fee" and then charge 9% that makes me wonder how many fakes they think are sold on their platform and how much refunding they expect to have to do.

[Limes]

Ive had some bad experiences before. It all worked out in the end, but it was a lot of pulling and pushing from my part to get things rolling. I finally got a coupon, of the coins' worth and fees. 

I havent looked at coins from Catawiki in a while, the material didnt appeal to me. I bought some other stuff, which was good.

Some additional thoughts. They do a quality check but not a authenticity check. The buyer fee, or protection fee wont change that. I dont think the additional 3 euro will give any further protection. Many buyers are private individuals . I wonder what that verification actually means. 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Limes

[expat]

All semantic blah, blah, blah designed to obscure the fact they have decided to increase their profits by 9% + 3€ per sale. If their "mission statement" alluding to experts, quality control checks etc. was enforced, there would be no need for "Buyer Protection Fee" whatsoever. Another outlet added to my never to look at list.

[kirispupis]

I've purchased one coin from Catawiki. The experience was fine and this is one of my favorite coins, but I haven't purchased from them since. Mostly it's because there seem to be enough fakes that I can't trust them, but also the few times I looked I didn't find much of interest. They need to figure out how to categorize their items better.

In terms of a "Buyer Protection Fee", that wouldn't sway me at all. If I don't trust the seller, then I'm simply not going to purchase anything. I'm not going to wait until I have the coin in hand to make a determination.

Epeiros.The Molossi
AE Circa 360-330/25 BCE
Æ 19mm, 6.16g
Vertical thunderbolt on shield
R/ Vertical thunderbolt within wreath
SNG Copenhagen 53.
Ex Bertolami Auction 44 (Sep 2017)

 

[Sulla80]

I've purchased less than a dozen coins from catawiki and sold a few there - prices seem reasonable for sellers.  I rarely find something I would buy at a price I would pay.  This post prompted me to take a look again today - nothing I saw changed my general impression.  This lump of RR Aes Formatum is my favorite purchase (the AR denarius was not part of the deal - included in my photo to show scale).

 

 

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

5 hours ago, Heliodromus said:

 

I guess calling it a "buyer protection fee" maybe makes it sound nicer than just "buyers fee", but at the end of the day that seems to be all it is - an extra 9% (+EUR 3) fee.

 

Just wanna make a precision here: there has always been a 9% (8% before 2019) auction fee- or you can call it a buyer protection fee- and the new thing is the 3 euros/coins. 

[Deinomenid]

Don't many  auction  houses unconditionally guarantee their items are not fakes? Eg HJB in Chicago, and the main Swiss? For life.

3 days is nothing - it can take a while  to know if something  is fake.  And I agree Catawiki has a "mixed" reputation - eg they were selling clear Tarentum fakes  recently, exact copies  of  coins  Roma had recently legitimately sold.

It's utter bs that "only the most special  objects" are sold by them.