Deposits and fees

Haubot auctions use a tier-based deposit model on both the seller and buyer side. Deposits are platform security — they secure auction obligations and feed the dispute and forfeit rules. They are not part of the purchase price, not advance payment, not escrow.

Deposit tiers

Same tiers apply to both sides:

Seller side: the seller locks a deposit at auction publication, sized from max(starting price, reserve, buy-now). This represents the highest tier the auction could ultimately land in.

Buyer side: each bidder locks a deposit when placing their first bid, sized from the bid amount. If you later raise your bid into a higher tier, the system tops up automatically — your wallet just needs sufficient balance for the new tier.

What the deposit secures

• For the seller: completing the transaction if a winner pays (releasing the lot, honouring the price, not bypassing Haubot to sell off-platform).
• For the buyer: paying within the deadline if they win, not retracting bids, not manipulating the auction.

The deposit is not transferred between the parties. If one side forfeits, the deposit is retained by Haubot, not paid to the other party. Money damages between buyer and seller, if any, are a separate matter the parties pursue between themselves.

When the deposit is released

When the deposit is forfeited

Forfeited deposits are retained by Haubot. They are never paid as compensation to the other party — that's a hard rule of the platform.

Seller success fee

If — and only if — the sale completes, the seller is charged a success fee:

• 2.5% of the final winning bid (USD-normalised).
• USD 100 floor — never less than that.
• Capped at the seller's locked listing deposit — never more than the deposit the seller locked at publication. In practice the cap kicks in only on very small lots; at any reasonable price the 2.5% is well within the cap.

No sale, no fee — the success fee is never charged on Reserve Not Met, No Bids, buyer-default or seller-default outcomes.

The same formula applies to both Seller Managed and Haubot Managed auctions. In Haubot Managed, the consignor's settlement with Haubot is separate and not visible to the buyer.

Buyer fees

Zero.

• No buyer's premium on top of the hammer price.
• No bidding fee.
• No charge for placing or raising bids (only the tier-based deposit hold).

Optional add-ons — independent inspection, logistics, financing, documentation support — are quoted separately and disclosed before bidding. Standard VAT applies on the buyer side; see the Buyer Terms for VAT, customs and export responsibilities.

Worked example

A used excavator listed in the USD 50,000 – USD 70,000 expected range.

• Starting price USD 30,000, reserve USD 55,000, no Buy Now.
• Seller deposit at publication: tier sized from max(30k, 55k, —) = 55k → USD 1,000.
• A bidder places USD 32,000 (first bid). Tier from 32k → USD 100. Their wallet is held for $100.
• A second bidder pushes to USD 58,000. Tier from 58k → USD 1,000. They lock $1,000.
• The first bidder counter-bids USD 60,000. Tier from 60k → USD 1,000. The system auto-tops them up from $100 to $1,000.
• Auction closes at USD 62,000 to bidder A. Reserve met → SOLD.
• Success fee on the seller: max(USD 62,000 × 2.5%, USD 100) = max(USD 1,550, USD 100) = USD 1,550. Cap is USD 1,000 (seller's locked deposit) → fee charged is USD 1,000.
• Both deposits release once the sale flow completes (payment received in HMA / seller confirms in SMA).

If instead the auction closes at USD 50,000 (below the USD 55,000 reserve):

• Outcome: Reserve Not Met. No sale, no success fee.
• All deposits released. Seller can relist with the same or adjusted reserve.