How Bottles works
Bidding, payments, shipping, escrow, and disputes - everything you need before you place your first bid.
How does bidding work?
Click any live lot, then enter a bid at or above the minimum. Other bidders can outbid you in 10% increments. The auction closes at the timer - last valid bid wins. You can set an auto-bid maximum and Bottles will bid for you up to that amount.
When am I charged?
Only if you win. We don't pre-authorise. Once the auction closes you have 72 hours to pay via Stripe (card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay). After payment, the seller is notified to ship.
Who ships, and how?
Bottles arranges shipping through Eurosender. We quote at checkout based on your shipping address - you pick a tier (Standard / Express / Premium). Tracking lands in your order page once the seller hands the parcel to the carrier.
What is escrow?
Your payment doesn't reach the seller until you've confirmed reception. When the bottle arrives, you have 48 hours to either confirm it matches the listing - which releases the seller's payout - or open a dispute. Bottles holds the funds in between.
What if my lot is damaged or wrong?
Open a dispute from the order page within 48 hours of delivery. A Bottles mediator reviews photos + the original listing and decides between a refund to you or releasing the payout to the seller.
Can I sell on Bottles?
Yes - anyone can become a seller. You complete a short onboarding with Stripe (identity verification and bank-account details) and, once approved, your seller dashboard unlocks and you can start listing lots. Payouts land directly in the bank account you registered with Stripe.