Where these lots in Germany come from
Pallets and bulk stock mainly come from liquidation and insolvency sales. Specialised platforms such as Restlos, IVG, NetBid or AURENA sell end-of-line, customer returns and stock from closing stores, known as Restposten or Konkursware. Add to that sales by German customs (Zoll-Auktion), bailiffs and courts (Justiz-Auktion), the federal company VEBEG, and hundreds of private auction houses. These lots are often sold as seen, without warranty, and many are reserved for businesses, marked nur für Gewerbetreibende. Sales are scattered across many sellers and little known outside Germany. This is exactly what Bidorado's Radar makes visible, by grouping these sales into a single free search engine.
How to bid from your country
Bidorado does not sell anything: it displays the sales and you bid on the seller's official website. Create an account with the relevant seller, read the sale conditions and check whether it is open to buyers outside Germany. At private auction houses, buyer's fees (Aufgeld) apply, often between 15 and 33%, plus German VAT of 19% depending on the regime. At Zoll-Auktion and Justiz-Auktion, there are no buyer's fees. At VEBEG, sales are often by sealed tender and prices are excluding VAT. An EU business with a valid intra-EU VAT number can often buy without German VAT by providing proof of transport (Gelangensbestätigung), depending on the seller. Always check the conditions before bidding.
The real price: fees, VAT and price per unit
The listed price is not the final price. Add the seller's buyer's premium, German VAT at 19% depending on the scheme (VAT added, VAT included or the Differenzbesteuerung margin scheme), then transport and handling. For a bulk lot, calculate the price per unit, including fees and transport, before bidding. A lot of pallets may look cheap, but if part of the stock is defective (defekt), untested (ungeprüft) or incomplete, the real cost per usable unit rises quickly. Also allow for sorting and refurbishment time. Bidorado shows the all-in price to avoid nasty surprises and let you compare sales on a clear basis.
Collection and transport of pallets
Many lots are for collection on site, marked nur Abholung. Collection is often at a loading dock, sometimes with a forklift on site. Bring a suitable vehicle, a pallet and straps. Some sellers ship within Germany or the EU, but rarely whole pallets. A carrier or a relay address in Germany lets you bring a lot over. Ask the seller for dimensions, weight and pallet type before arranging transport. For a large stock, compare the cost of a specialist carrier with a round trip in a van. Transport is part of the cost price: include it in your per-unit calculation before bidding.
Paperwork and formalities
For a business purchase within the EU, a valid intra-community VAT number often allows you to buy without German VAT, provided you give the seller proof of transport (Gelangensbestätigung). Without this document, German VAT remains due. Check that your number is active and that the seller accepts this scheme. For lots reserved for businesses (nur für Gewerbetreibende), a trade register entry or proof of activity may be required. Keep the invoice, proof of transport and terms of sale. For a lot sold as seen, without warranty, the buyer bears the defects. Read the German descriptions: defekt, ungeprüft, ohne Festplatte, BIOS-Passwort. Bidorado flags them to help you decide.
Pitfalls to avoid
The first pitfall is to think only about the hammer price. Add buyer's premium, VAT, transport and handling, then calculate the price per unit that can actually be resold. The second is to overestimate the quality of a lot: customer returns and end-of-line stock often contain defective, incomplete or untested items. The third is to forget on-site collection and the seller's deadline. The fourth is to overlook the German terms that change the value of the lot. Finally, many lots go without a single bid due to lack of visibility outside Germany. Bidorado's Radar helps spot these scattered sales. Bid coldly, based on the all-in price, not on the impression of a bargain.