Where these professional lots come from
A large part of these machines and tools comes from company liquidations carried out by insolvency administrators (Insolvenzverwalter). Workshops, print shops, bakeries, restaurants, farms and medical practices close or restructure, and their equipment is sold lot by lot. Added to this are sales of decommissioned equipment from government and the military, notably via VEBEG, and industrial liquidation platforms. Customs and justice platforms mainly offer seized items or official vehicles, so fewer heavy machines, but sometimes tools. Private auction houses complete the offer. The result: forklifts, pallet trucks, machine tools, construction equipment, professional kitchen, agricultural and medical equipment, often sold without warranty and in the condition in which they are found.
How to bid from the UK
Bidorado does not sell anything: it displays the lots and redirects to the seller's official website, where the bid is placed. Create an account with the seller, read their terms and check whether registration is restricted to businesses (nur für Gewerbetreibende). With private sellers, the buyer's premium (Aufgeld) is added to the hammer price, and German VAT of 19% applies according to the stated scheme. With Zoll-Auktion and Justiz-Auktion, there are no buyer fees. With VEBEG, many sales are by sealed tender: check the VAT scheme for each lot. An EU business with a valid VAT number can often buy without German VAT by providing proof of transport (Gelangensbestätigung), depending on the seller. Watch the closing dates and collection deadlines.
The real price: fees, VAT and lot condition
The displayed price is not always the price paid. With private sellers, expect generally 15 to 20% buyer's fees with liquidators and industrial platforms, and often 25 to 33% with art auction houses. German VAT of 19% is added according to the scheme: VAT added, VAT included or margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung). Bidorado displays the price with buyer's fees and VAT when known. Read the German description: betriebsbereit means ready for operation, ohne Funktionsprüfung or ungeprüft means without function test or untested, defekt means defective. An old machine may require compliance work before being used by employees, and a used medical device may require maintenance or requalification by an authorised body. These costs can exceed the purchase price.
Collection, transport and dismantling
Many lots are to be collected on site (nur Abholung). Some sellers ship within Germany or the EU, but for heavy machines this is rare. Dismantling and removal are generally the buyer's responsibility, within a fixed deadline (Abholfrist), sometimes with an approved carrier. Plan lifting equipment, straps and a suitable vehicle. Check the power supply: Starkstrom or 400 V means three-phase current, common on machine tools and professional kitchen equipment. Ask for the Baujahr (year of manufacture) and the condition of safety components. If the seller requires Demontage durch den Käufer, you will have to dismantle it yourself. A specialist carrier often costs more than a simple collection, especially for a forklift or a machine tool.
Paperwork, VAT and formalities
Between Germany and another EU country, there are no customs duties. Only a delivery outside the EU (Switzerland, United Kingdom, Norway, etc.) incurs duties and import VAT. An EU business with a valid VAT number can often buy without German VAT by providing proof of transport (Gelangensbestätigung), depending on the seller. For medical equipment, putting a used medical device back into service may require maintenance or requalification by an authorised body. For old machines, a machine manufactured before mandatory CE marking may need to be brought into compliance before being used by employees, which can be costly. Keep invoices, proof of transport and customs documents. An auction generally offers neither warranty nor right of withdrawal like a classic online purchase: read each seller's terms.
Pitfalls to avoid
Do not rely on the starting price alone. Check the VAT regime, buyer's fees and collection costs. Be wary of the terms ungeprüft, ohne Funktionsprüfung or defekt: a machine may be sold untested and without warranty. For a heavy lot, ask whether the seller helps with loading or whether you have to do everything yourself. Check the collection deadline (Abholfrist): after this deadline, storage fees may apply. For medical equipment, find out about requalification. For older machines, plan for compliance. Many lots sell without a single bid, because sales are scattered and little known outside Germany: that is the purpose of the Bidorado Radar. Finally, do not commit without reading the seller's terms and estimating the total cost, including transport and refurbishment.