Buyer's fees and VAT: calculating the true price of a lot
The price shown is not always the price paid. Here is how to get from the bid to the real price.
1. Buyer's premium (Aufgeld)
With private licensed auctioneers and insolvency administrators, a buyer's premium is added to the hammer price, usually between 15 and 20%. Public platforms such as Zoll-Auktion and Justiz-Auktion do not charge one.
2. German VAT
Depending on the seller, VAT at 19% is either already included or added to the price and the premium. Some second-hand items are sold under the margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung): no VAT appears on the invoice.
+ 19% VAT = €140.42 to pay
3. Transport
Add the shipping charged by the seller, then, if the lot is only delivered within Germany, the cost of forwarding it to your country. For a 2 to 5 kg parcel, allow around twenty euros to France.
4. Automatic calculation
Bidorado does this calculation for you on every lot page, based on the seller's terms and your delivery country. The seller's official terms remain the only reference.