At a glance
| What's sold | Used industrial machines, lab and hospital equipment, vehicles, workshop gear |
| Lots located in | Germany (63%), Switzerland (17%), Spain (13%), Belgium (3%) |
| Who can bid | Businesses and private persons aged 18+; some auctions are business-only |
| Buyer's premium | Usually 18% of the net hammer price; varies by auction |
| VAT on premium | 19% German VAT on hammer price and premium |
| Payment deadline | Due straight away on invoice, by bank transfer |
| Pickup deadline | Fixed dates for each auction, often days or weeks |
| Verdict | Legitimate but seller-friendly; full costs and conditional wins are the main risks |
What's sold
NetBid auctions used industrial assets, such as CNC and metalworking machines, moulding lines, woodworking and lab equipment, hospital fit-outs, trucks, cars and construction machinery. NetBid is only the intermediary. You buy from the consignor, which is often an insolvency administrator, a bank or a leasing company.
Who can bid
- Private buyers: You must be at least 18. Consumers can bid, except in business-only auctions. Signup has no routine ID check, but some auctions may check your identity. An auction may ask for a deposit (Kaution). If a lot's start price (Mindestgebot) is EUR 5,000 or more, you need a bank confirmation to take part. The general terms set no country limits.
- Businesses: EU businesses buy without VAT only with an officially certified VAT ID. Non-EU buyers pay the VAT as a deposit and get it back against an export certificate; some auctions ask EU buyers for this deposit too. In business-only auctions you must send your trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung) within 3 working days of winning, or you lose the award.
Registration
- Sign up free with a username and password; the username is public on your bids and cannot be changed.
- Confirm your account with the link in the activation email.
- Before bidding, read the auction's special conditions (Besondere Bedingungen) for premium, deposit, business-only rules and binding periods.
- To bid on lots with a start price of EUR 5,000 or more, get your bank to stamp and return the bank confirmation (Bankbestätigung) form.
- As a foreign business, have your certified VAT ID or export papers ready.
- For business-only auctions, keep a PDF of your Gewerbeanmeldung ready to send.
Fees and real total cost
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's premium (Aufgeld) | 18% of net hammer | Varies by auction (check the lot page); owed even if the sale fails |
| VAT | 19% | On hammer and premium; some Polish auctions show gross prices |
| Dismantling and loading | EUR 250 to 10,000 per lot | Compulsory on some auctions; amounts are approximate |
| Loading help | Extra charge | Amount not confirmed |
| Storage | Not confirmed | Charged if you pay or collect late |
| Payment | Your own bank and currency fees | Bank transfer in EUR only |
Worked example (18% premium, domestic buyer):
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hammer price | EUR 1,000.00 |
| Premium 18% | EUR 180.00 |
| VAT 19% on EUR 1,180 | EUR 224.20 |
| Dismantling, loading, transport | Not confirmed |
| Total paid | EUR 1,404.20, excluding logistics |
You get two separate invoices, paid to two different accounts. A VAT-registered business can reclaim the VAT.
How bidding works
- A proxy agent (Gebotsagent) bids for you up to your maximum. If two bids are equal, the earlier one wins.
- The system sets the increments, but NetBid does not publish the increment table.
- A bid in the last 10 minutes pushes that lot's close to 10 minutes after the latest high bid. Lots close one after another, about 30 seconds apart.
- If the reserve (Mindestpreis) is not met, you win only "subject to approval" (unter Vorbehalt). You stay bound for 7 to 28 days, and others can still outbid you.
- An insolvency administrator may need to approve your bid. A block bid at least 10% above the total of the single bids cancels your single win.
- Bids are binding and you cannot withdraw them. NetBid may reject bids and decides disputes alone.
- In Trading (Nachverkauf) lots the seller can accept an offer at any time, so set an acceptance deadline (Annahmefrist).
Watch out
- Bid amounts are net; premium and VAT add roughly 40% on top.
- The risk passes to you at the hammer, before you pay or collect.
- Pickup windows are short; collecting late brings storage costs, or cancellation plus damages.
- Descriptions are not binding and there is no warranty, so inspect on site first.
- Few independent reviews exist; one buyer could not cancel an accidental bid.
Verdict: NetBid is a legitimate industrial liquidation house, but its terms favour the seller. Budget for the full cost and inspect before you bid.