At a glance
| What's sold | Bankruptcy stock, police surplus and vehicles, estates and commissioned sales |
| Lots located in | Belgium (100%) |
| Who can bid | Registered bidders with email and SMS verification |
| Buyer's premium | 18% of the hammer price |
| VAT on premium | 21%, also charged on the hammer |
| Payment deadline | 24 hours, bank transfer only |
| Pickup deadline | One fixed slot per auction, often 1 hour; no shipping |
| Verdict | Cheap judicial goods on strict terms; no public reviews |
What's sold
BOPA holds small timed auctions that run online only, mainly around Ieper and elsewhere in West Flanders. Lots come from bankruptcies (faillissementsgoederen) sold for trustees, police surplus and vehicles, estates and company sales (in opdracht). Most lots are household goods starting at EUR 3–25, and vehicles start at EUR 150–2,000.
Who can bid
- Private buyers: You must pass email and SMS verification. Some profiles also ask for a Belgian national register number (rijksregisternummer); how foreign bidders handle this is not confirmed. No deposit is needed.
- Businesses: The same checks apply, and you enter your VAT number when you sign up. You cannot change billing data afterwards. Whether foreign EU businesses get 0% intra-EU VAT is not confirmed.
Registration
- Open an account with an email address and password.
- Accept the terms and the privacy policy.
- Pick private or business and fill in billing data, including any VAT number; this cannot be changed later.
- Enter the SMS code to activate the account, then confirm your email.
- Add your national register number if the site asks for it.
- Do all this well before a close, as SMS to foreign numbers is not confirmed to work.
Fees and real total cost
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's premium (opgeld) | 18% | It was 17% until late 2025 |
| VAT (BTW) | 21% | Charged on the hammer and the premium |
| Per-lot or admin fee | None in the bid calculator | Extra invoice lines not confirmed |
| Payment fee | None mentioned | Bank transfer is the only method |
| Shipping | Not offered | Collect yourself or send your own carrier |
| Extra pickup day | From EUR 10 plus costs | Only by exception, agreed in writing |
| Late payment damages | Businesses 10.5% (min. EUR 100); consumers from EUR 20 | Interest is added |
Worked example:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hammer price | EUR 1,000.00 |
| Premium 18% | EUR 180.00 |
| VAT 21% on EUR 1,180.00 | EUR 247.80 |
| Other fees | None in the calculator; invoice extras not confirmed |
| Total paid | EUR 1,427.80, excluding unconfirmed invoice extras and your travel |
How bidding works
- An auto bid (autobod) hides your maximum and beats an equal static bid. If you place another auto bid while leading, you raise your own price.
- Each lot has a fixed increment: EUR 5 on most small lots and up to EUR 100 or 200 on vehicles. A single bid can be at most 100 increments above the current price.
- Lots close in batches of 25, ten minutes apart, usually from 19:30 on weekday evenings.
- A bid in the last 5 minutes extends the close by 5 minutes, so late sniping does not work.
- Every win needs approval. Low bids can be refused, so assume a hidden reserve.
- Bids are binding. You cannot withdraw one, even if you made a mistake.
- Lots can be suspended (opgeschort) after bidding, usually over ownership claims. A combined lot (samengevoegde kavels) only wins if it beats the total of the single lots.
Watch out
- Miss the pickup slot and you lose the goods but still pay the invoice.
- Late payment past 24 hours sends the claim to a bailiff and adds damages.
- Goods are sold as seen with no warranty; report visible defects at pickup.
- Compare the pickup date with the close date; one listing set pickup before the close.
- Vehicles may come without part 2 of the registration certificate and without plates.
Verdict: Good for cheap judicial goods if you live nearby and can make the pickup slot. Budget about 1.43 times the hammer and expect no remedy if something goes wrong.