At a glance
| What's sold | Insolvency and liquidation assets: machinery, IT, tools, stock, vehicles |
| Lots located in | Germany (100%) |
| Who can bid | Verified businesses from any country; no private buyers |
| Buyer's premium | 18% of the hammer price |
| VAT on premium | 19% on hammer price plus premium |
| Payment deadline | Due at once; transfer expected within 24 hours |
| Pickup deadline | Fixed slot shown on the auction page; vehicles within 7 days |
| Verdict | Reliable but expensive, with hidden reserves and strict terms |
What's sold
IVG sells assets from insolvencies, liquidations and pledges, mostly on behalf of the insolvency administrator. You will find office and IT equipment, workshop tools, machinery, racking, stock, forklifts, vehicles, tractors, medical equipment and leasing returns (Leasingrückläufer). All sales are timed online auctions run by a private company, not court sales.
Who can bid
- Private buyers: You cannot bid. Only businesses (Unternehmer) are admitted, and if you register as a business you are treated as one.
- Businesses: You can bid from any country once your identity and company pass the checks. You need a trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung) or a register extract, and a tax number or VAT ID (USt-IdNr). No bidding deposit is required. EU businesses outside Germany get a VAT-free invoice only with an officially certified VAT ID and a completed entry certificate (Gelangensbestätigung); otherwise 19% VAT is charged. Buyers based outside the EU pay a 19% VAT deposit, shown on the invoice as a deposit. Re-exporting goods to Russia or Belarus is forbidden.
Registration
- Open a basic account; you can watch lots but not bid.
- Verify your mobile number to upgrade to a business account.
- Link the account to a company, either an existing one or a new one.
- Upload company documents, plus proof of authority if you are not the managing director.
- Allow up to 2 working days for review.
- Firms based in Germany can start with a limited registration instead: you can bid up to EUR 500 per auction, EUR 1,000 per month and EUR 10,000 per year. Submit the full documents within 6 months to lift the limits, or bidding is switched off.
Fees and real total cost
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's premium (Aufgeld) | 18% | Stated in the lot data and on-site terms, not in the online terms |
| VAT | 19% on hammer plus premium | Taken as a deposit from non-EU buyers; charged to EU buyers without a certified VAT ID and Gelangensbestätigung |
| Bank and currency fees | not confirmed | You bear all of them, also on deposit refunds |
| Handling or loading | none listed | You load yourself and pay for it |
| Storage after missed pickup | EUR 100 per item per day | EUR 30 per day for road-registered vehicles; actual costs may be higher |
Worked example for one non-vehicle item:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hammer price | EUR 1,000.00 |
| Premium 18% | EUR 180.00 |
| VAT 19% on EUR 1,180 | EUR 224.20 |
| Bank fees | not confirmed |
| Total paid | EUR 1,404.20, excluding bank fees, transport and lifting gear |
If you are VAT-registered in Germany and can reclaim the VAT, your real cost is EUR 1,180.
How bidding works
- A bid above the next minimum starts a proxy agent (Bietagent). You can raise your maximum but never lower it. In a tie, the earlier bid wins.
- Increments are EUR 20 up to EUR 1,000, then EUR 50 up to EUR 5,000. IVG may set different steps for a lot.
- Soft close: any bid in the final 2 minutes adds 2 minutes to that lot. Lots in one auction end at staggered times.
- The server clock counts. If your screen shows an out-of-date price or end time, you have no claim.
- Reserves are hidden. Below the reserve, IVG may accept your bid on condition (unter Vorbehalt), and you stay bound for up to 10 days while the seller decides.
- Every bid is binding and cannot be withdrawn. The contract only exists once IVG confirms acceptance by email.
Watch out
- Lots can be withdrawn, cancelled or held back for third-party rights, even after you have won and paid.
- Descriptions are not binding and there is no warranty; buyers report hidden damage and missing parts such as laptop chargers.
- Pickup slots are short and often chaotic; bring your own tools, staff and lifting gear, and get every agreement in writing.
- The terms give two deadlines for export proof: §4.2 says within 60 days of pickup, §4.4 says no later than three weeks after pickup. Some proof has been refused.
- You lose access to the contract text after buying, so screenshot the lot page and your bids, and complain on site and by email within 7 days.
Verdict: IVG is an established liquidator with helpful staff and mostly smooth sales. Plan for about 40% on top of the hammer price, hidden reserves and strict pickup terms.