Buy now
See the price, buy it.
- Fixed price, set in advance
- Instant purchase, no waiting
- Right of withdrawal
- No automatic card charge
Guide 01 · For buyers
Fixed price or auction? How to choose the right way to buy
On Memorabid you can buy memorabilia in two ways: at the fixed Buy now price, or by joining an online auction where bidding sets the price. Here is what really changes, with practical examples, and how to pick the right route for the piece you want.
In short
- Buy now is the store: fixed price, you buy straight away, you have the right of withdrawal and your card is never charged automatically.
- An auction starts from an opening price, bidding pushes it up and the winner commits to pay within 48 hours. In return you can land a rare piece, sometimes at a very good price.
- Either way there is no buyer's premium, the same authenticity guarantees and every shipment is handled by Memorabid.
Auction
Bidding sets the price.
- Starts from the opening price, at least €30
- Instant bid or automatic bidding
- Timer that extends in the last minute
- You commit to pay within 48 hours if you win
How Buy now works
Buy now is the Memorabid store: a selection of memorabilia, signed shirts and experiences you can buy straight away at the price shown on the listing. No countdown to follow and no other bidders to worry about: if the price suits you, add the lot and complete your purchase.
Two protections make it the most relaxed option for first-time buyers:
- You have the right of withdrawal. How and when it applies is set out in the Terms and conditions.
- There is never an automatic charge. With Buy now your card is not charged automatically: you pay when you complete the purchase.
Store lots follow the same rules as the rest of the platform: gold lots are authenticated by Memorabid, light-blue lots come from the Marketplace and are approved by our team before they go live.
How an online auction works on Memorabid
In an auction the price is not set in advance: it builds up through the bids. To bid we ask you to register a credit card as a guarantee, with no charge. The card is handled by Stripe: Memorabid never records or stores your card details.
Key terms
- Opening price: the amount bidding starts from. No auction on Memorabid opens below €30.
- Reserve: the minimum price set by the seller. If the auction closes below the reserve, the lot is not sold. Whether the reserve has been met is shown only once you have placed at least one bid.
- Instant bid: you raise the auction straight to the amount you enter.
- Automatic bidding: you enter the most you are willing to spend and the system bids for you, beating every other bid by the minimum increment until it reaches your limit.
- Timer: shows how long until an auction opens or closes. If someone bids in the last minute, the timer extends by another minute, just like with an auctioneer in the room: everyone gets the chance to respond.
If you win
You have 48 hours to pay for the lot you won. If you do not, once that time has passed we process the payment through Stripe on your registered card. There is no buyer's premium on Memorabid: you pay the hammer price plus shipping and mandatory insurance. You can pay by bank transfer, card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal; all the details are on the Payments & shipping page.
If the auction closes below the reserve and you are the highest bidder, you receive a notification with the reserve amount and have 48 hours to decide whether to meet it and win the lot.
Side by side
Buy now and auctions, point by point
| Buy now (store) | Auction | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Fixed, shown on the listing | Starts from the opening price and rises with each bid |
| When it's yours | Straight away, as soon as you check out | When the auction closes, if you are the highest bidder above the reserve |
| Buyer costs | Price + shipping | Hammer price + shipping and insurance, no buyer's premium |
| Credit card | Never charged automatically | Registered as a guarantee, charged only if you don't pay within 48 hours of winning |
| Right of withdrawal | Yes, under the Terms and conditions | No: winning is a commitment to pay |
| Strategy | None: decide whether the price suits you | Instant bid or automatic bidding up to your limit |
| Authenticity | The same guarantees: gold lots authenticated by Memorabid, light-blue Marketplace lots approved by the team | |
| Shipping | Always by Memorabid, after a check at our offices | |
| If you miss it | Keep an eye on it before someone else buys it | You can send a direct purchase offer to the winner |
Which one
Choose in three questions
Answer with the piece you have in mind: we will tell you which route suits you and why.
Do you need it by a specific date, for example as a gift?
Would you like to be able to change your mind after buying?
Do you enjoy following the bidding and playing for the price?
Answer the three questions to see our suggestion.
Our suggestion
Buy now is for you
Fixed price, instant purchase and the right of withdrawal: no waiting, no surprises.
Browse Buy nowOur suggestion
Auctions are for you
Set automatic bidding with the most you want to spend and let the system do the work.
Browse auctionsPractical examples
Three real situations, step by step
Bidding up to €300 without staying online
- A signed shirt opens at €100.
- You set automatic bidding at €300.
- Another user bids €150: the system immediately beats it for you by the minimum increment.
- It carries on until someone goes above your €300. If nobody does, the shirt is yours at the price reached, not necessarily €300.
The auction closes below the reserve
- The seller has set a reserve you can't see, say €250.
- The auction closes at €200 and you are the highest bidder.
- If your automatic bid was above the reserve, for example €300, you win with a bid equal to the reserve: €250.
- Otherwise you get a notification with the reserve amount and 48 hours to decide whether to meet it.
A bid 40 seconds before the end
- With 40 seconds to go, someone outbids you.
- The timer extends by a minute: you have time to respond.
- Every new bid in the last minute opens another minute, as in a room with an auctioneer.
- The winner is whoever is leading when a minute runs out with no new bids.
The amounts in these examples only explain how it works. Did the auction end and the lot go to someone else? With a direct purchase offer you can make an offer to the winner, with Memorabid acting as intermediary.
FAQ
Buy now and auctions: common questions
Are there any fees for buyers on Memorabid?
No. There is no buyer's premium or any other service fee for buyers. At auction you pay the hammer price plus shipping and mandatory insurance.
Can I return an item I won at auction?
The right of withdrawal applies to Buy now purchases. Winning an auction is a commitment to pay. The Terms and conditions set out all the details.
Why do I need to register a credit card to bid?
The card is a guarantee and is registered with no charge through Stripe. It is only charged if you win an auction and don't pay within 48 hours. Memorabid does not store card details.
Does automatic bidding always make me pay my maximum?
No. The system only bids as much as needed to beat other offers, by the minimum increment. Your maximum is a limit, not the price you will pay.
Are Buy now items as authentic as auction lots?
Yes, the same rules apply. Gold lots are authenticated by Memorabid; light-blue Marketplace lots are approved by the team and checked at our offices before shipping. You can request a COA or COO certificate at checkout: see the page on NFC certificates.
I lost an auction: can I still buy that lot?
Yes, you can try. From the list of closed auctions you can send the winner a direct purchase offer, equal to or above the hammer price. If the auction did not meet its reserve, your offer goes to the seller.