FAQS
Auction
An E-Auction is where people engage in buying or selling the most unique collectables or valuable antiques in an organised manner, through a virtual platform, via research-based curation. Unlike physical auction houses, which most people are unaware of and do not have access to, this one is a one-of-a-kind live platform that brings to its users the fun of bidding and at the end of it, bag a product that is rare and exclusive.
You can ‘Sign Up’ to create an account & browse through the available auctions. To place a bid on any product, simply click on 'Bid Now' and start bidding! In case you want to pass on the bidding period and immediately wish to own the product, click on 'Flat Buy' and you will be redirected to our payment gateway.
All bids are customisable.
The minimum ask price is the Minimum Reserve that the seller has agreed to sell their product for.
In such a case, you will have to bear the penalty.
Remember, a bid is a binding contract. When you bid on an item in an auction, you're committing to buy it if you win. The terms and conditions of The Curio Store reiterate the same and therefore if you place a bid, you are liable to pay if you win.
While you may stop bidding at any point, you cannot completely withdraw your bid. A bid once placed, cannot be withdrawn.
Any auction will last for up to 5 days on The Curio Store. Some auctions may also exceed the time depending on the nature of the auction and type of the product.
A big YES! The phenomenon of extended bidding is called a ‘Soft Closure’- It is an opportunity to perform a fair auction wherein, The Curio Store system will automatically extend the closing time of a lot (auction item) whenever a bid is placed within the last minute of its scheduled closing. This may occur multiple times on any given lot depending on the bidder-interest in that lot. Once all interest and bidding in a lot ceases, the clock will run out and the lot will close.
You may refer the Knowledge section to know more.
Unless it is a closed auction, you can watch a live on-going auction without placing any bid. Kindly refer to the knowledge section to know more about closed auctions.
Set by the seller, a Flat price is the price at which the buyer can directly buy a product without waiting for the auction to end. It is pre-decided by the seller; It is non-negotiable.
The rules of a ‘Soft Closure’ will be applied in such cases.
Soft Closure is an opportunity to perform a fair auction; in which, the The Curio Store website will automatically extend the closing time of a lot (auction item) whenever there is a tie between two bids before the scheduled closure.
And like a usual auction, here too, finally, the one with the highest bid wins the product,
At The Curio Store, we believe in respecting the privacy of the buyers/sellers. However, in case of any query with regards to a product, you can approach us, and we will do our best to get it answered, to your satisfaction.
Authenticity
The Curio Store provides an assurance on behalf of the seller that every item (barring furniture) available for auction is authentic.
In cases where the items do not match the product images and description given on our website, or even appear to be fake (not genuine), then we will accept the return. However, we will only be able to process the returns if they are initiated within 24-hours of the time of receipt of the product.
In addition to that, for our Collectors' Edition products, we have tied up with a leading UK based company specialising in appraisal and valuation of antiques to provide authenticity certificates along with our products.
Pricing & Payment
For products priced under ₹2,50,000, we will require a full advance payment before the delivery. While for products priced over ₹2,50,000, we will require 50% payment in advance and the rest can be made within 7 working days. However, the delivery will only be initiated, once the full payment has been received by The Curio Store
The Curio Store has no ongoing discounts. Any change in the status of offers and discounts shall be updated on the site.
We accept all forms of online payment including VISA, Mastercard, Internet Banking and UPI payments.
Yes, we do offer COD. However, it is applicable for products under ₹50,000 and prior agreement with our sellers.
At The Curio Store, we try our best to source products on our platform, at a minimum price. We make constant efforts in offering you the most exclusive pieces at the best deal.
We know security and privacy are important to you – and they are important to us, too. We make it a priority to provide strong security and give you confidence that your private information is safe, secure and inaccessible to other parties.
Returns
The items offered on our platform are antiques and it is likely that they get damaged during the return. As such, it is left at the discretion of the seller to accept this return.
All items dispatched from The Curio Store shall be insured. So, yes! A refund is possible if the item is damaged in transit. The prerequisite here is that — a proper open video is to be sent to us within 24 hrs, in which the damage is clearly visible.
Shipping
Once you win a bid in an auction, you will be requested to pay the full price of the product. Upon receiving the payment, The Curio Store will send you a confirmation email. You will then be asked to share your address and courier details and the item will be shipped, right after.
Our shipping partners are quick and reliable. However, the shipping time may vary as it depends on the buyer’s location.
We regret to inform you that The Curio Store currently does not offer an international shipping option. Ours is a considerably new venture that intends to grow its reach slowly & gradually. Enthusiasts like you can help us achieve this goal sooner.
Sell at The Curio Store
You need to first send in an email, the product details and documents including original receipts, authenticity certificate, along with good quality product images and videos to The Curio Store. After receiving, going through and approving which, we will send you a ‘sign-up link’ to become a seller on our website. Your product will now be listed on our platform for the live auction. Please check out our 'Become a Seller' page for further details.
*It is important to note that all decisions are final, and no further queries in case of rejection, shall be entertained
Only if the product is genuinely rare or has a story that inspires us, properly documented and has been appraised can you be a seller. If you have green ticks in all these departments you are more than welcome to sell your product(s) with us.
This is a special case scenario, where the sellers would be requested to get their product(s) appraised, and a link for the same shall be shared by The Curio Store.
The final decision however, lies with The Curio Store.
A thorough industry research by The Curio Store will ease this process for you in deciding the MAP as a seller.
The Curio Store shall study the industry pricing and suggest the best valuation to you as a seller.
At The Curio Store, we believe in respecting the privacy of the buyers/sellers. However, in case of any query regarding the sale of any product, you can approach us, and we will do our best to get it answered, to your satisfaction.
Sellers are free to do so. Check out our buying guides and tips for some useful info!
As per the terms and conditions of The Curio Store, once you have agreed to become a seller with us and the products have been uploaded for the live auction, you will be obligated to sell the products at the pre-decided prices.
Once the auction is live, the seller is forbidden to make any changes. The MAP and flat buy price would be considered as fixed and shall remain unaltered until the entire round of auction ends.
The Curio Store is not liable to make any sale and no seller can hold the site responsible in such a case. However, your product is our hero and we will put our best foot forward in promoting the product; and shall even put it up in forthcoming auctions if required. In certain cases, the MAP and flat buy price can be revised if the product remains unsold throughout multiple auctions.
As per the signed contract, once an item goes live on our site, it becomes a property that can solely be sold via The Curio Store and nowhere else. No product shall be accepted to be put up on our site, in case it is up for sale elsewhere. Every seller is also expected to be transparent about this information with The Curio Store.
Before: An item that is bought by and is in possession of another buyer, cannot be resold via The Curio Store.
After: In case, an item remains unsold at the end of an auction on our platform, then once it has surpassed the agreed time period, you are free to withdraw and list it elsewhere.
Kindly note that you must inform The Curio Store about the decision.
User Accounts
As a seller, you can only change your ‘sign-up’ information which includes basic profile credentials. However, no seller can change the previously submitted KYC data and Bank Details. If necessary, they must send an email to The Curio Store, requesting the same.
Miscellaneous
As such, we do not help with refurbishment/ restoration services. However, there are many websites that can help with the restoration of the products you want to sell. But remember that the more rustic the item is the more valuable it can be. So be mindful of how much you refurbish
No, as of now, you can only visit The Curio Store virtually. But we do intend to build a physical auction house in the near future, so keep buying with us and help us reach our goal real soon!
We currently do not have in-house experts who can assist with discovering the value and appraising your rare possession; The Curio Store however does offer assistance in getting in touch with experts or bringing to you the right information. Kindly get in touch with us for any such queries.
