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3. Auction process

FAQ

3. Auction process

Be fully informed and confident in navigating our auction platform. Whether you’re a first-time bidder or a seasoned pro, you’ll find all the essential details to help you engage with ease and make the most of your auction experience. 

3.1 What’s the most effective way to search for vehicles?

Are you looking for a specific car? Or a range of different cars that suit your client base or car business? You can use different search options to look for cars.

There are three ways to find the vehicle you’re looking for:

  1. Quick search
    Do a quick search from the home page, by selecting a handful of criteria. Click the ‘Search’ button and you’re on your way. The amount of criteria is limited here. So if you want to do a more detailed search, pick option 2.
  2. Advanced search
    Click on Find cars and use the most appropriate search criteria: the make, model, fuel type, price range or perhaps the type of auction … You decide. Plus, you can log in and save the search filter to make everything even quicker and easier next time around.
  3. Auction overview
    You can also filter results from the Auctions page. Set your filters on the left-hand side of the screen and you’ll find the vehicle you’re looking for quickly and easily. You can also save these searches for later.

 

Here are some special tips you can keep an eye out for:

  1. Email notifications
    You can ask the system to notify you whenever vehicles matching your saved searches appear on the website. There’s no need to browse through the 12,000 vehicles on offer every day. You just need to relax and wait. To receive email notification, follow the following steps:

    1. Log in to ‘My account’.
    2. Click ‘Settings’ then ‘Notifications’.
    3. Tick the box to ‘Authorise receiving emails based on my Saved Searches criteria’.
  2. Mobile app
    The OPENLANE mobile app allows you to find cars, manage your bids and remain informed about the most important auction events. Click here to read how to use the app and get the most out of it.
3.2 How does the auction process work?

Once you are registered with OPENLANE, you are able to participate in the auctions. Find out all there is to know about how you can bid here. You’ll find a variety of auction types on our online car auction. Each type has its specific advantages.

In preparation for winning, we always recommend reading up on the process from bidding to payment and on to delivery.

3.3 How can I place a bid?

Once you have registered with a valid VAT number and email address at OPENLANE, you are able to participate in the auctions. Find out all there is to know about how you can bid here. Please keep in mind that every bid is binding. It is not permitted to cancel a placed bid.

Can’t place a bid?
There are different reasons why you may not be able to place a bid:

  • You are not logged in. Yes, we know, but it happens far more often than you would believe.
  • Our system checks VAT numbers to ensure they are valid. If it believes yours is invalid, it automatically blocks you.
  • One of your payments is late. According to our Terms and Conditions, must pay for a vehicle within two business days of confirmation. Our system will send you a reminder after four business days. After six days, your account will blocked and you will not be able to bid.
  • Customer service has revoked your right to use your account for reasons such as pending final delivery documents, unwanted behaviour, cancelled cars, unprofessional communication or conduct, etc.
3.4 Why and when are auctions sometimes extended?

If you are bidding in our auctions, you might come across two types of auction extension: x-Time and Ultimo. Both exist to give you a chance to put your best bid in.

x-Time – synchronized bids
x-Time  is a special phase that starts after the original duration of the auction has finished. During x-Time, the vehicles in that auction are auctioned again. The exact procedure can be found here! The highest bidder at the end of the x-Time is almost certain of assignment.

TIP: Use “My Bids” to follow up and improve your offer during x-Time and win the auction!

Ultimo – 5 extra minutes to win more cars
With Ultimo, if you are the winner of an auction, you immediately get 5 additional minutes to give your best and final offer. This is your opportunity to increase your assignment chances dramatically. Over the years, we have had numerous requests from customers to increase their bid when the auction had already finished. In most cases, these customers had won the auction but realized that their bid stood little chance to be accepted by the seller.

If you hold the highest bid at the end of an auction, you will receive a notification by e-mail and/or in your browser. Apart from notifying you that you have won the auction, this notification will contain a one-time invitation to put in your best and final bid. By clicking on the link, you will be directed to the Car Detail page of the relevant vehicle.

The following auctions are excluded from Ultimo

3.5 I won the auction, Do I always get the vehicle?

If your bid is the highest at the end of the auction, it does not automatically mean you win the vehicle. In most cases, the final decision is up to the seller. The seller can decide whether to accept the bid or refuse it. A decision is made within two business days (or sometimes longer, in which case, the timing for this decision will be mentioned on the car description page). Every bid remains valid until the final decision is made.

How do you find out whether the seller has assigned the vehicle to you?

1. Via My account:
• When the seller agrees to assign the vehicle to you, the vehicle moves from “Awaiting seller agreement” to “To complete” in “My orders”. Here you need to confirm the vehicle.

• If the seller decides not to assign the vehicle to you, the vehicle will automatically move from “Awaiting seller agreement” to ‘My lost cars history’ in the ‘Archive’ folder. This last folder also includes vehicles you bid on but did not win. It stores every bid over the past three months.

2. By email:
You can choose to receive automatic emails that let you know whether or not you have been assigned the vehicle. You can change your email settings in ‘My account’ in ‘Account Settings’ under ‘Adjust my notification settings’.

3. Guaranteed assignment
If you don’t want to rely on the seller to assign your bids? There are alternatives. OPENLANE run auctions where there is guaranteed assignment. Look for:

  • Buy Now auctions: You can avoid the whole bidding process by being the first to enter the Buy Now price. The vehicle will be assigned to you when the auction concludes.
  • Target auctions: If your winning bid is at least as high as the target price, you’ll be assigned the vehicle at the end of the auction.

Click here to find out more about the different types of auctions OPENLANE run and how they might benefit you and your particular situation.

3.6 What if I want to cancel my purchase?

You cannot cancel a bid you have made. The seller has the choice of refusing your bid, but this is entirely at the discretion of the seller.

Every bid is binding. If your offer is accepted and the vehicle is sold to you, you cannot cancel your bid or the purchase. The payment must be made.

If you refuse to pay? You will be breaking a legal contract. Aside from the obvious legal ramifications, you will be blocked from bidding.

For a full explanation of our policy with regards to cancellations please read our Terms and Conditions, especially the section about ‘Blocking and cancellations’.

3.7 Does the EU Directive on Consumer Rights apply on my purchase?

Customers cannot cancel a purchase based on EU Directive on Consumer Rights (Directive 2011/83/EU). 

Article 2.1. of Directive 2011/83/EU of 25 October 2011 on Consumer Rights defines a consumer as “any natural person who, in contracts covered by this Directive, is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession”. Besides, the European Court of Justice has already determined that the consumer protecting measures are not applicable in dual purpose contracts unless the professional use is practically non-existent. 

Since you are a Corporation or a natural person trader, the EU Directive on Consumer Rights -and any other consumer protecting legislation- is not applicable on our commercial relationship. Furthermore, Article 4.1.2 and Article 8.1. of our Terms and Conditions indicate that the vehicle is purchased for substantial professional purposes.

3.8 How do I make a complaint?

Did the condition of the vehicle or the service you received fall short of your expectations? We want to know about it! We have procedures in place to ensure your claim is handled fairly and quickly.

Please read our claims policy. It has detailed information about how we process complaints. It also includes a list of elements that are excluded. You can find our claims policy in ‘My account’ under ‘Claims’.

If your complaint is something we cover in our claims policy, you can submit your claim directly in ‘My claims’:

  • Select ‘Claims’.
  • Select ‘File a new claim’.
  • Select the correct vehicle.
  • Enter the claim details and add any additional images/videos or documents that support your claim.

If you cannot find your vehicle in the ‘claims’ section, please send your claim and any additional supporting documents/videos/images directly to claims@openlane.eu.

Our claims department will analyse your claim and check whether your claim is valid based on our terms and conditions. You will be informed directly via email from claims@openlane.eu.

You have five days to accept the outcome. If your bank details are required, we will ask you to provide them within these five days.

3.9 Why is selling Dutch cars to non-EU buyers restricted?

This is linked to a special vehicle tax, called BPM, which is related to the CO2 emissions of a vehicle, which is the case for the vast majority of Dutch vehicles.

One of the Dutch tax regulations stipulates that refund of the car tax paid (BPM) is only allowed for Dutch BPM cars that have been exported to and permanently/sustainably re-registered in a EU/EEA country*.

The Dutch Tax authorities conducted an investigation in 2019 and concluded that exporting BPM cars to non-EU/EEA countries is not allowed and may result in additional taxes.

* Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

3.10 How does OPENLANE support the Greek requirements for imported cars?

The Greek government has several important requirements for imported cars. While OPENLANE is committed to supporting professional car traders in exporting vehicles, it is challenging to ensure that all our vehicles comply to every import regulation of the different countries in our market. However, we are still continuously improving the availability of vehicle information and documentation. Here’s what we are helping you with today:

Validity of the technical inspection: For some cars the validity date of the technical inspection is readily available on our website. You can find it on the car description page under “Condition”.

FAQ greek-requirements_en

For cars where this information is not stated on our website, we advise you to consult the following resources:

* IMPORTANT: For the majority of Dutch vehicles older than 3 years OPENLANE provides German vehicle documents. In this case, the German technical inspection document is not issued.


Availability of the technical inspection document:
 currently this document is not mandatory for exporting cars. OPENLANE provides this document only if we receive it from the Seller.

EURO Norm: OPENLANE provides all the information regarding the emission standard received from the seller or from an external database. We advise you to consult another source to acquire the exact information regarding Euro 5a and Euro 5b.

Please note: a missing technical inspection is not considered a valid reason to request the cancellation of an assigned vehicle. 

3.11 Does OPENLANE only sell second-hand vehicles?

Whilst OPENLANE only sells previously purchased vehicles, the EU VAT Directive states that a vehicle is still considered to be new if it meets one of the following conditions:

  • The vehicle has been in use for less than six months from the date of commissioning, meaning the buyer has taken possession of the vehicle within six months of its entry into function.
  • The vehicle has been driven for no more than 6000 kilometres.

Vehicles that meet either of these conditions are still classed as new, and the registration procedures will be arranged as for a new vehicle.

OPENLANE’s invoices are created automatically, as soon as payment for the vehicle is received, in accordance with Belgian legislation and the VAT regime. All related legal provisions are stated on the invoice.

Please note: When reselling these goods, buyers in the European Union will not be able to apply special regimes for second-hand goods that might be provided for in their national legislation.

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