Legal
Last updated: August 2026
“HeritageBids,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to HeritageBids LLC, the operator of heritagebids.com and the auction platform at auctions.heritagebids.com. “Buyer” refers to any registered bidder who wins a lot at auction. “Seller” or “Consignor” refers to any party who submits property to HeritageBids for sale by auction. “Lot” refers to any item or group of items offered as a single unit in an auction sale.
“Hammer Price” refers to the winning bid amount at which a lot is sold, before the buyer’s premium, taxes, or shipping are added. “Buyer’s Premium” refers to the 15% fee added to the hammer price and payable by the buyer, as described in Section 3. “Estimate” refers to the pre-sale low and high price range published for a lot, representing our specialist’s opinion of its likely hammer price; it is not a guarantee of value. “Reserve” refers to the confidential minimum price, agreed with the consignor in advance, below which a lot will not be sold. “Absentee Bid” refers to a maximum bid submitted in advance of a live sale, executed on the bidder’s behalf up to the stated maximum. “Live Bid” refers to a bid placed in real time during a scheduled auction session, whether through our platform or through LiveAuctioneers. “Condition Report” refers to the written description of a lot’s condition, prepared by our specialist and made available to registered bidders before bidding opens.
To bid in any HeritageBids sale, a prospective buyer must register a verified account at auctions.heritagebids.com. Registration requires a valid government-issued ID and a payment method on file. HeritageBids reserves the right to refuse or revoke registration at its sole discretion.
Absentee bids must be submitted before the published close of bidding for the relevant lot. Our system executes absentee bids in standard increments, only as far as necessary to maintain the bidder’s position, and never beyond the stated maximum. Live bidding is conducted through our online bidding console during the scheduled sale session; bidders may also participate through LiveAuctioneers under that platform’s own terms of use. In the event of a tie between a live bid and an absentee bid at the same amount, the absentee bid takes precedence as having been placed first. HeritageBids may, at its discretion, reopen bidding on a lot in the event of a bidding error or dispute, and its decision in such matters is final.
Bidding is subject to the following conditions:
Lots ship directly from consignor to buyer, fully insured at hammer value. Shipping arrangements and costs are confirmed at invoicing. Risk of loss passes to the buyer upon collection by the carrier. HeritageBids coordinates the shipment but acts as agent; the shipping contract is between the carrier and the buyer.
HeritageBids ships worldwide. Import duties, customs fees, and local taxes applicable at the destination are the buyer’s sole responsibility and are not included in the invoice. Buyers may instead arrange local collection by appointment at no additional shipping cost; collection details are confirmed at invoicing. Large-format lots, including oversized rugs and carpets, are packed by hand and may require additional lead time to ship; any such delay will be communicated to the buyer promptly.
All sales are final unless a lot arrives materially different from its catalogue description or condition report. Buyers who believe a lot has been misdescribed must notify HeritageBids within 5 business days of delivery. Where a material misdescription is confirmed, HeritageBids will accept the return and issue a full refund of the hammer price and buyer’s premium upon receipt of the lot in the condition delivered.
A material misdescription is a statement in the catalogue description or condition report that is factually incorrect in a way that would reasonably have affected the buyer’s decision to bid — for example, a misstated period, material, or maker. Condition issues that were already disclosed in the condition report, including normal wear, prior restoration, and other noted imperfections, are not grounds for return; condition reports are made available before bidding precisely so that bidders can evaluate them in advance. To request a return, contact us at contact@heritagebids.com within 5 business days of delivery with your invoice number and a description of the discrepancy. Once a return is approved, refunds are issued to the original payment method within 10 business days of the lot being received back in the condition in which it was delivered.
Consignors grant HeritageBids the exclusive right to offer the consigned property at auction during the agreed sale period. A seller’s commission of 10% of the hammer price is retained by HeritageBids from the proceeds. No upfront fees are charged to consignors.
Consignors warrant that they have full legal right and title to consign the property and that the property is free of any lien, claim, or encumbrance. The reserve price for each lot is agreed in writing between HeritageBids and the consignor prior to the sale and remains confidential. A consignor may withdraw a lot from sale prior to the auction only with HeritageBids’ consent, which may be conditioned on reimbursement of costs already incurred. If a lot fails to sell, it may be re-offered in a subsequent sale, offered for private sale, or returned to the consignor, as mutually agreed. Proceeds are paid to the consignor within 10 business days of the buyer’s payment being received in full.
Except as expressly stated in these Terms of Sale, all lots are sold on an “as is” basis, and HeritageBids makes no warranty, express or implied, as to the condition, attribution, authenticity, or value of any lot beyond what is stated in the applicable catalogue description and condition report. HeritageBids shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from a sale or attempted sale, including but not limited to loss of profit or opportunity. Neither party shall be liable for any delay or failure to perform resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including natural disaster, labor dispute, or disruption to carrier or postal services.
HeritageBids acts as agent for the seller and is not a party to the contract of sale between buyer and seller. HeritageBids’ liability shall in no event exceed the buyer’s premium received in respect of the lot in question.
These Terms of Sale are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to a sale conducted by HeritageBids shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in New York, New York, and each party consents to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.
These terms are subject to change. The version published at heritagebids.com/terms-of-sale/ on the date of each auction sale governs that sale.