SELLING WITH CELLAR VAULT
JUMP TO FAQ’SWe host exclusive online auctions every month, where you can bid from launch until the last day on a Sunday. Soft closing begins at 8pm. To prevent last-minute bidding wars and sniping, we extend the auction closing time by 15 minutes if a bid is placed within the final 15 minutes.
Before you immerse yourself in the excitement of selling spirits online, take a moment to review our Terms and Conditions. We know it’s not the most thrilling part, but sometimes the fine print can be worthwhile reading.
First time selling spirits online? Sign Up Here.
Explore our FAQ’s below, and if you still have questions, feel free to reach out.
The Process
SIGN UP NOWWebsite Registration
Click Here to go to Cellar Vault’s website registration page. You must be a registered user to use Cellar Vault, as a buyer and/or a seller. There is a one-off, non-refundable registration fee of $10 (inclusive of GST). This is to ensure that your registered card details are confirmed and to avoid illegitimate bidding.
By registering you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions – please make sure you read and understand the T&Cs.
Bottle Submission
Registering your bottles with Cellar Vault couldn’t be easier. Simply click on our bottle Registration Page and enter the required details on the Submit Your Bottle
You will also have the option to place a Reserve Price on any of your lots to ensure a minimum hammer price. If you choose to add a Reserve Price, an additional fee of $5 (inclusive of GST) per lot will be charged. Please note that there will be no Reserve Price fee for the first 3 months.
Please ensure you select your preferred transit method (more info in ‘step 3’).
Optional transit insurance is available at 2% of the declared value. Please select this option and add a value on the form in case you choose insurance.
Please select the relist option if you would like to leave the bottle(s) for sale at the next auction (in case the lot does not sell).
Immediately after registration, you will receive an e-mail confirmation confirming we have received your lot registration. At this stage, your bottle(s) will be assigned a lot number(s).
Send Bottles to Cellar Vault
As you complete the bottle registration you will be asked to select 1 of 4 options available for getting your bottles to us safely. If you choose option 1 or 2, please note that we recommend transit insurance (see ‘Step 2’ for details).
1- Organised by the seller
You send the bottle(s) to us with your preferred courier company. You will need to include a printed copy of the submission form with your bottle(s) before sending to us. Bottle(s) should be sent to: Cellar Vault, 2/31 Makland Drive, Derrimut, VIC 3026. Please ensure that bottle(s) are carefully packaged with plenty of bubble wrap in a strong cardboard box. Cellar Vault is not liable for goods in transit to us. Please let us know as soon as you shipped the bottle(s) and provide us with a tracking number in order to follow up your parcel(s).
2- AUSTRALIA POST DROP-OFF OPTION WITH PRE-ARRANGED LABEL
At your request, we can arrange transit via Australia Post. Please note that you will be charged the Shipping Rates listed on our website. You will need to include a printed copy of the submission form with your bottle(s) before sending to us. Please ensure that bottle(s) are carefully packaged with plenty of bubble wrap in a strong cardboard box.
3- A Free DROP-OFF OPTION
Drop-off to:
Cellar Vault, 2/31 Makland Drive, Derrimut, VIC 3026.
You will need to include a printed copy of the submission form with your bottle(s) when dropping off. Please let us know the drop-off date and time to make sure we are expecting you.
4- Free pick-up
If you are selling 6 bottles or more or the total value of the bottle(s) is minimum $5,000, we can offer a FREE courier pick-up service within Melbourne. Please let us know and we will organise. You will need to include a printed copy of the submission form with your bottle(s) if you choose this service.
Auction
As soon as we receive your bottle(s) we will prepare them for auction. We will capture professional photographs and add a detailed description for each lot. We’ll need the bottle(s) in our possession to inspect the bottle and take all the necessary photos for the lots, before listing these for sale. The bottle(s) will be listed in the next available auction, depending on when the bottle(s) were received. We are accepting bottle(s) submissions up until the cut-off date, which is 7 days before the auction start date (the bottle(s) need to be in our possession before the cut-off date).
PAYMENT
At the end of the auction, we will make sure we pay the selling proceeds to you as soon as possible. This will normally be between 10-14 business days after the end of the auction as we need to be fair on both parties and ensure the buyer is satisfied with the delivery.
We reserve the right to deduct all listing, reserve and other fees from the sale balance, as well as courier fees, insurance fees, import duties or in some cases international bank transfer fees.
Our selling fees are deducted from the Hammer Price of lots:
- Lot listing fee of $5 (inclusive of GST) per lot per auction (note multiple bottle lots will be charged $5 per bottle).
- Please note that there will be no listing fee for the first 3 months.
- Reserve fee of $5 (inclusive of GST) per lot (optional, charged only if a Reserve Price has been added).
- Please note that there will be no Reserve Price fee for the first 3 months.
- Seller’s commission of 0% (no seller commission will be charged).
Payment will be made to you in your bank account listed on the submission form. Please note if you are selling from outside Australia, international charges may apply to the Bank Transfer.
WHY CHOOSE US
AUSTRALIAN BASED BUSINESS
We are an Australian-based business with boots on the ground here in Melbourne. Local pickup is available in the Melbourne region.
PURPOSE BUILT ACTION SITE
Our auction site is built using the most up-to-date auction software with the user experience at the forefront of what we do.
EXPERT HELP AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Our team of experienced spirit vendors are here to answer any queries you may have around buying and selling using market data. Contact us today for a personalised valuation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What fees do you charge?
We have clear and fair fees for both our buyers and sellers.
There are no fees for sellers for the auctions in September, October and November.
The seller’s fees are:
- $5 listing fee per bottle including miniatures.
- $5 reserve fee per lot (if required).
We offer 0% Sellers Commission on hammer prices.
To sell your bottle(s) with us please complete a Submission Form and include it with your bottles every time.
How to get your bottles to us?
There are 3 options available for getting your bottles to us:
- Drop off at our premises in Melbourne – If you are already a customer you can book a drop-off appointment by email, or call us on 0421 748 480 to book an appointment slot.
- If you are in Melbourne contact our in-house Collections Team by email or call us to arrange a free pick-up. Free Pick-ups are offered for a minimum of 6 bottles.
- To take the stress out of arranging shipping, we can provide AU Post shipping labels. All you have to do is box the bottles and take them to a Post Office. Cost will be $16 per box from anywhere in Australia, a maximum of 15 kg per Box. Please note for any shipments that are arranged we cannot be held liable for any loss or damage incurred during transit, so please make sure you pack your bottles as well as you can. Alternatively, we strongly suggest you pay 2% extra for transit insurance. This will calculated either on your reserve prices or on our valuation of the bottle(s) and will be invoiced to you with the shipping invoice
Can you provide a valuation for my bottles?
We offer a free valuation service for anyone looking to sell bottles, all we need is a description of your bottles and some pictures clearly showing front and back labels and we’ll value them and get back to you as soon as we can.
You can send your valuation request to sales@cellarvault.com.au
What bottles do you accept?
We specialise in whiskies but we do auction other spirits as well. To confirm, the auction is bottle(s) only. The only exception to this being gift sets that include glasses, or similar, within them.
We reserve the right to refuse any bottle for auction. If there is any doubt about the authenticity of a bottle, it will not be offered for auction. In the event of a dispute arising over the provenance or authenticity of any bottle, if it cannot be proved to be genuine, it will be returned to the seller.
Are there any bottles you don't accept?
Yes, there are a few specific bottles, we are a spirit only auction:
- Unofficial samples / minis, this includes press packs which are unsealed.
- Miniatures that have been sealed with glue or varnish.
- Unofficial / home made merchandise.
Other general items:
- Any bottle which is unsealed or the seal is no longer intact
- Bottles which are leaking
- Bottles which are in a condition which is not suitable for sale ie containing mould etc
- Items which contain foods eg chocolate etc. We can’t be responsible for use-by dates or allergen information
We will not auction merchandise (official or otherwise). This includes, but is not limited to:
- Cask ends
- Loose glasses (we’ll happily take sets which contain a bottle of whisky with a glass)
- Booklets / magazines / books
Can I bring the bottles to you?
Of course. You can drop bottles and a submission form off at the office Monday to Friday. We are operating on an appointment only and you can book a slot by emailing or calling us.
Can you recommend me a courier to collect my bottles from me?
Absolutely. We use various couriers and we can make a recommendation based on your location. Please keep in mind the cost for collections and shipping will be much higher than you taking them to a Post Office.
How should I pack my bottles for transport?
First of all you need a good, strong cardboard box which will allow you to keep the bottles upright. You’ll also need plenty of bubble wrap or packing materials to make sure that the bottles are well protected. Please make sure that your bottles arrive in plenty of time for the auction.
If we are collecting the bottles directly from you please make sure that your name is on the outside of the box and your submission form is included. This will speed up the booking in process once the bottles are back in the office.
How do I set a reserve?
We will discuss reserves when booking in your bottles and we can advise based on bottle value. Please note that reserves attract an additional fee per lot of $5.
What if my bottle fails to meet my reserve price?
If your bottle fails to meet your specified reserve price during the auction you have a number of options:
- Relist your bottle into the next available auction, fees might apply.
- Have your bottle shipped back to you – all shipping costs and transit insurance, if selected, must be paid before the bottle is returned.
- Collect your bottle within 28 days from our office.
- Enter your bottle into our long-term storage facility – terms and fees apply, contact us for more information.
Please get in touch and advise how you wish to proceed within 7 days of the auction ending.
How do I watch my bottles during the auction?
You can use the website to watch your bottles. There is a link inside your account “View bottles I’m selling in the latest auction” and this will load your bottles. Please note that this will only work while the auction is live.
How will I be paid for my bottles?
If you are a successful seller, we will not process your payments until the buyer has paid us.
Please note that payments will be completed within 10-14 days of the end of any auction. You will receive an email with a notification of what you have been paid, along with the deductions once the payment has been processed.
What dates are the auctions? And when do I need to get the bottles to you?
Please see our homepage for information about upcoming auctions.
Bottles need to be received by us latest with 7 days before the auction start date.
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