Catawiki

Catawiki is Europe's leading curated online auction marketplace, connecting buyers and sellers of special objects across more than 80 collecting categories. Founded in the Netherlands in 2008, the platform has grown from a niche collector's database into a major international marketplace that hosts over 600 auctions every week, offering everything from art and antiques to watches, jewelry, classic cars, wine, coins, comics, and fashion. With over 10 million monthly visitors and a network of more than 240 in-house experts, Catawiki has fundamentally changed how collectors discover and acquire special objects online. The founding story of Catawiki is rooted in the collector community. Rene Schoenmakers, a passionate Dutch comic book collector, teamed up with developer Marco Jansen to create an online wiki-based compendium of collector's catalogs. The site went live on September 10, 2008, under the name Catawiki, a portmanteau of "catalogue" and "wiki." Initially focused on comics, the database quickly expanded to cover postage stamps, coins, and other collectibles. The pivotal transformation came in 2011 when Catawiki launched weekly online auctions, shifting from a reference site to an active marketplace. This move was accompanied by a rollout into multiple languages, with English added in 2011, French and German in 2012, and Spanish, Italian, and Chinese in 2015. What distinguishes Catawiki from other online marketplaces is its curation model. Every object submitted to Catawiki is reviewed by one of the platform's 240-plus in-house experts before being approved for auction. These experts, who include specialists in fine art, gemology, horology, numismatics, philately, and dozens of other fields, evaluate items for authenticity, quality, and desirability. Objects that do not meet the platform's standards are rejected. This curated approach gives buyers confidence that the items they bid on have been vetted by knowledgeable specialists, a significant advantage over uncurated peer-to-peer marketplaces. Catawiki's auction format is entirely online, with most auctions running for approximately one week. The platform uses a transparent bidding system where all bids are visible, creating an engaging and competitive environment. Starting prices are typically set low to encourage bidding, and the platform's large buyer base ensures that desirable items attract strong interest. There are no listing fees for sellers; instead, Catawiki takes a commission on successful sales, making it risk-free to offer items. The breadth of categories on Catawiki is extraordinary. The platform hosts auctions for art (including paintings, prints, photography, and sculpture), antiques, jewelry, watches, coins, stamps, comic books, books and manuscripts, fashion and vintage clothing, wine and spirits, classic and collector cars, model trains, militaria, musical instruments, cameras, rugs, ceramics, silver, and many more categories. This diversity attracts a wide range of collectors and ensures that the platform serves as a one-stop destination for collecting enthusiasts. For sellers, Catawiki provides a powerful channel to reach millions of potential buyers across Europe and beyond. The listing process is straightforward: sellers submit items through the platform, experts review and curate them, and approved items are placed in the appropriate auction. Catawiki handles the entire auction process, including photography guidelines, lot descriptions (which sellers provide with expert guidance), and payment processing. Shipping is the seller's responsibility, though the platform provides shipping guidelines and support. Buyers on Catawiki benefit from the platform's buyer protection program, which provides coverage in the event that an item is significantly not as described or does not arrive. Payment is processed through the platform, with funds held in escrow until the buyer confirms receipt and satisfaction. This system provides an additional layer of security for transactions between strangers. Catawiki's fee structure is based on commissions rather than buyer premiums in the traditional auction house sense. Sellers pay a commission on successful sales, and buyers may see a nominal buyer's fee or service charge depending on the category and jurisdiction. The platform does not charge listing fees, which encourages sellers to offer a wide range of material. The platform has attracted significant venture capital investment, reflecting the confidence that investors place in its growth trajectory and business model. Catawiki operates from its headquarters in Amsterdam and employs a large team of technology professionals, auction experts, and customer service staff across multiple European offices. For collectors considering Catawiki, the key advantages are the breadth of categories, the expert curation that provides a degree of quality assurance, the competitive pricing that results from low starting bids and a large buyer base, and the convenience of an entirely online process. The platform is particularly well-suited for collectors seeking mid-range items in the hundreds to low thousands of euros price range, though higher-value items regularly appear and achieve strong results. Frequently asked questions about Catawiki include whether items are authenticated before auction (yes, by in-house experts), whether the platform ships internationally (sellers are responsible for shipping, but international transactions are common), and whether there are fees for listing items (no, sellers only pay commission on successful sales).