Catawiki

About 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.

Catawiki has over 10 million monthly visitors and a network of more than 240 in-house experts, and operates from its headquarters in Amsterdam with a team of technology professionals, auction experts, and customer service staff across multiple European offices. The platform has attracted significant venture capital investment, reflecting the confidence investors place in its growth trajectory and business model.

History

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.

Expert curation

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 items they bid on have been vetted by knowledgeable specialists, a significant advantage over uncurated peer-to-peer marketplaces.

Categories

The platform hosts auctions across a wide breadth of categories, including:

• Art (paintings, prints, photography, sculpture)
• Antiques, jewelry, and watches
• Coins, stamps, and comic books
• Books and manuscripts
• Fashion and vintage clothing
• Wine and spirits
• Classic and collector cars
• Model trains, militaria, musical instruments, cameras, rugs, ceramics, and silver

This diversity attracts a wide range of collectors and ensures the platform serves as a one-stop destination for collecting enthusiasts.

Buying and selling

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. 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.

For sellers, the listing process is straightforward: items are submitted through the platform, experts review and curate them, and approved items are placed in the appropriate auction. Catawiki handles the auction process, including photography guidelines, lot descriptions (provided by sellers with expert guidance), and payment processing. Shipping is the seller's responsibility, though the platform provides shipping guidelines and support.

Buyers benefit from a buyer protection program covering items that are significantly not as described or that do not arrive. Payment is processed through the platform, with funds held in escrow until the buyer confirms receipt and satisfaction. Sellers pay a commission on successful sales, and buyers may see a nominal buyer's fee or service charge depending on category and jurisdiction.

Who Catawiki suits

For collectors, the key advantages are the breadth of categories, the expert curation that provides 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

Are items authenticated before auction?

Yes, every item is reviewed by one of Catawiki's in-house experts before being approved for auction.

Does Catawiki ship internationally?

Sellers are responsible for shipping, but international transactions are common on the platform.

Are there fees for listing items?

No, sellers only pay a commission on successful sales; there are no listing fees.