Help & FAQs
Here are answers to the most common questions from our buyers and sellers.
Section 1 – Buyers
First, create an account on the site. Then simply navigate to the auction you’re interested in and click “Place Bid”. You’ll see the current bid amount and the minimum increment required.
When the auction ends, the highest bidder receives an automatic confirmation email with payment instructions.
No. All bids are considered final and binding, so please bid carefully.
Buyers should contact the seller directly to resolve any issues. If you receive a damaged item, dead coral or encounter issues with shipping:
– Contact the seller directly within 3 hours of delivery
– Attach a clear photograph of the coral in its original packaging
– Attach a second photograph of the coral once it’s been removed
Please review our Shipping Policy for more information.
If you win an auction, you are legally obligated to complete the purchase and pay for the item promptly. If payment is not made within 4 calendar days, the seller may cancel the order and relist the item. Repeated non-payment may lead to your account being suspended or permanently banned from Coral Auctions. Please only place bids you fully intend to honour.
To leave a review, please visit the store-front of the vendor you purchased from. The easiest way to get there is to go onto the ‘Orders’ tab within your buyers dashboard, select the order you want to leave a review for, and then select the vendor – this will take you to their store-front.
Once there, select the review tab and add your review. See screenshot below to assist. 
Section 2 – Sellers
Simply click “Sign Up” to register on the site. Once registered, you will have access to both a buyer and vendor dashboard. Within the Vendor Dashboard (Store Manager), please ensure that you have set up your shipping settings and connected your Stripe account, which is required for receiving payments.
Before listing any auctions, please complete the “Request to Sell” form. Once your request has been approved, you will be able to begin listing your auctions. Please note that any auctions listed prior to approval may be removed.
Live coral (within legal guidelines), frags, and coral packs are allowed. Please ensure all coral is healthy, pest-free, and legally permitted for trade.
From your Vendor Dashboard (Store Manager), go to Auctions → Add New (or the cube icon if on your mobile). You can set a reserve price, start price, and end date/time, and a buy it now price if needed.
We charge a standard commission of 7% of the final sale price per item, plus a £0.75 flat fee per item sold. These fees are automatically deducted from the total amount the buyer pays, and the remaining balance is then paid to the seller via Stripe.
Yes. When creating your auction, you’ll have options to set a reserve price and a buy-now price.
Buyers have up to 48 hours to complete payment after winning an auction. If payment has not been received within this timeframe, and the buyer has not liaised with you about making payment on a different date, you are entitled to cancel the order and relist the item at your discretion. We recommend sending a polite reminder to the buyer before taking further action.
Section 3 – Shipping
Yes, but only if the seller offers collection. If this option is available, you’ll see it at checkout when completing your order. Please note:
– Payment must still be made through the Coral Auctions website before collection takes place
– Not all sellers allow collection — it is entirely at their discretion
– Collection arrangements must be made directly between the buyer and seller
When collecting in person:
– Please check that the coral appears healthy before accepting it
– If there are any concerns at the time of collection, do not accept the coral and contact us immediately if you wish to cancel the transaction
– Funds will be released to the seller following the same process as shipped orders, even when collection is used
Coral Auctions does not manage or oversee collection logistics.
If you win multiple auctions from the same seller, an additional charge of £0.50p per item won is assigned automatically at checkout.
All sellers are required to use Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm for coral shipments. A standard shipping fee of £14.99 applies site-wide, which covers this service. This method ensures timely delivery and safeguards the health of the coral during transit.
If coral is not shipped using Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm, and the coral arrives dead or damaged, the buyer will be entitled to a full refund — regardless of the reason.
This policy is in place to protect both buyers and sellers by ensuring a reliable delivery standard for live coral.
Section 4 – General
Yes, just email us at info@coral-auctions.co.uk and request account deletion. Please note that any open listings will be cancelled.
Please use the contact form on the site and include the product link and reason for your report. We review all reports within 48 hours. Alternatively you can email us at info@coral-auctions.co.uk.