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Common questions
Maintained by the Bottles team. If your question isn't covered here, open a ticket above.
What is Bottles?
Bottles is Europe's auction house for fine wine and spirits. Marketplace where collectors discover, bid, and sell rare bottles. Every listing is reviewed by a Bottles Expert before it goes live, and verified Pro Sellers can offer their cellars directly to a vetted bidder base.
Who can buy on Bottles?
Anyone 18 or over with a verified email and phone can register, bid, and buy. Browsing the catalogue is open to guests, but placing a bid or saving a favourite requires signing in.
How do I create an account?
Tap "Continue with email" on the welcome screen, enter your name, email, date of birth, and a password. We'll send a 6-digit code to confirm your email and an SMS code to confirm your phone. Once both are verified, you're in.
Can I sign in with Apple or Google?
Yes. Both options are on the welcome and login screens. We only ask for your name and email from your social provider; phone and date of birth are collected the first time you sign in so your account meets the 18+ requirement.
How does an auction work?
Each lot has a starting bid (calculated automatically), a reserve price (set privately by the seller), a live window, and a soft-close window. Bidding extends the timer if a bid lands in the last 20 seconds, so no lot ends on a sniped tap. The highest bid at the final tick wins.
What is the reserve price?
The reserve is the lowest amount the seller is willing to accept. It's set when the lot is listed and stays private. If the highest bid meets or exceeds reserve, the bottle sells. If not, the seller can either accept the highest bidder anyway or relist later.
How do I place a bid?
Open the lot, tap "Place bid", enter an amount equal to or greater than the next minimum increment, and confirm. Once placed, bids cannot be retracted, so make sure the figure is right before you confirm.
What is an auto-bid?
Auto-bid lets you set the maximum you're willing to pay. We bid on your behalf only as much as needed to keep you in the lead, using fixed increments. Your max stays private. If another bidder's auto-bid sets the same max as yours, the one set earliest wins the tie.
What happens when I win an auction?
You have 72 hours to pay via Stripe. Once payment clears, the seller is asked to dispatch the bottle through our courier partner Eurosender. You'll see live tracking inside the app, get a notification on dispatch, and can mark the order as delivered when it arrives.
What if I don't pay in time?
After 72 hours without payment, the seller can offer the lot to the second-highest bidder, relist it, or cancel. We send escalating reminders during the window so it's rarely a surprise.
How are payments handled?
Payments are processed by Stripe. We never see or store your card details, the in-app payment sheet is Stripe's native UI, which keeps Bottles at PCI SAQ A scope. Funds clear instantly; the seller is paid after delivery is confirmed.
What does the buyer fee cover?
A 6% buyer fee is added to the hammer price. It covers payment processing, fraud protection, dispute mediation, and the platform itself. Shipping is quoted separately at checkout based on the lot's dimensions and your address.
How does shipping work?
Shipping is handled via Eurosender. The seller either drops the parcel at a partner point or has the courier collect it; you receive door delivery. You see a live quote before bidding, and the final cost is locked at checkout based on your address.
Can I track my order?
Yes. The Order detail screen shows live status from the seller's pickup to the moment the courier scans your address, plus the Eurosender tracking link. You also get push notifications at each major step.
How do I sell on Bottles?
Tap "Sell on Bottles" from Home, complete a one-time Stripe Connect verification (so we can pay you out), then submit your first listing through the guided wizard. A Bottles Expert reviews it within 24; once approved, your lot goes live immediately.
Who is a Pro Seller?
Pro Sellers are verified businesses or established collectors who pass an additional KYC step with their assigned Bottles Expert.
When and how do I get paid as a seller?
For private and independent sellers, funds release automatically 48 hours after delivery is confirmed. For Pro Sellers linked to a Bottles Expert, an admin releases manually after final review. Payouts land in the bank account you set up during Stripe Connect onboarding.
What does the seller fee look like?
A 9% platform fee is taken from the hammer price. Shipping is paid by the buyer, so no fee comes out of that line.
What if my lot doesn't sell?
When the auction ends without a winning bid that meets reserve, you can offer the lot to the highest bidder at their bid, relist it (we suggest a starting bid based on bidder interest), or cancel and keep the bottle.
Is there a way to request bottles I want to buy?
Yes -> "Looking to Buy" lets you post a request describing the bottle you're hunting (category, producer, vintage, target price). Pro Sellers see live demand for matches and can list directly to it. Requests stay live for 7 days and you can renew them once a fit appears.
What is a Bottles Expert?
A Bottles Expert is an in-house wine or spirits specialist who reviews every listing for authenticity, accuracy, and category fit. They claim lots from a queue, request photos or extra detail when needed, and only approve listings that meet the platform's standards.
What happens if the bottle arrives damaged or not as described?
Open the order, tap "Open a dispute", describe the problem, and attach photos within 7 days of delivery. A Bottles mediator joins a three-way conversation with you and the seller, and decides on a refund or return. Funds stay held until the dispute closes.
Can I change my email, phone, or password later?
Yes -> Settings -> Profile lets you update your name, nickname, phone, and date of birth (within the +18 rule). Password changes live in Settings -> Security. We'll re-verify the new phone or email before the change takes effect.
Where can I see my address and shipping details?
Settings -> Addresses. You can store multiple addresses, mark one as default, and pick a different one at the moment of checkout for any individual lot.
Can I delete my account?
Yes. Settings -> Privacy & Security -> "Delete Account". We'll check for open auctions, undelivered orders, or pending payouts before processing - anything blocking is shown to you up-front. Once cleared, your account is anonymised and personal data is removed.
How do I turn notifications on or off?
Settings -> Notifications. You can toggle outbid alerts, auction-ending reminders, dispute updates, payouts, and Looking-to-Buy matches individually. Push notifications require permission at the OS level too, we'll prompt the first time you sign in.
Which languages and regions are supported?
The app is available across 24 European locales with auto-detection from your phone's language settings. Pricing is shown in euros throughout, and shipping is supported anywhere Eurosender delivers.
How do I contact support by phone?
You can reach a human at any of our regional numbers: • Portugal -> +351 914 021 381 • France -> +33 6 88 90 74 26 • English (international) -> +1 973 975 6042 Call, leave a message or use email -> we reply same-day during the week.
How do I contact support by email?
Email info@bottles.pt and we'll get back to you within one business day. Including your order number or listing ID (visible in the app) speeds things up. For dispute-related questions, use the "Open a dispute" flow inside the order screen instead, it routes straight to a mediator.