Just register on our website (it`s free). Once registered, enter your bank card details and make your bid. Payments are securely processed by DPO Paygate for complete peace of mind. 

 No. Your bank card is only charged when you win an auction. When you make a bid, we do NOT charge your bank card. 

It is the Self Storage Operator who takes full responsibility for selling the contents of abandoned storage units or stored items. The procedural steps taken prior to the storage unit going to auction may vary dependent upon the Terms & Conditions specified on the signed Storage Agreement and/ or Legislative requirements surrounding the sale or disposal of abandoned items.  iBidOnStorage takes no responsibility.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All units are sold as a “job lot”, “as is” and on a "what you see is what you get" basis.  All sales are FINAL as NO REFUNDS are given.

If you find any personal items in the storage unit, we strongly recommend you return these immediately to the Seller.  Personal items could include documentation, passports, bank records, pictures and personal videos.  If you are unsure of a specific item, please discuss it with the Seller.

If you win an auction, you will have 72 hrs* (from receipt of notification) to remove the items from the Seller`s Storage Unit. If you require any additional time, you may have the option to rent the space or get an extension, but you must make these arrangements with the Storage Manager or Operator immediately after winning.

* Unless stated otherwise on the individual auction page.  Make sure you read the Seller`s Terms prior to bidding.

As a Buyer, it is YOUR responsibility to remove and/ or dispose of ALL items in the storage unit, at your cost.  

Yes, you can bid on any Storage Unit Auction but iBidOnStorage strongly suggests you consider the distance you will need to travel to collect your winnings.  Remember, it is YOUR responsibility to empty the space within 72 hours* of being informed!!

* Unless stated otherwise on the individual auction page.  Make sure you read the Seller`s Terms prior to bidding.

These terms are used very often to describe the Conditions of the Sale of each storage unit auction.  "Job lot" means you are bidding on the WHOLE storage unit, not specific items within the unit.  If you win an auction, you will be required to take everything. "As is" refers to the Condition of the Goods in the storage and No Warranties or Guarantees are provided. "Where is" means items cannot be shipped and must be picked up at the location or address of the storage unit sold at auction.

Yes. Whilst the Final Auction Sale Price is inclusive of VAT, there is also a Buyer`s Premium of 15.5%, calculated as a percentage of the Sale Price and payable by you. Please note that iBidOnStorage is not registered for VAT and as a result we do not charge VAT on the commission. If you require a VAT invoice for the goods purchased, you will need to contact the seller (the storage company) directly. Please note that some seller`s may not be registered for VAT too. 

Auction units are uploaded and managed by the Storage Location, The Seller. As per the Terms and Conditions, the Seller has the right to remove or extend the auction prior to close, if they choose to do so. More often than not, if the unit does disappear before close, it is because the Storage Customer has paid an Outstanding Debt and redeemed the unit. It is the discretion of the Seller whether they want to accept the Customer`s payment and withdraw the unit from auction. All enquiries regarding a removed auction should be addressed to the location Seller.

A soft close is different from a hard close auction, which offers a firm closing time. Rather, iBidOnStorage offers a soft close on all our live units. What this means is if someone places a bid on an auction unit that has a minute or less to go from closing, the auction end time will extend for 2 more minutes and will refresh automatically until one bidder remains with the highest bid for the full (1) last minute.

Proxy bidding (iBidMANAGER) is also known as max bidding, automatic bidding or absentee bidding.

iBidMANAGER gives Buyers the option of entering their Maximum Bid amount on a particular unit and having `the system` place bids on their behalf, automatically. When competing bids are placed, iBidMANAGER will instantly bid on behalf of the Buyer, in increments of R100, keeping that Buyer on top until their Maximum Bid amount has been reached. If the Maximum Bid Amount has been reached before the unit is sold, iBidMANAGER will notify the Buyer (by SMS/ email) that their Maximum Bid amount has been reached. The Buyer may then choose to increase their Maximum Bid amount and keep bidding, or concede the unit, as desired.

Buyers can use iBidMANAGER to save time, as they don`t have to continually monitor an auction to stay on top. As well, iBidMANAGER makes it easy to bid on multiple units online, without having to be in front of a computer. 

There can be several Buyers using iBidMANAGER at the same time on a particular unit. In these cases, the `high bid` may jump by more than the normal R100.00 increment depending on the Proxy`s (Maximum Bids) .

Example:

Unit #100 is being auctioned and has a current `high bid` of R3,000 

Jack logs in, looks at the unit and decides he would be willing to pay up to R5,000 for this unit.

Jack enters his Proxy Bid (Maximum Bid amount of R5000) into iBidMANAGER and logs out.

iBidMANAGER now bids for Jack, putting him on top at R3,100

Another bidder (not using iBidMANAGER) comes in at R3,200

iBidMANAGER bids for Jack at R3,300 

Now, Dianne logs in. She looks at the unit and decides she would be willing to pay up to R7000 for this unit.

Dianne enters her Proxy Bid (Maximum Bid amount of R7,000) into iBidMANAGER and logs out.

**Now there are 2 Buyers using iBidMANAGER on the same unit**

The `high bid` instantly goes from R3,300 to R5,000 (Jack`s max) and Dianne becomes high bidder at R5,100.

IBidMANAGER will notify Jack of the fact his Maximum Proxy Bid amount has been reached and exceeded.

Dianne will stay on top until somebody bids R7,100, whether by proxy or manual bid, or until the auction closes.

No. In order for the process to work and to ensure confidence with our Buyers, neither iBidOnStorage nor it`s Sellers have access to Buyer`s Maximum Bid amount (Proxy). The Proxy Bid is encrypted and secured on a third party server.

Yes, you can change your Maximum Bid amount  (Proxy Bid), higher only, but you need to be logged into your Buyer`s Account to do so. Simply re-enter your higher Maximum Bid amount and click on the BID NOW button. Once complete, the green message above the amount will now reflect your new Maximum Bid amount.

If you are declared the winner of an auction, you will receive a confirmation email shortly after the auction closes.  If the email does not arrive within a few minutes of the auction close, please contact iBidOnStorage. 

The email will notify you of your win and contain information such as the Storage Unit Number, Facility Location/ Contact Information and Invoice details.  Make sure you print this information and take it with you (as a proof of purchase) when you go to collect your winnings. 

Once notified, winners have 72 hours* to clear the entire contents of the storage unit.

It is important you read the Terms and Conditions on a Facility`s Auction Page so you are clear on the correct Pick-Up/ Collection procedures, as these terms may vary from Facility to Facility.

Should users wish to obtain a copy of any other invoices, they can find all copies in "My Account" under Billing Overview.

* Unless stated otherwise on the individual auction page.  Make sure you read the Seller`s Terms prior to bidding.

Once your auction closes, you will receive an email notification* of the outcome.  This notification will provide details such as the Auction Sale price and the Winning Bidder`s contact information.  We will then contact you to arrange a transfer of the Auction Sale proceeds to your bank account.  The amount transferred will be the Auction Sale price less your Seller`s Premium.

* You will still receive a notification even if your auction does not receive a bid.  It will then be your decision as to whether you re-list the auction or dispose of the unit`s contents.

Seller`s Premiums are inclusive of VAT and will vary between 12.5% & 17.5%, dependent on the size of your organisation, or in some cases, the number of auctions you bring to the site.  It will be calculated as a direct percentage of the Auction Sale price. 

 The cleaning deposit is paid on arrival at the storage company when collecting a storage unit that has been won on auction. It is paid directly to the storage company and not taken by iBidOnStorage. Each storage auction will state whether it is to be collected as cash or as a temporary hold on your credit or debit card. The cleaning deposit is used to ensure that all goods are taken out of the storage unit and nothing is left behind for the storage company to dispose of. If all goods are taken from the storage unit the deposit will be repaid. 

Currently, the iBid platform is designed exclusively for registered Storage Facilities in South Africa that manage abandoned goods left by tenants.

We previously offered a Private Seller Account option, but due to concerns from bidders about the nature of the goods—such as household items, second-hand possessions, and potential safety risks—we have decided to focus solely on registered storage facilities.
If you are an individual and wish to auction your goods in storage, we recommend reaching out to the storage facility where your goods are being kept. If the facility has an iBid account, they can list and manage the auction on your behalf. This ensures a secure and reliable auction process for all participants.