Private seller FAQs

For the bottle owner
We help you to evaluate and sell your bottle.

For the collector
We help you to find exciting bottles.

Receive a free evaluation of your Cognac bottle, maybe sell if you like

What is Cognac Expert Auctions?

Cognac-Expert.com Auctions facilitates the second hand sales of cognac and related items between individuals. The service provides the sale platform and the ability to send and receive payments for sold items, against which a service fee is paid by the seller.

How does the auction work?

1. Bottle owners present their privately owned collector items

2. The Cognac Expert staff evaluates the value / price of each item

3. Interested buyers can select and purchase the Cognacs they would like to buy

4. Within 5 days of the successful payment transaction, the seller ships the bottle to the buyer.

5. Once the bottle is satisfactorily received by the buyer, the seller receives the total sum excluding the service fee (8-15%) for Cognac Expert

FAQ's for Sellers

How much is the service fee for Cognac Expert Auctions?

The seller is liable for a commission on each lot sold, depending on the the final selling price. The seller’s commission is per individual lot sold, and is as follows:

Up to 750 $/€ 15% of sales price
751-1500 $/€ 12% of sales price
1501-3000 $/€ 10% of sales price
3000+ $/€ 8% of sales price

I Would Like To Sell A Bottle. How Do I Do This?

Submit your Cognac here

When And How Do I Ship The Item Once The Auction Has Ended?

The seller is obliged to ship the lot/s to the buyer within five (5) working days after Cognac Expert has received payment and informed the seller of this. The Seller is also required to ensure the bottle is adequately packaged for shipping. If the seller is not able to ship within the required timeframe, we will offer a refund to the buyer and stop the process.

I Have A Question That Is Not Answered Here. What Should I Do?

How Do I Receive Payment?

Cognac-Expert.com will forward the purchase price plus shipping costs to the seller's nominated bank account (minus the seller’s commission). The transaction will be made three (3) weeks after the purchase funds have been received from the buyer and not before the item has been received by the buyer in a satisfactory condition. Sellers who have requested payment in a currency other than EUR, and/or to a bank account outside of the EU, are liable for a small transfer fee to cover the costs of the bank transfer and exchange rate costs (typically between 3% and 4%)

How The Buying & Selling Works

Cognac-Expert.com Auctions plays a facilitating and supporting role for collectible item sales by providing an online platform to connect buyers and sellers.

Cognac Expert does not sell or buy any collectible items. Sellers offering a Cognac must provide accurate, complete, and clear details regarding the lot being offered and include information about the condition and classification of the item. Any complaints and/or disputes between seller and buyer must be reported to Cognac Expert as soon as is reasonably possible. Cognac Expert will make reasonable efforts to mediate between the two parties. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the buyer and seller to resolve any disputes between themselves.

Cognac-Expert.com cannot be hold responsible for any activities that take place outside the auction platform, e.g. damage, delay, or seizure during transit. Cognac Expert is not able to guarantee the authenticity of collectible items offered for sale. Buyers purchase the products as "sold as seen, as they are shown in the pictures and described in the text".

FAQ's for Buyers

I Have A Question For The Seller About An Auction Item. What Should I Do?

Contact us via email at auctions@cognac-expert.com, ensuring that you include/paste the link/url or precise name of the auction item you are inquiring about. On receipt of your email we will ask the seller your question and get back to you. Please ask questions in a timely manner to allow the seller time to respond.

Do I Have To Pay Alcohol Taxes And/Or Duties?

Second hand sales of collective alcoholic products are typically tolerated for two reasons. 1) All taxes have already been paid on the alcohol content and 2), such transactions are not about the sale of alcohol, but the sale of a collectible item. However, in some cases there might be local taxes due. Both the buyer and seller have a responsibility to respect local taxes rules, laws, or any potential import duties & customs procedures.

Cognac-Expert.com considers the traded items to be collectible items because the container/packaging is the actual object of the second hand transactions that take place on the platform, not the alcohol contained within.

Who Is Responsible For The Item Once Shipped?

The seller is responsible for the correct packaging of the goods in transit. The buyer is responsible for reception of the goods.

What Happens In The Cases Of Damage, Loss, Or Seizure?

Cognac-Expert.com will advise both buyer and seller on shipping and insurance. Shipping is the responsibility of both the buyer and the seller. Generally, all parcels should be shipped insured and it is the seller's responsibility to inform the buyer about the insurance conditions. Cognac-Expert.com cannot be hold responsible for any damage, delay, blocking, or seizure by customs or any other import or tax authority. It is the obligation of the customer to be in touch with local customs or any other authorities.

Should Shipping Be Insured?

All items should be shipped insured. The only time this would not happen will be if it has been requested in writing by the buyer. In such a case the buyer takes full responsibility for any damage or loss in transit.

Is Cognac-Expert.com Responsible For Guaranteeing Authenticity Of Collectible Items?

Because Cognac Expert do not physically hold the items, we are unable to guarantee the authenticity of any lots offered for sale. However, our expert auction team does their utmost to ensure and verify the information from the seller before an item is offered for sale in the auction. If there is any doubt we highly recommend requesting further details from the seller to satisfy yourself of authenticity before placing a bid.

It is the responsibility of both buyer and seller to act in good faith and according to local laws.

Payment Fees And Methods

The buyer pays the full sum of the item value that has been agreed on, plus additional shipping costs indicated by the seller. Payments can be made by credit card or bank transfer, depending on the location of the buyer. Please contact us at auctions@cognac-expert.com for more information.

Is The Cognac-Expert.com Shop Secure?

Yes, absolutely. Cognac-Expert.com takes your security very seriously, and has put in place numerous security measures to protect our users. SSL technology protects our customers’ transactions and provides visitors with proof of our digital identity. With SSL, your online transactions are secure and confidential, and risks related to online trade are minimized. SSL is the standard security technology for creating an encrypted link between a web server and a browser.

I Have A Question That Is Not Answered Here. What Shall I Do?

General FAQ's

How Does shipping Work?

Cognac Expert will advise both sellers and buyers in regards to shipping. The shipping costs are paid by the buyer in addition to the final sale price. The person who owns and sells a collectable item is responsible for shipping to the buyer. The seller is also responsible for the correct packaging and shipping of the item. It is highly recommended that the item is insured against loss and/or damage in transit. As the facilitator, Cognac-Expert.com cannot be hold responsible for any shipping activities. The seller must ship the item within 5 days of the buyer making payment .

Where Do The Products Come From?

Private persons own cognac bottles they would like to sell. Often these bottlers are part of a, private collection, heritage, or family assets.

How Does Payment Work?

Cognac Expert act as trustee between and buyer and seller and facilitates payments across borders. That way we can guarantee additional security for both parties to carry out the transaction.

Is My Privacy Assured?

Yes. Your privacy is very important to us. We only use the information you supply us with, and do so in a lawful manner and only for the purpose of your transaction. Your details only be shared with a third party if you actively agree for us to do so.

I Have A Question That's Not Answered Here. What Should I Do?

Currency Of The Auctions

Buyers can bid and pay in EUR or USD based on a fixed currency exchange rate. The final selling price of a lot is determined in EUR.. The exchange rate EURO / USD is set at 1.2 for the period of the current auction.

The Story Behind Cognac Expert Auctions

A lot of our readers tell us that it's very difficult to find reliable buyers for their rare and/or old cognac. Traditional services, e.g. those online marketplaces with colorful logos, fail to achieve sufficient handling of the very specialized field of Cognac.
Because of this Cognac Expert decided to initiate auctions on Cognac Expert.

We’re the premier service online for all things cognac, and we want to help sellers reach the massive global community we represent through the power of our website, newsletter recipients, Facebook fans, and other virtual channels.