HiBid and Proxibid buyer's premiums: who sets them and what you owe

Neither HiBid nor Proxibid sets the buyer's premium: on both, each seller (the auction company) sets the premium, shipping and handling, and it can differ from auction to auction. HiBid's terms say the seller sets those fees, and Proxibid's agreement says the premium is set by the seller and added to the high bid.

Proxibid's agreement adds a twist: part of the price is a Proxibid Premium, and if the sale isn't paid within 15 days you owe it to Proxibid directly; amounts owed to Proxibid and paid late add $35 per invoice plus interest. Each point of premium adds $0.50 to a $50 win, $2 to $200 and $10 to $1,000; at an illustrative 10% with 6% tax, a $200 win comes to $233.20.

Rates verified on Oct 23, 2026

HiBid

Buyer's premium: Set by each auctioneer
Payment: Auctioneer's terms; most send invoices within 1 business day
Pickup or removal: Auctioneer's pickup window, "often only a few days"
Sales tax: On the auctioneer's invoice if it applies
If you don't pay or pick up: Auctioneer's terms: cancellation and account suspension
What it sells: Auctions listed by auction companies (the sellers)

HiBid: what a $50, $200 and $1,000 win costs

The premium here is an illustrative 10%: HiBid doesn't set one, the auction's terms do, so swap in the real rate. Sales tax uses a 6% example rate (Kentucky's statewide rate, which has no local add-ons) on the bid and premium; with an accepted resale certificate it is zero, and some states also tax the fees and shipping.

Each auctioneer sets the premium; the per-point row shows what each point of it adds. Sources are linked in each row label and listed at the end of the page. Shipping, freight or your trip to collect it is not included.
What you pay	$50 win	$200 win	$1,000 win
Winning bid	$50.00	$200.00	$1,000.00
Buyer's premium at an illustrative 10% (the auction's terms set the real rate)	$5.00	$20.00	$100.00
Bid + premium (what you pay with a resale certificate accepted)	$55.00	$220.00	$1,100.00
Sales tax at the 6% example rate, on bid + premium	$3.30	$13.20	$66.00
Total before shipping or pickup, taxed	$58.30	$233.20	$1,166.00
Each 1 point of premium adds	$0.50	$2.00	$10.00

HiBid: who charges what

HiBid lists auctions; it says it isn't the owner, seller or auctioneer of anything on the site. (HiBid Bidder User Terms, Listed Item(s))
Sellers set the buyer's premium and any shipping, handling and other fees, and they can differ by seller and by item. (HiBid Bidder User Terms, Additional Fees by Seller) “These fees are set by the Seller and may be subject to change depending on the Seller and the Listed Item(s).”
An invoice typically lists the hammer price, the buyer's premium if any, sales tax if any, other fees such as shipping, handling or title fees, the total, and payment deadlines. (HiBid: Invoices, What's Included in the Invoice?)
Watch for "times-the-money" lots: the bid is multiplied by the quantity, so a $20 bid on 5 items is $100 before the premium. (HiBid: Auction Terminology, Bidding Types & Terms)
Adding a card can put a small temporary hold on it ($1.00 or $0.00 in HiBid's example); it is an authorization, not a charge, and drops off within a few days. Prepaid and some virtual cards may be refused. (HiBid: Adding a Payment Method, Credit Card Verification Hold)

HiBid: paying and pickup

The auctioneer, not HiBid, charges you: some charge the card on file automatically, others send a payment link or take payment in person or by phone. The charge shows under the auction company's name or its processor. (HiBid: Card Holds, Who Charges My Card?) “The auctioneer — not HiBid — charges you for items you win.”
Most auctioneers send invoices within a few hours to 1 business day after the close. (HiBid: Invoices, When Will I Receive My Invoice?)
You register separately for each auction, and that is where the auctioneer's payment deadlines, pickup or shipping policy and buyer's premium are. (HiBid: Registering to Bid, Open the Auction Details Page)
Pickup windows are set per auction and are often short; miss one and items can be forfeited or extra fees charged. Some locations charge for loading help. (HiBid: Pickup Instructions, Pickup Dates & Times) “Each auction has specific pickup windows, often only a few days after the auction ends.”
Shipping is arranged by the seller if it is offered at all; some sellers are pickup only, and HiBid doesn't coordinate or guarantee shipping. (HiBid: Shipping Information, Is Shipping Available?)

HiBid: sales tax, cancellations and refunds

Sales tax depends on local laws and on where the buyer and seller are, and it appears on the auctioneer's invoice. The HiBid pages we read don't cover resale certificates, so send yours to the auctioneer before the sale. (HiBid: Auction Terminology, Settlement & Fees) “Tax applied to purchases, depending on local laws and buyer/seller locations.”
Bids are binding. Only the auctioneer can cancel one, and you may still owe payment if you win. (HiBid: Cancelling a Bid, Can I Cancel My Bid?) “Bids placed on HiBid are binding, and cancellations are not guaranteed once a bid is submitted.”
Refunds come from the auctioneer under its terms; HiBid says it can't issue or force one. (HiBid: Resolving Issues, I want a refund)
HiBid defines default as failing to pay or pick up, which may mean cancellation and account suspension. (HiBid: Auction Terminology, Settlement & Fees)

Proxibid

Buyer's premium: Set by each seller; includes a Proxibid Premium
Payment: Seller's terms; the agreement's default is within 30 days of the invoice
Pickup or removal: Seller's terms; "a reasonable amount of time" by default
Sales tax: Buyers and sellers handle sales tax; the agreement sets no process
If you don't pay or pick up: Proxibid Premium owed to Proxibid after 15 days; $35 late fee plus interest
What it sells: Auctions run by sellers Proxibid approves

Where this comes from: Proxibid's help center sent our checker a challenge page (HTTP 403), so this uses its Unified User Agreement (December 2024).

Proxibid: what a $50, $200 and $1,000 win costs

The premium here is an illustrative 10%: Proxibid doesn't set one, the auction's terms do, so swap in the real rate. Sales tax uses a 6% example rate (Kentucky's statewide rate, which has no local add-ons) on the bid and premium; with an accepted resale certificate it is zero, and some states also tax the fees and shipping.

The seller sets the premium. Amounts owed to Proxibid itself that are paid late add $35 per invoice plus interest of 1.5% a month (or the highest rate the law allows). Sources are linked in each row label and listed at the end of the page. Shipping, freight or your trip to collect it is not included.
What you pay	$50 win	$200 win	$1,000 win
Winning bid	$50.00	$200.00	$1,000.00
Buyer's premium at an illustrative 10% (the seller sets the real rate)	$5.00	$20.00	$100.00
Bid + premium (what you pay with a resale certificate accepted)	$55.00	$220.00	$1,100.00
Sales tax at the 6% example rate, on bid + premium	$3.30	$13.20	$66.00
Total before shipping or pickup, taxed	$58.30	$233.20	$1,166.00
Each 1 point of premium adds	$0.50	$2.00	$10.00

Proxibid: who charges what

The seller sets the buyer's premium and adds it to the high bid. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 5.10) “The Buyer's premium is set by the Seller and will be added to the high bid to determine the total purchase price paid by the Buyer.”
Part of the total goes to Proxibid: a percentage it sets per event (the Proxibid Premium), which the seller builds into your price. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 3.2)
If the sale isn't completed or you don't pay the seller within 15 days of the date of your bid or purchase offer, you owe the Proxibid Premium to Proxibid directly, even though you never got the item. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 3.2) “within fifteen (15) days of the date of the bid/purchase offer, the successful Buyer agrees to pay the Proxibid Premium directly to Proxibid”
Amounts owed to Proxibid are due within 15 calendar days of its invoice. Late: a $35 fee per invoice, collection costs, and interest of 1.5% a month or the highest rate the law allows (the agreement's wording). (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 27) “subject to a late payment fee of $35 per invoice”
If an amount due to Proxibid goes unpaid, Proxibid can suspend or close the account, and the balance with interest is still owed. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 27)

Proxibid: paying and pickup

You pay the bid plus taxes and charges in the time and manner the seller sets. Under the agreement's default terms, payment is due within 30 days of receiving an invoice, and a seller's special terms override them. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 3.1, 5.16 and 5.18)
You can't relist or try to sell an item anywhere until the seller has been paid in full. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 3.1)
Without escrow, ownership and all risk of loss pass to you the moment you win. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 5.11)
Delivery is your job unless the seller offers shipping. Pick up or arrange shipping within a reasonable time or you may owe removal and storage fees. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 5.13 and 5.14) “Items sold must be picked up or shipping arranged within a reasonable amount of time”
The agreement has a line for resellers: shipping and packing cost has nothing to do with what an item is worth, so check it before you bid. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 5.15) “A Buyer who is a reseller of items should take this into consideration and be aware of shipping charges before bidding.”

Proxibid: sales tax and absentee bids

The agreement puts sales tax on the buyer and seller and sets no resale certificate process, so send yours to the seller before the sale. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 3.1) “Buyers and Sellers shall be solely responsible for collecting and remitting all applicable sales and other taxes”
An absentee (pre-)bid can't be removed without the seller's or Proxibid's approval, and Proxibid says it owes no duty to get you the lowest price. (Proxibid Unified User Agreement, 3.3)

What to do

Open the auction's terms and conditions before bidding: premium, payment deadline, pickup or load-out window, and whether the seller ships.
Check whether a lot is priced "times the money" (bid x quantity) before you bid.
Send your resale certificate to the auction company before the sale; neither platform's terms describe a process for it.
Pay the seller on time: on Proxibid, a sale that isn't paid within 15 days leaves you owing Proxibid its premium anyway.

Price the whole lot before you bid with the landed cost per item calculator.

Questions

How much is the HiBid buyer's premium?

HiBid doesn't set one. Its Bidder User Terms say sellers may charge a buyer's premium and other fees and that these are set by the seller. The rate is in each auction's terms and on your invoice.

How much is the Proxibid buyer's premium?

It is set by the seller and added to the high bid (Unified User Agreement 5.10). Proxibid's own share, the Proxibid Premium, is built into that price.

Who charges my card on HiBid?

The auctioneer, not HiBid. Some charge the card on file automatically; others send a payment link or take payment in person or by phone, as the auction's terms state.

What happens if I don't pay on Proxibid?

Beyond the seller's own remedies, if the sale isn't completed or paid within 15 days you owe the Proxibid Premium to Proxibid. Amounts owed to Proxibid that are paid late carry a $35 fee per invoice plus interest.

Can I cancel a bid on HiBid?

Only the auctioneer can, and HiBid says bids are binding. Contact the auctioneer at once about a bidding error; you may still owe payment if you win.

General information from each site's and agency's own published pages, checked Oct 23, 2026; not legal or tax advice. Each auction's own terms control, so read them before you bid, and check with a lawyer or tax professional where it matters.

Sources

Rates verified on Oct 23, 2026 from each official page below.

Free 1-page Reseller Cheat Sheet: fees on 8 platforms, Media Mail and stamp prices

What each platform takes from a $10, $25 and $50 sale, Media Mail 1-10 lb, Ground Advantage to Zones 1, 5 and 8, and the Forever stamp, on one printable page. The link appears as soon as you sign up.