Unilever Europe FAQ
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- Applying & Logging In
- Bidding
- Payment & Shipping
- Other Questions & Troubleshooting
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How do I apply on Unilever Europe Trade Auctions? Is there any cost to me?
Click here to create an account. Fill in the required fields including VAT number then click the submit button. We will notify you within one business day if your account is approved. There is no fee for applying or for being an approved buyer on Unilever Europe Trade Auctions.
Can I apply if I am located outside of the EU?
Buyers must be in the EU to register on Unilever Europe Trade Auctions.
What type of business information is required?
A valid VAT number. If you are not registered for VAT, unfortunately you will not be able to purchase Unilever Europe auctions.
Why hasn't my account been approved yet?
Please allow one full business day for your application to be approved. If you have not been approved, it is likely because we have not received a valid VAT number.
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How do I bid?
Once you are an approved buyer on Unilever Europe, you can go to any auction page and enter the highest amount that you are willing to pay. Enter the amount in the white box to the right of "My Maximum Bid". Below, you will see the minimum allowable bid amount. Once the amount has been entered, click the "Bid Now" button. Please note the message near the top of the page, which indicates if your bid is high enough to become the current high bid. If not, you may wish to increase your bid. For each bid you enter, you will receive an email confirmation that your bid was successfully placed.
How large are the lots being sold?
Please refer to each auction title and description for detailed information.
What condition is the merchandise in? Is it all new?
Please see our Conditions page for the conditions used on Unilever Europe. Refer to each auction title and description for detailed information.
Why do auctions extend at the end?
If a bid is placed in the last 5 minutes of an auction, the auction end time will extend for an additional 3 minutes. This is called "Popcorn Bidding" and gives all bidders an equal chance of winning an auction by extending the end time of the auction if a last minute bid is placed. Popcorn Bidding is used to simulate a live auction and prevents other bidders from "sniping" an auction at the last second.
How can I enter my maximum bid without it appearing to other bidders?
All bids placed on Unilever Europe act as "proxy" bids. You can bid the highest amount you are willing to bid and allow the system to manage the bidding for you. The Current Bid displayed on each auction is equivalent to the second highest bidder's bid, plus one bid increment (€25 on Unilever Europe). If the high bidder has placed a higher bid, it will not display. This allows bidders to know that if they place a proxy bid, they could still win the auction for any amount below or at their maximum bid. Please note that bid increments will increase at higher bid amounts.
Example: If you find an item that you are interested in that is currently at €1,000 without any bids and choose to bid €5,000, you will be winning the auction at €1,000. If another bidder places a bid for €1,100, you will be winning the auction at €1,125, one increment higher. The system will continue to automatically outbid other bidders on your behalf, but will never exceed your proxy bid of €5,000.
Can I buy merchandise without bidding on it?
All merchandise sold on Unilever Europe is in auction format only. If you only want to place one bid, you can always place a proxy bid.
Can I cancel my bid?
Please remember that every bid on B-Stock operated marketplaces is a binding contract. You are agreeing to buy the lot at the price you indicate should you ultimately be the high bidder. Bids may not be cancelled once submitted. If you accidentally enter a wrong bid amount (for example, you entered €1000 instead of €100) you can click on the Cancel link within the bid confirmation pop-up window to change your bid amount prior to submission. Changing your mind does not qualify as accidentally entering a wrong bid amount.
Your bids affect how other users bid within the auction and the auction's final selling price. We provide ample opportunity for you to check and double check your bid before submitting, so requests to cancel bids will most likely result in the suspension of your account.
A record of all bids is kept on file. If a current winning bid is disqualified in an auction for any reason, B-Stock will restore the next highest non-winning bid to winning status. This decision is made at the sole discretion of B-Stock Solutions.Are the images on the site actual images of the merchandise?
Merchandise may be displayed in its current condition, or with a stock image. If it is unclear in any way, contact us prior to bidding.
Can I inspect the merchandise before bidding?
Merchandise cannot be inspected prior to bidding. All known available information is detailed on the auction page, the manifest, and the Conditions page.
Why did I lose the auction if I bid the same amount as another bidder?
In order to win an auction, you need to bid a higher amount than the current high bidder. If both you and another buyer placed maximum bids of $10,000, but the other bidder placed their bid before yours, they will win the auction.
How do I know if I win?
At the close of the auction, the winning bidder is notified by email. This will also show up as an order on the "Orders" page under the "Account" dropdown.
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What currency are the auctions transacted in?
Auctions will be offered in EURO & GBP. You will need to pay for your order in the currency the auction is listed in.
Is VAT added to my order? How will I know how much to pay?
VAT will be charged and the amount will be calculated for you in the Bid Won email, when applicable, based on your business and the inventory location.
Please contact [email protected] with any questions regarding your payment.
What do I pay? How long do I have to pay?
All auctions must be paid by bank transfer, within 2 business days of auction close. Bank instructions will be included in your "Bid Won" email and on your Orders page after winning each auction. If you are unfamiliar with sending a bank transfer, you can do it easily from your bank (usually for a small fee that varies by bank). Many banks allow you to send transfers via their website. Ask your bank for details. Bank transfer confirmation may take up to 24 hours.
Please contact [email protected] or fill out the "Ask Us" form with any questions regarding payment.
What forms of payment do you accept? Do you accept credit cards?
Bank transfer is the only form of payment accepted, as it is both instant and secure. This is the standard practice in the sale of liquidation lots. We do not accept credit cards, personal checks or Western Union for payments.
Can I combine multiple payments together?
You may always combine multiple payments into one bank transfer for auctions won within 2 days of each other, if you are complying with the payment policy and bank information for each payment matches. Please be sure to put all order numbers in the memo section of the transfer.
What do I do after I have paid?
After your payment has been confirmed, your order will be sent to the Carrier handling your shipment.
The Carrier will contact you to schedule a delivery after they pick up your shipment from the Seller’s facility.
You will receive an “Order Shipped“ notification after the shipment has left the Seller’s facility and the Carrier will contact you to schedule delivery, usually within 2 days of the notification.
You may also track the status of your shipment on your Orders page. View the details of your order to see additional shipment tracking information.
How does shipping work?
For more information about how shipping works, please visit the Shipping page.
Can I pick up the merchandise myself? Can I just pay when I pick it up?
Unilever Europe Trade Auction's Binding Carrier will arrange shipping of your merchandise. Buyers can't arrange their own pick up. You must pay for the inventory prior to shipment.
Do I pay you for shipping?
Yes. Please ensure to include the shipping cost amount in your order payment total when submitting payment via bank transfer.
I am no longer interested in the auction I won. Do I still have to pay?
All bids placed on Unilever Europe Trade Auctions are binding. In the event that you do not pay for your order, you may be given the chance to pay a reinstatement fee, in order to prevent the deactivation of your account. The fee amounts are as follows, within any 12-month period:
1st Offense: €0 - €10,000 Purchase Price: €100 Fee
1st Offense: €10,000+ Purchase Price: €500 Fee
2nd Offense: €0 - €10,000 Purchase Price: €500 Fee
2nd Offense: €10,000+ Purchase Price: €1,000 Fee
3rd Offense: €1,000 Fee
What if there is a problem with my order?
1. Find and review the dispute policy for this seller here to determine if your dispute qualifies for resolution and to see what documentation will be required.
2. Gather all required evidence as indicated on the linked page above. For example; the bill of lading and pallet tags for freight loads, photos of the merchandise at delivery and before inspection, photos of the disputed merchandise upon inspection, the line items results of your inspection, and for mobile devices, the IMEI and a photo of each device in dispute.
3. Go to Your Orders page, find the order you wish to dispute, click on “Report an Issue” and follow the instructions.
*Note: all dispute resolution is governed by the terms of purchase agreement between the buyer and the seller and/or the terms of use agreement between the buyer and B-Stock -
Am I buying this merchandise directly from Unilever Europe?
Yes! All merchandise sold on Unilever Europe Trade Auctions is coming directly from a Unilever Europe distribution center.
Where is the auction merchandise located?
The auctions are located throughout Europe. Please refer to each auction title and description for detailed information.How often are there new auctions?
New auctions can be posted at any time during normal business hours. Buyers that are subscribed to the Unilever Europe newsletter will receive an email when auctions are opening and closing each day.
How can I update my personal information / change my password?
As an approved buyer, if you are logged into Unilever Europe and select "Account Information" from the "My Account" drop down. You can update all contact information or change the password on your account. You can also click the blue "Forgot Your Password?" text on the login page if you cannot remember your password.
How do I report a technical problem?
Contact us to report your issue. Please be as specific as possible and be sure to include any information that would help us determine the cause of your problem, including: which web browser you are using (Internet Explorer, Chrome, etc.), the web page you are on, steps to replicate the issue you are having, and other details and screenshots for our review.
I am approved and having trouble logging in. What can I do?
Sometimes your browser can cause login problems. Please try the following fixes:
- Clear your browser's cache, then close it and reopen it and try logging in again.
- Try logging in with a different browser. We recommend using the latest version of Firefox, Chrome or Safari.
When I try to log in, I see the message "Invalid login or password." Why?
If you receive this notification, then you either have not yet applied on Unilever Europe, or you are entering an incorrect password. You can reset your password by clicking the "Forgot Your Password?" link below your password entry and entering your email address. If you have not applied, then you can click the Create An Account button to begin your application.
When I try to log in, I see the message "Your application is still pending." What do I do?
If you receive this notification, then we have either not yet reviewed your application or you have not submitted a valid VAT number. If it has been more than 1 business day since you applied, then we are still waiting on the proper documentation from you.
Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.
Still have questions?
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Click the “Chat with an Expert” buttonin the bottom right hand of your screen.
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