Q. How does the auction work?

A. The most important part of any auction is the bidding. This auction will run in much the same way as a traditional live auction. It will operate in the following way:

• Each lot is going to be auctioned one at a time. One after the other.
• This means the current lot under auction will appear at the top of the screen and bidding will be open only for that lot.
• Bids can be placed by any approved bidder in the room, or online through the auction platform.
• Bids will not be accepted by any other means.
• At all times the current highest bidder company name and their country will be displayed on the page.
• Bids are placed, and the price will incrementally rise until no further bids are placed.
• At this point the auctioneer will declare the current lot sold.
• The bidder with the highest bid wins the lot.
• The auction will move in to the next lot shown in the upcoming lot list further down the page.

The auction will continue until all lots in the upcoming lots list have been auctioned. At which point the auction will be over.

Q. Do I have to register?

A. To participate in any Sensible Coffee auction, registration is required. You will need to create a Sensible Coffee account and agree to our Auction Platform's Terms & Conditions. By doing so, we can verify your identity and ensure that you are aware of and agree to our policies. Once your registration has been approved and you have accepted the bidding agreement for the upcoming auction, you will be ready to bid on the day of the event.

Q. How do I Apply to bid in a Sensible Coffee Auction?

A. To participate in bidding, you must first log in or register on the site, and create a Sensible Coffee account. Once you've confirmed your details, you will be directed to a page showing the upcoming auctions, where you can accept the bidding agreement.

Alternatively, if you already have a Sensible Coffee account, you'll see a reminder each time you log in to accept the current year's bidding agreement, and also on the auction page.

It's worth noting that the bidding agreement is reviewed annually to account for any changes in the circumstances of the coffee producers. Therefore, you must accept the current bidding agreement every time you wish to bid in an auction. Please remember that you won't be able to participate in an auction unless you've accepted the bidding agreement for the current year.

Q. What is the Sensible Coffee Login system?

A. This auction is run in partnership with Sensible Coffee, and we now have a new login system! Your Sensible Coffee login details will be valid across our marketplace and all our different auctions throughout the year. This means that you can use the same email address and password to log in to all auctions from the various producers that we work with at Sensible Coffee.

Soon you will be able to view all of your activity in one place, from which auctions you have applied to bid on, to your invoice.

Q. How do I place a bid and what is an auto-bid?

A. Bids can be made in one of three ways:

• Bid by the next suggested increment: You can bid at the next increment by pressing the “Bid” button and then pressing “Confirm” to confirm you wish to place a bid at the corresponding amount.
• Bid at a higher amount than the current increment: You can bid at a higher amount than the current increment and enter your own bid amount (as long as it is greater than or equal to the current bid plus the minimum increment) into the text box by the “Bid” button. Once you place the amount you want to bid press “Bid” and then confirm your bid by pressing “Confirm”. Your bid will then be placed in the system and all bidders will see the change in the current bid on the webpage.

Q. Will my name be public during the auction?

A.  At all times the identity of the current highest bidder company name and their country will be displayed on the page.  At the end of the auction, the winners' details will be passed on to the producers and used to form the contract for the sale of the coffee. finalize shipping arrangements.

Q. How long does the auction last?

A. Once the clock starts ticking, it all depends on the level of demand. Do not be mistaken into thinking that this style of auction is over very quickly - expect several hours for specialty coffee auctions.

Q. How can I keep track of the auction in progress?

A. Real-time updates are essential in a coffee auction where the auction clock is counting down quickly between bids, and it is what makes online systems perfect for this type of auction. We recommend that you have a fast stable internet connection for your auction participation.

Q. Once I win a lot, how do I proceed to do the payment?

A. Payment for auction lots is due in FULL 15 days after the auction date. Please ensure you are familiar with the Terms & Conditions you agree to when you register for the auction.

If the winning Bidder does not pay the due amount within this time, the lots will be offered to the bidder who placed the second-highest bid.

After the auction has closed we will be in touch with you to arrange payments, contracts and shipping. Once all these are agreed upon, payment will be made by bank or wire transfer. Other options are available and we can discuss those as they arise.

For destinations that are not served by our certified coffee importers, payment in full is required prior to the coffee leaving the country of origin.