As of January 12, 2026
§ 1 Scope, Definitions and Subject Matter of the Contract
(1) Scope: These General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter “GTC”) apply to participation in all auctions (hereinafter “auctions”) conducted by Lutz Stohr, Sebworld.de, Bonner Straße 40, D – 53842 Troisdorf (hereinafter “sebworld” or “we”) via the internet platform www.sebworld-auktionen.de (hereinafter “platform”) and as publicly accessible in-person events.
(2) Contracting parties: This offer is directed at both consumers within the meaning of Section 13 of the German Civil Code (BGB) and businesses within the meaning of Section 14 of the German Civil Code (BGB) (hereinafter collectively referred to as “users” or “bidders”). A consumer is any natural person who enters into a legal transaction for purposes that are predominantly neither attributable to their commercial nor their independent professional activity. A business is a natural or legal person or a partnership with legal capacity that, when entering into a legal transaction, acts in the exercise of its commercial or independent professional activity.
(3) Subject matter of the contract: The subject of the auctions is used furniture, in particular design classics (hereinafter referred to as “auction items”). The auction items are sold by sebworld either in its own name and for its own account (own goods) or in its own name for the account of the owner (consignment goods) or in the name and for the account of the owner.
(4) Order of precedence: These Terms and Conditions apply exclusively. Any differing, conflicting, or supplementary terms and conditions of the user shall only become part of the contract if and to the extent that we have expressly agreed to their validity in writing. Individual agreements made with the user in specific cases always take precedence over these Terms and Conditions. In addition to these Terms and Conditions, the auction information and statutory provisions also apply. In the event of a conflict, the auction information takes precedence over the Terms and Conditions. Statutory provisions follow as third priority.
§ 2 User account and eligibility to participate
(1) Registration: Participation in auctions requires the creation of a free user account on the platform. Eligible to participate are natural persons with full legal capacity who have reached the age of 18, as well as legal entities.
(2) Registration process: For registration, the data requested in the registration form, in particular name, address and a valid email address, must be provided completely and truthfully. The user must also indicate whether they are acting as a consumer or a business. Registration is completed by confirming an activation link sent to the provided email address. Before completing registration, the user must confirm acceptance of these Terms and Conditions and acknowledgement of the Privacy Policy by ticking a checkbox.
(3) Account Management: The user is obliged to keep their password secret and to carefully secure access to their user account. They are liable for all activities carried out via their user account, unless they are not responsible for the misuse.
(4) Blocking and Termination: sebworld is entitled to temporarily or permanently block a user account if there is evidence of a breach of these Terms and Conditions, applicable law, or misuse of the account. The user can have their user account deleted by sending us a corresponding notification in text form (e.g., by email to info@sebworld.de).
(5) Communication: All communication relevant to the contractual relationship (e.g. invoices, contract confirmations, information on the award) will be sent exclusively electronically to the email address stored in the user account.
The user is solely responsible for creating the technical prerequisites for receiving emails.
§ 3 Opportunity for Inspection
The auction items can be viewed before the auction begins, during a specified period at the location stated in the auction description. The date and time will be announced on the platform when the auction is activated.
We recommend that all bidders take advantage of this opportunity to verify the condition of the respective item.
§ 4 Auction Procedure and Bidding
(1) Legal nature: The auctions are publicly accessible auctions pursuant to Sections 474 para. 2 and 312g para. 2 no. 10 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Therefore, consumers have no right of withdrawal for contracts concluded by the award of the bid in the auction.
(2) Auction period: Each auction takes place within a defined period (auction start and auction end). The period applicable to the respective auction item is displayed on the item page of the platform. The system time of the platform is decisive in the case of an online auction.
(3) Starting price and bid increments: Each auction item is offered with a starting price. Bids can only be placed in the minimum bid increments specified on the item page.
(4) Bidding: A bid constitutes a legally binding offer by the bidder to conclude a purchase agreement. The bid expires if another bidder submits a higher bid during the auction period. Withdrawal of the offer is not possible.
A contract is formed through bidding and award.
(5) Bidding agent (maximum bid): Bidders can submit a maximum bid. In this case, the system automatically bids only as much as is necessary to maintain the maximum bid while respecting the minimum bid increments, but not exceeding the specified maximum bid.
(6) Extension of the auction duration: If a higher bid is received within the last minute after a bid has been submitted, the time until the final award is extended by one minute each time. This process is repeated until no new bid is submitted within the last minute.
(7) Exclusion of bidders: Sebworld is entitled in individual cases to exclude bidders from participating in auctions, in particular if there are doubts about the identity, age or creditworthiness of the bidder or other reasons that jeopardize the execution of a concluded purchase contract (e.g. the bidder has not collected an auctioned item won).
(8) Prohibition of manipulation
It is prohibited to manipulate the auction proceedings using mechanisms such as sniper programs, software, etc. Bids awarded as a result of such manipulation are invalid. Civil and criminal prosecution is reserved.
§ 5 Award and Conclusion of Contract
(1) Award of the bid: The bid is awarded to the highest bidder at the end of the auction. The award of the bid constitutes acceptance of the highest bidder’s offer. With the award of the bid, a legally binding purchase agreement is concluded between sebworld and the highest bidder. The final bid may be lower than the maximum bid.
When sebworld acts on behalf of and for the account of the owner, the purchase agreement is concluded between the owner and the bidder.
Sebworld reserves the right to refuse to accept the bid or to withdraw the winning bid and re-offer the item if a higher bid submitted in a timely manner was overlooked, if the highest bidder does not wish to accept their bid, or if there are any other doubts regarding the successful bid. There is no legal entitlement to the previous winning bid.
(2) Notification: The highest bidder will be notified of the award by email. This email will contain confirmation of the contract conclusion and all legally required information.
(3) Binding nature of bids: The bidder shall be bound by his submitted bid until it is superseded by a higher bid or by the award to another bidder.
(4) Premature Termination: sebworld is entitled to terminate an auction prematurely if there is a legitimate reason for doing so (e.g., serious technical malfunctions that make proper execution impossible, or suspected manipulation). If binding bids have already been placed, the contract will be concluded with the highest bidder at the time of termination, unless the reason for the termination lies with the person or the bid of the highest bidder.
§ 7 Prices, terms of payment and surcharge
(1) Price components: The total price payable by the bidder consists of: a) the highest bid (hammer price), b) a buyer’s premium of 18% on the hammer price, c) the statutory value added tax applicable to the sum of the hammer price and the buyer’s premium. All prices are in euros (€).
(2) Due Date and Payment: The total price is due immediately upon acceptance of the bid and must be paid without deduction within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of the invoice. Payment can be made by bank transfer or via the online payment services offered on the platform.
(3) Payment default: If the bidder defaults on payment, we are entitled to demand default interest at the statutory rate. We reserve the right to claim further damages for default.
§ 8 Retention of Title
Ownership of the auctioned item only passes to the bidder upon full payment of the total price. Prior to full transfer of ownership, pledging, assignment as security, processing, or modification of the item is not permitted without our express consent.
§ 9 Collection, Transfer of Risk and Shipping
(1) Collection: The bidder is obligated to collect the auctioned item from our business premises within ten (10) calendar days of receiving full payment (collection obligation). After payment of the invoice, the bidder will receive a collection slip by email. This email also contains a link to a booking tool where the bidder can book a collection appointment. Collection takes place on fixed, predetermined dates. The auctioned item will only be released to the holder of this collection slip.
The bidder guarantees that the collection slip will not fall into the hands of unauthorized third parties.
(2) Transfer of Risk: a) If the bidder is a consumer, the risk of accidental loss or accidental damage to the goods sold passes to the bidder only upon delivery of the goods to the bidder or a recipient designated by the bidder. b) If the bidder is a business, the risk passes to the bidder as soon as we have made the goods available for collection and have notified the bidder accordingly.
(3) Delay in Collection: If the bidder fails to collect the item within the period specified in paragraph 1, they will be in default of acceptance. We are entitled to charge a reasonable storage fee of €10 per day for storing the item. After the unsuccessful expiry of a reasonable grace period set by us for collection, we are entitled to withdraw from the contract and claim damages in lieu of performance.
Sebworld is entitled to re-auction the item.
(4) Shipping: The auctioned item will only be shipped upon express request and at the bidder’s expense and risk. In this case, we will provide a separate quote for packaging and shipping costs. The commissioning of a shipping company will be carried out in the name and at the expense of the bidder.
Section 10 Warranty (Liability for Material Defects); Exclusion of Consumer Goods Purchases Section 474 Paragraph 2 of the German Civil Code (BGB)
(1) Condition of the goods: The auction items are used goods. Traces of age and use, such as scratches, color variations, or minor dents, are typical characteristics of the goods and are not considered defects, provided they do not deviate significantly from the description and the photographs posted on the platform. The product descriptions do not constitute a legally binding guarantee of condition.
(2) Provisions for consumers: a) For consumers, the limitation period for claims based on defects in used goods is one year from delivery of the goods. b) Excluded from this reduction are claims for damages by the bidder due to injury to life, body or health, as well as claims for damages due to breach of essential contractual obligations. Also excluded are claims for other damages based on an intentional or grossly negligent breach of duty by sebworld.
(3) Provisions for Businesses: a) Warranty for defects in used goods is excluded for business customers. b) This exclusion does not affect claims for damages arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of sebworld, nor claims for injury to life, body, or health. c) Businesses must inspect the goods for defects immediately upon receipt and notify sebworld in writing of any obvious defects without delay, but no later than seven (7) days after receipt (§ 377 German Commercial Code). Latent defects must be reported immediately upon discovery. Failure to report defects within the specified period will be deemed acceptance of the goods.
(4) It should be noted that the provisions of Sections 474 et seq. of the German Civil Code (BGB) do not apply to used goods sold in a public auction (Section 312g paragraph 2 number 10).
§ 11 Liability
(1) Unlimited liability: We are liable without limitation for intent and gross negligence, as well as in accordance with the Product Liability Act. For slight negligence, we are liable for damages resulting from injury to life, body, or health.
(2) Limitation of Liability: The following limitation of liability applies: In cases of slight negligence, we are only liable for breaches of a material contractual obligation, the fulfillment of which is essential for the proper performance of the contract and on which the contractual partner may regularly rely (cardinal obligation). Liability for slight negligence is limited to the amount of foreseeable, typical damages at the time of conclusion of the contract. This limitation of liability also applies to our vicarious agents.
§ 12 Special provisions for export
(1) VAT on EU exports: In the case of a sale to a business established in another EU Member State, an intra-Community supply can be made exempt from VAT, provided the supplier presents a valid VAT identification number (VAT ID) and the other legal requirements are met. Until the VAT ID is verified, German VAT will be retained as a deposit.
(2) Value Added Tax on Exports to Third Countries: In the case of a sale to a bidder located outside the EU, German VAT will be charged as a deposit. It will be refunded as soon as we receive the original, properly issued export certificate.
(3) Exportability: We assume no liability for the exportability of the auction items or for obtaining necessary export licenses. The bidder is solely responsible for complying with all customs and export regulations.
§ 13 Final Provisions
(1) Choice of Law: The contractual relationship between us and the bidder is governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). If the bidder is a consumer and has their habitual residence in another country, mandatory consumer protection provisions of that country remain unaffected by the choice of law.
(2) Place of jurisdiction: If the bidder is a merchant, a legal entity under public law, or a special fund under public law, the exclusive place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising from this contractual relationship is our registered office. The same applies if the bidder has no general place of jurisdiction in Germany or if their domicile or habitual residence is unknown at the time the action is brought.
(3) Consumer dispute resolution: We are neither obliged nor willing to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.