1. Agreement to Terms
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Coral Auction platform ("the platform", "we", "our", or "us"), an online marketplace for auctioning coral specimens. By creating an account or using the platform, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the platform.
2. Eligibility
- You must be at least 18 years old to use the platform.
- Buyers must provide accurate registration and delivery information and be able to receive livestock at their delivery address.
- During community launch, hobbyists and UK businesses may list. Later we may require trade licences for commercial sellers of coral and aquatic livestock (including, where applicable, a pet shop licence). Seller accounts require verification and approval before listing.
3. Accounts
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity under your account. Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use. We may suspend or terminate accounts that breach these Terms or are used for fraudulent or unlawful activity.
4. Auctions and Bidding
- Binding bids: Placing a bid is a binding offer to purchase at the bid amount. The highest bid when an auction ends wins, subject to any reserve price.
- Winning: If you win an auction, you are obliged to complete payment within the stated payment window. Failure to pay may result in cancellation of the sale and account restrictions.
- Listings: Sellers are responsible for the accuracy of their listings, including descriptions, images, and the health and origin of specimens.
- Cancellation: We may remove listings or cancel auctions that breach these Terms, applicable law, or animal-welfare requirements.
5. Platform Role (Community Launch)
During community launch, Coral Auction is a listing and bidding noticeboard only. We are not a party to any sale. We do not take payment for livestock, do not hold funds in escrow, do not ship, do not insure, and do not guarantee livestock health or arrival.
- Buyer and seller contract each other for price, payment method, shipping, packaging, insurance, and timing.
- No platform fee during community launch. If we later enable paid marketplace features (e.g. card payments via Stripe), we will update these Terms and the fee model (historically planned as 10% platform commission) before charging.
- Any Live Arrival / DOA or buyer-protection pages on the site describe a future paid mode unless we expressly state they apply to community launch. They do not apply while community launch is active.
6. Shipping, Payment and Livestock Risk
All fulfilment is between buyer and seller. Coral Auction takes no responsibility for packaging, courier choice, delays, damage, DOA, customs, or payment disputes during community launch.
- Sellers are responsible for lawful sale, accurate listings, suitable packaging, and agreeing how and when they ship.
- Buyers are responsible for paying the seller as agreed, being able to receive livestock, and raising any issues directly with the seller.
- We may still remove listings or accounts that break the law or these Terms, but we do not mediate private sales during community launch.
7. Prohibited Conduct
You agree not to:
- Post false, misleading, or fraudulent listings or information;
- Manipulate bidding (e.g. shill bidding) or interfere with auctions;
- Sell specimens you are not legally permitted to sell;
- During community launch, off-platform payment and shipping between buyer and seller is expected; do not misrepresent that Coral Auction is handling money or delivery;
- Use the platform for any unlawful purpose or to infringe others' rights.
8. Intellectual Property
The platform, including its design, logos, and software, is owned by or licensed to Coral Auction and is protected by intellectual property laws. By uploading content (such as listing images), you grant us a licence to display and use that content for operating and promoting the platform.
9. Limitation of Liability
The platform is a venue that connects buyers and sellers. During community launch we do not process livestock payments, ship goods, or guarantee outcomes of any sale. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for losses arising from transactions, shipping, livestock condition, non-payment, or disputes between users. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot be excluded by law.
10. Suspension and Termination
We may suspend or terminate your access if you breach these Terms or use the platform unlawfully. You may close your account at any time, subject to completing any outstanding transactions and obligations.
11. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Scotland, and any disputes are subject to the jurisdiction of the Scottish courts, without affecting your statutory rights as a consumer.
12. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by email or a prominent notice on the website. Your continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
13. Contact Us
Questions about these Terms? Contact us: