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Terms of Service

Last updated: March 2026

1. Acceptance

By creating an account or using minShelf, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the service.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use minShelf. If you are under 18, you must have parental consent.

3. Your account

  • You are responsible for keeping your password secure.
  • You must not share your account or impersonate others.
  • One account per person.

4. Content rules

You must not post content that:

  • Is false, misleading, or fraudulent.
  • Infringes any copyright, trademark, or intellectual property right.
  • Is abusive, harassing, or threatening to other users.
  • Advertises items you do not own or intend to sell.
  • Violates any applicable law.

You retain ownership of content you post. By posting, you grant minShelf a licence to display and distribute that content within the platform.

5. Prohibited items

The following items may not be listed or sold on minShelf:

  • CITES-protected specimens: Any specimen of a species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) without valid permits and documentation.
  • Cultural heritage items: Fossils, minerals, or geological specimens illegally exported from their country of origin, or items protected under cultural patrimony laws.
  • Radioactive materials: Uranium ore, thorium-bearing minerals, or any specimen exceeding safe handling thresholds without appropriate licensing and disclosure.
  • Asbestos-bearing minerals: Any specimen containing asbestos unless clearly labelled with appropriate safety warnings.
  • Conflict minerals: Materials sourced from conflict zones in violation of applicable sanctions or trade restrictions.
  • Stolen property: Any specimen or item obtained through theft or without lawful right to sell.
  • Counterfeit or misrepresented items: Artificially treated, dyed, or enhanced specimens sold as natural without disclosure.
  • Weapons or dangerous goods: Items that could be used as weapons, or materials classified as dangerous goods under shipping regulations.

Sellers are responsible for ensuring their listings comply with all applicable export/import laws in their jurisdiction and the buyer's jurisdiction. minShelf reserves the right to remove any listing and suspend accounts that violate this policy.

6. Marketplace

  • minShelf takes a 2.9% platform fee on completed sales. Payment processing fees (Stripe) are separate.
  • Sellers are responsible for accurate descriptions, shipping, and honouring transactions.
  • Buyers are responsible for reviewing listings before purchasing. All sales are final unless the item is materially not as described.
  • International shipping: For cross-border transactions, any customs duties, import taxes, or fees imposed by the destination country are the buyer's responsibility. Sellers should clearly state which countries they ship to.
  • minShelf is not a party to transactions between buyers and sellers and is not liable for disputes.

7. Competitive bidding

minShelf provides a timed competitive bidding feature ("Bidding"). minShelf is not an auctioneer and does not conduct auctions within the meaning of any applicable auction or consumer protection legislation. Individual sellers host their own timed listings on the platform. minShelf acts solely as a technology intermediary connecting buyers and sellers.

  • Binding bids: All bids placed on minShelf are binding offers to purchase. By placing a bid you agree to complete the purchase at that price if you are the winning bidder.
  • Payment: Winning bidders must complete payment within 48 hours of the listing ending. Failure to pay may result in account restrictions.
  • Platform role: minShelf acts solely as a technology platform providing the bidding infrastructure. The contract of sale is formed directly between buyer and seller. minShelf is not a party to the transaction and assumes no liability for the goods sold, their description, condition, or delivery.
  • Platform fee: A 2.9% platform fee is deducted from the final sale price. Stripe payment processing fees (~2.9% + 30p) are additional and deducted from the seller's payout.
  • Reserve prices: Sellers may set a reserve price (minimum acceptable price). If the reserve is not met, the item will not be sold. The existence of a reserve is disclosed to bidders but the amount is not.
  • Anti-sniping: If a bid is placed within the final 2 minutes of an auction, the auction end time is automatically extended by 5 minutes to give other bidders a fair chance to respond.
  • Shill bidding prohibited: Placing bids on your own listings, or colluding with others to artificially inflate prices, is strictly prohibited and may result in immediate account termination. Shill bidding may also be a criminal offence.
  • Bid manipulation: Any attempt to manipulate auction outcomes — including bid retraction to gain advantage, interference with other bidders, or use of automated bidding tools — is prohibited.
  • Cancellation: Sellers may not cancel an auction once bids have been placed, except in cases of listing error (materially incorrect description or photos).
  • Disputes: Disputes between buyers and sellers should first be resolved directly between the parties. minShelf may mediate at its discretion but is not obligated to do so. For UK buyers purchasing from business sellers, statutory cancellation rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 may apply.

8. Prohibited activities

  • Scraping or automated data collection without permission.
  • Attempting to access other users' accounts.
  • Circumventing platform fees by conducting transactions off-platform.

9. Taxes

  • Sellers are responsible for their own tax obligations, including VAT/GST registration and reporting in their jurisdiction.
  • minShelf does not collect, remit, or advise on taxes. Platform fees charged by minShelf may be subject to VAT where applicable.
  • Buyers may be liable for import duties, VAT, or sales tax in their country. These are not included in the listing price.

10. Termination

We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms. You may delete your account at any time from Settings.

11. Disclaimer

minShelf is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the service.

12. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

13. Contact

Questions? Email legal@minshelf.com.

See also: Privacy Policy · Seller Agreement