For this investigation, EenVandaag spoke with buyers, sellers, and experts. They also analyzed around 20,000 listed objects on the site, which were assessed by 170 experts.
The research revealed widespread dissatisfaction with how complaints are handled, that experts are under significant pressure to review as many products as quickly as possible and that counterfeit items regularly appear on the site. These problems have worsened in recent years.
An IKEA lamp ends up in the auction ‘special objects’ and is sold for more than its retail price. A fake sketch attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn passes the scrutiny of an expert. It shows that the platform’s promise of expert verification isn’t always fulfilled in practice.
Rob de Boer, who runs an antique shop in the Netherlands, has seen the platform change over the years. “More and more items are being listed that aren’t special or authentic, and often are just new, available in regular stores.” Yet Catawiki experts still assign high values to them. “You’ll see something labeled as ‘authentic Murano glass’ estimated at hundreds of euros, while you can buy it for a few euros on Chinese webshops like Temu."
Former Catawiki experts confirm this situation anonymous. In conversations with EenVandaag, they say that the Catawiki management mainly focuses on hitting targets. They feel pressured to work as fast as possible and list as many products as they can.
Some experts had to take over categories without having any knowledge on the subject. “And if you voice criticism, you become the problem,” one former expert even described the working atmosphere as ‘toxic.’
Dutch wine collector Erwin Brand also became frustrated. He stores many old wines but used Catawiki to buy bottles that are now perfectly matured. “For six years everything went well,” he says, until things went wrong earlier this year: “Part of my order was sent to the wrong address, and I only received half.”
He contacted customer service but was passed from pillar to post. “For weeks I emailed various staff members from different countries. They didn’t understand my complaint or didn’t take it seriously,” the wine collector says. “Each time, my case was closed without a solution. It feels unlawful and unjust.”
According to Joyce Donat of the Dutch Consumers’ Association (Consumentenbond), Catawiki does not deliver what it promises. “They present themselves as offering safety, expert verification and protection against fake products, but in practice, that’s often a façade.”
The Consumers’ Association also criticizes Catawiki’s complaint handling. Donat refers to the European Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires platforms to intervene in misleading or incorrect listings. “So, for example, if something from Temu is being offered, Catawiki is obligated to remove those sellers and resolve the issue.”
Catawiki itself states in a written response: “At Catawiki, quality and reliability come first. We combine technology with hundreds of in-house experts who assess every item before it’s listed on the site.” According to the company, more than a million objects are rejected each year. Every buyer also benefits from so-called ‘Buyer Protection,’ which ensures purchases are protected against fraud and mistakes.
