Heratio Help Center article. Category: Marketplace / Marketplace.

Heratio Marketplace - How It Works

A plain-language guide to understanding the online marketplace built into your Heratio platform.

What Is the Marketplace?

Think of it as an online art gallery + auction house + shop, all built into your Heratio archival system. Instead of just cataloguing and preserving items, your institution can now sell them too — or let independent artists and collectors sell through your platform.

Three ways to sell:

• Fixed Price — Set a price, buyer pays it. Simple as a shop.
• Auction — Buyers compete by bidding. Highest bid wins. Like Sotheby's, but online.
• Make an Offer — Buyer proposes a price. Seller can accept, reject, or counter. Like haggling at a market.

Works for all GLAM sectors:

International: Supports multiple currencies (Rand, Dollar, Euro, Pound, Australian Dollar).

Who Uses the Marketplace?

The Buying Journey

1. Browsing

You can browse by sector (Gallery, Museum, etc.), use filters to narrow down results, or search by keyword. Switch between grid and list view. Sort by newest, price, or popularity.

2. Buying at a Fixed Price

This is the simplest way — like shopping online.

3. Bidding at Auction

Like a traditional auction, but online with some clever features.

Key auction concepts in plain language:

• Reserve Price — A secret minimum the seller will accept. If no bid reaches it, the item doesn't sell. Think of it as a safety net for the seller.
• Proxy Bidding — You tell the system "I'll pay up to R5,000" and it bids on your behalf, only going as high as needed to stay in the lead. You might win for much less than your maximum.
• Anti-Sniping — If someone places a bid in the last 5 minutes, the clock adds more time. This prevents people from winning by bidding at the very last second.
• Buy Now — Some auctions let you skip the bidding and buy immediately at a set price.

4. Making an Offer

Like negotiating at a market stall, but in writing.

Offers expire after 7 days if the seller doesn't respond. You can withdraw your offer at any time.

5. Sending an Enquiry

For "Price on Request" items, or if you just have a question:

• Click "Send Enquiry" on any listing
• Write your question
• The seller receives it and can reply directly
• No commitment — it's just a conversation

6. Your Account Pages

Once you've been active on the marketplace, you have these personal pages:

The Selling Journey

1. Register as a Seller

2. Create a Listing

3. The Listing Lifecycle

4. When Someone Buys

5. Getting Paid

Key points about payment:

• The platform takes a small commission on each sale (default 10%, may vary)
• Money is held safely until the buyer confirms they received the item
• There's a short waiting period (5 days) after delivery, in case there's a problem
• Then the money is transferred to your bank account
• You can track all your payouts on your dashboard

6. Your Seller Dashboard

Your dashboard shows you everything at a glance:

For Platform Administrators

What You See on the Admin Dashboard

Daily Tasks

1. Check for pending listings — Review new listings, approve or reject them
2. Verify new sellers — Check their identity documents and approve
3. Process payouts — Send money to sellers for completed sales

Monthly Tasks

1. Review revenue reports — Total sales, commission earned, top sellers
2. Update exchange rates — Keep currency conversions current
3. Manage categories — Add or reorganise item categories per sector
4. Check flagged reviews — Handle any disputed or inappropriate reviews

Settings You Control

Reviews & Trust

After every completed purchase, buyers can rate sellers:

  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★   Excellent
  ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆   Very Good
  ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆   Good
  ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆   Fair
  ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   Poor

Seller trust levels build over time:

Verified sellers get a checkmark badge next to their name, so buyers know they're legitimate.

Curated Collections

Sellers can group their listings into themed collections — like creating a virtual exhibition:

• "Abstract Landscapes" — a gallery's themed showcase
• "19th Century Photographs" — an archive's curated selection
• "Holiday Gift Ideas" — a seasonal promotion
• "New Acquisitions" — fresh items just listed

Collections can be featured on the marketplace homepage by administrators.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to list an item? Currently free. There are no listing fees.

What commission does the platform take? The default is 10% of the sale price. This can be adjusted by the platform administrator, and special rates can be set for individual sellers.

How long before I get paid after a sale? After the buyer confirms they received the item, there's a 5-day waiting period (to handle any disputes), then your payout is processed.

Can I cancel a listing? Yes. You can withdraw any active listing at any time. Draft listings can simply be deleted.

What if a buyer doesn't pay? If payment isn't received, the transaction is cancelled and your item automatically becomes available again.

How are auctions kept fair? Three safeguards: (1) Reserve prices protect sellers, (2) proxy bidding lets buyers set a maximum without babysitting, and (3) anti-sniping extends the auction if last-minute bids come in.

What payment methods are accepted? Currently PayFast (widely used in South Africa). Stripe integration is planned for international payments.

Can I sell digital items? Yes. Listings can be marked as digital-only, physical-only, or both. Digital delivery uses secure download tokens.

Do I need to be an institution to sell? No. Individual artists, collectors, and estates can all register as sellers. You choose your seller type when you register.

What sectors can use the marketplace? All five: Gallery, Museum, Archive, Library, and Digital Asset Management (DAM). Each sector has its own categories tailored to what that type of institution typically sells.

This marketplace is part of the Heratio platform by The Archive and Heritage Digital Commons Group.