Frequently Asked Questions
Answers for artists, collectors, and visitors to Malawby. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please contact us.
Members & Artists
Information for artists and collectors who create accounts on Malawby.
Creating an account on Malawby is free for both artists and collectors. There are no membership or subscription fees.
How does Malawby get paid?
Malawby is funded by a buyer’s premium that is added to the winning bid when a work sells at auction. This premium is paid by the buyer, not the artist.
Important for artists
Malawby does not charge sales commissions on artworks sold through the platform. The hammer price (final winning bid) goes to the artist (less standard Stripe payment fees, where applicable).
Malawby is open to:
- Artists – who wish to auction or sell their original artworks.
- Collectors – who wish to bid on and purchase artworks.
When you register, you can choose the role that best describes you (collector or artist). You can always contact us if your role changes.
Yes. Artists retain full copyright to their artworks unless they explicitly transfer or license those rights in a separate agreement. Malawby only requires a limited licence to display images of your work on the site and in reasonable marketing/promotional materials.
The seller (artist) is responsible for packing and shipping the artwork to the buyer. This includes safe packaging, insurance (if used) and selecting a suitable carrier.
Artists should include a reasonable amount in their pricing to cover packaging materials, handling, and shipping charges. You can either build this into your starting price or list it clearly as a separate shipping cost so buyers understand the total.
Once a winning bid has been paid and confirmed, payouts to artists are generally processed on a weekly cycle, subject to standard processing times from our payment provider (Stripe).
Payments are processed via Stripe. Stripe currently charges 1.75% + A$0.30 for domestic cards and 2.9% + A$0.30 for international cards. These are payment gateway fees charged by Stripe, not by Malawby.
Getting started is simple:
- Create a free account and select the artist role.
- Complete your member details and artist profile (bio, location, contact details, etc.).
- Upload high-quality images of your artworks.
- Set your pricing and/or auction settings, including a reasonable allowance for packing and shipping.
Once your profile and artworks are published, they become visible to collectors browsing Malawby.
Auctions & Bidding
Malawby is an online art auction platform. Here’s how bidding and buyer’s premiums work.
Artists can list works as auctions with:
- a starting bid
- an auction end date and time
- optionally, a reserve price
Collectors place bids during the auction period. When the auction ends, the highest valid bid at or above the reserve (if any) wins.
A buyer’s premium is a fee added on top of the winning bid. This is how Malawby funds the platform instead of taking a commission from artists.
The applicable buyer’s premium is clearly displayed before you bid and on the artwork / auction page so you always know the total cost you are committing to.
If you are the winning bidder:
- You’ll receive confirmation of your winning bid and total to pay (bid amount + buyer’s premium + shipping, if applicable).
- You complete payment via our secure checkout (handled by Stripe).
- The artist is notified and arranges packing and shipment of the artwork.
Please ensure your contact and delivery details in your profile are up to date before bidding.
Bids are considered binding. In genuine cases of error (for example, entering the wrong amount), please contact us as soon as possible so we can review the situation. Repeated bid retractions or non-payment may result in account restrictions.
Malawby is designed as a commission-free zone for artists. Instead of taking a percentage of the sale, we apply a buyer’s premium to winning bids. This keeps pricing transparent and allows artists to retain more of the value of their work.
Orders & Payments
Information for collectors purchasing artworks on Malawby.
Payment is made via secure card payment using our Stripe integration, or by invoice if this option is provided by the artist. All card details are handled directly by Stripe and are not stored by Malawby.
Where possible, yes — particularly if the artwork has not yet shipped. Auction wins are treated as binding commitments to purchase, but we understand that mistakes can happen.
Please review our terms and the returns & refunds section below, and contact us promptly if you need assistance.
You can request an address change if the artwork has not yet been dispatched. Please contact us or the artist as soon as possible so shipping labels can be updated before the parcel is sent.
Yes. All card payments are processed by Stripe, a leading global payments provider. Transactions are encrypted, and Malawby does not store your full card details.
Delivery
Shipping, tracking and duties for local and international orders.
Within Australia, deliveries are typically handled by Australia Post or another tracked courier service selected by the artist. For international shipments, the carrier may vary depending on the origin country and service chosen.
Once your artwork has been shipped, tracking details will be provided. You can use the tracking number on the carrier’s website to see the latest status and estimated delivery date.
For domestic Australian orders, duties are generally not charged on original artworks, but local taxes may apply depending on the order value and location.
For international orders, the buyer is usually responsible for any customs duties, VAT or import taxes charged by their country. Please check your local regulations before placing an order.
Returns & Refunds
What happens if something isn’t quite right with your order.
We offer a 7-day return policy on artworks purchased through Malawby. Artwork must be returned in its original condition and packaging to the artist.
Once the returned artwork has been received and inspected, we will process your refund to the original payment method (less shipping costs and any customs fees) within approximately 7–10 business days.
Important
Please contact us within 48 hours of receipt if you wish to request a return. Returns must be initiated within 7 days of the delivery date.
We recommend using a tracked, insured shipping method for returns. Malawby is not responsible for lost or undelivered return shipments.
If your artwork arrives damaged, please contact us immediately and include clear photos of:
- The packaging (inside and outside)
- The damaged area(s) of the artwork
We’ll work with you and the artist to arrange a replacement, repair or refund where possible, and may lodge a claim with the carrier.