Articles on: Buying

I won an auction: what happens next

Winning an auction creates an amount due, not a finished payment. Pay it within 72 hours of the auction closing, from Dashboard > Buying > Purchases.

Find your win

Creatures sends you a notification when you win that links to where you pay. You can also open Dashboard, then Buying, then Purchases. On a phone, tap your profile picture at the top, then Dashboard. Unpaid wins are counted under Needs action.

Wins from a sale event (a timed auction of many lots that close together) are grouped in a banner at the top. It shows the event name, how many lots are waiting, the total, and Pay auction wins. Genetic lots, such as semen straws or embryos, get their own banner with Pay genetic wins and a separate checkout.

Purchases banner for a sale event with 2 lots awaiting payment and Pay auction wins

A single auction win has its own card marked Pending payment. It shows the payment deadline in your time zone and a pay button for the amount due.

Won auction card marked Pending payment with the payment deadline and a Pay $2,150 now button

Pay for a single auction

Select the pay button on the card, such as Pay $2,150 now. The listing opens and says You won the auction! with the Amount Due.

You won the auction! with the amount due and a Pay Now button

Select Pay Now. If the seller offers boarding or delivery, Creatures asks about those first. See Choosing pickup, seller delivery, or Creatures Transport.
In the Checkout summary, tick Creatures Credit or Wallet balance if you want to use them. There's no promo code box when you pay for a single auction.
Check the Animal price, Service fee and Total. Some sellers cover the service fee, so follow what the summary shows.
Tick Keep this animal private if you don't want the purchase shown in public. See Keeping your purchase private.
Select Continue to Checkout and pay on the secure payment page.

Pay for sale event wins all at once

Select Pay auction wins. The page lists every animal lot you won in that event, all selected. Untick a lot to leave it for later, or use Select all. You still need to pay for every lot by its deadline.
For each lot, pick a choice under Transport and delivery. Pickup is always there. Seller delivery shows when the seller offers it. Shared Load and Dedicated Haul show when Creatures Transport can carry that animal. For a delivery choice, enter your address, and Creatures adds the quote before checkout.
Tick Keep this animal private on any lot you want kept out of public view.
Review the Checkout summary. It lists the Amount due and Service fees, then any Volume discount (a seller's discount for buying more than one animal). There is a promo code box for each seller, and Due today is what you pay now. Your Creatures Credit and Wallet balance are used first, automatically. On a phone, Review total jumps to this summary.

Auction wins checkout summary with service fees, a volume discount, a promo code box, Credit and Wallet, and the amount due today

Select Continue to secure checkout to pay. If your Credit and Wallet cover the whole amount, the button says Complete purchase instead.

If you can't pay in time

The deadline is 72 hours after the auction closes. After that, the win can be cancelled, and Creatures may charge a Bidder Default Fee up to the card hold placed when you bid. If you can't pay in time, message the seller or contact support before the deadline.

What happens next

After you pay, the hold from your bid is released. The purchase card then shows your next step, such as Confirm handoff when the animal is ready for pickup. Creatures holds your payment and pays the seller only after you confirm pickup or delivery. Boarding is the one exception: the seller is paid for the animal when checkout completes.

When the animal is in your care, follow Receiving your animal and confirming delivery.

Updated on: 29/10/2026

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