FAQ
Frequently asked.
Don't see your question? DM Ali or post in the forum.
Account & profile
Do I need an account to browse?
No. The homepage, archive, feed, leaderboard, and any public collector profile are open. You only need an account to bid, buy, save pieces to a gallery, post, or DM.
Can I keep my collection private?
Yes. In Settings → Privacy, toggle Private collection and your /collectors page becomes a 'this collection is private' notice. Any piece you own appears in the global archive as 'Owned · private collector' instead of being linked to you. You can also hide just yourself from the leaderboard separately.
What is Aura?
Aura is your collector's score. It grows as you collect and take part, and it opens perks as it climbs. It has no cash value and can't be sold or transferred, and there is no product called Aura to buy — purchases, like other activity, earn it. See how Aura works and the Aura terms.
Can I change my handle later?
Yes — Settings → Profile. The new handle has to be unique and use only lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, or underscores.
Drops & buying
What are the five drop formats?
Standard — fixed price, optional quantity. Flash — fixed price with a hard timer. Auction — starting price, bid increments, anti-snipe. Edition — a limited run; each comes with a numbered certificate. Bundle — multiple pieces sold together.
How do I get notified when something drops?
Click 'Get notified' on any scheduled drop page — you'll get an email and an in-app notification the second it goes live. You can manage which categories notify you in Settings → Notifications.
Can I buy as a gift?
Yes. Buy it as you normally would — the piece lands in your collection first — then hand it to the recipient at /transfers so the provenance chain stays intact. Club members can also gift a month's print from their membership page.
Auctions
Why do I have to save a card before bidding?
Auction bids on Sabet are commit-to-buy. The moment the timer hits zero, the high bidder's card on file is charged automatically — no manual checkout, no chasing buyers. Your card details live with Stripe; we never see them.
What's anti-snipe?
A bid in a lot's final minutes resets its clock to 2:00. You can't steal a piece by bidding in the last second: the lot only closes once that window passes with no new bid.
Why did a lot's closing time change?
The board closes in waves. The closing time shown on a lot when a board opens may be moved later — by minutes, never more than an hour, and never earlier. The time on the lot page is always the current one.
What if two people bid the same amount?
If two bidders are tied at the same amount, the one who bid on the lot first leads. If you are already leading you can raise your maximum; doing so never raises the visible price by itself.
What if my card declines when I win?
We email you a secure payment link straight away. About 24 hours later we try your saved card once more, and we send reminders at 24 and 48 hours. If payment has not been completed 72 hours after the close, the win may be released and the piece offered to the next-highest bidder at their own bid. If 3DS verification is required, the payment link handles it. Repeated payment failures may result in account suspension.
Can I cancel a bid?
No. By bidding you commit to pay if you're the high bidder when the timer ends.
What's a reserve price?
An optional minimum that must be met for a winner to be declared. If the high bid doesn't hit reserve, no one is charged and everyone is notified. Reserve is hidden from bidders.
Certificates & verification
What's a certificate?
A digital record of authenticity for a specific piece, registered to a specific collector. Every certificate has a unique number (e.g. SV-000142), a public page and a downloadable PDF, and is issued by the studio. It is a studio record, not a hand-signed document. If the studio issues it, the piece is real — full stop.
I bought a piece years ago, off-platform. Can I get a cert?
Yes — that's exactly what /request-verification is for. Submit a clear photo of the piece and any proof you have. Ali reviews each submission personally; turnaround varies. The badge depends on the strength of your proof.
What happens to the cert if I sell the piece?
When both parties approve a transfer at /transfers, the old cert is voided and a new one is issued to the new owner. The provenance chain (every prior owner) remains visible on the public piece page.
Shipping & fulfillment
Who ships the pieces?
Originals ship from Sabet Studio in Irvine, California; prints and club canvases ship from the studio's fine-art print partner. Carrier varies by destination (USPS Priority is the default for US). The tracking number appears on your order page the moment the label prints.
What does the timeline look like?
Paid → Label printed → Shipped → Delivered. You get a notification at every step. Depending on how busy we are, it could take up to 4 to 6 weeks to receive any order, but we do our best to get it out to you as soon as possible. International deliveries add customs time on top.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes — worldwide. Shipping & handling is a flat $50 to a US address (US territories included) and $85 anywhere else, per piece; a work in more than one panel, or a multi-deck set, ships as separate packages at the flat rate each. Auction wins are charged it together with the winning bid at close, and a Buy It Now adds it the same way; fixed-price pieces add it at checkout. The two clubs and any edition marked “shipping included” have nothing added. Import duties, VAT or customs fees are paid by the buyer at delivery.
What if my piece arrives damaged?
Email photos of the box and the piece to support@sabet.com within 7 days of delivery and keep the packaging. The studio replaces it — the same edition or print re-shipped. For a damaged one-of-one original: a comparable original, studio credit, or a refund — your choice. When a replacement ships, the original certificate is voided and a new one is issued for the replacement.
Returns & disputes
What's the return / refund policy?
All sales are final once payment clears or a bid lands, except where the law of your country gives you a right we can't exclude — no returns or exchanges for a change of mind. Damage in transit, loss in transit (no carrier movement for 10 days), a wrong piece sent, or an authentication dispute are the studio's responsibility and are made right: a replacement or studio credit, and for a damaged or lost one-of-one original a comparable original, studio credit, or a refund — your choice. If you live in the EU or the UK you may cancel an order for a standard item within 14 days of delivery; see the terms. Full policy in Sales & Shipping.
Someone is using my image / claiming my piece. What do I do?
Use the report flow on the offending content — admins review every report. For fakes, also email the studio with photos.
Community
Where do collectors talk?
The /feed is for short posts (Twitter-style). The /forum is for deeper threads — showcases, questions, market chatter. /messages is for one-on-one DMs. Every piece page also has its own comments.
Can I trade pieces directly with another collector?
Yes — coordinate via DMs or the forum, then both of you confirm the move at /transfers. Sabet doesn't escrow money or guarantee those arrangements; that part is on you. The platform records the new ownership and re-issues the cert.
Money & receipts
What currencies do you accept?
USD by default. International cards work; your bank handles the FX.
Where can I see my receipts?
/orders shows every order you've placed with status, total, and tracking. Stripe also emails a receipt for every successful charge.
Are there any fees beyond the listed price?
One: shipping & handling. Every auction win adds the flat rate — $50 to a US address, $85 anywhere else, per piece — and it is charged together with your winning bid when the auction closes; you see the total in the bid window before you bid. A Buy It Now adds the same flat rate on top of the Buy It Now price, exactly like a winning bid: $900 + $50 shipping = $950 in the US, or $900 + $85 = $985 international. Fixed-price pieces add the same rate at checkout unless the piece is marked “shipping included”. There is no buyer's premium and no other fee. Sales tax may apply depending on where it ships.