How CoralBay UK works

1. Start with the purchase route

CoralBay brings together a shop, independent Vendors, community listings, auctions and reefing discovery tools. They share a website, but the seller, payment route and available support can differ. Check the listing and payment screen before you commit.

2. CoralBay Shop and approved Vendors

Shop products are sold by CoralBay. Vendor products are sold by the named independent Vendor, even though payment goes through CoralBay checkout. A Vendor may package and dispatch their own products. The seller should be identified before you order and in your confirmation.

The published Shop/Vendor shipping, refund and DOA procedures apply to these checkout orders. CoralBay is the support contact and coordinates with the Vendor where needed. A Vendor’s legal duties to the buyer remain with the Vendor; using CoralBay checkout does not remove them.

Check individual product descriptions, dispatch information and any order-specific arrangements. A basket containing products from different suppliers may need separate parcels or delivery charges; review the final checkout total.

3. Direct Community Corals and Marketplace sales

Community Corals helps reefers advertise corals. Marine Marketplace covers marine aquarium equipment, livestock, accessories and complete breakdowns. Where a listing offers a direct arrangement, the buyer and seller agree payment and handover themselves.

• Agree exactly what is included, condition, price, collection location or suitable delivery, and any arrival or return arrangement before paying.
• Ask for recent photographs and relevant details. For used equipment, ask about operation, age, faults and included parts. For livestock, check size, care needs and known health or pest concerns.
• Check whether the seller is a private individual or trading as a business. A hobby-related listing does not automatically make it a private sale.
• Keep your agreement and payment records. CoralBay can review misuse of its service, but direct sales do not have the protected-payment claim and seller-release process.

Payment sent directly to a seller does not become protected if you later contact CoralBay. Any legal rights against the seller remain separate.

4. Protected fixed-price purchases

Protection is available only for the categories and fulfilment options the listing actually offers. Do not assume that every livestock listing or delivery service is eligible for the same cover.

Eligible listings can offer online payment with CoralBay Protection for delivery or collection. The named listing seller still supplies the goods. CoralBay provides the payment and recorded purchase process, with a route for covered problems.

1. Sign in, choose the offered fulfilment option and review the description, total price, fee and protection terms.
2. Pay through the CoralBay purchase process using Stripe. The seller waits for verified payment before dispatch or handover.
3. Follow the purchase in My account . The seller records dispatch and tracking, or you arrange a paid collection.
4. For delivery, inspect promptly and either accept the item or report a covered problem through the purchase page within its applicable window. For collection, inspect before confirming handover.
5. CoralBay reviews completion and any open claim before approving seller transfer. A bank payout follows the payment provider’s processing timetable.

CoralBay Protection is a defined platform process, not an insurance policy, a guarantee against every loss or an escrow service. Eligibility, reporting requirements and the terms saved for the purchase matter.

5. Auctions: another way to buy and sell

Auctions are available for eligible Community Corals and Marketplace listings. Each auction offers one clearly described item or whole bundle, with protected online payment for the winner. Fixed-price listings remain available.

New auctions use private maximum bidding: enter the highest item price you are prepared to pay and the system bids only as needed, up to that ceiling. Your maximum is not the public price. If you are the only bidder, the price starts at the opening price; raising your own leading ceiling does not raise the public price.

Postage and the buyer protection fee are added to the final item price. Check the maximum possible total before bidding. Winning is a genuine commitment to pay, subject to applicable legal rights. Bidding does not automatically charge a card.

After the auction closes, the lot is reserved for the winner pending payment. The account shows the payment deadline. Payment must be verified before dispatch or collection; “winner” and “paid” are different stages. Older simple-bidding auctions retain the method shown on their listing.

See Auctions: all the information for bidding examples, tie rules, editing restrictions, extensions and unpaid-auction handling.

6. Fees and seller payment

Community Corals and Marine Marketplace currently have no CoralBay listing fee or seller commission. For eligible protected purchases, the currently advertised buyer fee is 50p plus 4% of the item price , with postage excluded from the percentage calculation. The final quote and terms shown before commitment apply.

£20 item + £6 postage + £1.30 protection fee = £27.30 total

For a £20 protected collection with no postage charge, the example total is £21.30. Direct sale arrangements do not use this protection fee or claim process. Shop and Vendor orders show their own product and delivery prices at checkout; do not assume the community protection fee is added to every Shop order.

For a protected sale, the seller’s normal entitlement is the item price plus the agreed postage, subject to approved refunds, adjustments and payment holds. Seller transfer requires CoralBay approval after the relevant completion checks; it is not automatically released just because tracking exists or a listing says sold.

7. Delivery, collection and arrival checks

For delivery, confirm the address, service, dispatch date and your availability. Live coral needs appropriate packaging and a suitable service that accepts the contents. An equipment delivery option is not automatically suitable for livestock.

For paid collection, pay online first and inspect the actual item at handover. The seller prepares the purchase’s handover code; the buyer enters it and confirms actual receipt and acceptance. Never use the code or confirm collection before receiving the goods. Accepted collection does not have a later ordinary platform inspection or DOA window, though legal rights remain.

For protected delivery, equipment inspection and coral arrival claims have different time limits. Check the purchase page, inspect immediately on arrival and preserve evidence. A message to the seller may not open a formal claim. See Shipping, collection & delivery and Refunds, returns & DOA .

8. UK Reef Market, shops and route tools

UK Reef Market helps you discover products across retailers; reef-shop directory and route tools help you find shops and plan visits. A comparison result or directory entry does not make CoralBay the retailer for a purchase completed on another website.

If you follow a link and buy from an external retailer, that retailer’s checkout, delivery and return terms govern the purchase. CoralBay Protection does not apply simply because the journey began here. Verify current stock, price, opening hours, access and collection arrangements directly before travelling or ordering.

Route results and reefing resources are useful starting points. Check real-world conditions and use your own judgement about aquarium suitability, installation and livestock welfare.

9. If you need help

For a Shop or Vendor order, contact support@coralbay.uk with the order number. For an eligible protected purchase, use its reporting action in My account so the problem is recorded against the payment. If a technical issue prevents this, email support immediately with the reference, timing and evidence.

For direct sales, contact the seller first about the transaction; report suspected fraud or platform misuse to CoralBay as well. Never post payment details, private addresses or claim evidence containing personal information in a public listing.