Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about our auction platform.
Getting Started
Click the "Register" button in the top navigation. Fill in your details including name, email, phone number, and password. You'll receive a verification email — click the link to activate your account. To start bidding, you'll also need to complete the KYC verification process.
You'll need to provide:
- Government-issued ID — Passport, driver's license, or national ID card
- Proof of Address — Utility bill, bank statement, or government correspondence dated within the last 3 months
- Selfie with ID — A clear photo of yourself holding your ID document
All documents must be clear, legible, and in PDF, JPG, or PNG format (max 10MB each).
Most KYC verifications are processed within 1-2 business days. You'll receive an email notification once your documents have been reviewed. If additional information is needed, we'll let you know what's required.
You can browse auctions, view asset details, and explore the platform without KYC. However, to place bids, make deposits, or list assets for sale, you must complete the KYC verification process. This is a regulatory requirement to ensure a safe environment for all users.
Go to My Account and scroll to the Multi-Factor Authentication section. Click "Enable MFA", scan the QR code with an authenticator app (such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator), and enter the verification code. You'll also receive recovery codes — save these in a secure location in case you lose access to your authenticator.
Bidding
Navigate to an active auction, select the asset you're interested in, and enter your bid amount. Your bid must be higher than the current highest bid by at least the minimum bid increment. Once submitted, you'll receive a real-time confirmation and an email notification.
A proxy bid lets you set a maximum amount you're willing to pay. The system will automatically bid on your behalf, incrementally, up to your maximum. For example, if the current bid is R10,000 and you set a proxy bid of R15,000, the system will place the minimum bid for you and continue bidding against others until either you win or your maximum is reached. You'll be notified if you're outbid beyond your proxy amount.
Some assets have a "Buy Now" price set by the seller. If available, you can purchase the asset immediately at the listed price without waiting for the auction to end. Once you use Buy Now, the auction for that asset closes and you become the buyer.
A deposit is a refundable payment required before bidding on certain auctions. It ensures serious participation and deters frivolous bidding. If you don't win, your deposit is fully refunded. If you do win, the deposit is applied toward your final payment.
Bids are generally binding once placed. Please review all asset details, condition reports, and photos carefully before bidding. If you have an exceptional circumstance, contact our support team as soon as possible.
Congratulations! Here's what happens next:
- You'll receive an email notification and an in-app notification
- An invoice will be generated and available in your account
- Payment must be completed within the specified timeframe (usually 48-72 hours)
- Once payment is confirmed, you can arrange collection or delivery
If payment is not received within the deadline, the sale may be cancelled and offered to the next highest bidder.
You can add auctions, assets, or lots to your watchlist to track them easily. From your watchlist, you can enable notifications to be alerted when new bids are placed, prices change, or the auction is ending soon. Access your watchlist from the navigation bar at any time.
Viewing & Inspection
Yes! We organise viewing sessions before each auction. Check the Viewings page for scheduled dates, locations, and available slots. Register in advance to secure your spot — spaces may be limited.
Yes, each listing includes detailed information about the asset's condition, with photos and where available, 360° views. We recommend attending a viewing session for a thorough in-person inspection, especially for high-value assets.
The 360° viewer lets you rotate and examine an asset from all angles directly on the website. Click and drag to rotate the view. You can also use the controls to auto-rotate, step through frames, or enter fullscreen mode.
Yes, you can cancel your viewing registration from the My Viewings page. We appreciate advance notice so that the slot can be made available to other interested buyers.
Selling
To list an asset:
- Ensure your KYC verification is complete
- Go to Assets and click Create Asset
- Fill in the asset details — type, make, model, year, condition, description, and photos
- Once created, the asset can be assigned to an auction by your organisation's administrator
Higher-quality listings with clear photos and detailed descriptions tend to attract more bidders.
NIMAI supports a wide range of asset types:
- Vehicles — Cars, trucks, bakkies, motorcycles
- Real Estate — Commercial and residential properties
- Heavy Equipment — Construction machinery, earthmoving equipment
- Industrial Equipment — Manufacturing and processing equipment
- Office Equipment — Computers, furniture, electronics
- Inventory — Stock, raw materials, finished goods
- Furniture — Commercial and residential furniture
A lot is a group of related assets bundled together and sold as a single unit. For example, a fleet of vehicles can be grouped into one lot. Bidders bid on the entire lot rather than individual assets. This is useful for bulk disposals or when assets complement each other.
When creating an auction, you can set a starting price (reserve) and optionally a Buy Now price. The reserve ensures the asset won't sell below a minimum amount. The Buy Now price allows buyers to purchase immediately without waiting for the auction to end. Contact our team if you need guidance on pricing strategy.
Once the buyer's payment is confirmed and any applicable fees are deducted, funds are transferred to your registered bank account. The timeline depends on the payment method used, but typically sellers receive payment within 5-10 business days after the auction ends.
Organisations & Teams
An organisation represents a company, dealer group, or fleet owner on the platform. Organisations can have multiple users with different roles, manage their own auctions and assets, and customise their branding. This is ideal for businesses managing asset disposals at scale.
- Org Admin — Full management of the organisation, users, and settings
- Manager — Create and manage assets and auctions
- User — Create and manage own assets, place bids
- Viewer — Read-only access to the organisation's data
Go to Organisations, select your organisation, and click Add User. Search for the user by their email address, select their role, and confirm. The user must already have a NIMAI account. You can also change roles or remove users at any time from the organisation detail page.
Yes, NIMAI supports parent-child organisation hierarchies. This is useful for large companies with multiple divisions or franchise networks. Each subsidiary can have its own users, assets, and auctions while being linked to the parent organisation.
Payment & Delivery
We accept credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers (EFT), and secure online payments. All transactions are processed through our encrypted payment gateway. For large purchases, bank transfer is recommended.
If you don't win the auction, you can request a refund from the Deposits page. Refunds are processed to your original payment method within 5-7 business days. If you win, the deposit is applied toward your total payment.
All your invoices are available under My Account > Invoices. You can view details, download PDF copies, and track payment status. Your complete payment history is available under My Account > Payments.
After payment is confirmed, you can arrange collection from the designated location or request delivery (additional charges may apply depending on distance and asset size). Our team will coordinate the handover process including all necessary documentation.
Payment is expected within the timeframe specified on your invoice (typically 48-72 hours). If payment is not received, the sale may be cancelled, your deposit may be forfeited, and the asset may be offered to the next highest bidder. Repeated non-payment may result in account suspension.
Account & Security
Click "Login" and then "Forgot Password". Enter the email address associated with your account and you'll receive a password reset link via email. The link expires after 24 hours.
Go to My Account to update your name, phone number, company name, and other profile details. Some changes (such as email address) may require re-verification.
Click the bell icon in the navigation bar to view your notifications. You can mark individual notifications as read, mark all as read, or delete them. To control which notifications you receive for watchlist items, adjust the notification toggles on your watchlist cards.
Saved searches let you store your search criteria (asset type, price range, location, make, model, etc.) so you can quickly re-run them later. You can also opt to receive notifications when new assets matching your criteria are listed. Manage your saved searches from My Account > Saved Searches.
Support
You can reach us through:
- Email: info@nimaitec.com
- Phone: +27 69 248 9935
- Contact Form: Visit our Contact Us page
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM SAST. Saturday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
We appreciate your feedback! Use the Contact Us page and select "Technical Support" or "Feedback/Suggestion" as the subject. Our development team reviews all submissions.
Yes. We take data security seriously. All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest. We use secure authentication with JWT tokens and optional two-factor authentication. KYC documents are stored securely in encrypted cloud storage. Our platform is hosted on Microsoft Azure with enterprise-grade security infrastructure. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.