Drouot
Drouot operates a dual physical-digital auction marketplace, combining the historic 1852 Hôtel Drouot venue in Paris with the drouot.com platform hosting 600+ auctions across fine art, jewellery, watches, fashion, and collectibles for global buyers and hundreds of independent auction house partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1852
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Drouot does
Drouot is a privately held French auction marketplace operating both the historic Hôtel Drouot in central Paris — a 16-room physical auction venue established in 1852 — and the drouot.com digital platform connecting hundreds of independent auction houses (commissaires-priseurs) with a global base of buyers of fine art, jewellery, watches, fashion, furniture, and collectibles. The technology stack includes proprietary real-time bidding infrastructure ("Live Player"), 360-degree virtual lot viewing, iOS and Android mobile applications, an alert and notification system, and a multi-currency platform supporting 36 currencies (EUR, USD, GBP, JPY, CNY, etc.). The platform hosts over 600 upcoming auctions at any given time from auction houses across at least 11 countries.
Revenue is generated through multiple streams: commission fees on successful auctions at buyer's premium rates of 20–34% (varying by auction house and sale type), storage and insurance fees on purchased lots (€1–€20/day tiered by item type), in-house logistics and delivery services via Drouot Logistic, platform listing and facility fees for auction houses, venue rental at Hôtel Drouot and Drouot Bagnolet, and ancillary services including private event privatization. The customer base spans two segments: B2B auction house partners (primary supply side) and individual collectors and buyers (primary demand side), with a horizontal segmentation approach across categories rather than vertical specialization.
In July 2023, Drouot opened its capital to Vesper Investissement and Groupe Chevrillon, which together acquired a 30% stake for €21 million at an implied ~€70 million company valuation, explicitly to accelerate digital transformation and international expansion. The group operates wholly owned subsidiaries including La Gazette Drouot (industry publication), Drouot Immo (real estate auctions), Drouot Properties (real estate agency), Drouot Estimations (valuation), Le Moniteur des Ventes (auction market data), and Drouot Logistic, forming an integrated auction ecosystem extending beyond marketplace listing into adjacent verticals and services.
Drouot firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Drouot
- Legal name
- Drouot SI
- Website
- https://drouot.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1852
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Drouot operates a dual physical-digital auction marketplace, combining the historic 1852 Hôtel Drouot venue in Paris with the drouot.com platform hosting 600+ auctions across fine art, jewellery, watches, fashion, and collectibles for global buyers and hundreds of independent auction house partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Drouot industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Art Auction Services
- NAICS
- Art Dealers (45992)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Drouot is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Drouot business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Auction Commission: Drouot charges commission fees on successful auctions, with varying rates (20-34%) that include auctioneer fees plus live/internet fees. The exact fee varies by auction house, sale type, and bidding method (floor vs online).
- Storage and Logistics Services: Fees for storage, insurance, handling, packaging, and delivery of purchased lots. Application fees for lot withdrawal and daily storage charges based on item type and size.
- Platform Services for Auction Houses: Auction houses pay to list on the drouot.com platform and use Hôtel Drouot facilities. Additional fees for using Drouot Bagnolet showroom and storage services.
- Drouot Logistic Delivery: Delivery service throughout France and internationally for purchases made at Hôtel Drouot, with rates based on size, volume, and geographic area.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Buyer's Premium |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Storage Fees |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Delivery Service |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Drouot product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Drouot operates a two-sided auction marketplace combining the historic Hôtel Drouot physical venue in Paris (since 1852) with the drouot.com digital platform, enabling hundreds of independent auction houses to list and sell fine art, antiques, jewelry, watches, fashion, furniture, and collectibles through live and timed online auctions to global buyers. Revenue is generated through transaction-based commissions (buyer's premiums of 20–34%) on successful sales, supplemented by fees from storage, logistics, valuation, and venue rental services.
Product overview
Drouot operates as a dual-format auction marketplace combining a historic physical venue (Hôtel Drouot, Paris, established 1852) with a digital-first platform (Drouot.com). The core offering is Drouot.com, a digital auction marketplace connecting auction houses with buyers for both live and timed online auctions across jewellery, fashion, fine art, furniture, watches, and collectibles. The Drouot group surrounds the core platform with supporting services: the Hôtel Drouot physical auction venue with multiple rooms for in-person sales and exhibitions; the Drouot mobile app for on-the-go bidding; Drouot Estimations for pre-sale object valuation; Drouot Immo for real estate auctions; storage and logistics (magasinage) at Hôtel Drouot and Bagnolet locations; La Gazette Drouot as an art market publication; Le Moniteur des Ventes as auction market intelligence; and venue privatization services. In 2023, the group opened its capital to Vesper Investissement and Groupe Chevrillon for a 30% stake at a ~€70M valuation to accelerate digital expansion and international growth.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Drouot.com (Digital Auction Platform)
Quantifiable outcome
- €32 million Picasso Dora Maar portrait sale (2025)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Drouot
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Drouot technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Drouot partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PLAY InternationalminorPLAY International collaborated with Drouot Estimations (part of Drouot group) for a charity auction in November 2025 featuring 70+ items donated by athletes and artists including Novak Djokovic, Léon Marchand, Charles Leclerc, and Teddy Riner. Proceeds fund children's rights programs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Drouot competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Christie's: One of the world's two largest art auction houses, operating live and online auctions across the same fine art, jewelry, watches, and collectibles categories that Drouot serves. Directly comparable on business model (commission-based auction marketplace) and target market (collectors and consignors of high-value objects).
- Sotheby's: Global auction house competitor with parallel live and online bidding platforms spanning fine art, luxury, and collectibles. Comparable on commission revenue model, prestige positioning, and cross-border auction house network — and a key head-to-head rival for marquee consignments.
- Bonhams: International auction house operating across art, antiques, jewelry, cars, and collectibles via live and timed online auctions. Closely comparable in scope, multi-category approach, and digital bidding experience to Drouot's platform.
- Phillips: Global auction house focused on contemporary art, design, photographs, and watches with strong digital and live bidding platforms. Comparable on the curated auction model and on the dual digital/physical sales format that Drouot operates.
- LiveAuctioneers: Online auction aggregator that connects independent auction houses with buyers via timed and live online bidding — a pure-play digital marketplace analogue to Drouot.com. Closely comparable on the marketplace/multi-auction-house model, though without Drouot's owned physical venue.
- Invaluable: Online auction marketplace aggregating thousands of auction houses and lots across art, antiques, jewelry, and collectibles, with live online bidding. Directly comparable as a digital marketplace for the same buyer/auctioneer segments Drouot serves.
- Artcurial: Leading French auction house operating across fine art, luxury, and collectibles, with both physical sales rooms and online bidding. Although Artcurial lists on Drouot's platform, it also runs independent auctions — making it both a customer and a direct competitor on consignments and live sales.
Broad incumbents
- Heritage Auctions: Large US-headquartered auction house covering coins, art, sports memorabilia, and luxury goods with strong online bidding infrastructure. Comparable on auction category breadth and digital sales growth, though with a North American geographic focus rather than European.
Emerging players
- Bidsquare: Online auction aggregator focused on connecting independent auction houses with online bidders across art, antiques, and design. Comparable as a multi-auction-house digital marketplace, though smaller in scale and lacking the historic brand and physical venue Drouot commands.
- Catawiki: Online curated auction platform for special objects including art, antiques, jewelry, watches, and collectibles. Comparable on the digital marketplace model for non-expert collectors and on cross-border European reach, though Catawiki uses timed auctions rather than Drouot's hybrid live+timed model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Drouot social profiles
Digital presenceDrouot financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Drouot leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Drouot subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Drouot funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Drouot M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Drouot
What does Drouot do?
Drouot operates a two-sided auction marketplace combining the historic Hôtel Drouot physical venue in Paris (since 1852) with the drouot.com digital platform, enabling hundreds of independent auction houses to list and sell fine art, antiques, jewelry, watches, fashion, furniture, and collectibles through live and timed online auctions to global buyers. Revenue is generated through transaction-based commissions (buyer's premiums of 20–34%) on successful sales, supplemented by fees from storage, logistics, valuation, and venue rental services.
Is Drouot a public or private company?
Drouot is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Drouot founded?
Drouot was founded in 1852. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Drouot based?
Drouot is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Drouot make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Auction Commission is the primary driver. The others are storage and Logistics Services, platform Services for Auction Houses and drouot Logistic Delivery.
Who are Drouot's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams, Phillips, LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable and Artcurial. Heritage Auctions is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Bidsquare and Catawiki.
Does Drouot have an API?
No public API is recorded for Drouot.
What industry is Drouot in?
Drouot's product category is Art Auction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAAAC, Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 45992.