Drouot

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.

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

Product category

Art Auction Services

NAICS

Art Dealers (45992)

akta.pro primary industry

Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Art auction marketplace
• Fine art auctions
• Antique auctions
• Collectibles auctions
• Live online bidding

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PLAY InternationalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2025PLAY 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/Drouot
• Facebookfacebook.com/drouotparis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drouot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Drouot