Certificate requests

When a buyer asks for a certificate

Some buyers settle a watch, a painting or a rare coin only once an expert has confirmed it is genuine. Selloff records each request and follows it to the end: which authority certifies the lot, when it left, what was decided and when it came back.

A request is recorded with the sale, by ticking a box in the auctioneer's console or the sale form, later from the sale on the View/change sale screen, or manually for any lot. Any contact can be flagged as a certification authority.

From request to decision

The Certifications menu shows each step with its count:

• New: assign requests to an authority, several at once.
• To send: requests grouped by authority. Sending them creates one shipment to the authority, with its date and description.
• Decision pending: record the answer for each lot: genuine, not genuine or inconclusive. A genuine decision comes with the certificate file, its date, reference and notes.
• Awaiting returns: lots decided but not yet back, marked as returned when they arrive.
• Archived: completed and cancelled requests, with the decision and its date.

Each request has its own page with the progress steps, the lot with its estimate and reserve, the delivered certificate, the shipment, the authority's details, notes and an activity feed that records every step.

Consignor payment and the lot's certificates

A request made on the sale holds payment to the consignor until it has a final decision, and the consignor statement lists the lot among the amounts still pending. A decision does not cancel the sale or reverse a payment by itself: Selloff reminds you to handle the invoice or the return where needed.

Certificates returned as genuine are added to the lot's Certificates panel. Certificates obtained another way can be added there too, with the authority, date, reference, notes and file, and arranged in the order you choose.