Estimates & reserves

The figures behind every lot

Each lot in Selloff carries its own currency and four figures:

• starting price, where bidding opens, or the sale price in fixed-price sales
• low and high estimates, the range communicated to buyers
• reserve, the minimum agreed with the consignor
• printed estimate, the text that appears in the catalogue

The printed estimate is generated automatically: the low–high range when there is one, otherwise the starting price, formatted with Swiss thousands separators. A link lets you overwrite it by hand. Alongside these, the lot can store a reference catalogue with its number and value, which is useful for stamps and coins, and the price the consignor paid.

Adjusting prices at scale

Before a sale, or when unsold lots are re-offered, prices often move together. From the inventory, select lots and apply a bulk update to the starting price, low and high estimates or reserve: increase or decrease by a percentage, optionally rounded to the bid step, or by an amount, or change the currency. An XLSX update import does the same from a spreadsheet, and printed estimates are regenerated when the figures change. An option can also update a lot's currency automatically when it moves to a catalogue in another currency.

A history per sale

When a lot is assigned to a catalogue, Selloff records the starting price, reserve, printed estimate, currency and status used in that sale. A lot offered three times therefore shows three lines in its history, which helps when discussing a new estimate with the consignor.

Used across the workflow

Estimates and reserves appear in the lot searches, where they can be filtered with "greater than" or "less than", in the bid overview and offers, in scan checks limited to lots above a minimum estimate, and in the lists sent to consignors. During the sale, authorised users can still correct an estimate or a reserve from the sale screen.