# Estimates & reserves

> Record starting price, low and high estimates, reserve and printed estimate for every lot, adjust them in bulk, and keep the values used in each sale.

- URL: https://www.selloff.auction/features/estimates-reserves
- Language: English
- Domain: Inventory & catalogue
- Last updated: 2026-10-07
- Français: https://www.selloff.auction/fr/fonctionnalites/estimations-reserves.md

## At a glance

- Starting price, low and high estimates, reserve and currency on every lot
- Printed estimate generated from the estimate range, editable by hand
- Bulk increase or decrease by percentage or amount, or update by XLSX import
- Per-sale history of starting price, reserve and estimate for re-offered lots
- Reference catalogue value and price paid by the consignor stored on the lot

## 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](https://www.selloff.auction/features/after-sale-offers.md), 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.

## Related features

- [Lot descriptions](https://www.selloff.auction/features/lot-descriptions.md): Describe lots on a screen you configure, with texts, custom fields, categories and images, and generate repetitive headings and descriptions automatically.
- [Catalogue building & numbering](https://www.selloff.auction/features/catalogue-building.md): Assign lots to a sale, order them by category or any field, number them automatically or by scanning, and check the catalogue for errors before it goes live.
- [Offers & after-sale](https://www.selloff.auction/features/after-sale-offers.md): Collect offers on unsold lots or in offer sales, decide lot by lot with the consignor's figures at hand, and notify bidders by email.
- [Absentee & phone bids](https://www.selloff.auction/features/bid-recording.md): Record absentee, phone and OR bids in the book, check them against your bid increments, confirm them to clients by email and print the bid book for the room.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between starting price, estimate and reserve in Selloff?

The starting price is where bidding opens, or the sale price in fixed-price sales. The low and high estimates give buyers the expected range, and the printed estimate is the text shown in the catalogue. The reserve is the minimum agreed with the consignor; it is not published on your website through the Selloff API.

### Can I lower the estimates of unsold lots before offering them again?

Yes. Select the lots in the inventory and apply a bulk update: increase or decrease the starting price, low and high estimates or reserve by a percentage or a fixed amount, or change their currency. You can also update these values from an XLSX file, and the printed estimate is regenerated automatically.

### Can I see the estimate a lot had in a previous sale?

Yes. When a lot is assigned to a sale, Selloff keeps the starting price, reserve, printed estimate, currency and status used in that catalogue. The lot's history lists every sale it appeared in with those values.