# Consignment

> The act of entrusting objects to an auction house to be sold on the owner's behalf and, by extension, the group of lots entrusted by one consignor under the same terms. The consignor remains the owner until the sale.

- URL: https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/consignment
- Language: English
- Also known as: Consignment for sale
- Last updated: 2026-10-07
- Français: https://www.selloff.auction/fr/glossaire/depot.md

## Definition

The act of entrusting objects to an auction house to be sold on the owner's behalf and, by extension, the group of lots entrusted by one consignor under the same terms. The consignor remains the owner until the sale.

A consignment is usually documented by a [receipt](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/consignment-receipt.md) listing the objects, the agreed commission and fees, and any reserves. It may be delivered in one go or in several batches, and its lots can be spread over several sales. Every later step (cataloguing, results, settlement) refers back to it, which is why it must be tracked accurately. Our article [From consignment to invoice](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/auction-house-workflow-consignment-to-invoice.md) follows the whole chain.

In Selloff, a consignment groups one or more receipts and carries the sales terms used to calculate the consignor's statement.

## Related features

- [Consignor management](https://www.selloff.auction/features/consignor-management.md): Set commission, lot fees, insurance, broker and representative per consignment, group lots under receipts, and keep each consignor informed from one page.
- [Consignment receipts & signed documents](https://www.selloff.auction/features/consignment-receipts.md): Register each deposit on a numbered receipt with storage location and import details, send lot lists and contracts, and track which signed copies are back.

## Related terms

- [Consignor](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/consignor.md): The person or organisation that entrusts objects to an auction house for sale. The consignor agrees the commission and reserves with the house, and receives the net proceeds after the sale.
- [Consignment receipt](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/consignment-receipt.md): The document an auction house issues when it takes in objects for sale, listing the items, the consignor and the agreed terms. Signed by both parties, it is the reference for every later step.
- [Seller's commission](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/sellers-commission.md): The fee the auction house deducts from the hammer price when settling with the consignor, usually a percentage agreed in the consignment contract. Lot fees, insurance or other agreed costs may be deducted as well.
- [Lot](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/lot.md): An object or group of objects offered for sale as a single unit under one lot number. A lot is described, estimated and sold as a whole, for a single hammer price.