# Bankruptcy & liquidation > Selloff helps companies that sell assets from bankruptcies and liquidations to list equipment quickly, run timed online sales with viewing and pickup dates, and report the results to the trustee. - URL: https://www.selloff.auction/industries/bankruptcy-liquidation - Language: English - Last updated: 2026-10-20 - Français: https://www.selloff.auction/fr/secteurs/faillites-liquidations.md ## Challenges - **A trustee behind every sale** — Assets from a bankruptcy are sold on the instructions of a trustee or liquidator, who expects documents and results. The company remains the consignor, the trustee is recorded as its representative, and documents can be addressed to them. - **Inventory on site, against the clock** — Machines, tools, furniture and stock are listed where they stand, often before the premises are handed back. Appraisals record lots on site with photos and estimates, and photo import matches hundreds of images to lots by file name. - **Viewing, sale and pickup on set dates** — Buyers inspect the goods on viewing days, bid during a timed online sale, then collect their lots within a short window. Each sale carries its viewing and pickup slots, shown on your website, and staff see which lots are ready for pickup and where they are stored. ## Built for bankruptcy and liquidation sales When a company closes, its equipment, stock and furniture must be valued, sold and removed within a few weeks, on behalf of a trustee who needs a clear account of the results. Selloff covers each step, from the inventory to the final statement. ## Inventory and catalogue Lots are recorded on site with descriptions, photos and estimates ([appraisals](https://www.selloff.auction/features/appraisals.md)), then given a unique reference and a barcode label ([lot references & barcode labels](https://www.selloff.auction/features/lot-references-barcodes.md)). [Photo import](https://www.selloff.auction/features/photo-import.md) attaches hundreds of images at once, and the sale is published on your website through the [WordPress plugin](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/wordpress.md) ([online catalogue publishing](https://www.selloff.auction/features/online-catalogue-publishing.md)). ## Timed online sales Liquidation sales are often timed online auctions: each lot closes at its own time and late bids can extend the closing ([sales & auction types](https://www.selloff.auction/features/auction-types.md)). The sale holds its viewing and pickup slots and its location, all shown online. Bidders register through their client account, and you can request a guarantee payable online ([bidder registration & tracking](https://www.selloff.auction/features/bidder-management.md)). Unsold lots can still receive offers after the sale ([offers & after-sale](https://www.selloff.auction/features/after-sale-offers.md)). ## Pickup and reporting Buyers collect their lots at the pickup times: the Lots ready for pickup screen shows what has been prepared and where it is stored ([shipments](https://www.selloff.auction/features/shipments.md)). The bankrupt company is the consignor and the trustee its representative, so documents can be addressed to the trustee ([consignor management](https://www.selloff.auction/features/consignor-management.md)). [Consignor settlements](https://www.selloff.auction/features/consignor-settlements.md) deduct commission, fees and VAT for the whole sale, and [results & statistics](https://www.selloff.auction/features/results-statistics.md) give the realised prices and the sell-through rate. Selloff is used by liquidation specialists such as Faillites info in Belgium. ## Works with - [WordPress](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/wordpress.md): Run your auction website on WordPress with the Selloff plugin: catalogues, lot pages, client accounts and online bidding read live from Selloff. ## Related features - [Sales & auction types](https://www.selloff.auction/features/auction-types.md): Run auctions, offer sales, eBay-style timed sales and fixed-price sales, each with its own sessions, catalogues, dates, fees and bid increments. - [Appraisals](https://www.selloff.auction/features/appraisals.md): Record appraisals at the counter or on site, describe and photograph lots, bill a fixed or hourly fee and move accepted lots into inventory. - [Photo import & image checks](https://www.selloff.auction/features/photo-import.md): Upload hundreds of photos at once, matched to lots by file name, with validation, required scan types and a coverage check before the catalogue goes to print. - [Online catalogue publishing](https://www.selloff.auction/features/online-catalogue-publishing.md): Publish catalogues on your own website through the Selloff API and WordPress plugin, with instant updates, online bidding, client accounts and platform exports. - [Bidder registration & tracking](https://www.selloff.auction/features/bidder-management.md): Register bidders before or during a sale, number them automatically, set purchase limits and request guarantees, with every bidder's activity on one page. - [Shipments & shipping slips](https://www.selloff.auction/features/shipments.md): Prepare and track shipments to buyers, consignor returns and lots sent for certification, with preparation slips and tracking emails. - [Consignor settlements](https://www.selloff.auction/features/consignor-settlements.md): Generate consignor statements for a whole sale, deduct commission, fees and VAT, pay consignors once buyers have paid and export transfers to your bank. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can the trustee receive the documents for a sale? Yes. On each consignment you select a representative and their type from your own list, for example trustee or liquidator. When documents are addressed to the representative, the lots list, delivery receipt and sale contract use their address, and their email is added to the consignment's recipients. ### Can I ask bidders for a deposit? Yes. Selloff emails the bidder a guarantee request with the amount and, when an online payment gateway is set up, a link to pay online. The guarantee is then tracked with the bidder until it is paid. ### What happens to lots that do not sell? Unsold lots can stay open to offers after the sale, and in a timed sale a bidder who arrives after a lot has closed is invited to make an offer. You then accept or refuse each offer lot by lot, with the consignor's figures at hand.