# Selloff

> Selloff is web-based management software for auction houses: CRM, consignments, cataloguing, sales and bidding, shipping and accounting in one platform.

Key facts: 45 features across 7 domains, 17 integrations, 6 specialist industries, 11 client references. User interface in English, French and German. Web-based software developed in Geneva, Switzerland. Latest version: 3.0.1 (2026-09-23).

Every page on this site is available as Markdown: append ".md" to its URL. The links below point to those Markdown versions.

## Product

- [Home](https://www.selloff.auction/index.md)
- [Features](https://www.selloff.auction/features.md)
- [Integrations](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations.md)
- [Industries](https://www.selloff.auction/industries.md)
- [Clients](https://www.selloff.auction/clients.md)
- [Request a demo](https://www.selloff.auction/demo.md)
- [About Selloff](https://www.selloff.auction/about.md)

## Features

### CRM

- [Client records & history](https://www.selloff.auction/features/client-records.md): One record per contact with addresses, ID and bank details, tags, consignments, bids, invoices and a complete activity history shared by the whole team.
- [Segmentation & smart lists](https://www.selloff.auction/features/segmentation-smart-lists.md): Classify contacts with tags and collecting areas, then save dynamic lists that update themselves from bids, invoices, consignments and activities.
- [Smart search & filters](https://www.selloff.auction/features/smart-search.md): Find any contact, lot or sale in seconds, from a global search box to multi-criteria filters on bids, invoices, estimates and consignments.
- [Contact import](https://www.selloff.auction/features/contact-import.md): Import contacts from an Excel (XLSX) file with duplicate checks, tags, collecting areas and a source label, processed in the background with an error report.
- [Email campaigns](https://www.selloff.auction/features/email-campaigns.md): Build targeted campaigns from contact lists, push them as segments to Mailchimp or Brevo, and follow costs, recipients and the business they bring in.
- [Email tracking](https://www.selloff.auction/features/email-tracking.md): Every email Selloff sends is logged on the contact with its content, attachments and delivery status, from queued to delivered, opened or bounced.
- [Opportunities pipeline](https://www.selloff.auction/features/opportunities.md): Track potential consignments from first contact to signed deposit, with owners, estimated values, next-step tasks and the reasons deals were lost.
- [Letter & document templates](https://www.selloff.auction/features/letter-templates.md): Adapt the layout and wording of every document Selloff produces, from letters and receipts to invoices, in each language, with placeholders and conditions.
- [Dashboard & tasks](https://www.selloff.auction/features/dashboard-tasks.md): A home dashboard with your tasks, offers to review and sales to invoice, a dashboard for each sale, and a daily email listing the tasks due.

### Consignments

- [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.
- [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.
- [Estates & successions](https://www.selloff.auction/features/estates-successions.md): Handle estate consignments with a representative such as an executor or notary, documents addressed to them, appraisals of the contents and single-owner sales.
- [Business referrers](https://www.selloff.auction/features/business-referrers.md): Record the referrer behind each consignment, calculate their commission on sold lots or on your vendor commission, and see what is payable once buyers have paid.
- [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.

### Inventory & catalogue

- [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.
- [Estimates & reserves](https://www.selloff.auction/features/estimates-reserves.md): 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.
- [Lot references & barcode labels](https://www.selloff.auction/features/lot-references-barcodes.md): Give every lot a unique reference in your chosen format, print barcode labels on Zebra printers from the browser and scan them at every step.
- [Categories & taxonomies](https://www.selloff.auction/features/categories-taxonomies.md): Organise lots with your own hierarchical taxonomies, translated categories and description masks per type of object, shared with collecting areas.
- [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.
- [PDF catalogue generation](https://www.selloff.auction/features/pdf-catalogue.md): Produce a PDF catalogue straight from your lots, or export texts and images for InDesign and other layouts, with image sizes and grouping by category.
- [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.
- [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.

### Sales & bidding

- [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.
- [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.
- [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.
- [Bid import from platforms](https://www.selloff.auction/features/bid-import.md): Bring bids, results and registrations from Drouot, Sixbid, Numisbids, Philasearch, Biddr and Excel files into your sale, with contact matching and a review step.
- [Live auctions & online bidding](https://www.selloff.auction/features/live-auctions.md): Run the room from the auctioneer's console and take live online bids through Selloff Live Auction, with every hammer price recorded in Selloff.
- [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.
- [Results & statistics](https://www.selloff.auction/features/results-statistics.md): Follow each sale from bids to results: realised prices, consignor results, sell-through rate and performance against estimates.

### Shipping

- [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.
- [Shipping cost matrix](https://www.selloff.auction/features/shipping-cost-matrix.md): Calculate shipping costs on invoices from weight, destination zone and purchase amount, with matrices, percentages, fixed fees and limits.
- [Barcode scanning & packing](https://www.selloff.auction/features/barcode-scanning.md): Scan lot barcodes to add lots to a shipment or return, with instant checks that each lot is available and invoiced to the right client.

### Accounting

- [Automatic invoicing](https://www.selloff.auction/features/automatic-invoicing.md): Create buyer invoices and consignor statements from recorded sales in a few clicks, with premium, insurance, fees, shipping and VAT calculated automatically.
- [Payment tracking & reminders](https://www.selloff.auction/features/payment-tracking.md): Record and apply payments, see what each client owes, send reminders at three levels with fees, and follow receivables in the aging report.
- [Integrated accounting](https://www.selloff.auction/features/integrated-accounting.md): Keep client accounts, the chart of accounts, supplier invoices and balances inside Selloff, per branch and currency, without re-entering sales in another system.
- [VAT & international tax](https://www.selloff.auction/features/vat-international-tax.md): Apply the right VAT to every invoice line by branch and client country, with dated rates, foreign VAT and a VAT report for your return.
- [Online payments](https://www.selloff.auction/features/online-payments.md): Let buyers pay invoices, guarantees and free amounts online via Stripe, Datatrans or Saferpay, with fees and payment statuses tracked in Selloff.
- [Accounting export](https://www.selloff.auction/features/accounting-export.md): Export buyer, consignor, payment and supplier entries by period, branch and currency to Sage Accpac, OM Finance, Quadra or CSV, without re-keying.
- [E-banking payment transfers](https://www.selloff.auction/features/e-banking-transfers.md): Pay consignors and suppliers by uploading a pain.001 file generated by Selloff to your e-banking, instead of typing each transfer by hand.

### Platform & service

- [Users, roles & permissions](https://www.selloff.auction/features/users-permissions.md): Give each team member a role that matches their job, from external describer to accountant and administrator, plus read-only roles and API keys.
- [Security, hosting & backups](https://www.selloff.auction/features/security-backups.md): A web application with each client's data kept separate, two-factor authentication, role-based access and protected financial records.
- [Interface customisation](https://www.selloff.auction/features/interface-customization.md): Adapt Selloff to your house: description fields, list columns, your branding on documents and emails, and every text your clients read.
- [Support, training & documentation](https://www.selloff.auction/features/support-training.md): Reach the Selloff team in Geneva through the in-app support widget, follow video tutorials and look up every screen in the in-app documentation.
- [Continuous updates & custom development](https://www.selloff.auction/features/updates-custom-development.md): New features and fixes reach your Selloff instance with nothing to install, and features specific to your house can be developed on request.


## Integrations

- [Content Delivery Network](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/content-delivery-network.md): Serve lot photos and other public images from the content delivery network of your choice: Selloff rewrites public image addresses to your CDN.
- [Sage Accpac](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/sage-accpac.md): Export buyer invoices, consignor settlements, supplier invoices and payments from Selloff as general ledger batch files for Sage Accpac (Sage 300).
- [Sixbid](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/sixbid.md): Import the absentee bids placed on Sixbid into your Selloff sale, with each Sixbid bidder matched to an existing client or created as a new contact.
- [Stripe](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/stripe.md): Let buyers pay their Selloff invoices by card through Stripe, from a payment link on the invoice, with each payment traced back to the invoice.
- [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.
- [Datatrans](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/datatrans.md): Let buyers pay their Selloff invoices by card through Datatrans, the Swiss payment service provider, with each payment traced back to the invoice.
- [Label & barcode printing](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/zebra-label-printing.md): Print lot labels with barcodes, lot-number labels and address labels on Zebra thermal printers straight from the browser, using Zebra Browser Print.
- [Mailchimp](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/mailchimp.md): Keep your Mailchimp audience in step with Selloff: subscribed clients sync with their language, country and collecting areas, and campaign lists become Mailchimp segments.
- [Numisbids](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/numisbids.md): Bring the absentee bids placed on NumisBids into your Selloff sale in a few clicks, with each bidder matched to a client record.
- [OM Finance](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/om-finance.md): Export buyer invoices, consignor settlements, supplier invoices and payments from Selloff as import files for OM Finance, including foreign-currency payments.
- [Brevo](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/brevo.md): Sync your subscribed clients to a Brevo list with their language, country and collecting areas, and send Selloff campaign lists to Brevo as segments.
- [Philasearch](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/philasearch.md): Import the bids placed on Philasearch for your stamp and collectibles sales into Selloff, with each bidder matched to an existing client or created as a new contact.
- [Quadra](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/quadra.md): Export buyer invoices, consignor settlements, supplier invoices and payments from Selloff as CSV files in the column layout used for Quadra accounting imports.
- [Saferpay](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/saferpay.md): Let buyers pay their Selloff invoices by card through Saferpay, with a payment link on each invoice and every payment traced back to it.
- [Biddr](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/biddr.md): Import absentee bids and sale results from Biddr into Selloff, and import your Biddr bidders into your client records.
- [Interenchères](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/interencheres.md): Export your catalogue from Selloff as an Interenchères XML file, with lot identifiers, estimates, reserves and photo links already in the platform’s format.
- [Drouot](https://www.selloff.auction/integrations/drouot.md): Export your catalogue in the Drouot format, import the bidders registered on drouot.com and the results of your sale, and link each lot to its Drouot bidding page.

## Industries

- [Numismatics](https://www.selloff.auction/industries/numismatics.md): Selloff helps numismatic auction houses catalogue coins with reference numbers, import bids from NumisBids, Sixbid and Biddr, and invoice large sales quickly.
- [Philately](https://www.selloff.auction/industries/philately.md): Selloff helps philatelic auction houses describe stamps and covers with catalogue references, follow lots sent for certification and import bids from Philasearch and other platforms.
- [Fine art & antiques](https://www.selloff.auction/industries/fine-art-antiques.md): Selloff supports fine art and antiques auction houses from appraisal and consignment to catalogue, live sale, invoicing and consignor settlement, with exports to Drouot and Interenchères.
- [Autographs & manuscripts](https://www.selloff.auction/industries/autographs-manuscripts.md): Selloff helps specialist houses describe letters, manuscripts and rare books in detail, reach the collectors of each author or period, and sell through live and online auctions.
- [Fashion & luxury](https://www.selloff.auction/industries/fashion-luxury.md): Selloff helps fashion and luxury auction houses handle many small consignments of garments, bags and accessories, run frequent online sales, and get paid and ship quickly.
- [Bankruptcy & liquidation](https://www.selloff.auction/industries/bankruptcy-liquidation.md): 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.

## Client references

- [David Feldman SA](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/david-feldman-sa.md): David Feldman SA is a Geneva auction house specialising in rare stamps and philatelic collections, with regular sales for collectors worldwide.
- [Feldman International Auction](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/feldman-international-auction.md): Feldman International Auction is a brand of David Feldman SA in Geneva, holding online and floor auctions of coins, banknotes, stamps, watches, jewellery and works of art.
- [Le Timbre Classique](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/le-timbre-classique.md): Le Timbre Classique SA is a philatelic auction house based in Geneva, with an office in Paris, selling stamps, covers and postal history through auctions, offer sales and net-price sales.
- [Maison Palombo](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/maison-palombo.md): Maison Palombo is a numismatic firm in the old town of Geneva, dealing in collectible coins and precious metals and holding coin auctions.
- [Numisor](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/numisor.md): Numisor SA is a numismatic auction house in Geneva holding floor and online coin auctions, and selling bullion and investment coins.
- [Rumnicoin](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/rumnicoin.md): Rumnicoin is a family-run auction house in the United Kingdom, holding curated online auctions of British, world and ancient coins.
- [Artoria](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/artoria.md): Artoria is a Geneva-based specialist in autographs, manuscripts and rare books, offering appraisal, purchase and sale. Its auctions are held in Geneva in partnership with David Feldman SA.
- [Penelope's Auction](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/penelopes-auction.md): Penelope's is a Paris auction house specialising in vintage fashion, selling clothing, bags, jewellery and accessories by designers such as Chanel, Dior, Hermès and Yves Saint Laurent.
- [Cérès Philatélie](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/ceres-philatelie.md): Cérès Philatélie is a Paris stamp house, now part of Le Timbre Classique, selling stamps, covers and collections from France, the French colonies and Europe through offer sales held since 1976.
- [Faillites info](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/faillites-info.md): Faillites info is a company in Bierset, Belgium, that sells equipment and stock from bankruptcies, liquidations and business closures, such as machine tools, tools, Horeca equipment, IT, vehicles and office furniture, through online auctions with viewing and pickup at its warehouse.
- [Jamet Baudot Pothion](https://www.selloff.auction/clients/jamet-baudot-pothion.md): Jamet Baudot Pothion is a Paris postal history house founded in 1945, now part of Le Timbre Classique, selling old letters with or without stamps (1700–1950) and postal markings through offer sales, auctions and net-price sales.

## Release notes

- [Selloff 3.0.1](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v3-0-1.md): Selloff 3.0.1 adds an offers widget grouped by sale and a daily tasks digest and, on request. Emails can be sent from your own domains, and emails forwarded to a contact’s address are filed on the contact. (2026-09-23)
- [Selloff 3.0](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v3-0.md): Selloff 3.0 brings a new menu with global search, a dashboard you configure per auction and a redesigned contact page that gathers everything about a client in one place. Large exports now run in the background, and the interface is available in German. (2026-09-11)
- [Selloff 2.4.7](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-7.md): Selloff 2.4.7 adds certificate requests, from the buyer’s request to the authority’s decision, and bookmark notifications before a sale starts. Payments can be recorded across several invoices at once, and the offers review is rebuilt. (2026-08-24)
- [Selloff 2.4.6](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-6.md): Selloff 2.4.6 introduces an in-app support widget. Accounting reports are rebuilt with new filters, and many lists are faster. (2026-07-23)
- [Selloff 2.4.5](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-5.md): Selloff 2.4.5 flags emails that could not be delivered, rebuilds the mass photo upload and adds catalogue merging. Auction statistics now handle currencies, and the vendor commission can be corrected on sold lots until the consignor is paid. (2026-07-01)
- [Selloff 2.4.4](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-4.md): Selloff 2.4.4 focuses on contacts and marketing: contact imports, contact lists built from an advanced search, a new email addresses screen and rebuilt campaigns. Realised prices can now be published on your website automatically after a sale. (2026-06-22)
- [Selloff 2.4.3](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-3.md): Selloff 2.4.3 rebuilds the opportunities pipeline and adds a task manager to the dashboard, with email reminders for activities that are due. Letters can now be printed or emailed from contacts and opportunities, and taxes can be overridden per auction. (2026-06-09)
- [Selloff 2.4.2](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-2.md): Selloff 2.4.2 adds a delay option for confirmation emails and new document tokens. Consignor invoicing loads faster, and several calculation issues on consignor invoices are fixed. (2026-05-29)
- [Selloff 2.4.1](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-1.md): Selloff 2.4.1 makes invoices more flexible: sell a lot outside an auction from the invoice, add manual adjustments and percentage discounts, and apply the EU reverse charge to B2B sales. Invoices and consignor statements are now generated in the background. (2026-05-13)
- [Selloff 2.4](https://www.selloff.auction/changelog/v2-4-0.md): Selloff 2.4 rebuilds invoicing and payments, adds consignor payouts through your e-banking, and gives returns, pickups and shipments their own workflows. It also brings auction dates and sessions, timed sales with a closing time per lot, and configurable lot exports for sales platforms. (2025-12-17)

## Roadmap

- [AI-assisted lot description](https://www.selloff.auction/roadmap/ai-assisted-lot-description.md): Photograph an object, add a voice or typed note, and Selloff will propose a description and categories that you review before saving the lot. — In progress
- [Cataloguing progress statuses](https://www.selloff.auction/roadmap/cataloguing-progress-statuses.md): A describing status for each lot, from draft to validated, and a progress breakdown per catalogue, so you can see how close a sale is to being ready. — In progress
- [Estimate suggestions from comparable results](https://www.selloff.auction/roadmap/estimate-suggestions-from-comparables.md): Selloff will suggest an estimate range for a lot from comparable results, with every price, source and exchange rate behind it on record. — In progress
- [Find likely buyers for a lot](https://www.selloff.auction/roadmap/find-likely-buyers.md): For any lot, Selloff will rank the clients most likely to be interested, based on their bids on similar lots and their collecting areas, and show why. — In progress

## Articles

- [Running a numismatic auction house: cataloguing, grading, references and platforms](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/running-a-numismatic-auction-house.md): What sets numismatic auctions apart (structured coin descriptions, reference catalogues, grading standards, certification, photography and specialist platforms) and how to organise the back office around them. (2026-09-24)
- [Artificial intelligence & auctions](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/artificial-intelligence-in-auctions.md): A manifesto on artificial intelligence in auction houses: the uses worth building – finding the right buyers for each lot, cataloguing, translating, searching the archive – and the red lines that protect trust. (2026-09-16)
- [Selloff 3.0: new navigation, a dashboard per auction and one page per client](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/introducing-selloff-3-0.md): Selloff 3.0 introduces a new menu with global search, a dashboard configured per auction and a contact page that gathers every role, document and activity of a client. Here is what changes for each team in an auction house, and why. (2026-09-11)
- [Selling on Drouot, Interenchères, Sixbid & co. from one catalogue](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/selling-on-drouot-interencheres-sixbid.md): How to publish one auction catalogue on several online platforms (Drouot, Interenchères, Sixbid, Numisbids, Biddr, Philasearch) and bring bids and results back into a single system, with the pitfalls to avoid. (2026-08-27)
- [Selloff 2.4 in review: invoicing, logistics, contacts and catalogues](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/selloff-2-4-in-review.md): Between December 2025 and August 2026, eight Selloff 2.4 releases reworked invoicing and payments, after-sale logistics, contact management and catalogue production. This recap groups the main changes by workflow. (2026-08-24)
- [Running hybrid auctions: room, phone, absentee and online bids](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/running-hybrid-auctions.md): A practical guide to hybrid auctions: registering bidders by channel, aligning bid increments, clerking a sale with room, phone, absentee and online bids, and reconciling the results afterwards. (2026-08-06)
- [From consignment to invoice: the auction-house workflow](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/auction-house-workflow-consignment-to-invoice.md): The full lifecycle of a lot in an auction house, step by step: consignment receipt, cataloguing, estimates and reserves, catalogue, bids, sale day, invoicing, payment, consignor settlement and shipping. (2026-07-09)
- [How to choose auction management software](https://www.selloff.auction/articles/how-to-choose-auction-management-software.md): A practical buyer's guide for auction houses: the criteria that matter, the questions to ask vendors, and how to plan a migration without disrupting your sale calendar. (2026-06-18)

## Auction glossary

- [Absentee bid](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/absentee-bid.md): A written instruction left with the auction house before the sale, authorising it to bid on a lot on a client's behalf up to a stated maximum. The auctioneer executes it as cheaply as competing bids and the reserve allow.
- [After-sale](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/after-sale.md): The period immediately after an auction during which unsold lots can still be bought, usually by offer at or near the reserve and subject to the consignor's agreement.
- [Appraisal](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/appraisal.md): A professional opinion of an object's value, given by a specialist for a specific purpose: sale at auction, insurance, division of an estate or tax. Auction estimates are one kind of appraisal.
- [Artist's resale right (droit de suite)](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/droit-de-suite.md): The right of an artist, and of their heirs for a period after death, to receive a percentage of the price when an original work of art is resold through an art market professional such as an auction house.
- [Auctioneer](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/auctioneer.md): The person who conducts the sale from the rostrum: announces each lot, takes bids from the room, the telephones, absentee orders and the internet, and knocks the lot down to the highest bidder.
- [Auctioneer's book](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/auctioneers-book.md): The printed or on-screen list the auctioneer uses on the rostrum, showing for each lot the absentee bids and telephone bookings. It lets the auctioneer execute written bids fairly and in the right order.
- [Bid increment](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/bid-increment.md): The minimum amount by which each new bid must exceed the previous one. Increments rise with the price and are defined in a table published in the conditions of sale.
- [Buyer's invoice](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/buyers-invoice.md): The invoice issued to the successful bidder after the sale, listing the lots bought with their hammer prices, the buyer's premium, applicable taxes and any shipping or other charges.
- [Buyer's premium](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/buyers-premium.md): A charge, usually a percentage of the hammer price, that the buyer pays to the auction house on top of the hammer price. The rate is published in the conditions of sale and can differ from one sale to another.
- [Catalogue](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/catalogue.md): The publication that presents the lots of a sale in order, with lot numbers, descriptions, images, estimates and the conditions of sale. It exists in print, as a PDF and online, often on several platforms at once.
- [Certificate of authenticity](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/certificate-of-authenticity.md): A document issued by a recognised expert, the artist's foundation, the manufacturer or a certification body, attesting that an object is genuine. Its value depends entirely on the authority of the issuer.
- [Clerk](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/clerk.md): The member of staff who records the sale as it happens: the hammer price and the buyer's paddle number for each lot, as well as unsold and withdrawn lots. The clerk's record is the basis for invoicing.
- [Condition report](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/condition-report.md): A written description of an object's physical state (damage, restorations, wear, missing parts) prepared by the auction house, usually on request, to help a bidder decide without seeing the object.
- [Conditions of sale](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/conditions-of-sale.md): The terms that govern an auction: buyer's premium, bid increments, payment deadlines, collection and shipping, liability for descriptions, and the rules for absentee, telephone and online bids. Bidders accept them when registering.
- [Consignment](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/consignment.md): 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.
- [Consignment broker (Business referrer)](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/business-referrer.md): A person or company that introduces consignors to an auction house in return for a commission, usually a share of the seller's commission on the lots they bring in.
- [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.
- [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.
- [Consignor settlement statement](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/consignor-settlement.md): The statement sent to a consignor after the sale showing each lot's result, the hammer prices, the deductions (seller's commission, fees, insurance) and the net amount payable.
- [Estate sale](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/estate-sale.md): The sale of objects from a deceased person's estate, often an entire household or collection, on behalf of the heirs or an executor. The auction house handles valuation, sale and settlement.
- [Estimate (low and high)](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/estimate.md): The auction house's opinion of the likely hammer price of a lot, usually published as a range from a low to a high estimate. It is a guide for bidders, not a guaranteed price.
- [Grading](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/grading.md): In numismatics, the assessment of a coin's or banknote's state of preservation on a recognised scale, such as the 1 to 70 Sheldon scale or descriptive grades like UNC, EF and VF. The grade strongly influences value.
- [Hammer price](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/hammer-price.md): The price at which the auctioneer knocks a lot down to the winning bidder, before the buyer's premium, taxes and other charges are added. It is the basis for both the buyer's invoice and the consignor's settlement.
- [Hybrid auction](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/hybrid-auction.md): A live auction in which bids are taken at the same time from the saleroom, telephone lines, absentee orders and online bidders, all competing on the same lots in real time.
- [Knock-down](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/knock-down.md): The moment the auctioneer brings down the hammer and declares a lot sold to the highest bidder. In most legal systems, the knock-down concludes the contract of sale at the hammer price.
- [Live auction](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/live-auction.md): An auction conducted in real time by an auctioneer, with lots offered one after another and bids taken as they come, in a saleroom, online or both.
- [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.
- [Lot label and barcode](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/lot-label.md): A label attached to an object or its packaging showing its lot number, internal reference and a barcode, so that it can be identified and scanned at every stage from intake to shipping.
- [Lot number](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/lot-number.md): The number under which a lot appears in a given sale catalogue and is called by the auctioneer. It follows the catalogue order and changes from one sale to another, unlike the lot's permanent inventory reference.
- [Margin scheme](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/margin-scheme.md): A VAT arrangement available in some countries for second-hand goods, works of art, antiques and collectors' items, under which VAT is calculated on the dealer's or auctioneer's margin rather than on the full selling price.
- [Online bid](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/online-bid.md): A bid submitted over the internet, either in advance (a pre-bid) through the auction house's website or a bidding platform, or live while the sale is taking place.
- [OR bid](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/or-bid.md): An absentee bid placed on several lots with the instruction that the client wants to buy only one of them. Once one lot has been won, the remaining bids in the group no longer apply.
- [Paddle number](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/paddle-number.md): The number assigned to a registered bidder for a sale, shown on a paddle or card in the room and used to record who won each lot. Phone and online bidders receive a bidder number too.
- [Pre-sale viewing](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/pre-sale-viewing.md): The period before an auction when the lots are on public display so that prospective bidders can examine them in person. Viewing times and location are published with the catalogue.
- [Prices realised](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/prices-realised.md): The published list of results of a sale, giving the hammer price, or the price including premium, achieved for each lot. Unsold lots are usually left out or marked as such.
- [Private treaty sale](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/private-treaty-sale.md): A sale negotiated directly between a buyer and a seller through the auction house, outside the public auction, at an agreed price. The house acts as intermediary and earns a commission.
- [Provenance](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/provenance.md): The documented history of an object's ownership, from its creation or discovery to the present. A sound provenance supports authenticity and legal title, and can add to the object's value.
- [Reserve price](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/reserve-price.md): The confidential minimum price agreed between the consignor and the auction house, below which a lot will not be sold. If bidding does not reach the reserve, the lot is unsold (bought in).
- [Sale session](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/sale-session.md): A continuous part of an auction, held at a set date and time and covering a defined range of lots. Large sales are split into several sessions, often by category or value.
- [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.
- [Starting price](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/starting-price.md): The amount at which the auctioneer opens the bidding on a lot, or the minimum first bid accepted online. It is often set below the low estimate to encourage bidding.
- [Telephone bid](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/telephone-bid.md): A bid placed live during the sale by a client on the phone with a member of the auction house's staff, who relays the client's bids to the auctioneer in real time.
- [Timed online auction](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/timed-online-auction.md): An auction held entirely online in which each lot closes at a scheduled time, often extended by a few minutes if a bid arrives just before the close. No auctioneer calls the lots.
- [Unsold lot (bought in)](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/unsold-lot.md): A lot that does not find a buyer at the sale, usually because bidding did not reach the reserve. The lot is passed or bought in, and may then be offered after the sale, re-offered later or returned to the consignor.
- [VAT on buyer's premium](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/vat-on-buyers-premium.md): The value added tax charged on the buyer's premium, which pays for a service provided by the auction house. Its rate and calculation depend on the country of sale, the tax status of the lot and sometimes the buyer's location.
- [Withdrawn lot](https://www.selloff.auction/glossary/withdrawn-lot.md): A lot removed from a sale after the catalogue was published, for example at the consignor's request, because of a doubt about authenticity or title, or after damage. It is announced before or during the sale and not offered.

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