This article is for sellers. It explains the difference between valuation, starting price, reserve price, and net price, and helps you set amounts that give your item the best chance of selling at the right price.
Summary
- Your valuation is confidential: it's never visible to buyers and is used to calculate a recommendation.
- The starting price is the amount at which bidding begins. It's visible to everyone.
- The reserve price, if your terms allow it, is the amount below which you don't want to sell. It stays confidential.
- The net price is what you actually receive, once fees and commissions are deducted. It's shown automatically in the form.
1. Four concepts not to confuse
Concept | Definition | Visible to buyers? |
Valuation | The value you assign to your item. An informational field, used to suggest a consistent starting price and check the listing's consistency. | No, never |
Starting price | The amount at which bidding begins. | Yes |
Reserve price | The threshold below which you don't want to sell the item. | No |
Net sale price | What you receive after fees and commissions are deducted, before VAT if applicable. | No |
2. Entering your valuation
Enter the value you estimate for your item. This information:
- stays confidential and never appears on the listing;
- is used to automatically suggest a recommended starting price;
- helps our teams check the listing's consistency during review.
Be realistic: an inflated valuation produces a starting-price recommendation that's too high, which slows down the start of bidding.
3. Setting your starting price
As soon as you enter a valuation, the starting price is pre-filled as a recommendation, at a level designed to kick-start bidding activity.
You remain free to change it. If you enter an amount higher than the recommendation, a message warns you of the risk: a starting price that's too high discourages early bids and often hurts the final price.
In an auction, it's competition between buyers that drives the price up. An attractive starting price draws more participants and often leads to a better outcome than a cautious starting price.
4. Understanding your net price
A gray box, placed below the starting price, details the fees and commissions applicable to your organization and shows the corresponding net sale price.
- This block updates automatically as soon as you change the starting price.
- It lets you gauge the gap between the price shown on the marketplace and the amount you'll actually receive.
- Amounts are calculated based on the pricing terms negotiated with your organization. If these change, the details shown are updated.
Before submitting your listing, you must check the box accepting the pricing terms. They're available to review from the form, and this acceptance is required for every new listing.
5. Setting a reserve price
The reserve price is only offered if your sales terms provide for it. To use it, turn on the dedicated toggle: the field then appears.
Two rules to follow:
- the reserve price must be higher than the starting price;
- it must not exceed your valuation.
If you turn on the toggle without entering an amount, no reserve price is applied to your listing.
Our tips
- Start from the recommendation suggested: it's calculated to maximize your chances of reaching the expected price.
- Look at the net price before confirming, not just the price shown: it's what determines your outcome.
- Reserve the reserve price for items where you have a genuine value constraint: it mechanically reduces the number of completed sales.
- Compare with similar items already sold on the platform to calibrate your valuation.
Frequently asked questions
Do buyers see my valuation or my reserve price?
No. Only the starting price is public. The valuation and the reserve price stay confidential.
Why does the starting price fill in on its own?
It's a recommendation calculated from your valuation, meant to launch the sale at an attractive level. You can change it freely.
What happens if the reserve price isn't met?
The sale isn't automatically completed at the last bid amount. Our teams will get back to you to discuss next steps, including a possible relisting.
I don't see the reserve price field, why?
Because your sales terms don't include this option. Reach out to your Agorastore contact if you'd like to use it.
Can I change my price after submitting the listing?
Not from your Personal Space once the listing is submitted. Our teams may suggest a price adjustment during review; the listing then returns to your drafts and you can accept it or enter another amount before resubmitting.
Is the net price shown guaranteed?
It's the estimated amount for the price entered, after deducting the fees set out in your terms. The final amount depends on the final price reached at the end of bidding.