Free tool
Enter an item's value and get the suggested starting bid, bid increment, buy-now price, and estimated raise — the rules of thumb experienced auction chairs use.
| Bid increment (minimum raise) | $10 |
| Buy-now price | $150 |
| Estimated raise per item | $70 |
Rules of thumb from experienced auction chairs — start low to spark bidding, then let the increment do the work. Run the whole auction (bid sheets, buy-now, checkout) in VenueFuze.
A common rule of thumb is 30–40% of the item's fair-market (retail) value. Starting low invites more people to place a first bid and gets the competition going, which usually drives the final price higher than a high starting bid would.
Around 10% of the item's value is typical. Big enough to move the price up meaningfully with each bid, small enough that bidders keep going. This calculator suggests one automatically, with a $5 minimum.
An optional price — often about 150% of retail — that lets an eager bidder claim the item immediately and end the bidding. It's a great way to lock in a strong result for popular items.
Yes — item catalog, bid sheets, buy-now, runner-up offers, a settlement basket, and pickup tracking, with cash and card recorded together and paid to your own processor.