Whether or not you’re new to auctions, we’ve compiled some handy tips to help you get hold of fantastic unique items on our website. We can’t wait to see what you win!
Finding hidden gems
Winning starts with a search. And there is plenty to search on our site – over 3 million items a year in fact, from over 500 of the world's finest auction houses. So how do you best find what you're looking for? We've made it easy for you…
I know what I want
If you know what you're after, type it straight into the big search box on our homepage, or at the top of any page.

You can narrow down the results of your search with the filters on the left-hand side of the page to find what you want even faster – choose the categories, items and brands you want to see, and we'll hide those you don't.

If you don't find quite what you're looking for, you can set up an alert for your search. We'll email you when new items that match your search are added to the site, so you are always in the know.
I need some inspiration
If you're after some inspiration, you can browse through our product categories and see what hidden gems you discover.

Select from the 'Browse by Category' dropdown at the top of any page to dive right into what interests you.
The low-down on bidding
So you’ve found an item you love and can’t wait to get your hands on it – it’s time to get bidding. We have a couple of ways you can place your bid. You can use either method, it’s up to you and what works best for you and your lifestyle.
Ultimate convenience
Most of our auctions are live – streamed from the auction house directly to your computer screen, allowing you to bid at the auction in real-time with the people who are physically there. But if you think you this means can’t bid if you’re short on time, think again. You just have to place a maximum bid on an item, and then we’ll sort out the bidding from there, ensuring you always get the best price. It’s the most convenient way to bid at an auction.

You’ll be up-to-speed and in control throughout the process – you'll receive notifications from us if you need to increase your max bid to win your item, and you can edit or delete your max bid up until the time when the live auction starts.

Auction room excitement
Experience the thrill of the auction room by bidding live along with those in the auction room. Through our website you can log in and see the auction taking place, and watch and listen to the bids roll in via live-streamed video. You won’t miss a minute of the action.

To bid live in the auction, click ‘connect to auction’ on the auction page, or ‘register to bid online’ on the lot page. A new screen will open where you’ll see and hear the auction taking place. To place your bid, wait until the amount you want to bid comes up on screen and then hit the big BID button. It’s as simple as that.

Up your chance of winning
While we can’t promise that you will win your much-wanted item (that part’s up to you!), we have a few tips that can help you in your quest.
Do your research

Tools like our Price Guide show years and years of past auction items and what they finally sold for. They're helpful because they will give you an idea of what similar items have sold for in the past, and that can help you decide how much you should bid now. You don't want to go in too low and be disappointed, but too high and you might not get the deal you're hoping for.
Ask for more
information

If you’re tempted by an item but need some more information before you get bidding on it, you can easily and quickly contact our friendly auctioneers who will be happy to provide you with the details you need. You can simply click on our ‘Ask a question’ button, and message the auctioneer directly. Their replies will appear in your inbox (the one that is associated with your thesaleroom.com email address that you use to log in).
Keep an eye on your
email inbox

If you’ve placed a max bid, we’ll notify you if you’re outbid. So make sure you take a look at your emails so you can increase your max bid if/when required.
Participate in the
live auction

If you’re available (which we understand isn’t always the case), we recommend logging in to the auction to see the bidding action in real-time. Not only is it an exciting experience, but you can keep an eye on your item and the bidding activity, so if the price rises higher than your max bid you can jump in live and hit that big BID button to avoid missing out.

Got a specific question?
Try our help centre where we’ve collated lots of information about using our site and buying at auction.