The verdict in three sentences
For an auction house holding 40 sales a year, the PDF catalogue has become the main barrier to participation: it cannot be searched, it is not indexed by Google and it forces staff to retype every absentee bid received by email. A website with a searchable online catalogue, absentee bid form and telephone bid request costs between EUR 12,000 and 28,000 excl. VAT depending on lot volume and integrations. The project pays back mainly through lower live platform fees and saved admin time, provided lot import from the house's software is scoped from day one.
What the site must do, sale after sale
An auction house publishes between 300 and 1,500 lots per sale. Each lot has a number, a description, low and high estimates, photos and sometimes a condition report. The site must let bidders search by artist, period, material or estimate range, submit a signed absentee bid with a ceiling, and book a telephone line for key lots.
| Feature | Essential version | Full version | Budget impact (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue per sale | CSV import of lots, records and photos | Automated import from the house's software | EUR 2,500 to 6,000 |
| Search and filters | Keywords, lot number | Artist, period, estimate, department | EUR 1,500 to 3,500 |
| Absentee bids | Form with ceiling and ID document | Bidder account, history, approval by the house | EUR 2,000 to 5,000 |
| Telephone bids | Request per lot with callback number | Line schedule per staff member | EUR 1,000 to 2,500 |
| Sale results | Manual entry of hammer prices | Automatic publication after the sale | EUR 800 to 2,000 |
| Live platform connection | Link to the sale on the platform | Lots synced with the platform | EUR 1,500 to 4,000 |
| Design and house content | Template adapted to the brand | Bespoke design, specialist and expert pages | EUR 2,700 to 5,000 |
The total therefore ranges from EUR 12,000 for a house importing lots by CSV to EUR 28,000 for a site connected to the house's software, with bidder accounts and live platform sync.
Live platforms and direct absentee bids: where the money is
Online bidding platforms take roughly 3 to 5% in fees in 2026 on hammer prices achieved through their channel, on top of buyer's premium. Every absentee bid that comes straight through the house's site, rather than via the platform, protects that margin.
| One-year scenario (40 sales) | Share of hammer value via platform | Platform fees at 4% | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF catalogue only | 45% | high | Remote bidders almost all go through the platform |
| Brochure site without catalogue | 42% | high | Little change, no browsable lots |
| Site with catalogue and absentee bids | 32% | reduced | Regular buyers leave their bids on the site |
| Site with bidder accounts | 28% | reduced | Loyalty, alerts by department |
| Go-live lead time | 10 to 14 weeks | Plan a test sale before the autumn season | |
| Maintenance and hosting | EUR 120 to 300/month | Updates, backups, support sale by sale |
These shares are estimates for a regional house: your own hammer history will give the real figure during scoping.
Mini case study
Laurent, partner auctioneer at an auction house, achieves EUR 6,000,000 in hammer value a year across 40 sales. Today about 45% goes through a live platform at 4%, or EUR 108,000 in fees. With a EUR 22,000 site offering a searchable catalogue and absentee bids, the house targets 32% via the platform, or EUR 76,800: a gap of EUR 31,200 a year. Add about 6 hours of absentee bid retyping saved per sale, or 240 hours a year for the front office. Even with maintenance at EUR 250/month (EUR 3,000 a year), the site pays back in under 10 months.
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FAQ
How much does an auction house website cost in London in 2026?
Budget EUR 12,000 to 28,000 excl. VAT (roughly GBP 10,300 to 24,000) depending on lot volume, search and integrations with the house's software. Maintenance runs EUR 120 to 300 per month.
Can lots be imported automatically from our software?
Yes, in most cases via a CSV or XML export, which avoids retyping 300 to 1,500 lots per sale. Full automation accounts for EUR 2,500 to 6,000 of the budget.
Does the site replace the live bidding platform?
No, it complements it: live bidding stays on the platform, but absentee and telephone bids come to you. Across 40 sales, this can cut by several points the share subject to 3 to 5% fees.
What lead time before the first sale on the new site?
Between 10 and 14 weeks, including acceptance testing. We advise launching on a mid-sized sale of around 400 lots before the major prestige sales.
How are absentee bids secured?
The form collects the ceiling, an ID document and acceptance of the conditions of sale, then the house approves each bidder. Data is hosted in Europe with daily backups.
Let's scope your project. Send us your sale calendar and average lot volume, and we will price a site with catalogue and absentee bids within a EUR 12,000 to 28,000 range, deliverable in 10 to 14 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
