This is a constructed example of a storage-unit lot offered at $150, containing eight identifiable items plus a box of unsorted smaller goods — walked through using the evaluation method from the mixed-lot article.
Step 1: rough-estimate each visible item
Lot contents and rough estimates (illustrative)
| Item | Condition (visible) | Rough resale estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Bookshelf | Good, solid wood | 60.00 |
| Floor lamp | Good, tested | 25.00 |
| Box fan | Untested | 10.00 |
| Set of 4 dining chairs | Fair, one wobbly | 45.00 |
| Small microwave | Untested | 15.00 |
| Mixed hand tools (partial set) | Good | 20.00 |
| Framed artwork (2 pieces) | Good | 15.00 |
| Rolling desk chair | Fair, one caster loose | 20.00 |
| Unsorted box (smaller goods) | Unknown — not fully inspected | 10.00 (conservative estimate) |
Total estimated lot value
Sum of rough estimates
Example (illustrative): 60 + 25 + 10 + 45 + 15 + 20 + 15 + 20 + 10 = $220 estimated total resale value, before applying the discounts below.
Step 2: discount for uncertainty and disposal
The untested box fan and microwave are discounted by half in the working estimate to reflect the real chance one or both don't power on. The unsorted box is kept at its already-conservative $10. A $15 disposal allowance is subtracted for likely-unsellable contents in the unsorted box.
Adjusted lot value
220 − (fan and microwave uncertainty discount, ~12.50) − (disposal allowance, 15) ≈ 192.50
Example (illustrative): This adjusted figure, not the optimistic $220, is what gets compared against the $150 asking price.
Step 3: the buy decision
At an adjusted estimate of roughly $192.50 against a $150 asking price, the lot clears a reasonable margin even after conservative discounting — a buy, in this example.
Step 4: allocating the $150 cost across items afterward
Cost is allocated proportionally to each item's share of the rough (undiscounted) estimate total of $220, so higher-value items carry more of the $150 cost.
Proportional cost allocation
| Item | Estimate | Share of $220 | Allocated cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookshelf | 60.00 | 27% | 40.91 |
| Set of 4 dining chairs | 45.00 | 20% | 30.68 |
| Floor lamp | 25.00 | 11% | 17.05 |
| Small microwave | 15.00 | 7% | 10.23 |
| Rolling desk chair | 20.00 | 9% | 13.64 |
| Mixed hand tools | 20.00 | 9% | 13.64 |
| Framed artwork | 15.00 | 7% | 10.23 |
| Box fan | 10.00 | 5% | 6.82 |
| Unsorted box | 10.00 | 5% | 6.82 |
Each item now has an individual cost basis for accurate per-item profit tracking, instead of every item in the lot carrying an identical, misleading $16.67 average share of the $150.