Set up zAuctionHouse and test item sale recovery

zAuctionHouse lets players list items for other players to buy. Listings, money, purchased items and expired items are separate parts of the transaction. Establish how each is stored and recovered before allowing valuable items onto the market.

Match the documentation to your edition

Use the developer's official distribution links and a legitimate licence where your edition requires one. The current V4 instructions require supporting plugins including zMenu and PlaceholderAPI. Check that release's Java, Minecraft and server-software requirements; do not assume an old V3 configuration or dependency list applies unchanged.

Record the installed version and back up the existing plugin folder, database and economy data before upgrading. Stop market activity and stop the server for a consistent copy. If several servers share market storage, coordinate the pause on every writer rather than backing up while another backend continues processing purchases.

Start with one currency and a restricted test

1. Follow plugin installation for the compatible dependencies and auction JAR. Keep one version of each.
2. Start, read the initial Console output, then stop before editing the generated configuration.
3. Select one supported economy and verify it independently. For Vault-based money, confirm the provider actually stores and updates balances.
4. Review listing fees, tax, listing lifetime, item rules and per-player listing limits. Give a temporary test group only the intended player permissions.
5. Start again and open /ah in game. On documented V4 releases this uses zauctionhouse.use; selling is a separate permission.

Keep administrator removal and data-management commands away from ordinary sellers. Do not grant an auction wildcard to bypass a missing menu permission.

Understand the sale price

V4 documents /ah sell <price> [amount] [economy]. Its price is per item, not a guaranteed price for the whole stack. With a disposable item held, /ah sell 10 1 requests a one-item listing at ten currency units; read the confirmation before accepting it.

Record the seller's inventory and both test players' balances. Buy through an ordinary second account, check the amount charged and inspect where the item is delivered. Review any configured fee or tax and whether sale proceeds must be claimed. Avoid testing with an enchanted or irreplaceable item.

Check purchased and expired items

Inspect the documented /ah selling, /ah purchased and /ah expired views. Check how your settings handle a buyer with a full inventory and how a seller retrieves an expired listing. A listing disappearing from the main menu does not, by itself, mean its item has been deleted.

Repeat one controlled sale after a normal restart. Confirm that the pending item and money state remain consistent. If the release provides transaction history, compare it with the players' reports before making a manual compensation.

If a listing appears missing

Stop further trading if items or money appear to duplicate. Collect the server ID, plugin version, timestamp, seller UUID, item and listing details privately for support. Preserve database records and do not restore only the auction database while leaving newer economy balances live: that can reintroduce already-paid listings.

See database connection troubleshooting. Further reading: installation requirements and V4 commands and permissions.

Looking for another plugin? Browse the Minecraft plugin guide directory.