probably stolen appraisal guide
Probably Stolen appraisal, scanners, and haggling guide
In Probably Stolen, your profit margin is won or lost before you ever agree to a price. Suppliers routinely overstate item value, customers push their luck with damaged or counterfeit goods, and uninspected merchandise can hide stolen tags or defects that ruin your balance sheet.
Dynamic information verified 2026-10-28
| Inspection Tool | How It Works | Important 1.0 / Update 049 Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Magnifying Glass & Visual Check | Inspects surface condition on items like cigarette packs | Avoid pressing left and right mouse buttons simultaneously while dragging |
| Scav Scanner | Evaluates salvaged tech, modules, and item properties | Upgradable with Electronic Parts; game blocks wasting extra parts once maxed |
| UV Filter | Reveals hidden markings and authenticity details | Can only be used on owned items (cannot scan customer-owned items pre-purchase) |
| Blue & Red Labelers (in Toolbox) | Relabels containers, water grades, or counterfeit goods | Store inside Dr. Jackson's Toolbox after Day 14 to equip via keys 1–9 |
Why every item requires inspection before resale
The official storefront warns that every product line in Probably Stolen carries hidden appraisal traps: cigarette packs require visual inspection before resale, water must be tested for purity, weapons require permits and modifications, and rare artifacts need formal appraisal so you do not overpay suppliers.
When an appraisal customer visits your counter, completing their appraisal request and issuing the Appraisal Certificate window finishes their business, and they will leave automatically. In Update 049, using any scanner on an item automatically brings that scanner's panel to the front of your screen even if it was buried behind up to 25 open inventory windows.
Using the Scav Scanner, UV Filter, and Gene Scanner
Your primary diagnostic devices are the Scav Scanner, the Aquascan (for liquids), the Gene Scanner (for livestock alleles), and the UV Filter. You can upgrade the Scav Scanner using Electronic Parts to reveal deeper item telemetry, and Update 049 added a safeguard preventing you from wasting additional electronic parts once the scanner is fully upgraded.
Pay close attention to ownership rules when using the UV Filter: as of Update 049, the UV Filter can no longer be used on unowned items. You must negotiate a safe purchase price using visual clues first, then run the UV check once the item is yours.
Bargaining, customer budgets, and reputation multipliers
Haggling is a two-way street where pushing too hard can exceed a customer's hidden wallet cap. Update 049 refined how bargaining interacts with customer budgets and separated buy-side and sell-side reputation effects so a buy-side bargain no longer distorts sell-side reputation gains. The bargain panel clearly displays a per-direction reputation multiplier.
When selling containers packed with merchandise—such as a case of beers—premium and discount buyers apply their price modifier once to the package rather than double-counting boxed contents. In addition, high-end T3 buyers drawn by your display case dynamically scale their budgets upward.
Counterfeiting and relabeling with the Toolbox
Selling counterfeit goods to arrogant Upper Level elites or relabeling questionable stock is a lucrative gray-market strategy. After Day 14, purchase the Toolbox from Dr. Jackson to store your Blue Labeler and Red Labeler alongside your scanners, allowing instant tool switching with number keys 1 through 9.
When you rename a storage container using the Blue Labeler, its open inventory window header updates to match your custom label, making late-game warehouse organization much faster.
Common questions
FAQ
Why can't I use the UV Filter on an item a customer is offering to sell?
Update 049 restricted the UV Filter so it can only be used on owned items. You must complete the purchase before applying the UV Filter.
How do I quickly switch between my scanners and labelers?
Buy the Toolbox from Dr. Jackson after Day 14 and place your scanners and red/blue labelers inside. Pressing keys 1 through 9 equips the corresponding tool.
Do Aug customers get angry if I sell them mislabeled items?
No. As of Update 049, offering mislabeled items to an Aug customer no longer causes a faction reputation loss.
Evidence log
Information sources
- 01store.steampowered.comChecked 2026-10-28
- 02www.questinggoosestudio.comChecked 2026-10-28
- 03store.steampowered.comChecked 2026-10-28
- 04store.steampowered.comChecked 2026-10-28