A timed online auction runs without an auctioneer. Lots open at a set time, accept bids for hours or days, and close on their own schedule. Auction Experts is timed auction software that runs these sales end to end — per-lot scheduling, proxy bidding, automatic extension at the close, reserve prices, post-auction sale, and automated invoicing.
How a timed auction runs on Auction Experts
- Catalogue. Lots are loaded individually, by batch upload or through the API, each with its own start time, closing time, estimate, reserve and bid steps.
- Open. The auction goes live on your site. Registered bidders place either a single bid or a maximum bid; on a maximum bid Auction Experts bids incrementally on their behalf, only as high as it needs to, up to their limit.
- Run. Bidders see the current high bid, the remaining time and their own status live. Outbid notices go out automatically.
- Close. Lots close in sequence rather than all at once, so bidders can follow several. A bid placed in the closing moments extends that lot, so no lot is won on the clock alone.
- Settle. Winning bids are determined automatically, buyers and consignors are notified, and invoices are generated with premium, VAT and shipping applied.
- After-sale. Unsold lots move straight to a post-auction sale at a fixed price, or into the next auction.
Automatic bidding
A bidder sets their maximum and the engine bids on their behalf in increments, staying ahead of competitors until that maximum is reached. Bidders do not have to watch the clock, which in practice means more of them participate.
Closing times that behave
Each lot can carry its own start and closing time, or inherit the auction's. Lot extension protects against sniping: you define how close to closing a bid must land to trigger an extension, and how much time it adds. Both values are set per auction.
Prices
Set a starting bid, a reserve below which the lot will not sell, and an estimate range to guide bidders. Add Buy Now for instant purchase where it suits the segment. On lots that attract no bids, prices across the whole auction can be reduced by a percentage in one operation.
Other bid types in a timed sale
Sealed bidding hides standing until close. Absentee bids let staff bid for someone who gave a maximum by phone or email. Where the reserve is not met, bidders can make an offer for the consignor to consider.
After the close
Winning bids are calculated, buyers and consignors notified, and invoices generated including commission, taxes, transport and other costs. Unsold lots move to after sale, to a later auction, or back to the consignor.
Mobile bidding
The Auction Experts auction website is responsive on phones and tablets, and native iOS and Android bidding apps are available under your own brand. Bidders get push notifications when they are outbid and when a watched lot is about to close — which matters most in a timed sale, where the decisive bidding happens in the final minutes.
Timed auctions and live auctions together
Most auction houses run both. On Auction Experts they share one bidder database, one catalogue and one invoicing flow, so a bidder registered for your timed sale is already registered for your live sale, and a lot unsold in the room can be moved to a timed auction without being re-catalogued.
Frequently asked questions
What is a timed online auction?
A timed online auction is an auction with no auctioneer, where each lot opens and closes at a scheduled time and bidders bid online during that window. It is the standard format for high-volume sales — machinery, vehicles, stock, wine — where running every lot live would take too long.
What is proxy bidding?
Proxy bidding, sometimes called automatic or maximum bidding, means a bidder enters the most they are willing to pay and Auction Experts bids on their behalf in the configured steps, only as much as needed to stay ahead, stopping at their limit. Their maximum is never shown to other bidders.
What stops a lot being sniped in the last seconds?
Auction Experts extends a lot's closing time when a bid arrives near the end, so bidding continues until nobody bids again. The trigger window and the length of the extension are both configured per auction.
Can we set different bid steps for different lots?
Yes. Bid steps are configured per auction and can be overridden per lot, and the applicable step range is shown to bidders on the lot page.