Here are the items to complete to successfully run a cross-listed timed auction:
| Item | |
| Pre-auction | Onboard to BidSpotter |
| Get started with cross-listing | |
| Create your cross-listed timed auction | |
| Market your auction | |
| Proof and publish your cross-listed auction | |
| During-auction | Bidder management |
| Bid management | |
| Post-auction | Results and Invoicing |
| Billing and Commissions | |
Onboard to BidSpotter
BidSpotter is the world’s leading online auction marketplace for industrial assets, connecting more than 350 auctioneers to more than 500,000 auction visitors each month.
Key categories:
- INDUSTRIAL
- METALWORKING
- FOOD & BEVERAGE
- WOODWORKING
- LAB & PHARMA
- CONSTRUCTION
- VEHICLES
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- PLASTICS & RUBBER
- DRILLING & MINING
- ELECTRONICS
- PRINTING
- AND MORE
During your ATG Cross-Listing onboarding you will be shown BidSpotter, its back-office tool GAP Toolbox and the features relevant for cross-listed timed auctions.
Please contact Client Services if you have any further questions about BidSpotter.
Get Started with Cross-Listing
Built to maximize your hammer prices, atgXL is a multi-marketplace integration from Auction Technology Group (ATG) that allows you to seamlessly list your timed auction on multiple ATG platforms.
There are some considerations that need to be made when creating and cross listing your Proxibid timed auction:
- Changes and edits should be made primarily in AuctionBuilder, these changes in the most part will automatically synchronize with GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter).
- There are some features that are not available on a cross-listed Proxibid timed auction. This table gives more details on these.
- The auction Start Time needs to be at least one hour in the future when publishing your auction in AuctionBuilder. This will give time to go into GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) and confirm all auction options before bidding begins. Once an auction's start time has passed, event details cannot be edited. If edits / adjustments must be made after the auction start time, please contact Client Services.
- Images can take time to export and sync to your additional marketplaces, up to several hours depending on size of catalog. Please consider this when setting the auction Start Time.
- Increment tables in AuctionBuilder Proxibid and GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) must match exactly. The increment tables created in both locations need to be called “sbs”. The “sbs” increment table in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) should be selected during auction creation and as long as an increment table is created in GAP Toolbox ahead of this, no actions are needed in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter). More details on creating correct increment tables.
- Reserves given to lots should not be adjusted once the auction has been published.
- When using Wavebid for cataloging a cross-listed timed auction the auction should be created in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) and then linked in Wavebid. More details here.
- When using Wavebid for post-auction sale results and invoicing for a cross-listed timed auction, some details may need to be manually imported into Wavebid. More details here.
Increment tables for cross-listed timed auctions
- The increment table can have a maximum of 40 increment steps and no more.
- The increment value at one step cannot be smaller than the value at the preceding step.
- E.g. Here the increment value at the final step cannot be $2, it has to be $5 or greater.
- $0 < $10 = $2, $10 < $20 = $5, $20 < $30 = $2.
- E.g. Here the increment value at the final step cannot be $2, it has to be $5 or greater.
- Increments must be a factor of the lower bound increment range (i.e. if the lower bound increment range were to be divided by the increment it would produce a whole number).
- E.g. $400 > $700 with an increment of $20. If the lower bound increment range = $400 and the upper bound increment range = $700, $20 is an accepted increment as 400 is divisible by 20.
- E.g. $400 > $700 with an increment of $30 is not acceptable as 400 isn't divisible by 30.
Creating a New Auction
1. Log into your AuctionBuilder account.
2. Click the Create New Event link located on the left side of the page under AuctionTools.
- It is essential you do not create the new event via the ‘New Event’ link found at the top-right of Event Management pages.
3. A new section will appear in the center of the page.
a. To create an event without using a pre-built template, click the Create a New Event link.
OR
b. To use a pre-built template to create an event, select a template name from the Pre-built Template field. The template must be a timed event format.
4. Click the Go button.
On the following event set-up page:
5. Ensure that Timed is selected as the Event Type.
6. Select the option to Cross-list my auction. Select BidSpotter.com as a Marketplace that your auction will be cross listed on. Proxibid will be selected as a default marketplace.
- These selections cannot be changed once the event is created.
- To cross list the timed auction to other ATG marketplaces and/or ATG White Label, you must first have those marketplaces enabled on your account and should review the details in these guides.
7. Enter an Event Title and Description.
- The Event Title has a 50-character limit.
- The Event Description has a 200-character limit.
8. Select Primary and Additional Categories.
- A primary category that best matches the auction should be selected in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid). All Proxibid primary categories are mapped automatically to BidSpotter primary categories, although the naming of them on BidSpotter will be different.
- Lot-level categorization in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) is done in the same way as for a non-cross-listed auction.
- Lot-level categorization in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) will be handled by ATG’s autocategorization tool. This tool reviews the uploaded lot’s title, details and primary category to determine which subcategory it best falls into.
This table shows the primary category mapping from Proxibid to BidSpotter:
|
Proxibid Primary Category |
> |
BidSpotter (GAP Toolbox) Default Primary Category |
| Art, Antiques & Collectibles | > | Other Industries |
| Cars & Vehicles | > | Automotive & Vehicles |
| Collector Cars | > | Automotive & Vehicles |
| Computers & Electronics | > | Computer & Electronics |
| Farm Equipment & Machinery | > | Agricultural Equipment |
| Guns & Military Artifacts | > | Other Industries |
| Horse & Livestock | > | Agricultural Equipment |
| Jewelry, Gemstones & Watches | > | Other Industries |
| Benefit & Charity | > | Other Industries |
| Coins & Currency | > | Other Industries |
| Commercial Trucks | > | Automotive & Vehicles |
| Estate & Personal Property | > | Real Estate |
| Fine Art & Rare Memorabilia | > | Other Industries |
| Heavy Construction Equipment | > | Heavy Construction Equipment |
| Industrial Machinery & Equipment | > | Industrial & Commercial |
| Real Estate | > | Real Estate |
9. Select the event's Approval Criteria for Buyers.
- Approval settings set in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) do not sync to GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter). With support from an ATG admin, approval settings will need to be defined and included in the default settings of your GAP Toolbox account. These settings will be set during GAP Toolbox account creation, are set at the account level, apply to BidSpotter bidder, and any changes can only be made via contacting Client Services.
10. Enter the bidding start time and end time, as well as the closing time increment.
- The auction Start Time needs to be at least one hour in the future when publishing your auction in AuctionBuilder. This will give time to go into GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) and confirm all auction options before bidding begins.
11. Select a Currency.
12. Enter the Sequential Paddle Number.
- Ensure that significantly different ranges of paddle numbers are used for each marketplace. E.g. Proxibid paddle seed could be set in AuctionBuilder to start at 1,000 and the BidSpotter paddle seed could be set in GAP Toolbox to start at 4,000 - to avoid potentially crossover.
13. If preferred, check the Require SSN box to require that all bidders enter the last 4 digits of their Social Security Number (SSN) when registering for the event on Proxibid.
- This setting will not synchronize with BidSpotter, nor is this feature available on BidSpotter.
14. Click the "Choose File" button to select a Feature Image. This will be the image associated with the auction event on Proxibid.
- The Feature image or auction “hero image” will not sync from AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) to GAP (BidSpotter). On BidSpotter, the auction hero image is defaulted to the first image of the first lot in the auction.
The Next Page brings up Payment, Terms & Conditions.
- The Payment & Terms page provides an auction company's contact information to bidders, and also contains the terms and conditions bidders agree to when they enter an auction event.
- Payment & Terms details will not fully sync from AuctionBuilder to GAP Toolbox. Payment & Terms detail will need to be included in the auction's Terms and Conditions on BidSpotter. This can be done in GAP Toolbox once the auction has been created in AuctionBuilder and pushed across to GAP Toolbox.
Accepted cards and payment options selected in AuctionBuilder will not sync from AuctionBuilder to GAP Toolbox. When your GAP Toolbox account is created, a set of default settings will be applied to your auctions on BidSpotter for bidder registration and verification. These accepted cards are set at the account level and cannot be changed per event. Please contact Client Services if you wish to adjust the accepted cards from the defaults.
|
Defaulted Accepted Cards (for registration / verification) |
Visa Visa Debit Mastercard Mastercard Debit American Express |
15. After reviewing the customer billing template page and clicking Save your event will automatically be created in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter).
Importing Lots & Images
You can upload lots and images in the same way you would normally in AuctionBuilder - through the Bulk Loader or Catalog Generator.
- Unless expressly told otherwise, lots and images should only be added and edited in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) and not in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter).
- Images can take time to export and sync to your additional marketplaces, up to several hours depending on size of catalog.
- When using Wavebid for cataloging a cross-listed timed auction the auction should be created in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) and then linked in Wavebid. From there you can then upload the catalog and images. More details here.
Setting Prices & Reserves
Set Prices and Reserves in the same way you would normally when cataloging a timed auctions in.
- For cross-listed timed auctions ask prices and reserves that are off-increment will be rounded up to the next valid increment. This is to ensure bid alignment between Proxibid and BidSpotter for the auction.
- An asking price equal to your first valid increment will be automatically created if one is not specified.
Look out for notifications when an alteration is made:
In a scenario where you do not enter a reserve in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid), BidSpotter will auto-assign a reserve for the lowest bid amount. This reserve should not impact the sale as bidders will not see any messaging relating to the reserve.
- Editing reserves in GAP Toolbox in an attempt to remove them from BidSpotter should not be attempted - this will not work and will increase the risk of disrupting the entire cross-listed timed auction.
Deposits
Deposits are not supported on BidSpotter for cross-listed timed auctions.
Feature Differences, Gaps and Settings Specific to Cross-Listed Timed Auctions.
This table describes the features that are not available on timed auctions cross listed from Proxibid to BidSpotter. It also describes the auction and lot fields that don’t automatically sync from AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) to GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) or align:
- Enabling these features where they are not available on BidSpotter will result in disruption to your cross-listed timed auction and in some cases can only be remedied by shutting down the entire auction on all marketplaces.
| Feature | Availability | Notes |
| Live auctions | Not available | atgXL supports cross-listed timed auctions only. |
| Tiered Buyer's premium | Not available | BidSpotter only supports flat-rate buyer's premiums per auction. |
| Requiring SSN | Not available | There is no option on BidSpotter to request an SSN from a bidder as part of registration. |
| Payments: atgPay | Not available |
atgPay is not available on BidSpotter, nor should it be used to charge BidSpotter bidders. atgPay can only be used to charge Proxibid bidders. |
| Deposits | Not available | Deposits are not supported on BidSpotter. |
| Invoice Comment | Not available | This comment does not sync to BidSpotter. |
| No reserve | Not available |
In a scenario where a lot is not given a reserve in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid), BidSpotter will auto-assign a reserve for the lowest bid amount. This reserve should not impact the sale as bidders will not see any messaging relating to the reserve. |
| Seller Info | Not available | This information does not sync to BidSpotter. |
| Proxibid Payments and Terms | Not available |
Payment terms will need to be included in the auction's Terms and Conditions on BidSpotter. This can be done in GAP Toolbox once the auction has been created in AuctionBuilder and pushed across to GAP Toolbox. Accepted cards and payment options selected in AuctionBuilder will not sync from AuctionBuilder to GAP Toolbox. When your GAP Toolbox account is created, a set of default settings will be applied to your auctions on BidSpotter for bidder registration and verification. These accepted cards are set at the account level and cannot be changed per event. Please contact Client Services if you wish to adjust the accepted cards from the defaults. |
| Make an offer | Not available | This feature should not be selected or utilized in AuctionBuilder. |
| Lot numbers with alpha character at front of lot number | Not available |
Lot numbers with an alpha character at the beginning of the lot number (e.g. A1 or B1) are not supported on BidSpotter. Lots will not appear on BidSpotter unless that alpha character is moved to the end of the lot number or removed. |
| Renumbering lots: using Bulk uploader | Not available | The Bulk uploader tool should not be used in AuctionBuilder to renumber lots. |
| Meta data: Condition, Model, Year | Partially available | Condition, Year, Model etc. from Proxibid is added into the lot description on BidSpotter. |
| Meta data: Estimates | Partially available | Estimates given in Proxibid are added into the lot description on BidSpotter. |
| Meta data: Lot locations | Partially available | Lot locations given in Proxibid are not mapped to BidSpotter. Instead, auction-level addresses are applied to all lots. |
| Multi-ring / Linked auctions | Partially available |
Auctions can be linked in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) but the auctions on BidSpotter will not be linked. If linking cross-listed events, it's recommended to link them when they are in a "Disabled" state. When events are linked on Proxibid, items cannot be moved between linked auctions – this will cause breaking issue for the cross-listed timed auction. |
| Featured Image | Partially available | Featured Images selected in Proxibid are not synced to BidSpotter. The first image from the first lot will be the default "Hero image" on BidSpotter. |
| Categorization | Partially available |
Primary and secondary categories specified in Proxibid will not map directly to BidSpotter. The most appropriate categories for the BidSpotter audience will be given to items on BidSpotter. |
| Auto-approval rules | Partially available | Auto-approval rules set in Proxibid including MarketGuard tiers are not synced to BidSpotter. Default auto-approval rules are set on your BidSpotter (GAP Toolbox) account. These defaults can be adjusted via contacting Client Services. |
| Sequential paddle numbers | Partially available |
The seed for sequential paddle numbers should be significantly different between Proxibid and BidSpotter to ensure no crossover. The default paddle setting in GAP Toolbox may be set to "Customer reference", this needs to be adjusted to "Numbers starting from" to accommodate cross-listed timed auctions. |
Market your Auction
The Auctioneer Marketing Program (AMP) is a comprehensive marketing solution for clients looking to promote their businesses. This program offers a range of marketing services, including newsletter promotions and website advertisements, designed to reach a wider audience and increase brand visibility. Book effective marketing campaigns tailored to your goals, ultimately driving more traffic, engagement, and sales.
Proxibid AMP
Contact your Client Success Manager who can work with you in maximizing your auction’s success with Auctioneer Marketing Program support.
Proof and Publish your Cross-Listed Timed Auction
Auction status is synchronized from AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) to GAP (BidSpotter) however, the auction’s status must be set in a specific order for the sync to work properly. The only status progression in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) that will work is:
Disabled > Pending > Online
- A cross-listed timed auction cannot be switched straight from Disabled to Online in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid), this will not sync with GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter).
- The auction status in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) with begin as Disabled.
- Set the auction status in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) to Pending, this will set the auction status in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) to Approved.
- Set the auction status in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) to Online, this will set the auction status in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) to Published.
This table describes the status pairings and what you will see on each back-office tool:
| Status in Proxibid (AuctionBuilder) | Status in BidSpotter (GAP Toolbox) |
| Disabled | Awaiting Approval |
| Pending | Approved |
| Online | Published |
- Once an auction's start time has passed, event details should not be edited. If edits / adjustments must be made after the auction start time, please contact Client Services.
Auction Edits
Edits to auction or lot information must only be undertaken in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) and not directly in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter).
This table describes which fields can be edited and when - to avoid auction disruption:
- Yes = field can be edited
- No = field cannot be edited
| Type | Field | Before Bidding Start Time | After Bidding Start Time | After First Bid |
|
Auction |
Event Title, Description |
Yes |
No* |
No |
|
Auction |
Featured Image |
Yes |
No* |
No |
|
Auction |
Increments / Increment Table |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Lot |
Title, description, etc |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Lot |
Quantity |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Lot |
Lot Type (Piecemeal) |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Lot |
Opening |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Lot |
Reserve |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Lot |
Sequence |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
* If edits / adjustments must be made after the auction start time, please contact Client Services.
Bidder Management for Cross-Listed Auctions
Auction and catalog data is automatically synchronized from AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) to GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) for cross-listed auctions however, once the sale is in flight bidder management on the marketplaces will behave largely independently. Bidder management, bid retractions and post-sale steps are handled separately on the relevant marketplace tools.
Proxibid bidder management should be handled in the same way you would normally in AuctionBuilder for Proxibid bidders. More details here.
BidSpotter bidder management can be done once logged in to GAP Toolbox. More details here.
- Locate the cross-listed auction. Search for the auction title in the event dropdown/search (on the left-hand side).
- Click the link to your auction. This will open the auction details and settings page.
- Click the Bidders option to show registered bidders for the auction.
Registered Bidders
View, sort, and filter the list of bidders who have registered for your auction in each respective marketplace.
To access your BidSpotter bidders, go to your current auction in the GAP Toolbox and select Bidders in the left-hand navigation panel, the Current View should be set to All.
Managing registered Proxibid bidders
Managing registered BidSpotter bidders
Actioning / Approving Bidders
Accepting, declining, or reporting pending bidders is handled in each respective marketplace.
Approving Proxibid bidders – more details here.
The Registered Bidders page houses information related to bidders who have registered for an event. This page can be accessed by clicking the Registered Bidders link located on the left side of the page in AuctionBuilder under Auction Tools.
Click on the Status drop-down to filter bidders based on their status:
- Pending: Awaiting review by the Proxibid Risk team.
- Accepted: Allowed access to bid in the event.
- Declined: Denied from bidding in the event.
- In Review: Has had an initial review by the Proxibid Risk Team but has not yet been approved.
- All: Displays all bidders
Click on the Sort By drop-down to sort bidders by:
- Paddle Number
- Name (first or last)
- Username
- Hammer Rating
- Phone Number
To accept a pending bidder, click the Accept link to the right of the bidder's name. By accepting a bidder, the bidder will be able to participate in the event and will not be required to provide any further personal information. It is important to remember that any bidders approved outside of MarketGuard guidelines, would be the responsibility of the Auction House.
To decline a bidder, click on the Three Dots located to the far right of the bidder's name and select Decline. By declining a bidder, the bidder will not be able to participate in the event. Even if the bidder takes further steps to complete the registration process, the bidder will remain declined unless manual action is taken by the seller or by Seller Support.
Approving BidSpotter bidders – more details here.
Registration details can be viewed on the Bidders screen of your auction. Here you’ll find the important information relating to each individual bidder based on their registration status and previous activity on BidSpotter.
- It is the responsibility of the auctioneer to review all online registrants and manage the approval of each online bidder.
To access your bidders, go to your current auction in the GAP Toolbox and select Bidders in the left-hand navigation panel, the Current View should be set to All.
- If you see 0 results but know there are bidders, check the Current View in the upper right corner and make sure it is sorted to "All" and not "Pending Bids".
When viewing all bidders in the Bidders Tab, you'll be able to see the specific bidder’s status. You can click on the status to update it. You can change the status to Approved or Declined at any time.
- Once changed from Pending, it is impossible to change it back to a Pending status.
If the bidders record is highlighted in Yellow – this means the bidder is currently blocked by another auction house.
If the bidder’s record is highlighted in Red – this means that the bidder’s account has been suspended by BidSpotter subsequent to their current registration. They will not be able to participate in your auction whilst they are suspended.
- If the bidder has any active Max bids and was approved before being banned, the Max bids will still be active unless removed.
Unverified email addresses or telephone numbers are highlighted in Red.
Bid Management for Cross-Listed Timed Auctions
Retracting Bids
We recommend that if you require a bid to be retracted / removed during a cross-listed timed auction that you contact Client Services.
Post-auction Steps
- It is important that you only close your auction once it is finished. Do not attempt to close the auction midway through or between selling days where your sale covers more than one day.
Close the auction in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) in the same you would for a standalone timed auction.
1. Navigate to the event's Listing page.
2. Select a new status from the Status drop-down.
3. Ensure that all bidding in the auction has been completed and select Closed.
4. Click the Update button located in the bottom-right corner of the page. A confirmation message will appear.
Closing the auction in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter)
1. Go to the Auction Details tab.
The button to close your auction will be displayed at the top of your page highlighted in green.
2. Click on the Close Auction button and then validate your request to complete the process.
3. There will be a final confirmation message stating that the auction is now closed. Selecting OK will navigate you to the lots page where the results can be viewed.
- If you do not manually close your auction, GAP Toolbox is designed to 'Auto Close' after a short period of time once the auction is finished. Timed auctions will auto close after 6-8 hours after the last lot closes (using the auction's time zone).
Results & Reporting
Reports from AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) will only show buyer details of Proxibid bidders. Bids from BidSpotter will be represented in Proxibid by “offsiteBidder” with a paddle number of “-3”. Buyer details for these bidders can be accessed via GAP Toolbox.
Proxibid (AuctionBuilder) reporting – more details here.
The results in GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) will show all bids, but only correct buyer details for BidSpotter bidders. Proxibid bidders will be displayed as “PB xxxxxxxx”.
BidSpotter (GAP Toolbox) exporting auction results – more details here.
When using Wavebid for post-auction sale results and invoicing for a cross-listed timed auction, some details from the GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) export may need to be manually imported into Wavebid. More details here.
Passing lots should follow the standard steps of the marketplace the winning bidder is on. More details here on passing lots in AuctionBuilder Proxibid.
Invoicing
Notifying and invoicing your winning bidders must be conducted on each of the marketplaces your timed auction is listed, results are not consolidated into one place automatically.
- BidSpotter bidders will be represented in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid) by “offsiteBidder”.
- If the intention is to invoice through atgPay, these bidders will need to be removed or excluded from the invoice list before invoicing.
- Proxibid bidders in AuctionBuilder can be invoiced in the normal way.
- Proxibid bidders will be represented in GAP Toolbox as “PB xxxxxxxx”.
- These bidders will need to be removed from the winning bidder export from GAP Toolbox before invoicing.
-
Plug'nPay is available on BidSpotter for BidSpotter bidders. An e-Commerce merchant account is required, please contact Client Services for more information on setting this up on your GAP Toolbox account. Please note that Plug'nPay can only be used if set up ahead of creating a cross-listed timed auction.
When using Wavebid for post-auction sale results and invoicing for a cross-listed timed auction, some details from the GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter) export may need to be manually imported into Wavebid. More details here.
Billing & Commissions
Commissions
Buyer
Buyer’s premium for cross-listed auctions must be set at the auction-level. Buyer’s premiums should be set in AuctionBuilder (Proxibid), and they will sync with GAP Toolbox (BidSpotter).
- Tiered buyer’s premium is not supported on timed auctions cross listed from Proxibid to BidSpotter.
Client
Your Client Success Manager will confirm listing fees and commissions with you ahead of the auction.
Billing
Billing will be handled separately for Proxibid and BidSpotter. You will likely receive two invoices (one from Proxibid, one from BidSpotter) and they will both be in your native currency ($ for US Proxibid clients).