Auctions vs Live Auctions: How UK Industrial Bidding Works
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In a timed online auction each lot has a fixed closing time and you bid through the platform, usually leaving a maximum (proxy) bid. In a live auction, including a live webcast, an auctioneer runs the sale in real time and you bid as each lot is called. Both are open and competitive; the difference is pace and how bids close. On-site sales are held at the premises for full clearances.
What is the difference between an online auction and a live auction?
An online auction is timed: each lot closes at a published time and you bid through the platform up to that point, often by leaving a maximum bid. A live auction runs in real time with an auctioneer calling lots one after another, and you bid as each comes up, whether you are in the room or joining the webcast online. The lots and the terms are the same; what changes is the pace and how the bidding closes.
- Timed online. How bidding works: Bid through the platform up to each lot's closing time, usually with a proxy bid. Pace: Days, at your own pace. Best for: Most plant, machinery and vehicle sales.
- Live webcast. How bidding works: An auctioneer calls lots in real time; you bid online as each comes up. Pace: Minutes per lot, live. Best for: Larger single sales and time-sensitive disposals.
- On-site. How bidding works: Held at the premises, live or webcast, often for a full clearance. Pace: Live, on the day. Best for: Business closures and site clearances.
Most industrial plant, machinery and commercial vehicles now sell through timed online sales, because they let a UK-wide and overseas buyer pool research and bid without travelling. Live and on-site formats still suit large single disposals and full closures.
How does a timed online auction work?
Each lot is listed in advance with photographs, specifications and a condition report, and has a published end time that it counts down to. You bid through the platform up to that time, either placing bids manually or leaving a maximum (proxy) bid. To keep the close fair, any bid in the final 10 minutes resets that lot's countdown to a fresh 10 minutes, and that reset happens again with every new bid, so a contested lot stays open as long as the bidding keeps going. Once a full 10 minutes passes with no further bid, the countdown runs to zero and the lot closes to the highest bid, subject to any reserve.
This rolling 10-minute extension is what stops last-second sniping. Because a late bid always reopens the clock, nobody can win a lot simply by getting a bid in on the buzzer, and you always get the chance to bid back if someone comes in against you. Lots usually close a short interval apart rather than all at once, so a busy sale can run down over several minutes or hours at the end. If you have left a proxy bid you do not need to watch the clock, because the platform keeps bidding to your maximum through every extension; even so, it pays to be available near the close of the lots you want in case the bidding runs past your limit.
How does a live webcast auction work?
A live webcast auction is run in real time by an auctioneer who calls each lot in turn, exactly as in a saleroom. You watch and bid online as the lot comes up, and the auctioneer takes bids from online and in-room bidders together. It is faster than a timed sale, with each lot decided in a minute or two, so you need to be ready when your lots are called.
Webcast bidding gives you the immediacy of a live saleroom without travelling. You see the current bid, place yours with a click, and the auctioneer manages the pace. It suits buyers who want to react to the room, and sellers who want the energy of a live sale with a national and international audience watching.
What is proxy bidding, and how do bid increments work?
A proxy or maximum bid is the most you are willing to pay, left in advance. The platform bids on your behalf only as far as it needs to stay in front, up to your maximum, so you often win below your ceiling. Bids rise in set increments that step up as the price climbs, so the system always bids the next valid step, not your whole maximum at once.
Increments matter because they decide the next valid bid. As the illustrative chart shows, a lot under £1,000 might rise in £50 steps, while a lot over £20,000 might move in £500 steps. If two buyers leave the same maximum, the one who bid first usually wins, because their bid was registered earlier at that level. The lesson is simple: set your true maximum from the all-in cost and let the proxy do the work, rather than nudging bids up by hand and paying more than you meant to.
What happens if a lot does not meet its reserve?
A reserve is the minimum a seller will accept. If bidding does not reach it, the lot is not sold, and it is marked unsold rather than sold below the floor. After the sale an unsold lot can sometimes be negotiated between the seller and the highest bidder, or re-entered into a later sale. The estimate you see is a guide to the likely range, not the reserve.
For buyers, this is why the estimate and the reserve are worth understanding. A lot can attract strong bidding and still not sell if it falls short of a reserve you cannot see. If you are keen on an unsold lot, it is worth asking us after the sale, because a deal is sometimes possible at or near the top bid. For sellers, a sensible reserve set with us is what lets competition find the real price without giving the lot away.
How do you take part in an auction, step by step?
You register with the auctioneer, clear any identity check or refundable deposit, inspect the lot or read the condition report, then bid by proxy or live. If you win, you pay in full before collection, usually by bank transfer within a set number of working days, then collect within the removal window. The steps are the same whether the sale is timed online or live.
- Register. Create an account, confirm your details and accept the sale terms. Higher-value sales may ask for an identity check or a refundable deposit.
- Inspect. View on the open day, or study the catalogue and condition report and ask us questions before the lot closes.
- Bid. Leave a maximum bid on a timed lot, or bid live as the auctioneer calls it.
- Win and pay. Pay in full before collection, usually by bank transfer within the stated time.
- Collect. Arrange collection within the removal window. We arrange collection UK-wide from our London base.
Online or live: which format suits you as a buyer?
If you want time to research, inspect and bid at your own pace, a timed online sale suits you best, and a proxy bid means you do not have to watch the clock. If you prefer to react as bidding unfolds, a live webcast suits you. For a full site clearance where you want to see everything in one place, an on-site sale is the one to attend or join online.
- Choose timed online for most plant, machinery and vehicle purchases, where you want to weigh the all-in cost and bid deliberately.
- Choose a live webcast when you want the pace of a real sale and the option to respond as bids come in.
- Attend or join an on-site sale for business closures and large single disposals, where seeing everything together helps.
Whichever format a lot is in, the fundamentals do not change: inspect or read the condition report, set your maximum from the all-in cost, and bid to it.
Why does online bidding widen the buyer pool for sellers?
Online and webcast bidding lets anyone take part without travelling, so a lot is not limited to whoever can attend on the day. A wider pool of bidders, including buyers in other parts of the UK and overseas, tends to lift the price. For a seller, that reach is the single biggest advantage of running a sale online rather than only in the room.
This is why we run our sales online and by webcast. A machine sold only to a local saleroom competes for a handful of bidders; the same machine listed online with a clear on-site catalogue entry competes for trade and export buyers across the country and beyond. More competition is what turns a fair price into a strong one, and it is the reason online has become the default for industrial assets.
How do we run our sales?
We catalogue every lot on-site, then sell by timed online and live webcast auction so bidders anywhere can take part. We state the buyer's premium and VAT terms up front, arrange collection UK-wide from our London base, and are EORI registered for export to overseas trade buyers. Whether you are buying plant or a commercial vehicle, the format is built to be open, clear and easy to join.
You can see current lots on our plant machinery auctions and commercial vehicle auctions pages. For the detail of buying a specific type of lot, our guides to buying plant and machinery at auction and buying commercial vehicles and ex-fleet vans walk through inspection, costs and collection.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Nudging bids by hand. Manual bidding up an increment at a time often pays more than a well-set proxy bid. Decide your maximum and enter it.
- Ignoring the close on a timed sale. A bid in the last 10 minutes resets the countdown, so a contested lot runs on past its listed end time until the bidding stops. Be available near the close, or leave a proxy bid and let it hold your maximum.
- Missing a live lot. In a webcast the auctioneer sets the pace. Be logged in and ready when your lots are called.
- Bidding the hammer, not the total. Premium, VAT and transport sit on top. Set your maximum from the all-in cost.
- Skipping the terms. Reserve, VAT status and collection windows differ by sale. Read them before you bid.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a timed online auction and a live auction?
A timed online auction closes each lot at a published time, and you bid through the platform up to that point, usually with a maximum bid. A live auction, including a live webcast, runs in real time with an auctioneer calling lots one after another, and you bid as each comes up. The lots and terms are the same; the pace and how bids close differ.
What is a proxy or maximum bid?
It is the most you are willing to pay, left in advance. The platform bids on your behalf only as far as it needs to stay in front, up to your maximum, so you often win below your ceiling. It saves you watching every second and stops you bidding more than you meant to in the heat of the close.
What is anti-sniping?
Anti-sniping stops a lot being won by a last-second bid. If a bid lands in the final 10 minutes, the lot's countdown resets to a fresh 10 minutes, and it resets again with every new bid, so bidding stays open until nobody responds. Once 10 minutes pass with no further bid, the lot closes. It means a timed sale can run past its listed close, so stay available near the end of the lots you want, or leave a proxy bid.
How do bid increments work?
Bids rise in set steps that increase with the price, for example small steps on a low-value lot and larger steps on a high-value one. The platform always bids the next valid increment on your behalf, not your whole maximum at once, so a proxy bid only goes as high as it needs to.
Is bidding online as safe as bidding in the room?
Yes. You bid against the same lots on the same terms, see the current price, and the auctioneer takes online and in-room bids together in a live sale. Online simply removes the need to travel and widens the pool of bidders, which is why most industrial sales now run online or by webcast.
Which format is better for sellers?
Both are open and competitive, and the right one depends on the disposal. Timed online sales suit most plant, machinery and vehicle lots and give buyers time to research. Live webcast sales suit large single disposals and time-sensitive sales. In every case, online reach widens the buyer pool, which tends to lift the price.
Sources and references
- VAT margin schemes (how VAT is charged on second-hand goods) · GOV.UK / HMRC, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/vat-margin-schemes
- Get an EORI number · GOV.UK, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/eori
We run online and live webcast auctions of plant, machinery, commercial vehicles and business assets across the UK, catalogued on-site and open to bidders anywhere. EORI registered and export-ready for overseas trade buyers.
View live plant auctionsUniversal Auctions Group · EORI registered and export-ready · on-site cataloguing, UK-wide collection. This article is general information for trade buyers and sellers and is not financial, tax or legal advice.
