Auctions vs Live Auctions: How UK Industrial Bidding Works
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In a timed online auction each lot has a published closing time, extended by late bids, 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. Our own sales are all timed online auctions.
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. Some auctioneers still use live and on-site formats for large single disposals; our sales, including full closures, run as timed online auctions.
How does a timed online auction work?
Each lot is listed in advance with the vendor's photographs and description, 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, under our current timed-auction format 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. A highest bid below the reserve can stand as a provisional bid for 24 hours after the close, for the vendor to accept or decline.
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. We do not run live or webcast sales ourselves; every UAG sale is a timed online auction.
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 automatically. Under our terms a highest bid below the reserve becomes a provisional bid that stays valid for 24 hours after the sale closes, and the vendor can accept it in that time; reserves can also be amended during and after the sale. A lot that still does not sell may be 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, and remember that every bid is legally binding, so a provisional bid the vendor accepts is a purchase. 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, study the listing and view by appointment where you can, then bid by proxy or as the lot runs down. If you win, you pay in full by bank transfer within 24 hours of receiving the invoice, then collect by prior appointment 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. Study the vendor's photographs and description and ask us questions before the lot closes. Viewing is available strictly by prior appointment and is strongly recommended.
- Bid. Leave a maximum bid, or bid as the lot runs down to its close.
- Win and pay. Pay in full by bank transfer within 24 hours of receiving the invoice.
- Collect. Collect by prior appointment within the removal window. Buyers are responsible for arranging collection and transport.
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: view by appointment or study the listing closely, set your maximum from the all-in cost, and bid to it.
Why does online bidding widen the buyer pool for sellers?
Online bidding lets trade buyers 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. A machine sold only to a local saleroom competes for a handful of bidders; the same machine listed online with a clear description and photographs 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 list each lot from the information and photographs the vendor supplies, then sell by timed online auction so trade bidders anywhere can take part. Bidding normally remains open for several days, with the exact opening and closing times stated for each auction. Buyers pay the buyer's premium stated for the individual lot, together with applicable VAT. UAG does not currently apply a standard internet surcharge. Any auction-specific additional charge, where applicable, will be clearly disclosed in the Additional Fees information before bidding. Buyers arrange their own collection and transport by appointment, and overseas trade buyers are welcome to participate. 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 some large single disposals elsewhere. At UAG, large disposals included, every sale runs as a timed online auction. 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 timed online auctions of plant, machinery, commercial vehicles and business assets across the UK, listed from the vendor's details and photographs and open to trade bidders anywhere. EORI registered and export-ready for overseas trade buyers.
View current plant auctionsUniversal Auctions Group Ltd acts solely as auctioneer and agent for the vendor and is not a party to the contract of sale between the vendor and successful bidder. Auctions are trade-only. Listings are prepared from information and photographs supplied by the vendor. UAG does not mechanically inspect or test assets and does not provide condition reports. Buyers must carry out their own inspection, enquiries and due diligence before bidding. The individual auction and lot terms govern every purchase.
Universal Auctions Group · EORI registered and export-ready · no seller fees. This article is general information for trade buyers and sellers and is not financial, tax or legal advice.
