About Bidall
Our Mission
Bidall is South Africa's premier online auction platform, connecting buyers and sellers through a transparent, efficient, and user-friendly marketplace. We empower auctioneers to reach a wider audience while providing buyers with access to unique items from across the country.
Transparency
Fair, open bidding with real-time updates, soft close, and multiple auction formats.
Trust
Verified auctioneers with ratings, direct communication, and reliable auction management.
Innovation
Four auction formats, proxy bidding, live watchlists, and modern technology making auctions accessible to everyone.
Four Auction Formats
English (Traditional)
The classic auction format. Price starts low and bidders compete to push it higher. Highest bid wins when the timer runs out. Includes soft close protection and proxy bidding.
Dutch (Descending Price)
Price starts high and drops automatically over time. First buyer to act wins at the current price. Fast-paced and exciting with multiple drop strategies to build tension.
Sealed (Silent Bid / Tender)
All bids are secret until the auction ends. No one — not even the auctioneer — can see what others have bid. The auctioneer chooses whether the highest or lowest bid wins, and can attach a tender document (PDF) for lowest-bid tenders.
Live (Auctioneer-Paced)
The real auction-room experience online. Lots cycle through presenting, open bidding, going once, and going twice — complete with an opening chime, phase countdown, and subject-to-confirmation hammer.
Community Auctions
Beyond the four classic formats, Bidall runs Community Auctions — a peer-to-peer model built for local WhatsApp groups. Any community member can list items, the community bids together on auction night, and the winner collects directly from the seller.
Flat R20 starting bid
No reserves. The market sets the price. Free to list — sellers only pay the 5% platform fee on lots that sell.
Local agents
Each region is fronted by a local Agent — someone with a 50+ member WhatsApp group — who runs the community marketing and earns a share of platform commission.
Built-in protection
Sellers can decline lowball bids within 24 hours. Buyers who don't pay get strikes — auto-blocked after two in 6 months.
Why Choose Us?
For Buyers
- Access to auctions across South Africa from one platform
- Four auction formats — English, Dutch, Sealed, and Live — each with a unique experience
- Live auction mode with phase countdowns, opening chime, and "you have the highest bid" banner
- Real-time bidding with live countdown timers and instant bid updates
- Proxy bidding — set your maximum and let the system bid for you (English auctions)
- Soft close protection — last-second bids extend the timer fairly (English auctions)
- Smart bidding UX — urgency timers, outbid alerts, one-tap rebid, and "going once/twice" indicators
- Sticky mobile bid bar — bid quickly without scrolling on your phone
- Watchlist with live bidding — monitor and bid on saved lots from one page
- Follow auctioneers you trust and get notified of their new auctions
- In-app notification bell — never miss an important update
- Rate auctioneers to help the community find trusted sellers
- Install as an app on your phone — no app store needed (PWA)
- Mobile-friendly interface for bidding anywhere, anytime
- Direct contact with auctioneers via WhatsApp, phone, or website
- Email summary when you win lots
For Auctioneers
- Instant activation — register and start creating auctions right away
- Four auction formats to suit any sale: English, Dutch, Sealed, and Live
- Live auction control room — run a real-time sale with presenting, bidding, going once/twice, and confirm/reject hammer
- Pay-as-you-go credits: only pay when your auction goes live
- Simple lot pricing based on images: R1 (1 image), R5 (2-5), R20 (6+)
- Only two platform fees — lot listing fee and 1% commission on sold lots
- Your own branded profile page with ratings, followers, bio, and contact details
- Send push notifications to your followers about upcoming auctions
- WhatsApp Broadcast Builder — compose and share auction info to your WhatsApp groups
- WhatsApp share buttons on auctions and individual lots
- Automatic Facebook posting when auctions are published and go live
- Subject to Confirmation — mark lots that need your approval before the sale is final
- Tender Documents — attach a PDF per lot on lowest-bid sealed auctions for formal tender submissions
- White-Label Branding — run your public auction page under your own logo, colours, and favicon
- Staff management — invite team members with role-based permissions
- Reserve prices and buyer's premium options per auction
- Relist unsold lots — bulk relist into new auctions with free relists for no-bid lots
- Collections tracking — manage payments and follow up with bidders via WhatsApp
- Optional registration and deposit requirements per auction
- Built-in image optimisation — WebP conversion and auto-rotation
- Detailed per-auction reports with live and post-auction data
Our Platform
Built with cutting-edge technology, Bidall provides a seamless auction experience for both buyers and sellers. Our platform features:
- ✓ Four auction formats: English, Dutch, Sealed, and Live
- ✓ Community Auctions — peer-to-peer for local WhatsApp groups
- ✓ Community Agent program with tiered commission sharing
- ✓ Live auction mode with phase countdown and opening chime
- ✓ Real-time bidding with live countdown timers
- ✓ Proxy bidding — automatic bidding up to your max
- ✓ Automatic soft close extensions (English)
- ✓ Smart bidding UX with urgency indicators and one-tap rebid
- ✓ Dutch auctions with configurable drop strategies
- ✓ Sealed auctions with secret bids
- ✓ Tender documents (PDF) for lowest-bid sealed auctions
- ✓ White-label branding — your logo, colours, and favicon on your auction page
- ✓ Subject to Confirmation — auctioneer approval workflow
- ✓ Progressive Web App — install on your phone like a native app
- ✓ Mobile-responsive design with sticky bid bar
- ✓ WebP image optimisation and auto-rotation
- ✓ Map-based auctioneer discovery
- ✓ Auctioneer profiles, ratings, and follower system
- ✓ In-app notifications for auctioneers and bidders
- ✓ WhatsApp sharing and Broadcast Builder for auctioneers
- ✓ Automatic Facebook posting on publish and go-live
- ✓ Staff accounts with role-based permissions
- ✓ Live watchlist with direct bidding
- ✓ Reserve prices and buyer's premium
- ✓ Bulk relist unsold lots
- ✓ Collections management with WhatsApp reminders
- ✓ Optional auction deposits and registration
- ✓ Automated winner email notifications
- ✓ Pay-as-you-go credit system — two simple fees
Join Us Today
Whether you're buying or selling, Bidall is your gateway to South Africa's auction marketplace.
