BidsOnline

What BidsOnline does

BidsOnline Pty. Ltd., trading as BidsOnline (and historically referenced as Bidsonline), is an Australian privately-held IT company founded in 2006 that designs, develops, and operates online auction software for professional auctioneers. It is headquartered in Baulkham Hills (Sydney, NSW) with a secondary office in Murarrie (Brisbane, QLD) and serves the Australian market exclusively. The platform combines a timed online auction system, a webcast/simulcast live bidding module, and back-office tools (EasyBids and CarsPlus) into an integrated suite used by car and motor vehicle auction houses, farm and rural machinery auctioneers, and truck/plant/equipment dealers, with secondary reach into art/collectibles, charities, and specialty clearances.

The product portfolio is built on Microsoft programming languages and Microsoft SQL Server with a client/server architecture that can be deployed on customer premises or in the cloud. Differentiated features include Dynamic Auction Control (Near Reserve banner, real-time bid increment adjustment, On the Market one-click reserve reduction), mobile lotting and barcode scanning, Level 1 PCI-compliant credit card processing that does not store card data, integrated PPSR searches for vehicle auctions, and a blockchain-based member credential integration demonstrated via the AusGP Access case study. The 84,000+ registered bidder database and 71,000+ vehicles sold annually are cited as core scale metrics.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining software licensing to auctioneers (subscription/recurring) with transaction-based buyer's premium revenue from auctions conducted through the platform. Distribution is direct sales-led through the Sydney and Brisbane offices with phone support, augmented by automatic listing distribution to four Australian classifieds (AgTrader, Farmmachinerysales, Machines4U, Tradefarmequipment) and a Facebook group presence. No external funding rounds, M&A activity, or institutional investors are disclosed; ownership remains concentrated with founders, and the company has never been publicly listed.

Name

BidsOnline

Legal name

Bidsonline Pty. Ltd.

Website

https://bidsonline.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BidsOnline Pty. Ltd. is an Australian privately-held IT company, founded in 2006 and based in Sydney with a Brisbane office, that develops and licenses online auction software — timed auctions, live webcast/simulcast bidding, and back-office tools (EasyBids, CarsPlus) — to professional auctioneers across the car, farm machinery, and equipment verticals in Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Auction Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Commercial Real Estate Auctions (BPAJAEAB)

Keywords

• Online auction software
• Live webcast bidding
• Timed auction platform
• Auction management system
• Simulcast auction software

Headquarters

HQ city

Baulkham Hills

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Auction Software Licensing: Software licensing to auctioneers for online auctions, webcast/ simulcast bidding, trust accounting and financial reporting.
2. Buyers Premium from Auctions: Buyers premium applied to winning bids on auctions conducted through the platform. Each auction states the amount of buyers premium that will be applied.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BidsOnline designs, develops and licenses an online auction software platform for professional auctioneers across Australia. The platform supports timed online auctions with real-time bidding and automatic extensions, live webcast/simulcast bidding, back-office lotting, trust accounting, financial reporting, and payment processing. The software is white-labeled to each auction house and deployed on customer or cloud servers, with a national bidder database of 84,000+ users as a free marketing offering to auctioneer clients.

Product overview

BidsOnline is an Australian auction software platform offering a portfolio of interconnected products for online and webcast auctions. The core offering consists of Timed Online Auctions (the primary bidding platform with real-time bidding and automatic extensions), Webcast Auctions (live webcast and simulcast bidding with touch-screen auction clerk), and EasyBids (back office lotting and management system). Supporting modules include CarsPlus (specialised car auction operations with PPSR integration), Reverse Auctions (descending-price format for produce markets), Credit Card Payments (Level 1 PCI compliant payment processing), Online Tender Software (EOI and tender functionality), and Farm Clearance solutions. All products are Australian-made and supported, with offices in Sydney and Brisbane.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EasyBids: Back office software for auctioneers – fully integrated with Bidsonline's simulcast and timed online auctions. Includes lotting, barcode scanning, and catalogue creation features.
• CarsPlus

Products and services

• Timed Online Auctions The primary BidsOnline auction platform enabling sellers to list items for bidding over a specified time period. Features real-time bidding, automatic closing-time extensions, and catalogue management with photos and videos; intended for professional auctioneers across Australia.
• Webcast Auctions (Live Bidding) Live webcast and simulcast bidding system designed to keep up with the speed of the fastest auctioneer. Includes a touch-screen PC auction clerk program, pre-auction bidding, live webcast streaming, and On the Market functionality; intended for auctioneers running physical-floor auctions with remote bidder participation.
• EasyBids Back-office lotting and catalogue creation software for auctioneers, fully integrated with BidsOnline's simulcast and timed online auctions. Includes barcode scanning, smartphone/tablet consignment entry, floor layout management, asset class management, trust accounts, and bidder registrations management; intended for auctioneers managing large lot inventories.
• CarsPlus Operational and financial system for car auctions built on client/server architecture with web-based executive reporting. Includes smartphone/tablet booking in, financial reporting and accounting, full trust accounting, and integrated PPSR (Personal Property Securities Register) searches; intended for vehicle auction houses and dealerships.
• Reverse Auctions Auction format where the price starts artificially high and drops until a bidder clicks the buy button; each lot has identical boxes or bins and bidders pay the lowest accepted price. Intended for fish, flower and fresh produce markets.
• Credit Card Payments for Auctioneers Level 1 PCI compliant credit card authorization module that protects vendors from bidders who default. Automatically claims deposits and streams the receipting process; credit card details pass immediately to the banking system and are not stored on the website; intended for auctioneers wanting assured bidder payment.
• Online Tender Software Platform for conducting online tenders and expressions of interest, allowing vendors to accept EOI submissions and open-to-offers listings alongside standard auction formats; intended for vendors running tender-style procurement or asset sales.
• EasyBids Farm Clearance Specialised timed online auction system for farm clearances featuring lot staggering, automatic bid extensions, On the Market functionality, Google search integration, and automatic listing distribution to AgTrader.com.au and Farmmachinerysales.com.au; intended for rural and farm machinery auctioneers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 71,000+ vehicles sold annually using Bidsonline's webcast auction software
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Power'd DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Collaboration on AusGP Access members program for Australian Grand Prix. Bidsonline provided custom auction platform with blockchain member data transfers and multi-level auction access requirements.
• AgTrader.com.au (The Land)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBidsonline automatically sends auction listings and photographs to AgTrader.com.au for increased auction exposure.
• Farmmachinerysales.com.auminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuction listings automatically distributed to Farmmachinerysales.com.au for agricultural equipment visibility.
• Machines4U.com.auminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutomatic listing distribution to Machines4U.com.au (coming soon at time of source).
• Tradefarmequipment.com.auminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutomatic listing distribution to Tradefarmequipment.com.au (coming soon at time of source).
• EasyBidscoreTechnology or IntegrationEasyBids is a software product of Bidsonline - back office system for auctioneers that is fully integrated with Bidsonline's simulcast and timed online auctions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HiBid (Auction Flex): HiBid, operated by Auction Flex, is a leading online auction platform serving auctioneers across the US and Canada with timed online auctions, webcast/live bidding, and a bidder marketplace. Directly comparable product offering and go-to-market model to BidsOnline.
• Auction Mobility: Auction Mobility provides white-labeled online auction websites, mobile bidding apps, and live webcast software to auction houses across North America. Direct peer as a SaaS provider to professional auctioneers with a comparable product suite.
• Proxibid: Proxibid is a US-headquartered online auction marketplace and software platform connecting bidders to auctioneers across multiple verticals (heavy equipment, vehicles, real estate, antiques). Directly comparable as a multi-vertical online auction software provider serving auctioneers with a two-sided bidder network.
• Wavebid: Wavebid offers cloud-based auction management software including clerking, cataloging, and online bidding tools for auctioneers. Direct peer providing software to professional auctioneers, with overlapping back-office and online bidding functionality.
• Bidpath: Bidpath (formerly Auctionpay/Bidopia) provides online auction software, payment processing, and auctioneer management tools to a wide range of auction houses. Direct peer with similar vertical breadth and B2B SaaS to auctioneers model.

Broad incumbents

• Manheim (Cox Automotive): Manheim, part of Cox Automotive, is the largest vehicle auction operator in the US with significant technology infrastructure for online simulcast and timed auctions. Broad incumbent that operates at scale in the vehicle auction vertical, comparable to BidsOnline's CarsPlus car auction product.

Regional players

• Pickles Auctions: Pickles is one of Australia's largest auctioneering companies, with significant operations in motor vehicles, construction, and industrial equipment. A potential enterprise customer of BidsOnline-style software and a regional peer in the same Australian auction ecosystem.
• Grays (GrayOnline): Grays is a major Australian online auction and asset advisory business operating across industrial, mining, wine, and consumer verticals. Comparable as an Australian-headquartered multi-vertical auction platform, though Grays operates its own auctions rather than licensing software.

Others

• Rouse Services: Rouse Services provides auction industry data, analytics, appraisal, and auction technology services. Ecosystem participant and potential partner/competitor in the auction technology stack, particularly for valuation and market intelligence on equipment and vehicles.

Emerging players

• Ebid Local: Ebid Local operates an online auction marketplace connecting buyers with local auctioneers in North America. Emerging peer with a comparable marketplace-led approach to connecting bidders with auctioneers, though with less vertical depth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/farmmachineryauctions
• Xx.com/bidsonline

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BidsOnline