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Sealed / Silent Auctions

Sealed bid auction software — secret bids, fair results

Take private bids no one can see until close — not even you. BidWright ships two sealed engines: highest-wins for premium sales, and lowest-wins for tenders and procurement. Built entirely in-house, with no plugins or licence fees.

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✓ Highest & lowest modes✓ Revisable bids✓ Winner-only reveal

What is a sealed bid auction?

A sealed bid (silent) auction takes private bids that no one else can see — not even the seller — until the auction closes. Because bidders can't react to each other, they bid their true number, which makes the format ideal for tenders, sensitive sales, and anywhere discretion and a defensible process matter.

Mode 1 — Ascending

Highest wins

The highest sealed bid takes the lot. Your reserve acts as a minimum the winning bid must meet. Best for premium, discreet, and high-value sales.

Mode 2 — Descending

Lowest wins

The lowest sealed bid takes the lot. Your reserve acts as a maximum bids must stay under. Built for tenders, procurement, and reverse sourcing.

How the sealed engine works

01 — Bid in privateBidders submit a sealed bid that's hidden from everyone, including you.
02 — Revise freelyThey can update their bid any number of times before the deadline.
03 — Two-bidder gateA lot needs at least two distinct bidders to produce a valid result.
04 — Reveal winnerAt close, only the winning bid and winner are shown; the rest stay private forever.

When to use a sealed bid auction

Tenders & procurement

Lowest-wins sealed bidding gives a transparent, auditable sourcing process.

Property

Confidential offers on sensitive or high-value property, without a public bidding war.

Government & municipal

Formal, defensible disposal and supply processes with a clear paper trail.

Fundraising

Silent auctions where supporters bid discreetly from anywhere.

Sensitive sales

Estates, collections, or assets where discretion matters more than spectacle.

Best-and-final offers

Invite one confidential round and let the numbers decide.

Built in-house — like all six BidWright engines

Both sealed engines are our own code. That means no per-module licence fees, nothing to break on a third-party update, and the freedom to shape the rules — reserve direction, deadlines, validity gates — around your process.

Explore the other enginesWhy in-house matters

Sealed bid auction FAQ

What is a sealed bid auction?
A sealed bid (silent) auction takes private bids no one else can see — not even the seller — until the auction closes. The winner is decided when bids are revealed.
What's the difference between highest-wins and lowest-wins?
Highest-wins awards the lot to the highest sealed bid (reserve as a minimum) — ideal for premium sales. Lowest-wins awards it to the lowest sealed bid (reserve as a maximum) — ideal for tenders and procurement.
Can bidders change their bid?
Yes. Bidders can revise their sealed bid any number of times up to the deadline; only the final bid counts.
Is there a minimum number of bidders?
Yes — a lot needs sealed bids from at least two distinct bidders to produce a valid result; otherwise it goes unsold.
Are losing bids ever revealed?
No. After close, only the winning bid and winner are shown. All other bids stay private.
Is the sealed engine built in-house?
Yes — our own code, no third-party plugins, no per-module licence fees, and white-labellable or extendable.

Launch a sealed bid engine you own

Book a 30-minute demo and we'll show both sealed modes live, then map them to your tenders or sales.

In-house. No plugins. No licence fees.

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