How to Create an Inventory Auction in BidWrangler

An inventory auction is an unpublished auction you use as a holding container for items that are not yet assigned to a specific sale. You catalog lots, photos, and seller information into it exactly like a normal auction, but because it is never published, bidders never see it. When you are ready to sell an item, you move it from the inventory auction into a real auction.

Use an inventory auction when property arrives before you know which sale it belongs to, for example incoming consignments you want to photograph and catalog right away, or a standing catalog you maintain for export to another platform. Some companies name theirs for the workflow, such as "Incoming Inventory" or "Inventory for Proxibid Export," so the team knows it is a workspace and not a sale.

If your items already belong to a specific upcoming auction and you just want to build the catalog privately before bidders see it, you do not need a separate inventory auction. Item staging covers that: items can be created unpublished inside the real auction (staff see them with an "Unpublished" watermark) and published one at a time or all at once with the "Publish All" button.

The system treats an inventory auction as a real auction, so it needs the same required fields as any other auction. The difference is in the values you choose:

• Published? stays unchecked, always. This is what keeps the auction and everything in it hidden from bidders.

• Timed Auction? checked, online only. No live auction settings are needed.

• Start Time and Scheduled End Time set far in the future so the auction never opens or closes on its own. For example, start January 1, 2030 and end January 1, 2035.

• Terms and Conditions are not needed. Use the "Confirm no terms" option since no one will ever register.

• Closing Speed fields still require values, because the system considers this a real timed auction. Any valid values work.

1. In the BidWrangler admin portal, select "Auction" from the left menu, then the "Create" tab.

2. Enter a clear workspace name, such as "Incoming Inventory," and a simple description.

3. Check "Timed Auction?" and enter the far-future Start Time, Scheduled End Time, and Time Zone.

4. Fill in the Closing Speed fields with any valid values.

5. Choose "Confirm no terms" instead of selecting Terms and Conditions.

6. Leave "Published?" unchecked and save.

You can now catalog into this auction from the Admin Portal, the BW Catalog App, or a spreadsheet import, exactly like any other auction, including assigning seller numbers as items come in.

When an item is ready to sell, move it from the inventory auction into the destination auction. You can move individual lots the same way you move an unsold lot to a new auction, and bulk item actions support moving multiple items from one auction to another. After the move, assign the lot number and position the item in the destination catalog.

Additional support article: How to duplicate and move items

Can bidders see items in an inventory auction?
No. An inventory auction is never published, so it does not appear in the app or on your website. Only admin users can see it and the items inside it.

Why does an inventory auction need closing speed and dates at all?
Because BidWrangler treats it as a real timed auction, the required timed auction fields still apply. Setting the start and end dates years in the future ensures the auction never actually opens, closes, or sends notifications on its own.

Can I store consignor information with inventory items?
Yes. Sellers can be assigned to items in an inventory auction just like in a normal auction, whether you catalog one at a time, use the BW Catalog App, or include a seller number column in a spreadsheet import.

Is this the same as a private auction?
No. A private auction is a published sale that is hidden from the public but visible to registered bidders. An inventory auction is never published and is never visible to any bidder.

Can I use an inventory auction with a third party platform like Proxibid?
Yes. A common workflow is to catalog items in an unpublished inventory auction for export to the other platform, and publish a separate, empty auction with a Third Party Bidding URL so bidders are routed to the platform actually hosting the sale.

• BidWrangler Auction Staging

• How do I create an auction in BidWrangler?

• How do I move an unsold lot to a new auction?

• BidWrangler Bulk Item Actions: How Do I Make Changes to Multiple Lots at Once?

• How do I add a third party bidding URL?

• How Do I Use The BidWrangler Catalog App?

If you have questions about setting up your inventory workflow, reach out to helpdesk@bidwrangler.com and our team will be happy to help.