# What Is a Timed Online Auction?

> A timed auction takes bids online for a set period, often several days, and each lot closes at a scheduled time, usually with a soft-close extension. A live (or webcast) auction is called in real time by an auctioneer, lot by lot, and online bidders join as it happens. You can leave a maximum bid in either, but only a timed auction can be bid on without being there.

URL: https://ghostnode.co/glossary/timed-auction  
Section: Glossary  
Published: 2026-10-11 · Updated: 2026-10-11  
Publisher: GhostNode (https://ghostnode.co)

A **timed auction** is the standard online format: lots are listed with a closing time and anyone can bid at any time until then. There is no auctioneer calling bids; the clock decides.

## Timed and live auctions side by side

| | Timed (online-only) | Live or webcast |
|:--|:--|:--|
| How long it runs | Days, often a week | Minutes per lot, on one day |
| How a lot ends | At its closing time, often with a [soft-close](https://ghostnode.co/glossary/soft-close) extension | When the auctioneer stops taking bids |
| Bidding without being there | Yes: leave a maximum, or use an auto-bidder | Only an [absentee bid](https://ghostnode.co/glossary/absentee-bid) left in advance |
| Where you meet it | ShopGoodwill, HiBid timed catalogs, eBay (as "auction-style" listings) | Auction houses that also stream their sales |

## How lots close in a timed auction

- **Each lot has its own end time.** In larger catalogs the lots close one after another ([staggered closing](https://ghostnode.co/glossary/staggered-closing)).
- **Many extend on late bids.** A soft close moves a lot's end later when a bid arrives near it, until a quiet period passes.
- **Some end at a fixed second.** eBay auctions are the best-known [hard close](https://ghostnode.co/glossary/hard-close).

## Bidding on timed auctions well

1. **Find lots early.** Timed auctions run for days; the advantage goes to bidders who see a lot before most others do.
2. **Decide your maximum early, place it late.** Early bids invite bidding wars.
3. **Know when the window is.** On ShopGoodwill, K-BID and mac.bid most lots close within a few evening hours; elsewhere closes are spread more widely ([see the data](https://ghostnode.co/reports/when-online-auctions-end)).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between a timed auction and a live auction?

In a timed auction every lot has a closing time and bids arrive online over days. In a live or webcast auction an auctioneer sells lots one at a time in real time; online bidders bid along with the room, and a lot can sell in under a minute.

### Can I snipe a live webcast auction?

Not in the usual sense: a live lot has no fixed closing second, it ends when the auctioneer stops taking bids. You can leave an absentee (maximum) bid in advance or bid live as it happens.

## Related

- https://ghostnode.co/glossary/soft-close
- https://ghostnode.co/glossary/staggered-closing
- https://ghostnode.co/glossary/absentee-bid
- https://ghostnode.co/marketplaces/proxibid

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About the publisher: GhostNode is an online auction monitoring and auto-bidding service. It searches 8 auction marketplaces (eBay, ShopGoodwill, HiBid, BestBid, AllSurplus, K-BID, Proxibid and mac.bid) for your keywords around the clock, keeps every match in one list with its price and closing time, and can place real bids for you on eBay, ShopGoodwill, HiBid and BestBid up to a maximum you set. Plans: Scout (free), Hunter $9.95/month, Sniper $29.95/month, Ghost $49.95/month. https://ghostnode.co/pricing