Silent Auction Auto-Extend (Soft Close) Feature

Overview

Auto-Extend (Soft Close) protects competitive bidding by automatically pushing out the closing time of an auction item when last‑minute bids are received. Instead of abruptly ending when the scheduled time arrives, qualifying items stay open a bit longer, giving all engaged bidders a fair chance to respond.

What the Setting Does

On the Auction Management page (Manage Auction > Auction Settings > Advanced Bidding) you will find:

• Auto Extend Auction (toggle)
• Extend by (minutes) – AutoExtendByMinutes

When enabled:

Any bid placed within the last 2 minutes before an item’s scheduled end time triggers an automatic extension.

• The item’s end time moves forward by the configured number of minutes.
• Bidding continues even if the overall auction end time is earlier (item-level active bidding wins for that item).
• (Current implementation applies at the auction level; if an item has its own specific expiration date it uses that as the baseline for soft close logic.)

When It Applies

An item is eligible for auto-extension only if:

• Auction status is Active.
• The item is Active (not Awarded, Purchased, Paused, Cancelled).
• The item (or auction) has a scheduled expiration date.
• Auto-Extend minutes > 0.
• A confirmed bid arrives with less than 2:00 minutes remaining before the item’s scheduled close.

What Gets Extended

• Only the item’s bidding window (its effective end time).
• Each trigger adds exactly the configured AutoExtendByMinutes.
• Multiple extensions can happen back-to-back if bidding remains active in final minutes.

Notifications

When an item auto-extends:

• All bidders who have placed a confirmed bid on that item are notified (SMS and/or email, subject to available contact data and messaging settings).
  
  

Message content includes:

• Item number / name.
• Extension duration.
• New closing time (localized).
• Call to action: “Keep bidding”.

UI Indicators

Public list view and item detail views show:

• “Auto-Extend” or “Soft Close” badge when inside the final 10 minutes and feature is active.
• Updated closing time on extension.
• Remaining minutes (e.g., “Closes 4m”) where applicable.

If no bids arrive in the last 2 minutes, item closes normally at the scheduled time.

Example Timeline

Configured: Extend by 5 minutes
Scheduled end: 8:00 PM
Sequence:

• 7:58:30 PM – Bid received (1:30 remaining) ⇒ New end time: 8:05 PM
• 8:04:10 PM – Another bid (0:50 remaining) ⇒ New end time: 8:10 PM
• No further bids ⇒ Item closes 8:10 PM

Fairness & Rationale

Without auto-extend, sniping can occur: last‑second bids prevent counter‑bids. Soft close:

• Reduces frustration.
• Increases final realized value.
• Mirrors in‑person auction pacing.

Behavior Details & Edge Cases

Scenario	Result
Bid arrives ≥ 2:00 remaining	No extension
Bid arrives < 2:00 remaining	Extend by configured minutes
Auction-global end earlier than extended item	Item still continues; payment/award flows remain intact
Item already Awarded/Purchased	No extension
Buy-Now purchase in final minutes	Closes immediately (no further extension)
No scheduled end date	Feature inert

Configuration Best Practices

• Recommended extension window: 5–10 minutes (long enough to react, short enough to maintain momentum).
• Avoid very large values (>15) which can create fatigue.
• Communicate “soft close” rules in your auction terms.

Suggested Wording for Terms

“Items may auto-extend if bids are received in the final two minutes prior to closing to ensure fair competition.”

FAQ

Q: Can an item extend past the auction’s overall end time?
A: Yes. The item’s active bidding window takes precedence; finalization actions (award/checkout) follow afterward.

Q: Is there a cap on number of extensions?
A: No hard cap; each qualifying bid triggers another cycle.

Q: Can we disable mid-auction?
A: You can toggle off auto-extend; future bids won’t extend, but already extended times remain.