AMPERSAND, a wine auctioneer, has been running something we do not see often: a single sale that begins as a timed auction and ends as a live one.
Bidders can take part in the timed phase at their own pace, or buy outright through the Buy Now option. When the live auction opens, the same lots move into a real-time event with a video stream, and bidders who were following from a distance can join the room.
Why this is technically awkward
Most platforms treat timed and live as separate products, often separate systems. Moving lots between them means an export and a re-import, and the bidding history does not travel. Bidders who registered for the timed phase register again for the live one.
On our platform both run on the same bid engine and the same lot records, so the transition is a state change rather than a migration. Bidder registration, watchlists and bid history carry across.
The app matters here
A hybrid sale only works if bidders can follow it without sitting at a desk. AMPERSAND uses the native app on iOS and Android, which means push notifications when a followed lot is about to move into the live phase.