🗣️ This article is intended for Buyers. If you are a Supplier, please refer to our Supplier hub content.
Now that we’ve covered how to set up a request with an auction exchange, let's explore what the eAuction experience looks like in practice.
Once a request with an auction has been issued, the following sections outline what you can expect at each stage of the process.
Before the Auction Starts
If changes to the auction details are required after the request has been issued—but before the auction begins—you can create a revision by selecting Request actions and then Revise request. Once the necessary updates have been made, such as modifying the auction start date and time, be sure to issue the revision from the Review & send tab before the auction starts.
Other than that, there is usually very little action required before or during the auction itself. However, you can monitor Supplier activity, such as checking their bid status under the Suppliers tab of the Request, or analysing pre-bids under the Auction tab within the request, which appears as soon as the request has been sent to Supplies.
Before the start of the auction, under the Auction tab, depending on your auction setup (Total value or Lots), you’ll see one or multiple countdown timers displaying the time remaining until the event starts. You’ll also see one (total value) or more (lots) leaderboard charts based on your bidding scope configuration.
Pre-bids
If pre-bidding was enabled during auction setup and suppliers submitted bids before the live auction began, their starting prices will be displayed on the leaderboard.
Live Auction Dashboard
Once the eAuction begins, the Auction tab becomes your primary point of focus. A countdown timer will be displayed, showing the remaining time until the auction concludes.
If auto-extension is enabled, the auction timer will automatically reset when a supplier submits a qualifying bid. The timer will be extended by the number of minutes configured for leading bids placed during the final stage of the auction.
Leaderboard
The leaderboard updates supplier rankings in real time as bids are submitted. Each bid is timestamped and recorded in the audit trail.
✏️ Please note: To focus solely on the Summary and Leaderboards, click Collapse in the top-right corner to hide the navigation and tabs for a full-screen view. Click Expand to return to the standard layout.
In the live eAuction dashboard, you’ll also see lice price savings displayed in green. These represent the difference between the lowest opening bid and the final bid value.
The comparison view, located at the bottom of the dashboard, displays all supplier bids across each item. This data can be downloaded offline by selecting Download CSV in the top-right corner.
Communicating with Suppliers
A key feature of eAuctions in the DeepStream platform is the integrated live chat functionality, which enables seamless communication throughout the event.
Buyers can access the chat as soon as the request is issued, while suppliers gain access after confirming their intention to participate in the auction.
The chat supports both broadcast messages to all participating suppliers and private one-to-one conversations, providing flexibility for different communication needs.
Because the chat is embedded directly within the auction page, users can communicate without leaving the auction environment, allowing them to stay focused on the event as it unfolds.
In addition, the Technical support option located alongside the chat enables buyers and suppliers to contact the DeepStream Support team for assistance during the auction.
If a live auction needs to be paused, please contact DeepStream's Customer Success team using the help chat button located in the bottom-right corner of any DeepStream page.
Awarding the Auction
Once the auction has concluded, you can proceed with awarding the selected supplier(s). To do so, open the Request actions menu and select Award request.