Most WordPress users know WooCommerce as a rock-solid plugin for selling physical and digital products. But what if you want to run auctions on your website? Maybe you sell collectibles. Or maybe you want to auction off event tickets, custom items, or one-of-a-kind art pieces. Whatever your niche, Auctions for WooCommerce is a powerful plugin that lets you create eBay-style auctions directly on your WordPress site, with full integration into the WooCommerce ecosystem.
No need for a separate auction platform. No third-party tools. Just WordPress, WooCommerce, and this plugin.
Let’s dive into what Auctions for WooCommerce can do, how it works, and why it could be the perfect solution for building a competitive bidding experience right on your own site.
What Is Auctions for WooCommerce?
Auctions for WooCommerce is a premium WordPress plugin developed by WPGenesis that adds auction functionality to your existing WooCommerce store.
This means you can create:
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Standard auctions (with countdown timers and bid increments)
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Reverse auctions (lowest bidder wins)
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Sealed bid auctions (no one sees competing bids)
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Silent auctions (great for charity or closed events)
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Proxy bidding (auto-bid up to a user’s max)
It’s all handled through your WooCommerce dashboard, using the same product interface you’re already familiar with.
Even better, it works with:
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Variable products
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External/Affiliate products
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Multi-vendor setups (via plugins like Dokan or WC Vendors)
If you’re looking to add competitive excitement and scarcity-driven sales, this plugin delivers.
Who Should Use This Plugin?
Auctions for WooCommerce is ideal for:
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Artists and creators selling limited-edition pieces
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eBay-style marketplaces launching on WordPress
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Charities or fundraisers running silent or public auctions
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Resellers or flippers offering rare or used items
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Auto parts or hardware vendors with surplus inventory
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Digital entrepreneurs offering services to the highest bidder
Whether you’re selling one product a week or managing hundreds of listings, this plugin provides all the tools you need to run and manage your own auctions professionally.
Key Features of Auctions for WooCommerce
Let’s explore what makes this plugin powerful, flexible, and easy to integrate into your WooCommerce store.
1. Create Unlimited Auctions
There’s no cap on how many auction listings you can run. Each auction is just a custom product type inside WooCommerce.
You can set:
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Starting price
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Bid increment
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Auction start and end date/time
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Reserve price (optional minimum)
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“Buy It Now” price (optional instant purchase)
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Minimum and maximum bid amounts
This allows for both short-term flash auctions and longer, high-stakes bidding events.
2. Seamless WooCommerce Integration
Because it’s built directly on WooCommerce, everything works out of the box:
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Uses your existing theme and styling
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Compatible with checkout, cart, and account pages
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Works with payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and offline methods
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Supports product categories, tags, and attributes
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Emails, receipts, and user accounts remain consistent
No new system to learn—just more power inside the one you already use.
3. Bid Management System
The plugin includes a powerful bidding engine, allowing users to:
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Place manual bids
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Use proxy bidding (automatically raise their bid up to a limit)
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View bid history and current leading bid
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Get notified when they’re outbid
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Receive confirmation if they win
Admins can:
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View all bidding logs
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Ban or restrict certain users
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Set rules per product (like bid steps or bid caps)
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Cancel bids manually if needed
This keeps bidding competitive while ensuring fairness and transparency.
4. Auction Countdown Timer
Every auction product includes a real-time countdown timer that updates dynamically.
This creates:
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Urgency for late bidders
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Excitement in the final minutes
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A clear end to the bidding window
Timers can be displayed in the product page and even on archive/category listings for maximum visibility.
5. Reserve Price and Buy Now Options
Don’t want to sell below a certain amount? You can set a reserve price that must be met for the auction to complete.
Want to give buyers a shortcut? Add a Buy It Now price that lets them skip bidding and purchase outright.
These options add flexibility for sellers and decision-making for buyers, all while protecting your inventory’s value.
6. Automatic Bid Notifications and Emails
The plugin handles communication automatically:
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Bidders are alerted when outbid
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Winners receive notification emails with checkout links
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Admins are informed when auctions close
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Custom email templates can be used with WooCommerce email hooks
This ensures a smooth user experience and prevents missed sales.
7. Shortcode and Widget Support
You can showcase auctions using:
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Shortcodes for featured auctions, ending soon, or specific categories
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Widgets in sidebars or footers
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Filters for new bids, popular items, or buy-now listings
This lets you promote auctions anywhere on your site, driving more traffic and competition.
8. Proxy and Sealed Bid Modes
Need more bidding styles?
You can enable:
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Proxy bidding: Bidders set a max bid; the system automatically bids for them until their limit is reached
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Sealed bidding: Bids are hidden from the public until the auction closes
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Reverse auction: The lowest bidder wins (useful for service-based marketplaces)
This gives you more flexibility in how you run your auction events.
9. Multi-Vendor Support (via Add-ons)
Using multi-vendor plugins like Dokan or WC Vendors?
You can:
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Allow vendors to list their own auction products
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Earn commission per auction
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Let vendors manage bidding rules per item
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Create a full auction marketplace, like eBay or Flippa
This transforms your store into a platform for others to sell via auctions, opening new revenue streams.
10. Admin Control and Manual Adjustments
Admins have full control over:
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Starting or ending auctions manually
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Approving or disqualifying bidders
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Extending auction times
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Resetting or deleting bids
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Viewing logs and IP addresses
These tools help maintain order and handle any disputes or edge cases smoothly.
Use Case Examples
Here are some practical scenarios where Auctions for WooCommerce shines:
Art and Collectibles Store
Artists can auction limited-edition pieces with countdown timers, bidding wars, and buy-now options.
Charity Fundraisers
Nonprofits can run sealed or silent auctions for donor items and services, raising money while building engagement.
Used Auto Parts Seller
List rare parts and let customers bid. Set a reserve price to avoid selling too low.
Digital Service Marketplace
Freelancers offer their time or services (like logo design) to the highest bidder. Great for competitive gigs or timed offers.
Gaming or NFT Drops
Auction limited-time drops or digital collectibles. Accept payments in fiat or crypto via WooCommerce gateways.
Pros and Cons
Pros
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Seamless WooCommerce integration
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Unlimited auctions with flexible rules
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Supports multiple auction styles
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Automated bidding and notifications
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Compatible with vendors, themes, and payment gateways
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Clean, fast, and reliable performance
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Ideal for both single-store and marketplace setups
Cons
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Requires WooCommerce as a base plugin
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No free version with full features
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Sealed bids or reverse auctions require configuration knowledge
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Some features depend on theme compatibility for styling
Still, for anyone serious about auctions, the plugin offers tremendous value and flexibility.
Auctions for WooCommerce vs Other Auction Plugins
Feature | Auctions for WooCommerce | YITH Auctions | WP Auctions |
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WooCommerce-based | Yes | Yes | No |
Proxy bidding | Yes | Yes | No |
Sealed bidding | Yes | No | No |
Reverse auctions | Yes | No | No |
Vendor support | Yes (via addons) | No | No |
Buy Now support | Yes | Yes | No |
Shortcodes/widgets | Yes | Yes | No |
One-time license | Yes | No (subscription) | Yes |
As you can see, Auctions for WooCommerce offers the broadest feature set and cleanest WooCommerce integration.
Installation & Setup: What to Expect
Getting started is simple:
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Install WooCommerce
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Upload and activate Auctions for WooCommerce
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Set your general auction preferences
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Create an auction product like you would a normal product
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Set the auction type, start time, end time, and pricing rules
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Publish and start collecting bids
Most users can have their first auction live in under 30 minutes.
Pricing & Licensing
Auctions for WooCommerce is a premium plugin with a one-time license fee, which includes:
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Lifetime updates
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Use on one site
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Access to full feature set
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Documentation and support
Alternatively, Themexplug members can access it as part of their subscription, alongside 800+ other premium themes and plugins—no extra license required.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Definitely.
If you’ve ever wanted to launch an auction site—or simply add a bidding feature to your WooCommerce store—this plugin makes it effortless and professional.
It’s stable, deeply integrated, and gives you full control over how you sell, market, and manage competitive listings.
Whether you’re flipping collectibles, running fundraisers, or launching a full-scale bidding marketplace, Auctions for WooCommerce provides everything you need—without relying on third-party platforms.
CTA: Download Auctions for WooCommerce from Themexplug
Want to turn your WordPress store into an eBay-style marketplace?
Get Auctions for WooCommerce WordPress Plugin today on Themexplug.
Build excitement. Drive competition. And sell like never before—on your own terms.
Auction power, WordPress simplicity. It starts here.