Resources · AutoBid
AutoBid: guides, playbooks and tools.
Everything we have written about the problems AutoBid solves, in one place.
Guides
- Freight Bidding Platform: How It Works and What to AskA freight bidding platform sends a load to many truck owners and brokers, collects their rates before a closing time, ranks them and records the award. Before choosing one, check how vendors bid (an app or WhatsApp), what happens when nobody bids, whether prices show each vendor’s record, and whether bids are compared with what you last paid.
- Reverse Auction in Freight: How It Works and Its RisksIn a freight reverse auction, truck owners and brokers bid down on a load and the lowest acceptable bid (L1) usually wins. It brings rates to the market when many qualified vendors serve a lane, but needs safeguards: reminders and extensions, vendor win rate and drop-offs beside the price, and a comparison with the rate last paid.
- Spot vs Contract Freight Rates: Which to Use WhenA contract freight rate is agreed for a lane for months and buys stability; a spot rate is quoted for one load now and follows the market. Put steady, high-volume lanes on contract, bid irregular lanes and peaks on the spot market, and compare the two on the same lane every month.
- What Is an RFQ in Logistics? What to IncludeAn RFQ (request for quotation) in logistics asks transport vendors to quote a price for a defined job. A good freight RFQ states origin and destination, vehicle type, weight and volume, pickup time, any return trip, loading and payment terms, the closing time for quotes and the award rule, so bids are comparable.
- Transport Vendor Selection Criteria for ShippersTransport vendors should be selected on price plus record: responsiveness to invitations, reliability after winning (drop-offs), route and vehicle coverage, on-time and damage-free service, compliance and payment terms. Track these per vendor and use statuses such as Normal, Restricted, Suspended and Blacklisted.
- Freight Cost Reduction: 8 Levers for ShippersFreight cost falls when every load is bid to several vendors with a closing time, compared with the rate last paid on the lane, split between contract and spot rates, loaded fuller, bid with its return trip, freed from detention and kept away from unreliable vendors. Prove savings against a lane baseline.
Free calculators
- Freight Bid Savings CalculatorFreight bid savings per load = rate last paid on the lane − winning bid; multiply by similar loads for monthly and yearly estimates. This free calculator also flags thin participation, because fewer than three bids rarely reflects the market.
Playbooks
- No Bids on a Load: Reminders and Auto-ExtensionWhen nobody bids on a load, send reminders before closing, extend the window automatically, check whether invitations were delivered and read, and widen the vendor list for that route. AutoBid sends reminders every 10 minutes near closing and extends by 30 minutes when there are no bids.
- Vendor Drop-offs After Winning a LoadA vendor drop-off is a load won and then not placed. Record each one, show drop-offs and win rate next to the vendor’s next bid, move repeat offenders to Restricted or Suspended, and re-bid quickly to vendors with a clean record. Drop-off rate = awarded loads not placed ÷ awarded loads.
- Bid vs Actual: Checking Freight Paid by LaneBid vs actual compares the freight rate awarded in bidding with the rate actually paid and with the lane’s previous rate. Pull actuals from the ERP, flag differences above a threshold, find loads booked outside bidding and review by lane and vendor every month.
Comparisons
- WhatsApp Bidding vs Vendor Portal vs Email RFQFor spot freight with many small truck owners and brokers, WhatsApp bidding usually gets more participation than a vendor portal or email RFQs, because vendors reply in a chat they already use and delivery and read status are visible. Portals suit large contract tenders; email suits formal tenders with documents.
The product behind these guides. AutoBid sends every load to your owners and brokers on WhatsApp, ranks the bids and keeps each vendor’s record. Book a 30-minute working session.