Scenario: running a reverse auction
An e-auction for a commodity part — capturing savings without a race to the bottom on quality.
An e-auction that captures real savings on a commodity part — without a race to the bottom on quality.
You buy a standard commodity fastener from a competitive market: many capable suppliers, little to differentiate them but price. That's exactly the case an e-auction is built for — provided you qualify first and set the rules so quality can't slip out the back.
Set the rules before anyone bids
- Qualify first. Only pre-approved suppliers who pass the same checks are invited — the auction ranks price, it doesn't vet capability.
- Fixed spec, fixed terms. Identical drawing, quality standard, incoterms, and payment terms, so every bid is comparable.
- Reserve price & rules. A ceiling from your should-cost model, timed extensions to stop last-second sniping, and a stated award basis.
The event
Award on total cost, not just the low bid
The lowest bid isn't automatically the winner — the award weights the qualified score, so a supplier €0.01 higher but stronger on delivery and quality can still take it.
A reverse auction isn't about squeezing suppliers until something breaks — it's about letting a qualified field compete on price alone, on terms you fixed in advance.
Running a clean, defensible e-auction is exactly what SourceWright is for.
It's in the works.
SourceWright is in development — join the waitlist for early access.