GuidesFor AgenciesBidding. How to close the deal.

Bidding is how an agency turns interest in a lot into a binding deal. This guide explains the auction mechanics, the payment options behind every bid, and the fastest route to a close — immediate purchase.

If you are new to how a lot reaches the marketplace, start with the Lot workflow guide for the full lifecycle, and the Web3 guide if you have not set up your wallet yet.

How the auction works

Active lots appear on the live auction board, where agencies browse with filters and see only pre-deal data — nickname, measurements, citizenship, and portfolio. Private contact details stay hidden until a deal is closed.

Several agencies can hold active bids on the same lot at once. The latest bid never wins automatically: the scouter explicitly accepts the offer they prefer, so a well-structured bid matters as much as a high number.

Browse the live auction

Anatomy of a bid

Every bid combines two terms and must respect the lot's minimum upfront, minimum share, and fixed USD step:

  • Upfront amount — a one-time payment the agency commits the moment the deal closes.
  • Profit share — a recurring percentage of the model's future earnings routed to the scouter over the engagement.
  • Minimum step — positive upfront amounts must be entered as multiples of the configured USD step. Bids compete by their full terms, not by automatically outbidding the latest offer.

One-time and recurrent payments

The two parts of a bid let you shape an offer around your budget and your confidence in the model.

One-time: lead with a larger upfront amount when you want a clean, low-commitment close. The scouter receives a single guaranteed payment, which is often the most attractive offer for a quick decision.

Recurrent: lean on a higher profit share when you expect strong long-term earnings. It lowers the cash you pay today and aligns the scouter with the model's success over time.

Most winning offers balance both — enough upfront to feel secure, enough profit share to stay competitive without draining the budget.

Immediate purchase

When a scouter sets buy-now terms, any agency can skip the auction entirely and acquire the lot instantly by accepting both the upfront amount and any profit-share term.

Immediate purchase ends the open auction for that lot at once and moves it straight into settlement. Use it when a lot is exactly what you need and you would rather not risk being outbid.

Closing the deal

Closing happens one of two ways: the scouter accepts your standing bid, or you execute an immediate purchase. Either way the lot moves to settling and a private deal room opens for your agency, the scouter, the model, and admins.

A settlement window of roughly seven days then protects both sides before funds are released. The full process — invoices, appeals, and finalization — is covered in the Deal settlement guide.

Open your deal rooms

Tips to close faster

  • Build a shortlist so you can act the moment a target lot goes active.
  • Lead with a competitive upfront amount — scouters value certainty.
  • Mind the minimum terms and USD step; invalid bids are rejected automatically.
  • When a lot is critical, an immediate purchase removes all bidding risk.

Related guides

You can place and manage bids directly in the Motherhunt app.