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Bidspotter Details Spider

Introduction

The Bidspotter Details Spider is a powerful web scraping tool designed to extract detailed information from auction listings on the Bidspotter platform. It provides comprehensive data extraction capabilities for users looking to gather insights into auction items, including pricing, descriptions, and images.

Features

• Comprehensive Data Extraction: Captures detailed information such as lot numbers, titles, auction names, URLs, descriptions, and images.
• Customizable Input Parameters: Allows users to specify target URLs and set item limits for tailored data collection.
• High-Quality Output: Delivers structured JSON output with clear field definitions for easy integration into workflows.
• Scalable Performance: Efficiently handles multiple auction listings with configurable performance settings.
• User-Friendly Setup: Simple configuration process via the Apify Store, making it accessible to both technical and non-technical users.

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Example
Urls	array	Yes	The URLs for the spider. Must be valid HTTP/HTTPS links to auction listings on Bidspotter.	["https://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/example"]
item_limit	integer	No	Maximum items to scrape per actor run. Set to 0 for no limit.	10

Example Usage

Input JSON

{
  "Urls": [
    "https://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/maynards-can/catalogue-id-bscma10157/lot-3e6b69ac-334d-4d20-af6d-b467013a7b15"
  ],
  "item_limit": 5
}

Output JSON

[
  {
    "lot_number": "42",
    "title": "Brand New FRATO CEUTA Nesting Side Tables with Calacatta Marble Tops – RRP £3,271 (No VAT)",
    "auction_name": "Brand New Harrison Eidsgaard Bespoke Luxury Fu",
    "auction_url": "https://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/capitalfood/catalogue-id-capitalfood10017",
    "description": "This lot is located on Petersham Road, London, UK. Collection is available by pre-booked appointment only during normal working hours...",
    "images": [
      "https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/auctions-2026/capitalfood10017/images/f3b2f43e-16d1-48de-b0d7-b45800a5c746.png"
    ],
    "auction_end_time_raw": "2026-06-17T11:20:30Z",
    "auction_end_display": "Jun 17, 2026 12:20pm BST",
    "venue_address": {
      "full_address": "",
      "street": null,
      "city": null,
      "state": null,
      "postal_code": null,
      "country": null
    },
    "lot_id": "f67c8429-d9d5-49aa-8f19-b458009e0803",
    "auction_summary": {
      "auction_start": "May 28, 2026 11am BST",
      "auction_end": "Jun 17, 2026 12:20pm BST",
      "currency": "GBP"
    },
    "pricing": {
      "start_price": 350,
      "final_price_current": 500,
      "minimum_bid": 550,
      "total_bids": 2,
      "reserve_met": false,
      "auction_closed": false
    },
    "timings": {
      "event_start_utc": "2026-05-28T10:00:00+00:00",
      "lot_expiry_utc": "2026-06-17T11:20:30+00:00"
    },
    "machine_specs": {
      "condition": "New",
      "model": "FRATO"
    },
    "bid_history": [
      {
        "amount": 500,
        "bid_type": "ChangeMaxBid",
        "placed_time_utc": "2026-06-14T09:22:55.624000+00:00"
      }
    ],
    "actor_id": "yqryTBQvicrIX7B8c",
    "run_id": "pYIhmjybHqsS1bnra"
  }
]

Use Cases

• Market Research and Analysis: Gather data on auction trends, pricing strategies, and market demand.
• Competitive Intelligence: Monitor competitor listings to gain insights into their offerings and pricing models.
• Price Monitoring: Track price changes over time for specific items or categories.
• Content Aggregation: Compile comprehensive datasets of auction listings for analysis or reporting.
• Academic Research: Use auction data for studies in economics, marketing, or consumer behavior.
• Business Automation: Integrate with business processes to automate data collection and decision-making.

Installation and Usage

1. Search for "Bidspotter Details Spider" in the Apify Store.
2. Click "Try for free" or "Run".
3. Configure input parameters as needed.
4. Click "Start" to begin extraction.
5. Monitor progress in the log.
6. Export results in your preferred format (JSON, CSV, Excel).

Output Format

The output is a JSON array of objects, each representing an auction lot with fields such as lot_number, title, auction_name, description, images, and more. Each field provides specific details about the auction item, making it easy to integrate into various applications.

Error Handling

• Invalid URLs: The spider will log errors for any invalid or unreachable URLs.
• Data Extraction Failures: If data extraction fails for a particular lot, an error message is logged, and processing continues with other lots.
• Rate Limiting: Ensure compliance with Bidspotter's terms of service to avoid being blocked.

Rate Limiting and Best Practices

• Respect the rate limits set by Bidspotter to prevent IP blocking.
• Use the item_limit parameter to control the number of items processed in a single run, optimizing performance and resource usage.
• Regularly monitor logs for any errors or warnings that may indicate issues with data extraction.

Limitations and Considerations

• The spider is dependent on the structure of Bidspotter's website; changes to the site may affect data extraction.
• Ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards when scraping data from websites.
• Performance may vary based on network conditions and server response times.