> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.auctionplusapp.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.auctionplusapp.com/auctions/managing-winners-and-second-chance-offers.md).

# Declaring and Managing Winners

When an auction ends, Auction Plus handles winner declaration and provides you with tools to manage the post-auction process.

## Automatic Winner Declaration

When an auction ends with bids, the **highest bidder is automatically declared the winner**. No action is required from you.

What happens automatically:

1. The product price is updated to the winning bid amount in your Shopify store.
2. A **winner notification email** is sent to the winning bidder with a link to checkout.
3. A button to proceed with the purchase appears for the winner on the product page.

### Reserve Price Not Met

If an auction has a [reserve price](/auctions/auction-listing-settings.md#reserve-price) and the highest bid does not reach or exceed it, **no winner is declared**. The auction closes without a sale. You can then choose to [relist the auction](/auctions/relisting-auctions.md) with a lower reserve, or [send an offer](#sending-offers-from-bids) to one of the bidders.

## Winner Notification

When a winner is declared (automatically or manually), they receive an email containing:

* The item they won and the winning price.
* A link to complete their purchase.

> **Tip:** You can customize winner notification emails in [Customizing Email Templates](/email-and-notifications/customizing-email-templates.md).

## Cancelling a Winner

If a winner does not pay or a dispute arises, you can cancel the winner:

1. Open the auction detail page.
2. Click **Cancel Winner**.

Use this when:

* The winner **does not complete payment** within a reasonable time.
* There is a **dispute** that needs to be resolved.
* You need to **relist the item** or send an offer to a different winner.

After cancelling a winner, you can:

* [Send an offer to another bidder](#sending-offers-from-bids).
* [Relist the auction](/auctions/relisting-auctions.md).

> **Note:** Wins can also be canceled automatically when a payment deadline passes. See [Payment Deadlines and Unpaid Wins](/auctions/payment-deadlines.md).

## Sending Offers from Bids

You can send a **second-chance offer** to any bidder who did not win the listing from the **Top Bidders** list on the auction detail page.

1. Open the auction detail page.
2. Visit the Top Bidders section.
3. Click **Send Offer** next to the bidder you want to send an offer to.

This sends the bidder an offer at their highest bid, giving them the opportunity to purchase the item. This is especially useful when the original winner does not pay.

## Important Notes

* **Multiple winners are not supported** per auction. Only one bidder can be declared the winner at a time.
* If you need to sell to multiple bidders, consider creating separate auction listings for each unit of inventory, or use the Send Offer feature to send offers to runner-up bidders.

## Related Pages

* [Managing Auctions](/auctions/managing-auctions.md)
* [Relisting Auctions](/auctions/relisting-auctions.md)
* [Proxy Bidding](/auctions/auction-listing-settings.md#proxy-bidding-automatic-bids)