--- title: "Marketplace" description: "How Orbit Marketplace distributes Tours to Carriers via auctions and instant offers, how to read an offer's dispatch state (open, won, declined, revoked, expired), and how to hand a Tour to another bidder after the round." url: "https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/en/core-features/marketplace" locale: "en" lastReviewed: "2026-10-26" --- # Marketplace How Orbit Marketplace distributes Tours to Carriers via auctions and instant offers, how to read an offer's dispatch state (open, won, declined, revoked, expired), and how to hand a Tour to another bidder after the round. ## Overview *Orbit Marketplace* is a powerful platform feature that enables both automated and manual distribution of Tours to Carriers, matching the right Carrier at the right price. It serves as a central hub for managing transport opportunities through competitive auctions and fixed-price instant offers, providing operators with flexible tools to efficiently match Carriers with Tours. **Key Highlights** * **Dual Distribution Methods**: Choose between competitive auctions or fixed-price instant offers * **Automated Sequences**: Create sophisticated distribution workflows combining Carrier selection, scoring, and offer management * **Real-time Notifications**: Keep all participants informed through multiple communication channels * **Fine-grained Access Control**: Manage marketplace operations through detailed permission settings ## Key Concepts and Features ### Distribution Methods ### Auctions Auctions enable competitive bidding among carriers for transport opportunities. Orbit Marketplace supports two auction types: * **Visible Auctions** * Can have an optional initial price * Initial price can be set manually, or use the price set on the tour * The current lowest (winning) bid is visible to all participating carriers * Carriers can only place bids lower than the initial price or current lowest bid * Promotes competitive pricing through transparency * **Secret Auctions** * Can have an optional suggested price which is displayed to the Carrier and acts as a non-binding recommendation * Bids can be placed above or below the suggested price * Carriers bid without seeing other participants' bids * Creates a more strategic bidding environment **Auction Configuration Options** * Initial price (for visible auctions) * Suggested price (for secret auctions) * Optional end date and time * Auction visibility type (secret/visible) ### Bid validity When a carrier bids in Orbit Cockpit, they can choose how long that bid remains binding. They can use the auction end, an available preset, or a custom date and time. Orbit only offers deadlines that meet the marketplace minimum and, for an auction with an end time, do not pass that end. A carrier with an active standing bid can update its binding deadline without changing the bid amount. When the deadline passes before the auction ends, that bid no longer participates in the auction. ### Instant Offers Instant offers provide a direct, fixed-price proposition to specific carriers: * Set optional expiration dates * Configure fixed pricing (manually or using the price set on the Tour) * Receive immediate Carrier responses ### Sequences Sequences automate the entire matching process between Tours and Carriers in Orbit Marketplace. When set up carefully and tailored to specific cases, Sequences enable you to fully automate large parts of your Carrier-side operations. A Sequence takes one of two forms: * **Built from SequenceBricks**: the Sequence combines one Select, one Score and one Distribute SequenceBrick. Each SequenceBrick can be managed individually and used in more than one Sequence, enabling you to re-use logic and procedures. You build these Sequences in Orbit MissionControl. * **Simple form**: the Sequence states in a few settings how a `Tour` is handed out. It either assigns the `Tour` to one carrier, or tenders it to the matching carriers as an Instant Offer or an Auction, optionally an Instant Offer followed by an Auction. You define a simple Sequence through the Orbit API, as described in [Simple Sequences](#simple-sequences). Orbit runs both forms the same way. When a simple Sequence runs, Orbit turns it into the Select, Score and Distribute steps described below, so it behaves like a Sequence built from those SequenceBricks. There are three types of SequenceBricks: Select, Score and Distribute. In a Sequence, they are executed in this order. First, a given number of Carriers are selected. Next, they are individually assigned a score. Finally, in the Distribution SequenceBrick, previously selected and scored Carriers are sent individual offers or are invited to competitive auctions using a user-defined workflow: a combination of Wait Steps and Actions. 1. **Select SequenceBricks** The Select SequenceBrick allows Operators to create rules for choosing which Carriers will be processed by the sequence. You can apply multiple selection rules in combination. Select Rules considers all carriers present in the system at the time of execution. * Carriers can be filtered based on the following criteria: * Carrier * Carrier Creation date * Carrier Name * Carrier E-mail * Carrier Phone * Carrier Country * Carrier City * Carrier Postal Code * Carrier Region * Carrier Properties * Carrier’s Vehicles * **Has Vehicle Where Extras**: at least one vehicle satisfies the vehicle extras the tour requires (yes or no) * **Has Vehicle Where Property**: at least one vehicle has the given property value * **Has Vehicle Where Cargo Space Height (cm)**: at least one vehicle's cargo space height passes the comparison with the tour's maximum load height * **Has Vehicle Where Payload Capacity**: at least one vehicle's payload capacity passes the comparison with the sum of the tour's load weights * **Has Vehicle Where Total Weight**: at least one vehicle's total weight passes the comparison with the sum of the tour's load weights * **Has Vehicle Where Fits Loads**: at least one vehicle can fit the tour's loads (yes or no) * **Has Vehicle Where Weight Utilization** with **at most**: the carrier's best-fitting vehicle would use at most the given percentage of its weight capacity for the tour's loads * **Has Vehicle Where Volume Utilization**: the same for volume * **Has Vehicle Where Ldm Utilization**: the same for loading metres * Carrier’s Users * **Has User Where Extras**: at least one user satisfies the carrier user extras the tour requires (yes or no) * The above filters can be set relative to either fixed values or dynamically using characteristics of the Tour in question like: * Number of stops * Maximum weight * Tour price * Vehicle class requirements * Start date and time * Region 2. **Score SequenceBricks** The Score Brick makes use of the same rules accessible by the Select SequenceBrick, but extends them with the option to either add or subtract a score to the carrier. This will help us to choose the carriers for a given step of the Distribute Brick according to their scoring. ![Screenshot 2025-01-17 at 13.23.44](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/images/marketplace/screenshot-2025-01-17-at-13-23-44.png) 3. **Distribute SequenceBricks** The Distribute SequenceBrick is the workflow that sends the offers. It works through the scored carrier list in a chain of **Wait Steps** and **Actions**, each Action sending an instant offer or opening an auction for a slice of that list. The two step types are described below. In the Distribute Brick you add a **Wait Step** (**Add Wait Step**) or an **Action** (**Add Action**). A **Wait Step** sets a time the sequence waits, which is useful before or between **Actions**. The wait time can be set with either: * absolute (a set number of seconds/minutes/hours/days) * relative (a percentage of the time until the tour starts; you can also set a minimum and a maximum duration to limit the range) An **Action** consists of two parts, the carrier selection and the actual action to be executed. The Carrier selection uses the previously created scored list of carriers and can be done in one of three ways: * absolute (setting a range of absolute values, for example 1. (highest scored) - 10. of the scored carriers list) ![Screenshot 2025-01-17 at 13.35.43](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/images/marketplace/screenshot-2025-01-17-at-13-35-43.png) * percentage (setting a range in percent, for example the top 10% of the list) ![Screenshot 2025-01-17 at 13.36.48](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/images/marketplace/screenshot-2025-01-17-at-13-36-48.png) * points (setting a range in points, for example between 500 and 1000 points) ![Screenshot 2025-01-17 at 13.38.56](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/images/marketplace/screenshot-2025-01-17-at-13-38-56.png) The setup for the execution of the action follows a similar pattern as the configuration of the Auction or Instant Offer in the Marketplace itself, here we set: * Instant Offer or Auction * Visible or Secret Auction * Price (initial price or suggested price) * an optional auction end * similar to the **Wait Step** described above, we can set absolute values, or values relative to the start of the tour, this will be evaluated when the sequence is executed. These settings allow for flexible design of the Distribute Brick of your sequence to: * Define distribution patterns and timing * Configure waiting periods between distribution phases * Set carrier group sizes for offers Sequence Pattern Example: ``` 1. Select top-scored (for example top 10%) carriers 2. Create auction for selected group 3. Wait for specified duration 4. If no acceptance, create instant offers at adjusted price 5. Distribute to remaining eligible carriers ``` ### Simple Sequences A simple Sequence hands out a `Tour` in one of two ways, without any SequenceBricks: | Form | What happens when the Sequence runs | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Assign | The `Tour` is assigned to the carrier you chose, without an offer. If that carrier is not active at that moment, the Sequence ends with `No Select Results` and the `Tour` stays `Unassigned`. | | Tender | Every active carrier that matches the carrier filter receives an Instant Offer or is invited to an Auction. Without a carrier filter, every active carrier is included. The carrier filter uses the same carrier criteria as the Select SequenceBrick. | A tender sets: * **Offer type**: Instant Offer or Auction. Auctions from a simple Sequence are visible auctions. * **Price**: a fixed price, or the price set on the `Tour` at the moment the Sequence runs. It is the initial price of the Instant Offer or the Auction. An Auction with a price of zero opens without an initial price. * **Validity**: how long carriers can accept the Instant Offer or bid in the Auction, in whole hours from 1 to 720. If your organisation awards Auctions manually, an Auction ends no later than the latest start of the `Tour`. * **Instant Offer, then Auction** (optional, Instant Offer only): after the Instant Offer, the Sequence waits for the same number of hours and then continues with an Auction at the same price and validity. [Integrated carriers](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/en/advanced-features/integrated-carriers) never receive an Instant Offer or an Auction invitation from a Sequence, even when they match the carrier filter. An assign can hand a `Tour` to an integrated carrier directly. In Orbit MissionControl, a simple Sequence appears under **Settings → Marketplace → Sequences** next to the Sequences built from SequenceBricks. There you can rename it, change its description and set it active or inactive, and you launch it from the Marketplace like any other Sequence. Its form, price, validity and carrier filter are set and changed through the [Orbit API](https://orbit-api.readme.io/), where the simple form is the Sequence's `way` field and prices are given in euro cents. When a simple Sequence needs more than its few settings, convert it into a Sequence built from SequenceBricks through the Orbit API. Orbit creates a Select, a Score and a Distribute SequenceBrick that do exactly what the simple form did, names them after the Sequence and their type, and the Sequence uses them from then on. It runs as before, and a run already under way for a `Tour` carries on unchanged. Afterwards you edit the Sequence and its SequenceBricks in Orbit MissionControl like any other. Orbit cannot turn the SequenceBricks back into a simple form: to make the Sequence simple again, set a new simple form through the Orbit API. ### Switching a Sequence on and off Only an active Sequence can be launched for a `Tour`. To switch a Sequence on or off in Orbit MissionControl, open **Settings → Marketplace → Sequences**, choose **Edit** on the Sequence, set the switch to **Active** or **Inactive** and choose **Save**. Switching a Sequence off always works, even when the Sequence could no longer run: when its name is empty, or when a carrier or SequenceBrick it uses has been deleted. Switching it on checks the whole Sequence first. If something is missing, the Sequence stays inactive and Orbit MissionControl names the problem, next to the field or in the message **Sequence Could Not Be Activated**. Give the Sequence a name in at least one language and make sure the carrier or SequenceBricks it uses exist, then switch it on again. The carrier of a simple Sequence is set through the Orbit API. ### Notifications The Marketplace implements a comprehensive notification system: ![Marketplace Notifications](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/images/marketplace/marketplace-notifications.png) * **Channels**: * Email notifications * Mobile push (In-app) notifications * Browser push notifications * **Notification Types**: * New Offer * Undercut (auction updates) * Lost (auction/offer status) * Won (successful bid) * Tour Assigned * Tour Unassigned Carriers can customize their notification preferences for each type of communication channel. Connect does not ask for browser notification permission when a carrier signs in. After a successful bid or instant acceptance, Connect opens an explanation dialog describing how browser notifications report new offers, undercuts and auction wins. Choosing **Not now** or closing the dialog pauses it for 30 days on that browser. Carriers can also open notification settings to see a hint about the browser's notification state and enable notifications while permission is undecided. When an operator moves an assigned tour to another carrier, the previous carrier gets the Tour Unassigned notification, just as if the tour had been unassigned from them. If the tour had a driver, only that driver is notified. ### Permissions and Access Control Access to Marketplace features is managed through a granular permission system: * **Sequence Management** * Creation and modification of SequenceBricks * Configuration of complete Sequences * **Distribution Control** * Authority to start auctions * Permission to send instant offers * Ability to modify active distributions * **Monitoring and Oversight** * View auction progress * Track carrier responses [Permissions](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/en/advanced-features/roles-and-permissions#overview) are assigned through roles, which can be customized by operator administrators. ## Reading dispatch state The Marketplace is the carrier-facing view, inside Orbit Connect, of the offers you have sent. Each offer for a `Tour` is a `Callout`, and carriers browse them through a set of tabs that are simply filtered lenses on the same offers: * **Available**: open offers a carrier can act on right now. * **Requested**: offers sent to the carrier and awaiting their response. * **Bid Received**: auctions the carrier has placed a bid on. * **In Sequence**: offers currently being handled by an automated sequence. * **Declined**, **Won**, **Expired** and **Revoked**: offers that have reached an outcome. A carrier only ever sees its own offer and its own rate, never the underlying order or the customer's pricing. ### What each offer status means An individual offer moves through a small set of states. In plain terms: * **Open**: the offer is live and waiting for the carrier to respond. * **Won**: this carrier got the tour, by accepting an instant offer or winning an auction. * **Declined**: the carrier said no. * **Revoked**: you, the operator, pulled the offer back. * **Expired**: the offer lapsed: either its time ran out, or another carrier won and the remaining offers were closed out. These outcomes are not interchangeable, and the difference matters when you review why a tour did or did not find a carrier. Only **Declined** reflects a carrier's own decision. **Revoked** is your own action, and **Expired** simply means the offer timed out or was closed because someone else won. Neither is a rejection by the carrier. Assignment itself is nothing more than the outcome of a won offer. You do not set a tour's carrier by hand while offers are running; when an offer is won, the tour is assigned to that carrier automatically. Until then the tour stays unassigned while its offers are live. A tour with an open offer is mid-dispatch, not overlooked. ## After the decision The Marketplace panel stays available once a round is decided. In Orbit MissionControl, choose **Open Marketplace** in the `Tour`'s actions menu, whatever its status. The panel shows the `Tour`'s last round with its bids, so you can see who offered what and hand the `Tour` to another bidder when the winning carrier backs out. ### What a decided round shows Each decided round has a card of its own: one for the auction and one for the instant offer, in the order they were started. A card shows: * **Outcome**: **Assigned to** and the carrier, when this round gave the `Tour` its current carrier, otherwise **Ended Without Assignment**. * **End and participants**: when the round ended, how many carriers took part and how many bids came in. * **Bids**: on an auction, one row per carrier with its last bid, lowest first, and the date and time the bid was placed. The carrier holding the `Tour` is marked **Assigned**. A bid the carrier withdrew during the round is struck through and marked **Withdrawn**. A bid whose binding deadline passed during the round shows **Lapsed**. * **Notice**: at the foot of an auction card, the reminder that the round has ended and its bids no longer bind. An instant offer's card shows who started it instead of a bid list. What else the panel shows depends on the `Tour`'s status: * **`Assigned`**: only the round's cards and the line naming the `Tour`'s carrier. The carrier table and the controls to start a new auction, instant offer or Sequence are hidden. * **`Not Assigned`**: the round's cards sit above the carrier table, so you can pick a bidder or start a new distribution from the same view. * **Any other status**, such as `Running` or `Tour Completed`: the round's cards, read-only. ### Bids no longer bind after the round While a round is open, a bid can bind the carrier until its deadline (see [Bid validity](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/en/core-features/marketplace#bid-validity)). Once the round has ended, no bid binds the carrier any more: it is the price the carrier offered on the date shown next to it. Before you give the `Tour` to a bidder of a decided round, confirm the price with that carrier. ### Change the carrier from a bid When the `Tour` is `Assigned`, every bid of another carrier that was not withdrawn offers **Change Carrier**. 1. Open the `Tour` in Orbit MissionControl and choose **Open Marketplace**. 2. On the bid of the carrier who should take over, click **Change Carrier**. 3. Read the confirmation. It names both carriers, the bid price next to the current price and the date of the bid. 4. Click **Change Carrier** to confirm. The change does three things: * **Price**: the `Tour`'s price becomes the new carrier's bid. * **Driver and vehicle**: both are cleared, because they belonged to the previous carrier. * **Previous carrier**: receives the Tour Unassigned notification, as described under [Notifications](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/en/core-features/marketplace#notifications). The panel stays open and shows the `Tour` with its new carrier. When the `Tour` is `Not Assigned`, for example after you unassigned the winning carrier, the same bids offer **Assign** instead. It gives the `Tour` to that carrier at their bid straight away, without a confirmation. A withdrawn bid offers neither button, and both buttons are disabled when you lack the permission to edit the `Tour`. > **Note:** The card shows the latest round of each offer type only. When you start a new auction or instant offer, the new round replaces the card of the earlier one of that type, and the earlier round's bids are no longer shown in the panel. For example, Nordlicht Spedition awards a `Tour` from Hamburg to Lyon to Spaceport Shipping Co. for €420. A day later, Spaceport Shipping Co. reports that it has no truck free. Julia opens the Marketplace, sees that ACME Ltd bid €450 in the same auction, calls ACME Ltd to confirm the price, and clicks **Change Carrier** on its bid. ACME Ltd gets the `Tour` at €450, and Spaceport Shipping Co. receives the Tour Unassigned notification. ## Walkthrough: Creating and Managing Distributions ### Setting Up a Basic Auction 1. Navigate to the Marketplace section in Orbit MissionControl 2. Select the tour 3. Select the carriers in the carrier table 4. Configure auction settings: * Choose auction type (visible/secret) * Set initial or suggested price * Set optional end time 5. Launch the auction Alternatively use the Quick Action Button to start an Auction with the tour price set as initial price. ### Creating an Automated Sequence To build a Sequence from SequenceBricks in Orbit MissionControl: 1. Create Select Brick for carrier filtering: * Choose carrier criteria (e.g., region, postal code, properties) * Set up tour-specific requirements (vehicle class, weight limits) * Define comparison operators for each criterion 2. Configure Score Brick for carrier ranking: * Set up scoring rules using the filter options also available in the Select Brick * Assign positive or negative points based on carrier attributes * Define scoring weights for different criteria 3. Set up Distribute Brick: * Configure carrier selection method (absolute/percentage/points) * Add Wait Steps with appropriate timing (absolute or relative to tour start) * Set up Actions (auctions or instant offers) with pricing and duration 4. Combine bricks into sequence: * Choose one of each Brick type to create a sequence 5. You can select your sequence in the Marketplace 6. Test and deploy: * Run test sequence with limited carrier group * Verify notifications and distribution flow * Activate for production use To create a simple Sequence instead: 1. Create an [API key](https://support.pr-5.orbit.do/en/advanced-features/api-keys) for your organisation. 2. Create the Sequence through the [Orbit API](https://orbit-api.readme.io/) with a name and its simple form: assign to one carrier, or tender with an offer type, a price and a validity. 3. In the Marketplace in Orbit MissionControl, select the `Tour`, open **Launch Sequence** and choose the Sequence. ## Industry Examples ### Example 1: Quick-Service Food Delivery (Pronto Pizza) Pronto Pizza, a chain with 25 locations across Madrid, uses Orbit Marketplace to manage their delivery operations efficiently during peak hours. **Scenario:** During weekends, Pronto Pizza experiences high order volumes across all locations. They need to quickly dispatch drivers for time-sensitive deliveries while maintaining cost efficiency. **Marketplace Implementation:** 1. **Sequence Setup** * **Select Brick:** * Carrier City: Madrid (where restaurant locations are) * Carrier Postal Code: Specific codes matching restaurant delivery zones * Carrier Properties: Has "Food Delivery" and "Thermal Bag" properties * **Score Brick:** * +100 points for carriers with "Premium Thermal Equipment" property * +200 points for carriers with "High Rating" property * +150 points for carriers with "Consistent Delivery" property * -50 points for carriers with "Recent Delay" property 2. **Distribution Workflow** * When a new batch of pizza orders is ready, the system creates an instant offer for the top 10% scored carriers * Offers expire after 120 seconds * If no acceptance, the system creates a visible auction for the next 30% of carriers * Auction runs for 180 seconds with the initial rate visible **Results:** * 94% of deliveries are assigned within 3 minutes * Customer satisfaction increased due to faster delivery times * Delivery costs decreased by 12% through competitive bidding during non-peak hours ### Example 2: International Freight Transport (Orion Logistics) Orion Logistics, based in Singapore, manages container shipments between major ports in Asia and Europe. They use Orbit Marketplace to coordinate with trucking providers for final-mile deliveries. **Scenario:** When cargo vessels arrive at the Port of Rotterdam, Orion needs to arrange transportation to distribution centers across Western Europe, with varying urgency and price sensitivity. **Marketplace Implementation:** 1. **Tiered Distribution Strategy** * **High-Priority Shipments:** Instant offers to premium carriers with temperature-controlled vehicles * **Standard Shipments:** Secret auctions to qualified carriers * **Bulk Shipments:** Visible auctions to maximize cost efficiency 2. **Automated Sequence for Standard Container Delivery** * **Select Brick:** Filters for carriers with: * Appropriate vehicle class for container transport * Valid certifications for cross-border transport * Operations in destination country using Orbit’s *Region* feature * **Score Brick:** * +300 points for carriers with previous on-time delivery record * +200 points for carriers with specific equipment (container locks, tracking) * +100 points for carriers with multilingual drivers * Weighted scoring based on distance from port (closer carriers score higher) * **Distribute Brick:** * First action: Instant offers to top 5% of carriers with 2-hour expiration * Wait step: 2 hours * Second action: Secret auction to next 15% of carriers with 8-hour duration * Third action: Visible auction to all remaining qualified carriers **Results:** * 78% reduction in dock waiting time * Improved carrier relationships through fair opportunity distribution * 15% cost savings on non-urgent shipments through competitive bidding * Enhanced visibility of transport options for operations team ## Restrictions Sequences currently allow a maximum of 2000 selected Carriers ## FAQs and Troubleshooting **Q: What happens if an auction receives no bids?** The auction can be manually ended by the operator, or it will automatically end at its configured end time if one was set. The tour can then be redistributed through a new auction, instant offer or direct assign to carrier. **Q: Can I modify an active auction?** Active auctions cannot be modified, but they can be ended manually if needed and a new distribution can be started. **Q: How do carriers get notified of new opportunities?** Carriers receive notifications through their configured channels (email, push, in-app). They can manage their notification preferences in their account settings. **Q: What happens if multiple carriers accept an instant offer simultaneously?** The system processes acceptances in order of receipt. Once an offer is accepted, it is automatically withdrawn from other carriers. **Q: Can I edit a simple Sequence in Orbit MissionControl?** You can rename it, change its description and set it active or inactive under **Settings → Marketplace → Sequences**, and you can launch it from the Marketplace. Its form, price, validity and carrier filter are set and changed through the Orbit API. To edit it in Orbit MissionControl as a Sequence built from SequenceBricks, convert it through the Orbit API first. **Q: Can I switch off a Sequence whose carrier or SequenceBrick was deleted?** Yes. Switching a Sequence off always works. Before you can switch it on again, the Sequence needs a name and a carrier or SequenceBricks that exist. **Q: What happens if someone else changes a Sequence while I edit it?** Orbit MissionControl saves your edit only to the version of the Sequence you opened. If someone changed the Sequence in the meantime, in Orbit MissionControl or through the Orbit API, saving shows **Sequence Was Updated by Someone Else** and then the Sequence as it is stored now, with their change. Your changes are not saved, except switching the Sequence off, which always goes through. Choose **Edit** and make your change again. A save that changes only the switch is not checked against the version and goes through. **Q: Can I give a tour to another bidder after the auction has ended?** Yes, as long as the tour is `Assigned` or `Not Assigned` and the bidder did not withdraw their bid. Open the Marketplace for the tour and click **Change Carrier** or **Assign** on that bid. The bid no longer binds the carrier, so confirm the price with them first. **Q: What happens to the previous carrier when I change the carrier?** The previous carrier receives the Tour Unassigned notification, just as if you had unassigned the tour. The tour's driver and vehicle are cleared, and its price becomes the new carrier's bid. **Q: Can I combine different distribution methods?** Yes, through sequences you can create sophisticated distribution strategies combining both auctions and instant offers with conditional logic and timing rules.