# MAC.BID Auction Research

An auction research system that compares potential purchases, accounts for costs and tests simulated decisions against closed-lot outcomes.

- Role: Research workflow, risk-policy design and AI-assisted implementation.
- Status: Shadow research
- Status code: shadow-research
- Case page: https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/mac-bid-research
- Reviewed: 2026-09-06

## Problem

A low auction price can hide fees, transport costs, uncertain condition and weak resale evidence.

## Constraints

- Keep simulated decisions separate from purchases
- Include fees and logistics in the cost
- Treat sparse price evidence conservatively

## Architecture

- Public catalogue
- Cost and condition review
- Simulated maximum
- Closed-lot comparison

## Decisions

- Enforce budget rules in code
- Record a fixed simulated maximum
- Keep price evidence and uncertainty visible

## Evidence

- Catalogue scanning and valuation code
  - Provenance: First-hand account. Published from Oleksii Mazur's first-hand account.
  - Sources: None published.
- Closed-lot history and counterfactual backtests
  - Provenance: First-hand account. Published from Oleksii Mazur's first-hand account.
  - Sources: None published.
- Tests for valuation and research workflows
  - Provenance: First-hand account. Published from Oleksii Mazur's first-hand account.
  - Sources: None published.

## Safety and boundaries

- This case covers research without real bids
- Profitability scores are uncalibrated heuristics, not measured probabilities
- No profit guarantee, account details or private trading history is published

## Stack

- Python
- Docker
- Rule-based scoring
- Backtesting
- Workflow automation

## Media

![Implemented MAC.BID console in a paused, empty research state.](https://oleksii.almalvs.online/images/evidence/macbid-runtime.png)

Actual console code rendered locally with an empty test snapshot. No live account, auction scan or bid was used for this capture.

## Credits

- None published.

## Public sources

- None published.

## Related projects

- [saferouter-home](https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/saferouter-home)
- [smart-lead-system](https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/smart-lead-system)

## Research output

Canonical case section: [https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/mac-bid-research#result](https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/mac-bid-research#result)

The system prepares a cost-aware shortlist and records simulated bidding decisions for later comparison with auction outcomes. This makes it possible to inspect the reasoning without treating a suggested purchase as a completed trade.

Provenance: First-hand account. Published from Oleksii Mazur's first-hand account.

Sources:
- None published.

## Working with uncertain prices

Canonical case section: [https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/mac-bid-research#workflow](https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/mac-bid-research#workflow)

Catalogue information is checked against available price evidence. Fees, tax and transport affect the total cost, while uncertain condition or weak comparisons reduce confidence. The research records a fixed simulated maximum instead of chasing each auction extension.

Provenance: First-hand account. Published from Oleksii Mazur's first-hand account.

Sources:
- None published.

## Research limits

Canonical case section: [https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/mac-bid-research#boundary](https://oleksii.almalvs.online/work/mac-bid-research#boundary)

The workflow presented here does not submit real bids. Its profitability score is an uncalibrated heuristic, not a measured chance of success. Closed-lot history supports further testing; it does not prove resale profit.

Provenance: First-hand account. Published from Oleksii Mazur's first-hand account.

Sources:
- None published.