How to Bid Online
Register early. Inspect carefully. Bid on the total cost—not the excitement.
Online bidding is straightforward when you complete approval before the sale, understand the lot, read the terms and line up removal before winning.
What you should know
- Create and verify your bidder account
- Review catalog, photos, video and inspection
- Include premium, tax, rigging and freight
- Pay only through verified instructions
Direct answer
To bid online, open the current auction, create or sign in to the required bidding account, complete any approval or deposit requirements, read the sale-specific terms, research and inspect the lot, then place a bid within your complete landed-cost budget. If you win, follow the official invoice, verify payment instructions and schedule removal immediately.
Step-by-step online bidding
- Choose the auction. Open the current catalog and confirm auction date, start or closing time, time zone, format and equipment location.
- Register before the deadline. Provide accurate bidder and company information. Complete any identity, card, bank-letter, deposit or approval requirements stated for the sale.
- Read the complete terms. Find the buyer’s premium, tax rules, accepted payment, payment deadline, inspection, removal dates, approved riggers and default provisions.
- Research each lot. Read the description, inspect all photos, watch available video and confirm exactly which tooling and support equipment are included.
- Inspect or request information. Attend onsite inspection or request a scheduled Zoom review or additional photos when the auction offers those options.
- Set a complete budget. Add buyer’s premium, tax, rigging, loading, freight, permits, insurance, installation, tooling and repair allowance.
- Place and monitor bids. Follow the platform clock. Timed lots may close in sequence and may extend when late bids are placed.
- Pay and remove. Use the official invoice and verified payment instructions, then schedule qualified movers within the posted removal window.
Understand the bid screen
Current bid
The visible leading amount
The displayed current bid may not show another bidder’s full maximum. Your next bid must meet the platform’s required increment.
Maximum bid
Automatic bidding limit
Some platforms let you enter the highest amount you authorize and bid incrementally on your behalf. Treat the maximum as a real, binding limit.
Extension
Late-bid overtime
A bid placed near closing may extend that lot. Do not assume the original countdown guarantees an immediate close.
Approval
Registered is not always approved
A new account may still need auction-level approval. Confirm your status before the sale rather than five minutes after the lot closes.
Premium
Fee added to the bid
The buyer’s premium is added to the successful bid. The exact percentage is in the sale-specific terms.
Confirmation
High bid may await acceptance
Reserve, subject-to-confirmation or bulk-bid provisions can affect when a transaction becomes final.
Your maximum bid should include the whole move
- Winning bid and buyer’s premium.
- Sales or use tax unless a timely exemption is accepted.
- Electrical, mechanical, hydraulic or gas disconnect work.
- Rigger, forklift, crane, skates, packaging and loading.
- Truck, trailer, permits, escort, tarping, insurance and storage.
- Destination unloading, foundation, anchoring, power, fluids and installation.
- Tooling, software, repairs, calibration, training and production startup.
Common bidding mistakes to avoid
- Registering too late to resolve an approval problem.
- Bidding from a photo without reading the full description and terms.
- Assuming loose tooling or background equipment is included.
- Ignoring the time zone, staggered closing or bid-extension rule.
- Using the hammer price as the entire budget.
- Winning a machine before confirming a rigger and removal deadline.
- Sending a wire after receiving unexpected “updated” banking instructions.
Related auction resources
Use these pages to continue without starting over.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bid from a phone?
Most online platforms support mobile bidding, but a stable connection and a larger screen may make terms, photos and lot timing easier to follow. Test your login before the sale.
What if my registration is still pending?
Contact the auction office or bidding platform before the sale. Registration approval may require additional identity, payment or deposit information.
What if I accidentally enter the wrong bid?
Contact the auction office immediately. Do not assume a bid can be retracted; the bidder agreement generally treats bids as binding.
Will I be notified if I am outbid?
Platforms may send alerts, but email, text and push notifications can be delayed. Monitor the auction directly when a lot matters.
When do I own the machine?
Title, risk and ownership transfer are governed by the sale-specific terms and full payment requirements. A leading bid alone is not a release authorization.
Ready to bid with better information?
Review the current auction catalog, confirm the sale-specific terms, inspect whenever possible and contact Sterling before bidding if anything is unclear.
