Seller Terms
General information for machinery sellers.
This page describes recurring seller responsibilities. It is not a listing agreement, auction contract, consignment agreement, purchase agreement or guarantee. The signed sale-specific agreement controls.
What you should know
- Authority, ownership and liens
- Accurate asset information and disclosure
- Access, utilities and marketing cooperation
- Fees, payment, removal and unsold assets
Direct answer
A machinery seller must have authority to sell, disclose liens and third-party interests, provide accurate asset information, preserve the property, allow agreed access, cooperate with marketing and inspection, and follow the signed agreement for pricing, fees, payment, release and removal. No website summary replaces the executed seller contract.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
Authority, title and excluded property
- The seller represents that it owns the property or has documented authority to sell it.
- Liens, leases, financing, landlord claims, grants, customer ownership, consigned property and other third-party interests must be disclosed before marketing.
- The seller must identify assets excluded from the sale, including customer property, intellectual property, records, licensed software, hazardous material and landlord fixtures.
- The seller is responsible for obtaining necessary corporate, court, lender, trustee, estate or other approvals and for delivering clear title as required by the agreement.
Asset information and condition
- Provide manufacturer, model, serial number, year if known, capacity, control, location, condition and included accessories accurately to the best of the seller’s knowledge.
- Disclose known material defects, missing parts, accidents, fires, crashes, contamination, unsafe conditions and changes after cataloging.
- Do not remove tooling, accessories or support systems included in a lot after photos or descriptions are published without written coordination.
- Preserve maintenance records, manuals and operating videos that the seller is authorized to provide.
- Sterling may edit descriptions and marketing, but the seller remains responsible for information it supplies and for promptly correcting known material errors.
Access, utilities and site cooperation
- Provide agreed access for inventory, photography, video, inspection, buyer questions and removal.
- Maintain reasonable lighting, aisles, security and safe access to sale assets.
- Keep utilities available through agreed documentation or inspection dates when practical and safe.
- Identify site PPE, security, escort, union, environmental, lockout/tagout and approved-contractor rules.
- Coordinate employees, landlords and operations so buyers do not receive conflicting instructions.
- Provide a final occupancy definition covering anchors, pits, utilities, fluids, scrap and cleanup when a complete liquidation is involved.
Sale strategy, price and marketing
The signed agreement should identify sale format, term, exclusivity, reserves or seller confirmation, price authority, lotting, guarantees if any, commission, buyer’s premium structure, marketing charges, labor, storage, rigging and other expenses.
Sterling may market authorized assets through SterlingMachineryAuctions.com, SterlingMachinery.com, MachineryTube.com, email, social channels, industry contacts, partner platforms and other reasonable channels. Confidential information or restricted buyers must be identified before launch.
No estimate, reserve, guarantee or projected gross is a promise of a final result unless an authorized written agreement expressly creates that obligation.
Bids, payment and release
- Sterling or the responsible auctioneer administers bidding, resolves sale conduct and accepts or submits bids under the applicable terms.
- Seller approval rights, reserve, bulk offers and post-auction negotiations are governed by the signed agreement and auction terms.
- Proceeds are distributed after cleared buyer funds and according to the agreement, including authorized commissions, expenses, lien payoffs, reserves or holdbacks.
- No asset should be released without verified payment and authorized release documentation.
- The seller must direct buyer and payment inquiries through the agreed channel and avoid side transactions that interfere with the campaign or agreement.
Removal, risk and site damage
Buyer removal responsibility is stated in the auction terms, but the seller must provide the promised site access and disclose known constraints. Approved riggers, insurance, loading equipment, utilities, deadlines and restoration requirements should be agreed before the auction launches.
The signed agreement should allocate risk of loss before sale, after sale and during removal; responsibility for site damage, spills, anchors, utility caps, debris and unsold items; and procedures for missed deadlines.
Withdrawal, unsold assets and termination
- The agreement should state whether and when the seller may withdraw an asset and what fees or buyer claims may result.
- Unsold property may be remarketed, consigned, sold privately, purchased, donated, scrapped or returned to the seller only as authorized.
- The seller remains responsible for excluded and unsold assets unless the written agreement says otherwise.
- Confidentiality, introduced-buyer, commission, indemnity, record and dispute provisions may survive expiration or termination as stated in the agreement.
Related auction resources
Use these pages to continue without starting over.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page the seller contract?
No. It is general information. The signed auction, consignment, purchase, appraisal or liquidation agreement controls.
Can I remove a machine after it is advertised?
Only as permitted by the agreement and with written coordination. Withdrawal can create fees, buyer issues and campaign damage.
When does the seller receive proceeds?
The signed agreement states timing, deductions, reserves and conditions. Buyer funds must clear before distribution and release.
Who is responsible for liens?
The seller must disclose liens and cooperate in obtaining releases or payoffs. The agreement should state how encumbrances are handled.
Can Sterling guarantee auction prices?
Only an express authorized written guarantee would create a guaranteed obligation. Estimates and market opinions are not guarantees.
Questions about this page or an auction?
The catalog and sale-specific documents control each transaction. Contact Sterling Machinery Auctions LLC before bidding or sending funds if anything is unclear.
