We run our auctions on HiBid because it's a nationwide online bidding platform that puts every lot we sell in front of buyers across the country, not just the folks who could drive to Hermosa on a Saturday. For sellers, that usually means better prices. For buyers, it means you can bid from your couch in Rapid City or your hotel room in Montana, and you'll know exactly where you stand the whole time.
What is HiBid, and why does it matter to me as a bidder?
HiBid is the auction platform our online catalog lives on, and it's used by auction companies all over the U.S. and Canada. If you've bid with another auctioneer online in the last few years, there's a good chance you already have a HiBid account, which means you can bid with us without setting up anything new.
The part most first-time bidders appreciate is how plain it all is. Every lot has its own page with photos, a written description, the current bid, and a countdown clock. No guessing. No shouting over a crowd. If you want to think about a chainsaw for a day before you commit, you can.
You can also build a watch list. Tap the watch button on anything you're interested in, and HiBid keeps them all in one place so you're not scrolling through 400 lots looking for the one welder you actually came for. You'll get notified if you get outbid, which saves a lot of last-minute scrambling.
How do auto-bids work, and will they run my price up?
Auto-bids — sometimes called max bids or proxy bids — are the feature we get the most questions about, and the answer is no, they don't run your price up.
Here's how it works. You enter the most you're willing to pay for an item. HiBid then bids on your behalf, one increment at a time, only as much as it takes to keep you in the lead. If you put in $300 and the next highest bidder stops at $180, you win at $190, not $300. Your maximum stays private.
Auto-bids are especially handy for our timed online auctions, because most of our lots have soft-close extensions. If somebody bids in the last couple minutes, the clock adds a little time so nobody gets sniped. That's good for everyone, but it does mean an auction can run later than the posted end time. Set your max, go make supper, and check your email. We cover the details of soft closes, payment and pickup in our answers to common bidder questions.
How does a nationwide audience help me if I'm selling?
This is the real reason we made the switch and stuck with it. When you sell locally, your price is set by whoever happens to be in the room that day. Weather, hunting season, a rival sale down the road — any of it can thin the crowd.
On HiBid, a specialty tool, an old tractor, or a box of fishing reels can find the person who's been looking for exactly that thing for two years, whether they live in Custer or Ohio. Collectible and niche items tend to benefit the most, but honestly, so do everyday shop tools. More eyes, more bids, fairer number at the end.
We still do the local part ourselves — sorting, photographing, writing honest descriptions, and helping load on pickup day. The platform handles the reach; we handle the work. If you're weighing an estate