Frequently Asked Questions

No. All of Cat Auction Services auctions are unreserved. Equipment will go to the highest bidder on auction day. No reserves. No buy backs. No exceptions. 

For on-site bidders, Cat Auction Services does not charge a buyer's premium.  However, there is a 10% handling fee on lots selling for $2500 or less.  This covers the cost of the extra staff and equipment we have on site to help customers load these small items.

For online bidders, Cat Auction Services charges a 2% buyers premium.

Yes, we sell all brands of equipment. 

To register in person at an auction site, you should bring a Photo ID. Having a business card handy can speed the process up. If you plan to pay by check and remove the equipment the same day, please bring a letter of credit from your bank to verify funds. If you are tax exempt, bring your exemption certificate with you. 

We evaluate your current situation, mix of equipment and business needs. We offer straight commission contracts as well as guarantees. We work together to find a solution that makes sense for your business. 

Our goal is to create a win-win. Rates are competitive and our contracts are customized to fit your current needs. Your local Cat Auction Services representative will work with you to figure out what makes the most sense for your equipment and more importantly, for your business. 

We want to help you maximize the value of your equipment. Taking into account the current condition of your machine, we will make refurbishment suggestions to increase you ROI. Our partner, Mobile Equipment Revive, provides sellers with cost-effective solutions to restore your equipment. Repairs can be done with no up-front costs - all services are paid out of proceeds. Contact a Cat Auctions representative for a consultation. 

 We advertise to tens of thousands of people through our 16-page full-color brochure, email blasts, national and regional trade publications, local trade associations, Cat Auction Services website, paid online search campaigns, social media, radio and calling campaigns, and more.

 Because we video all of our equipment and display it on our giant LEADERBOARD®, both on-site equipment and equipment being sold virtually blend seamlessly during the auction, allowing us to sell your equipment conveniently in any auction and from any location in the world. Inspection reports on each machine give buyers the information they need to bid with confidence even if they haven't seen it in person.

 We market your equipment extensively so it will bring premium market value. As part of our marketing efforts, we record video of all of our equipment and perform inspections to Cat Used standards. The equipment needs to be on-site four weeks before the auction date to take full advantage of these opportunities.

All of Cat Auction Services auctions are unreserved. We'll give you an informed appraisal of your equipment's current market value and cost-effective refurbishment suggestions to bring top dollar, but your equipment will sell to the highest bidder on auction day. 

Yes, we welcome all brands of equipment. 

 Cat Auction Services provides services our competition can't. As part of the Caterpillar network, we offer detailed inspection reports to Cat Used standards; Cat Dealer support, parts and service; financing; Equipment Protection Plans; tax efficiency and online bidding with real-time video.

Yes. We work closely with businesses that are planning to sell all of their equipment in order to find the best solution for them.  We have conducted auctions that are comprised exclusively from one entity, and we have also assembled additional equipment to piggyback on the event.  Interested in learning more?  Watch this video from the owners of Erreca's Inc. after Cat Auction services conducted their complete dispersal auction.

Absolutely. All of our auctions have online audiences, making equipment available to bidders anywhere in the world.  The LEADERBOARD® setup creates a consistent experience for both online and on-site bidders. Our equipment videos alllow online buyers to see the equipment in action, but also enable us to sell equipment virtually - equipment consigned to the auction doesn't even need to be on the auction site!

Cat Auction Services is headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, near the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport.  We have representatives assigned to all regions of the United States and are positioned to conduct an auction anywhere in the country.  Find a contact for your area here.

Cat Auction Services consists of a partnership of Cat Dealers with the support of Caterpillar, Inc. Although Caterpillar, Inc. does not currently have an ownership stake in Cat Auction Services, it authorizes the use of the brand and gives us the opportunity to take advantage of the Caterpillar network of services.

There are a number of advantages in working with Cat Auction Services, including our arena-style setup with our giant LEADERBOARD®, inspection reports you can trust done by Cat certified technicians, and the Cat Equipment Protection Plans available on many pieces of equipment. Our partnerships with Cat Dealers allow us and our Dealer Partners to build relationships with customers that cover the entire life cycle of their equipment, from cradle to grave.

On auction day, at the start of the auction, both the auction details page and our homepage will automatically refresh to reveal a large yellow "Launch Live Auction" button.  You can't miss it.  Click the button and start bidding!

On the Login Page there are links below the login to be used in case you forget your username or password.  If you forgot both, start with your username and then get your password.  Clicking these links will cause a email to be sent to the email address you used to register allowing you verifty your identity and retrive the information.

A letter of credit is a letter from your bank verifying funds for the auction.  It should be on your  bank's letterhead, addressed to Cat Auction Services.  The letter should include the following sentence or information:

 "[Bank name] will honor or guarantee funds of to [$ dollar amount] for [name, business name] at the [auction location] auction on [date of auction]."

We do ask that folks register for each auction individually.  This allows us to measure individual auction attendence, give you a heads up if you have an outstanding balance with us that needs to be paid before bidding, etc.  If you are a regular customer in good standing with Cat Auction Services, you can request to be moved to an automatic approval status - or we might have already done so for you!

You should have recieved an email to the email address you had associated with your old account with a link asking you to activate the account on our new website. If you didn't receive this email, please first check your spam folder.  Still missing?  Give us a call at 855.228.2286 and we will help you out!

There is a 2% buyer's premium charged to all online bidders.  Please be aware there is also a 10% handling fee charged on lots selling for $2,500 or less to help cover the cost of our staff and equipment required to be on-site to help customers load small items out.

Online bidder registration will require an active email account, your contact information, and the contact information for your bank.  After creating your account, you will be sent an email to confirm the email address is valid.  Follow the link in the email to activate the account.  Prior to bidding online, online bidders in the United States are required to submit a letter for credit from their bank. International bidders are asked to wire a full refundable deposit to Cat Auction Services prior to bidding approval.

Sure, registering for an online account allows you to bid online, but there are so many great features to help you with your equipment buying needs.

You can save searches, so even if the item you are looking for hasn't been consigned or we only have a couple, you will be emailed when new equipment is added that matches your search.

You can flag equipment you are interested in to be "watched" so it is easier to find when you return to the site. Waiting for more photos or an inspection report to be posted before the sale?  Have the list of equipment you are interested in available with one click instead of having to find it all again.

Buying history is available to those with online accounts.  You can see what you purchased when and request new invoices.

Registered accounts also stay in the know with emails about upcoming auctions so you never miss a sale.