F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

  1. General
  2. Creating An Account
  3. Getting Approved To Bid
  4. Bidding
  5. Bidding Screen
  6. Payment/Shipping/Pickup
  7. Technical Problems

General

Q. What is Live Bidding?^

A. Online live bidding allows a buyer to participate in an auction sale through the Internet without being physically present at the auction room floor. It provides users with the option of bidding live during the auction and/or placing absentee bids for auction events they are unable to attend.

Q. What technology do I need to participate in an Online Live Bidding?^

A. You need to be connected to the Internet and your computer system needs to meet these minimum requirements for the BTM Industrial Live Bidding Software to function properly. See here for a detailed description of the requirements.

Q. How much does it cost to bid?^

A. Online bidding (both Absentee and Live Bidding) is free for the bidder. It allows you to bid on lots as if you were bidding at the on-site auction itself without having to pay extra fees for using the online service. However, there will often be costs on top of the winning bid price which will be added by the auctioneer at the time of the purchase (e.g. taxes, shipping/handling, buyer’s premium, etc). Information about additional costs will usually be provided on the auction overview page.

Q. How do I know if an auction allows Online Bidding?^

A. The vast majority of auctions on BTM Industrial allow bidding. If when looking at an auction listing or the auction page or the lot page within the auction and it says get approved to bid or you’re approved, then the auction allows bidding. If the auction says listings only then you must contact the auctioneer for instructions on how to bid.

Once an auction has started, the live auction phase, you will see the words Live Bidding or Live Now. Click that button to launch the live bidding software. At this point you can bid against the auction floor bidders and other internet bidders live in real time.

Q. How do I know the merchandise is not being misrepresented?^

A. Reasonable effort is made to ensure the information displayed for each lot is correct. If further information is needed regarding an lot you can contact the auctioneer directly, and/or preview the lot during listed preview times/locations (shown on each auction page respectively). You can also view the auction's Terms and Conditions (also found on each auction page). There you will find their policies concerning the authenticity of and guarantee for each lot sold (if applicable). All bidders requesting to be approved to bid in the auction must agree to the respective Terms and Conditions.

Q. How do I take part in Live Bidding?^

A. There are three steps to be able to bid live:

  1. Create an account with BTM Industrial.
  2. Get Approved to Bid in the auction you are interested in.
  3. Click the Live Bidding or Live Now button to launch the live bidding software.

For more information click here.

Q. Can I leave an Absentee Bid on a Live Bidding Auction?^

A. Yes. If you have an account on BTM Industrial and are approved to bid in the auction, navigate to the lot you are interested in enter your bid and click the Place Max Bid button.

Note you can place absentee bids on an lot up until the lot is opened for live bidding.

Q. How do I find a specific lot?^

A. There are two ways to find a specific lot.

  1. You can use the search page which will search through all upcoming lots from every auctioneer.
  2. You can browse a specific auctioneer's auction, and use the search within the auction function or find by lot number function.
Q. How do I find more information on a lot?^

A. To view a lot’s entire details you must navigate to the lot page. If you require more information about the lot you are interested in, click the Ask a Question button and submit your question to the auctioneer.

Q. Can I watch the auction without participating?^

A. Yes, anyone can watch the live auction online. Once the live auction has started, click the Live Bidding button or the Live Now button to launch the live bidding software. You will be presented with the ability to watch or sign in.