🛒 Bidding & Buying
How does bidding work?
ShedBid listings are ascending auctions — like eBay. The highest bid when the listing closes wins, as long as it meets the vendor's reserve (if one is set). Each bid must beat the current high bid by at least the listing's minimum increment.
What's a reserve price, and why can't I see it?
A reserve is the minimum a vendor will accept. It's kept private on purpose — you'll only ever see "Reserve Met" or "Reserve Not Met" (and sometimes "One bid away!" when you're close). If an auction ends without meeting reserve, the vendor may reach out to the top bidder directly with a second-chance offer.
What does "set a maximum bid" do?
It's proxy bidding. You set the most you're willing to pay, and ShedBid automatically bids the minimum needed to keep you in the lead if someone challenges you — up to your maximum. Your maximum is never shown to anyone, including the vendor.
Does Buy It Now ever go away once there are bids?
No. Buy It Now stays available for the entire auction, no matter how many bids come in. Anyone can still instantly win at that price at any time.
Why can I only bid on some listings and not others?
Each vendor sets a delivery radius around the building's location. You can only bid on listings within range of the zip code saved in your profile — this keeps deliveries realistic. Update your zip anytime in your profile if it's changed.
What happens right before a listing closes?
If a bid comes in during the final few minutes, the closing time automatically extends a few more minutes. This repeats until bidding quiets down, so a last-second snipe can't win a building nobody else had a fair chance to respond to.
Can I get notified before a listing ends?
Yes — add it to your Watchlist and you'll get an email reminder as it nears closing.
I won — now what?
You and the vendor are given each other's contact information. Payment and pickup/delivery are arranged directly between you — ShedBid never handles the money. After the sale, you may be asked to rate the vendor.
🏠 Selling
How do I start selling on ShedBid?
Submit a
vendor application. Once your account is approved, you can publish listings anytime from your Vendor Dashboard without needing approval on each one (unless your company has turned on the approval-required setting — see Lot Managers below).
What can I set on a listing?
Starting price, an optional hidden reserve, an optional Buy It Now price, the minimum bid increment, how long the auction runs, and optional rent-to-own terms shown as information for buyers.
How do I add photos?
From your Vendor Dashboard, upload photos from your device — or, using the
ShedBid app on your phone, tap "Take Photo" to snap pictures right on the lot and add several in a row.
How do I get paid?
ShedBid never touches the sale funds — when a listing sells, you get the buyer's contact info and settle payment directly with them. ShedBid invoices your commission afterward.
What if my reserve isn't met?
The listing closes as "Reserve Not Met" instead of sold. You may then be sent the top bid as a second-chance offer you can accept or decline — nothing happens automatically.
Can a sold building be delivered through ShedBid too?
Yes. Once a listing sells, you can send it straight to the driver network for delivery bids from your Vendor Dashboard — no need to arrange freight yourself.
📍 Lot Managers & Teams
What's the difference between a company manager and a lot manager?
A company (HQ) manager runs the whole dealer organization — every factory, every lot, and every lot-manager login. A lot manager only sees and posts listings for the specific lot(s) they've been assigned to.
How do I add lots and lot managers?
As the company manager, open Team & Locations from your dashboard. Add your factories and lots there, then create a login for each lot manager and assign them to one or more lots.
Do lot managers need to approve their own listings?
By default, no — they publish straight to the live auction. If you'd rather review each one first, turn on Require Approval in Team & Locations; new listings from lot managers will then wait in a queue until you approve or reject them.
Can a lot manager see other lots' listings?
No. A lot manager's dashboard only ever shows their own assigned lot(s), even if the company has many others.
Can one person manage more than one lot?
Yes — when creating or editing a lot manager, you can assign them to as many lots as they cover.
🔐 Account & Verification
Why do I need to verify my email?
Verification confirms you're a real person before you can bid, protecting the integrity of every auction. Check your inbox for the verification link after registering.
How do I change my zip code?
Update it anytime in your profile. It's what determines which listings you're eligible to bid on, so keep it current if you move.
Does ShedBid ask for my phone number or ID?
No. Verification is email-based only, plus a simple on-site check to keep out automated bots — nothing is sent to a third party.