How to bid

Placer Auctions runs timed online auctions you can bid in from anywhere. Registering is free and you're only charged if you win. Here is the whole process, start to finish.

1. Create a free accountRegister with your email and keep a card on file. It's free, and your card is only charged if you win. One account works for every Placer auction.
2. Find your lotsBrowse current auctions and open any lot for photos and condition notes. Everything sells as-is, where-is — you’re buying it in its current condition with no returns or warranties, and you collect it yourself — so look closely before you bid. Add lots you like to your watchlist.
3. Set a max bidEnter the most you're willing to pay. The system bids for you in small increments, only as high as it needs to stay in front. You often pay less than your max.
4. Watch for outbid emailsIf another bidder passes your max, we email you. You can raise your max any time before the lot closes, or let it go.
5. Don’t panic at the buzzerA bid in the final moments adds time to that lot’s clock, so you always have a chance to respond. Bidding only ends when it truly stops.
6. Win and pay your invoiceWin and we email an itemized invoice. A 20% buyer's premium is added to your winning bid, and 7.75% California sales tax applies to the bid plus premium. The card on file is charged automatically when the auction ends.

After you pay, collect your items at our Roseville warehouse on the pickup days shown on your invoice, or request shipping.

Three terms worth knowing

Max bid

The most you're willing to pay for a lot. The system bids on your behalf, one increment at a time, up to that number, and stops the moment it wins. Other bidders never see your max.

Why the clock adds time

Timed lots don't end on a hard buzzer. A bid placed near the end extends that lot’s closing time, so the lot goes to the bidder who wants it most, not the fastest finger.

As-is, where-is

Every item sells in its current condition, with no returns or warranties, and you collect it from our Roseville warehouse. A “lot” is simply one item — or a group sold together — as a single line on your invoice.

Fees, pickup, and more

What you'll pay, when to collect your items, and answers to common questions: