Selling Heavy Equipment on Consignment: What to Expect

Consignment vs trade-in vs auction vs direct sale — which makes sense when, and what to actually expect from a broker who closes deals.

The four ways to sell heavy equipment

Before we get into how consignment works, here's the honest comparison of your options:

1. Trade-in to a dealer

Fastest, easiest, lowest net. Dealers offer trade-in value 30-50% below retail because they need to resell at margin. Makes sense if you're buying a replacement from the same dealer and the trade simplifies the deal. Doesn't make sense if you're just trying to get out of a machine.

2. Auction (Ritchie Bros, IronPlanet, MachineryTrader auctions)

Predictable timeline (the auction date), no negotiation, exposed to a wide buyer pool. Trade-off: you take whatever the room pays on auction day, plus you pay seller fees (typically 7-10%) and the buyer pays a premium on top (8-12%). Net to seller usually 70-85% of retail. Good for fast liquidation; not great for max value.

3. Direct sale (Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, MachineryTrader listing)

Highest theoretical net (no commission). In practice: tire-kickers, scammers, lowball offers, time spent qualifying buyers. Most owners who try this either give up after 2 months and call a broker, or accept a lower offer just to be done with it. Works for people who enjoy the process or have time to spare.

4. Consignment with a broker

Broker handles marketing, buyer screening, qualification, and deal management. You set the price (with broker input on what's realistic). Broker earns commission only on close — typically 6-10%. Net to seller usually 90-95% of retail when priced and marketed well. Timeline: 4-12 weeks for most machines.

For most owners selling specialty material processing equipment — crushers, screeners, grinders — consignment with a specialist broker beats the alternatives on net dollars. Auction beats it on speed.

How consignment with us actually works

Step 1: Send us the machine

Year, make, model, hours, location, condition, and your target price. Photos help. We can usually give you a reality-check on price within a day — markets move, and what you paid five years ago doesn't determine what it's worth today.

Step 2: Sign a one-page consignment agreement

Simple. Sets the listing price, the commission rate, the term (typically 90-120 days renewable), and confirms you're the owner with clear title. You stay the owner the whole time. Money flows directly to you at close, minus the agreed commission.

Step 3: Listing live in 48 hours

We get pro photos (or use yours if they're good), write the listing copy, build the spec sheet, and push to: our website, our buyer network in our CRM, social channels, and the relevant industry channels (depending on the machine type). The first 30 days of marketing get the most leverage on a fresh listing.

Step 4: We screen the buyers

Most inquiries are tire-kickers, brokers fishing, or people 6 months away from buying anything. We qualify on application fit, budget reality, financing status, and timeline before we connect a buyer to your phone. You only deal with serious people.

Step 5: Inspection

Most buyers want to either visit on-site or send a third-party inspector. We coordinate the schedule, walk the inspector through the machine, and handle Q&A. Owners can be present or not — your call.

Step 6: Close and transport

Buyer wires deposit (typically 10-25%), then balance on transport. Buyer pays freight; we coordinate the carrier, permits, and pickup. Machine moves once, your bank account moves once.

What sellers should expect (the honest version)

You're going to get lowball offers

Every machine gets at least one offer 30-50% below ask. We screen these out before they hit your phone. Don't take it personally — there's a buyer for every price, and the lowball buyer just isn't yours.

The first 30 days are critical

Fresh listings get the most attention from active buyers. If we don't have qualified interest by day 30, the issue is either price or marketing — and it's usually price. We'll have an honest conversation at that point.

Specialty machines take longer

A 200-ton trap rock crushing plant doesn't sell as fast as a portable jaw crusher. Smaller, more universal machines move faster. Specialty equipment (large stationary plants, oddball configurations) needs the right buyer to surface — that can take months.

Pricing matters more than marketing

A well-priced machine with average photos sells faster than an ambitiously-priced machine with great photos. Buyers in this market are sophisticated — they know retail, they know auction comps, and they don't pay a premium for nice photography.

You'll save more by waiting for the right buyer than by accepting the first offer

First offers are almost always not the best offer. The first qualified buyer establishes market interest; the second or third buyer often pays more because they know there's competition. Patience, when the machine is correctly priced, pays off.

How to maximize your sale price

• Clean the machine. Power-washed, no oil leaks visible, basic paint touch-up where rust shows. Adds 3-5% to perceived value with almost no cost.
• Document maintenance. Service records, hour logs, recent parts receipts. A machine with documentation sells faster and for more.
• Stage decent photos. Daylight, multiple angles, the machine running if possible. Phone cameras are fine — composition matters more than gear.
• Be honest about condition.If the engine's tired, say so. A buyer who flies out and discovers an undisclosed problem walks. Honest description = qualified buyer.
• Price from current market, not what you paid. Used heavy equipment values move with construction cycles. Recent comps matter more than your basis.

When NOT to consign

Consignment doesn't make sense in three cases:

• You need cash this week.Auction or wholesale to a dealer. You'll take a haircut but you'll have a check.
• The machine is in unsellable condition. Engine seized, major hydraulic failure, missing critical components. Sell to a parts house or scrap.
• The machine is so common and so cheap that the broker fee eats the deal. Consignment makes sense above ~$25K. Below that, list it yourself or trade.

Bottom line

For specialty material processing equipment in the $25K-$2M+ range, consignment with a specialist broker maximizes your net dollars and minimizes your time. Pick the broker based on whether they actually move your machine type — not the slickest website. Sign one agreement, set a realistic price, give it 90 days.

We list machines like this every week. Submit your machine for consignment or talk to us first about whether it's the right fit.