The Hidden Cost of Sealed Bids
While sealed bid has been the default for decades, "the way we've always done it" comes with a price:
Limited reach means limited returns. Sealed bids typically attract 3-5 local bidders. That backhoe sitting in your yard? There's a contractor three states away who needs it, but they'll never see your sealed bid legal notice.
One-shot bidding kills competition. With sealed bids, each bidder guesses what others might pay, and they usually guess low. There's no mechanism for competitive pressure to drive prices up.
Manual processes drain staff time. Paper submissions, bid tabulations, compliance documentation. Your team spends hours on process instead of results.
The math is simple: Fewer bidders + no competition = lower sale prices.
Sealed Bid vs. Municibid: A Direct Comparison
Higher Sale Prices Start With Competition
Municibid drives stronger results by expanding your buyer pool, increasing visibility, and making bidding easy. This means you sell your surplus for more money because more bidders are competing for your items.
“Needless to say we are thrilled with the results! With the amount of exposure and truly competitive bidding through Municibid, I have to say it wasn’t much of surprise that we did so well. The best part about is we get to keep 100% of the proceeds.”
More Bidders
More bidders create real competition.
Increased bidder participation leads directly to competitive bidding and higher sale prices.
More Visibility
Your items are seen nationwide.
Listings reach buyers far beyond your local area, helping the right buyers find the right surplus.
Less Friction
Easy bidding keeps prices climbing.
Simple, digital bidding removes barriers so more buyers follow through with bids.
