Buying on Municibid

Everything about finding auctions, proxy bidding, reserves, buyer's fees, and what happens after you win.

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01How to bid TutorialHow to find an item, place a bid, confirm it, and check your bid status on Municibid.02All about Proxy BiddingHow proxy (maximum) bidding works on Municibid: placing a proxy bid, how Municibid bids for you (including…03If I win, what fees will I have to pay?Buyer's fee basics, and how paying for the item depends on Pay Now vs pay the agency.04I won my auction what's next?What happens after you win: contact the seller, and pay via Pay Now or the agency depending on the invoice.05I won the auction, how do I contact the seller?How to contact the seller after you win, via winning email, Contact on the listing, or Won auctions.06What is a reserve price?A reserve price is the minimum price a seller is willing to accept for an item. If the bidding doesn't reach…

Finding auctions

Search, filter by state, watch items, and get alerts.

How do I search for an item or seller?Use quick search or Advanced Search filters to find items and sellers on Municibid.How do I search by state?Filter Municibid listings by state using the Locations panel on Browse.Watching Items and AuctionsHow to watch auctions or items you are interested in.How do I get notified when an agency posts new listings?Follow a selling agency to get notified when they post new listings.Municibid Auction AssistantNever miss an auction that matters to you.All About SMS Outbid NotificationsDo you want to start or stop receiving text/sms notifications when you are outbid?

Bidding & proxy bids

How bids, maximums, increments and the closing clock work.

How to bid TutorialHow to find an item, place a bid, confirm it, and check your bid status on Municibid.All about Proxy BiddingHow proxy (maximum) bidding works on Municibid: placing a proxy bid, how Municibid bids for you (including toward a reserve), checking your…Why did my bid go to my maximum bid?If there is a reserve on an item, your bid will go to the lesser of either your maximum bid or the reserve price.Can I cancel/reduce my bid after I submit it?Bids are binding. You can release a proxy maximum with Release my maximum, but your current bid stays.Bid Increments on MunicibidBid increments determine the minimum amount by which a new bid must exceed the current high bid.Why did the auction end later than the closing time?Bids placed with less than 2 minutes will extend the auction for 2 minutes from the point of the last bid until no bids are received for…What happens if the site is down when an auction ends?We will contact the seller to discuss the best options for the auction. Most of the time, the item is relisted. Municibid will always…

Reserve prices

What a reserve is and what happens when it isn't met.

What is a reserve price?A reserve price is the minimum price a seller is willing to accept for an item. If the bidding doesn't reach this price, they aren't…How do I know if an item has a reserve?Check the listing bid panel for Reserve not met, Reserve met, or No reserve.What happens if the reserve price is not met?What happens when an auction ends without meeting reserve, for bidders and sellers.

Questions for the seller

Ask about condition, titles, inspections and more.

How do I ask the seller a question?Ask a listing question in Questions & Answers. All Q&A is public.I need more information on the item then what is already listed.If you wish to contact a seller on Municibid for inquiries or to request an inspection of an auction listing, the platform provides a…The seller has not answered my question yet.When a question is posted to an item, the seller receives an email notification right away. We advise sellers to answer bidder’s questions…Questions & Answers Section GuidelinesTips for Asking Sellers Questions on Municibid Listing Pages How do title transfers work?Municibid doesn’t handle titles — ask the selling agency in Questions & Answers.

After you win

Contacting the seller, paying, pickup and problems.

I won my auction what's next?What happens after you win: contact the seller, and pay via Pay Now or the agency depending on the invoice.I won the auction, how do I contact the seller?How to contact the seller after you win, via winning email, Contact on the listing, or Won auctions.Can Municibid cancel sales, and what are the necessary steps for requesting a cancellation?Municibid operates as a platform connecting buyers with selling agencies. However, it has limitations when it comes to canceling sales.…Why is there an open invoice for an item I already paid for and picked up?This explains why you may see an open invoice in your Municibid account even after paying for and picking up an item.

Buyer's fees & cards

How the buyer's fee is calculated and charged.

If I win, what fees will I have to pay?Buyer's fee basics, and how paying for the item depends on Pay Now vs pay the agency.Can I have more than one credit card on file?Yes you can! Please note, the credit card you have selected as Primary will be the credit card charged for your buyers fee. To learn how to…Why do I have to re-enter my credit card information after I already did it during registration?To help enhance security, if you have not bid on an item for 30 days your credit card information will be erased. You can update your…Why is the website not taking my credit card information?Most card errors are because the digits in the address and zip code do not exactly match what is on your billing statement. Please double…

More articles

Other answers in this section.

What do I do if the item doesn't match its description?While rare, there are times where the item isn't exactly what you expected it to be.Why Was My Credit Card Removed from Municibid?Why was my credit removed from my account if it has not yet expired?Why was someone able to bid less than the bid increment?A proxy bid that reaches its maximum can land between increments, and the system uses the whole amount.Can I pay my buyer's fee by a method other than credit card?Buyer's fees can only be paid by credit card at this time.Removing or lowering a Proxy BidHow to remove or lower your proxy/maximum bid Why can't I bid less than the starting bid if there is no reserve?Starting Bids vs. Reserve Prices: what's the difference?

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Email 800-531-6074

Live chat: the blue bubble in the corner of every pagePhone: 800-531-6074, option 4Is Municibid down? Check site status