Website Offers Sell-It-Yourself Or Auction Options

Website Offers Sell-It-Yourself Or Auction Options List farm equipment on Tractor Tuesday and sell it yourself, or put it on the Tuesday morning auction. Either way, it costs the seller nothing. Buyers on the auction pay a 5% premium, capped at $7,500. Launched in Sept. 2024, the site caught on fast. “When we launched, we had zero registered users,” says Zach Bosle of Tractor Tuesday. “We’re now at close to 15,000 total.” Daily visitors to the website’s home page exceed 9,000, while visitors to the various unit listings exceed 114,000. Bosle gives potential buyers plenty of reasons to visit. A farmer with a tech background, he’d been selling machinery on the side and helping local farmers market their machinery. “I had had good luck with online auctions, but thought there were a few ways to be better and put more marketing power in farmers’ hands,” says Bosle. “I was on a mission to give sellers the tools to sell for themselves.” Bosle spent six months developing his concept before launching. The upfront work shows in an extremely user-friendly website. It lists auctions, daily deals, how to list, dealer pages and Bosle’s blog. Sellers submit machine details and media, along with either a requested Tuesday auction date or a retail listing. The listing is approved, declined or more information is requested. For the auction listing, it goes live and remains on the site until the auction ends on the requested Tuesday.  If the retail option is selected, the machine is listed on Daily Deals, and prospective buyers either make an offer or accept the asking price and place a down payment with Tractor Tuesday. When the auction ends or the sale is made, a step-by-step checklist and buyer and seller contact information are provided to finalize transaction details and logistics. Financing is available. Bosle offers a free guide, “How to Get Top Dollar When Selling Farm Equipment,” to help sellers maximize their sales. It’s designed to help sellers understand what buyers look for and the steps that can lead to better outcomes. “It hurts us to see a listing that’s substandard,” he says. “Too often, listings aren’t put together well, even from major firms. With our guide, we’re trying to create standards we can share with customers and others. It offers pointers to help the buyer fall in love with the equipment at first glance.” Bosle says the guide will be available in hardcover in April, priced to cover costs. Suggestions include taking high-quality photos, even hiring a professional. Do a quick video walk-around and cold start. Shoot in landscape mode on your phone and upload to the platform. Sellers are required to post their equipment only on Tractor Tuesday. Once equipment is listed, they’re encouraged to respond to any comments or questions and to provide additional pictures or videos as requested. A “Contact Seller” note on listings allows buyers to ask additional questions. Bosle maintains a video blog on the website where he shares his thoughts on new equipment, recaps auctions, and interviews sellers. In a recent video, he shared his concerns about the current state of the farm economy.  “A lot of guys want to hold onto extra equipment, but there’s a major disconnect too often on what the cash value is,” says Bosle. “If they wait until the banker says get it to auction, there may be a glut of equipment for sale. I’m afraid the market won’t absorb the inventory, and it’ll drive down prices. Machinery dealers have already done a good job trying to reduce their inventory. Farmers should too, and sooner, not later.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tractor Tuesday, (as of April 2nd) 1130 W. J St., Hastings, Neb. 68901 (ph 402-702-2222; info@tractortuesday.com; www.tractortuesday.com; Facebook: Tractor Tuesday).

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