US auction firm bidadoo sets ambitious goal

Bidadoo, the US online auction marketplace that uses eBay as its transaction platform, said it wanted to become the main challenger to RB Global in the worldwide construction and industrial truck auctions market.

Howard Hawk, president of bidadoo, speaking to International Rental News at the ConExpo exhibition in March, said the market needed a prime competitor to RB Global; “We want to be that challenger. It will take time, but it will be easier for us than other players that don’t have a global platform like eBay.”

Hawk, who co-founded the company in 2003 with his brother John, said the target for bidadoo was to enable transactions valued at between $1 and $2 billion annually within five years. 

Howard Hawk (left) and brother John, the co-founders of bidadoo, pictured at the 2026 ConExpo exhibition. (Image: KHL Group)

RB Global’s annual sales last year for construction and industrial equipment were around $6 billion – it’s total transaction volume was more than $16 billion.

Bidadoo, which is based in Kent, Washington, has partnered with eBay for 23 years and eBay is a minority shareholder of the business.

He said the eBay channel remained a crucial benefit for its business; “We think that we get up to 20 times more views on equipment than traditional auction sites. It’s a key differentiator.”

‘On-demand’ or ‘make an offer’

Hawk, who held senior roles at Microsoft and then CRM-provider Onyx Software before creating bidadoo, said the business was typically selling more than 10,000 items a year through either its weekly online auctions or via its ‘on-demand, make an offer’ option.

The US company sells equipment from North America worldwide, but will also import machines from markets including China.

It is already working heavily with the rental sector, giving them a way of selling used fleet to buyers worldwide. It can integrate its valuation tools within a rental company’s own systems, allowing them to monitor fleet values and determine the best times to sell.

“All the national rental players [in North America] are customers, and also dealer rental companies”, said Hawk.

He said bidadoo can integrate third party equipment appraisals tools, such as Point of Rentals’ Record360.

The auction firm is using AI technology to help it analyse trends in equipment values, offering sellers estimated price ranges and trend lines.

It is also looking at the use of AI for equipment inspections and told IRN that it was proving very accurate and reliable based on machine specifications, but was not yet as effective in determining the details of machine condition.

In November, Bidadoo reported a record breaking third quarter of 2025, with 30% growth in its ‘buy it now’ marketplace and buyers from 166 countries.