What Bids.com does

Bids.com, Inc. is a privately held online auction marketplace incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Valencia, California, with a primary fulfillment warehouse in Los Angeles. The company operates a consumer-facing e-commerce platform built on Shopify that runs timed auctions alongside a fixed-price 'Buy Now' channel for jewelry, gold, lab-grown diamonds, and watches spanning fashion to luxury tiers (Omega, Cartier, BVLGARI, TAG Heuer, Gucci, Chanel). All listed inventory is sourced and sold by Bids.com itself rather than third-party consignors, distinguishing the model from generalist auction platforms like eBay.

The platform's core mechanics center on an auction format with an auto-bid system that increments bids by $1 up to a user-defined maximum, a Watch List for tracking items, and reserve-price auctions whose floor price is hidden from bidders. Post-auction, items unsold at reserve become available for a 3-day first-come, first-served purchase at the reserve price. Bids.com underwrites trust through independent gemological certificates ($33 add-on), a 14-day money-back guarantee on sealed items, optional ring resizing ($25, up to two sizes), and an optional 2-year warranty service plan. Shipping is dispatched from the LA warehouse within ~2 business days of payment via USPS domestically and FedEx internationally.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based auction fees (minimum $3, or 3% of the winning price for items over $100), shipping fees, and ancillary services (resizing, certificates, warranties). The customer base is entirely individual consumers — no B2B or enterprise channel is evidenced. Payment acceptance is unusually broad for the category, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, debit/ATM, and a wide cryptocurrency stack (Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Dogecoin, plus the niche JWL Coin). The company was founded by David Zinberg (founder and CEO) and has disclosed only $1.7M in external funding despite an employee base of 251-500, implying either strong cash generation or owner-provided capital.

Name

Bids.com

Legal name

Bids.com, Inc.

Website

https://bids.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Bids.com is a privately held online auction marketplace that sources and sells jewelry, gold, lab-grown diamonds, and watches (fashion through luxury tiers) to individual consumers via timed auctions and fixed-price Buy Now, operated on Shopify and shipped from a Los Angeles warehouse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Jewelry & Watch Auctions

NAICS

Jewelry Retailers (45831)

SIC

Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944)

akta.pro primary industry

Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Online auction marketplace
• Jewelry auctions
• Luxury watches
• Buy now marketplace
• Gemstone jewelry

Headquarters

HQ city

Valencia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Auction Fees: Standard fee covering cost associated with sourcing products, running the marketplace, and managing services including payment collection and fulfillment. Minimum auction fee is $3 or 3% of item's winning price for items exceeding $100.
2. Shipping Fees: Calculated and paid separately by customers for auction items and items sourced from different locations.
3. Additional Services: Ring resizing ($25), Certificate of authenticity ($33), and optional 2-year warranty service plan (priced based on item value).
4. Product Sales: Direct sales through 'Buy Now' option at fixed prices, complementing the auction model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Bids.com operates an online auction marketplace where individual consumers bid on jewelry, watches, and luxury goods during time-limited auctions, with the highest bidder winning. The platform also offers a "Buy Now" option for immediate purchase at fixed prices. The company sources its own inventory, manages the auction process, collects payment, and fulfills shipments from its Los Angeles warehouse.

Product overview

Bids.com operates as an online auction marketplace for jewelry and luxury watches, offering a dual purchase model through time-limited auctions and Buy Now immediate purchases. The core platform is organized into product categories including Gold, Rings, Earrings, Necklaces, Lab Diamonds, Bracelets, Watches, and Luxury Watches, with a Daily Deal section for featured items. The marketplace supports bidding tools including an Auto-bid System, Reserve Price Auctions, and a Watch List feature. Additional services include Ring Resizing, Certificate of Authenticity from independent gemological laboratories, and a 2-Year Warranty Service Plan. The company backs purchases with a 14-Day Money-Back Guarantee. Products are shipped from a Los Angeles, California warehouse with USPS and FedEx integration for domestic and international delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bids.com Auction Marketplace Online auction marketplace enabling registered members to bid on jewelry, watches, and luxury goods during time-limited auction periods, with the highest bidder winning. Some items also available for immediate purchase through Buy Now.
• Buy Now Fixed-price immediate-purchase option allowing customers to buy jewelry and watches at listed prices without participating in the auction process.
• Auto-bid System Automated bidding tool that places bids on behalf of users up to their designated maximum bid amount, increasing bids by the minimum increment ($1.00 USD) to maintain competitive positioning.
• Reserve Price Auctions Auction format with an undisclosed minimum reserve price that must be met before the highest bidder wins the item.
• Ring Resizing Service Ring sizing service for select products allowing resizing up to 2 sizes up or down for a $25 fee, with delivery delayed up to 7 additional days.
• Certificate of Authenticity Independent gemological certificate available for purchase at checkout for $33 on select products, with delivery delayed up to 7 additional days.
• 2-Year Warranty Service Plan Extended warranty covering parts and labor for repairs due to normal everyday wear and tear, priced based on item value and available for select products at checkout.
• 14-Day Money-Back Guarantee Return policy providing full refunds within 14 days of purchase for items returned in sealed, original condition with all tags and packaging intact. Pre-owned watches are not returnable.

Quantifiable outcome

• Items sold at significant discounts to retail prices (e.g., $5,091 auction price vs $34,332 retail)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BidsAuction
• Facebookfacebook.com/BidsAuction

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bids.com