Grafe Auction
Grafe Auction is a privately held, family-style commercial and industrial equipment auctioneer operating a proprietary online platform founded in 1959, serving Midwest USA sellers and bidders through auction events with a transaction-based buyer's premium revenue model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1959
- HeadquartersStewartville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Grafe Auction does
Grafe Auction operates a proprietary online auction platform for commercial and industrial equipment, headquartered in Stewartville, Minnesota, and has done so under the same banner since its founding in 1959. The platform runs continuous online auction events in two formats — 'Without Reserve' and 'With Reserve' — where sellers list equipment and buyers register and bid remotely, with the online lot close (analogous to a 'fall of the hammer') constituting contract formation under the company's Minnesota-law-governed User Agreement. The core platform integrates Stripe Identity for KYC at bidder registration (government ID, selfie match, and SMS phone verification), supports multiple payment methods (Visa, MasterCard, ACH, and wire for large purchases), and discloses buyer's premium percentages on every auction listing in compliance with Minnesota Price Transparency laws. The company's privacy framework also references the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act for user data rights.
Grafe Auction monetizes exclusively on a transaction-based take rate. Bidder participation is free; revenue is generated by a buyer's premium added to the winning bid (percentage varies by auction and is disclosed per listing) plus pass-through sales tax collected on applicable transactions. There is no subscription, listing fee, or SaaS component. The customer base is horizontal and segmented into two complementary sides: business owners/consignors seeking to liquidate surplus or decommissioned commercial/industrial equipment, and buyers/bidders — including both businesses and individuals — seeking equipment at competitive auction prices. Both segments are addressed through the same self-serve website, supported by buyer and seller FAQ guides, a mailing list, and a social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube).
Operationally, Grafe Auction is a privately held, likely founder- or family-controlled entity with 11–50 employees, no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no M&A history. Distribution is concentrated in the Midwest USA, with the proprietary site serving as the sole transaction channel. The company's strategic posture is that of a niche incumbent migrating a traditional auction business onto a digital platform while leaning on its 65+ year brand and Minnesota-specific regulatory framing as primary differentiators.
Grafe Auction firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grafe Auction
- Legal name
- Grafe Auction
- Website
- https://grafeauction.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1959
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Grafe Auction is a privately held, family-style commercial and industrial equipment auctioneer operating a proprietary online platform founded in 1959, serving Midwest USA sellers and bidders through auction events with a transaction-based buyer's premium revenue model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grafe Auction industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial and Industrial Equipment Auctions
- NAICS
- Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42385)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Construction & Mining (No Petro) Machinery & Equip (5082)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Grafe Auction is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stewartville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Grafe Auction business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Buyer's Premium: A percentage-based buyer's premium is added to the final bid price of auction items. This is the primary revenue stream, calculated as a taxable addition to the winning bid amount. The premium percentage is disclosed on each auction listing per Minnesota Price Transparency laws.
- Sales Tax Collection: Sales tax is collected on applicable transactions where sales tax is due, calculated based on the final total price (Bid + Premium) per state regulations. While this is a pass-through charge, it represents a transaction-related revenue component.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Buyer's Premium on winning bids |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Grafe Auction product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Grafe Auction conducts online auctions for commercial and industrial equipment, enabling business owners to list equipment for liquidation and buyers to bid remotely. The platform supports both 'Without Reserve' (guaranteed sale to highest bidder) and 'With Reserve' auction formats, with identity verification through Stripe Identity and payment processing via Visa, MasterCard, ACH bank transfer, and wire transfer.
Product overview
Grafe Auction is a commercial and industrial auction company offering a unified online platform for buying and selling equipment at auction. Founded in 1959, the platform provides integrated buyer and seller services including account registration with identity verification, real-time online bidding, and payment processing through multiple methods. The offering consists of the core online auction platform, buyer-facing bidding services, and seller-facing equipment liquidation services, all operating under Minnesota law with compliance to state privacy and price transparency regulations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Grafe Auction Online Platform
Companies that use Grafe Auction
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Grafe Auction technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Grafe Auction partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Stripe IdentitysupportingThird-party identity verification provider used during account registration to verify bidder identity. The verification process includes government-issued photo ID submission, selfie photograph matching, and phone number verification via SMS code. This is a vendor relationship for fraud prevention rather than a strategic partnership.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Grafe Auction competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TractorHouse: Online listing and auction platform for farm and construction equipment, part of Sandhills Global. Directly comparable to Grafe in serving buyers and sellers of commercial equipment through an online auction/listings format.
- HiBid: Online auction platform hosting a wide range of asset categories including commercial and industrial equipment. Comparable to Grafe in providing self-serve online bidding infrastructure for equipment auctioneers and sellers.
- IronPlanet: Online marketplace for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks, and attachments. Directly comparable as an online auction platform for commercial/industrial equipment with similar bidder registration and inspection processes.
- Proxibid: Online auction marketplace that powers live and timed auctions for heavy equipment, industrial machinery, and commercial assets. Comparable to Grafe in operating an online platform with identity verification and bidder registration.
- AuctionTime: Online auction platform operated by Sandhills Global covering farm equipment, construction equipment, and trucks. Directly comparable online C&I equipment auction marketplace with timed online bidding similar to Grafe's model.
- Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers: The largest global auctioneer of commercial and industrial equipment, running both online and on-site auctions. Directly comparable to Grafe in the C&I equipment auction vertical, though at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
- GovDeals: Online auction platform for government and commercial surplus equipment, including heavy machinery and industrial assets. Comparable to Grafe in facilitating online auction of used commercial/industrial equipment.
Broad incumbents
- eBay: Large incumbent online auction and marketplace operator. While primarily a consumer/generalist marketplace, eBay's Business & Industrial category competes broadly with specialized equipment auctioneers like Grafe.
- Sandhills Global (Truck Paper, Machinery Trader): Parent operator of multiple equipment listing and auction brands (TractorHouse, AuctionTime, Machinery Trader). Broadly comparable to Grafe as a multi-brand C&I equipment marketplace and auction infrastructure provider.
Emerging players
- Bid4Assets: Online auction platform for government-seized and surplus commercial assets. Comparable to Grafe as a smaller online auction marketplace serving equipment sellers, though with a more government-asset focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Grafe Auction social profiles
Digital presenceGrafe Auction compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Grafe Auction financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grafe Auction leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Grafe Auction funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grafe Auction M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Grafe Auction
What does Grafe Auction do?
Grafe Auction conducts online auctions for commercial and industrial equipment, enabling business owners to list equipment for liquidation and buyers to bid remotely. The platform supports both 'Without Reserve' (guaranteed sale to highest bidder) and 'With Reserve' auction formats, with identity verification through Stripe Identity and payment processing via Visa, MasterCard, ACH bank transfer, and wire transfer.
Is Grafe Auction a public or private company?
Grafe Auction is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Grafe Auction founded?
Grafe Auction was founded in 1959. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Grafe Auction based?
Grafe Auction is headquartered in Stewartville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Grafe Auction make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Buyer's Premium is the primary driver. The others are sales Tax Collection.
Who are Grafe Auction's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TractorHouse, HiBid, IronPlanet, Proxibid, AuctionTime, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and GovDeals. Broad incumbents are eBay and Sandhills Global (Truck Paper, Machinery Trader). Bid4Assets is listed as an emerging player.
Does Grafe Auction have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grafe Auction.
What industry is Grafe Auction in?
Grafe Auction's product category is Commercial and Industrial Equipment Auctions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAAAC, Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 42385 and its SIC code is 5082.