Create Auction

What Create Auction does

Create Auction Technologies LLC, founded in 2001 by Seth Nagdeman, operates a proprietary, turn-key online auction software platform purpose-built for the collectibles industry. The platform is hosted on Create Auction's infrastructure, licensed for use on the client's domain, and includes hundreds of features such as mobile-responsive design, automated bidding with custom intervals, outbid and SMS notifications, per-lot auction timers with extension capability, SSL-encrypted registration, bidder verification, and password-protected administrative access. Behind the scenes, the company relies on Microsoft Azure for cloud hosting, Cloudflare for content delivery and DDoS protection, and Twilio SendGrid for transactional email. In 2020, the company completed a major platform modernization that it described as a 'quantum leap' in technology.

The company monetizes through two transaction-based pricing models: a fixed per-auction fee or a percentage of auction revenue, with the company helping clients select the most cost-effective structure. Revenue is supplemented by two add-on services — the R&A Program, which delivers analytical research and recommendations on auction performance, and Marketing Support, which provides website development and repositioning. A Reseller Program allows third parties to offer Create Auction functionality to their own clients. The customer base is concentrated in collectibles auction houses, with disclosed logos spanning sports cards and memorabilia (Memory Lane, BBCE, Grey Flannel, Golden Age, LCG, All Star Cards, Love Of The Game, Cuban Baseball Cards), general collectibles (Prestige Collectibles, RMY Auctions), and adjacent verticals. The company is headquartered in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, led by President Seth Nagdeman, and remains founder-owned with no disclosed outside investment.

Name

Create Auction

Legal name

Create Auction Technologies LLC

Website

https://createauction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Create Auction Technologies LLC provides a proprietary, turn-key online auction software platform built exclusively for the collectibles industry, serving sports cards, memorabilia, and specialty collectibles auction houses with hosted infrastructure, licensing, and complementary analytical and marketing services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Auction Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAJAEAJ

Online/Virtual Real Estate Auctions (Marketplace Platforms)

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Real Estate Auction Services

Keywords

• Online auction software
• Collectibles auction platform
• Auction hosting services
• Bidding platform software
• Auction site management

Headquarters

HQ city

Stroudsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Per-Auction Fixed Fee: Clients can choose a fixed per-auction fee model, where Create Auction charges a set amount for each auction event hosted on their platform. The company helps clients determine which pricing model would be most cost-effective based on their auction activity levels.
2. Percentage of Auction Revenue: Alternatively, Create Auction provides services on a percentage of auction revenue, aligning their compensation with client success. This performance-based model allows clients to pay proportionally based on their auction volumes.
3. Software Licensing: When clients sign up, they receive a license for their use of the software on their domain of choice. The license is provided as part of the turn-key hosting solution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Create Auction provides a turn-key proprietary online auction platform purpose-built for the collectibles industry, including hosting, software licensing for use on the client's domain, and a scalable database. The platform supports item listings, automated and manual bidding, secure bidder registration, notifications, and per-lot auction timers. It is sold directly to auction houses and resellers, with revenue generated through per-auction fees, a percentage of auction revenue, or software licensing as part of the hosting package.

Product overview

Create Auction offers a single unified turn-key auction platform (Create Auction Platform) with proprietary auction software, hosting, and hundreds of built-in features designed specifically for the collectibles industry. The platform is augmented by two service modules: the R&A Program for analytical research and recommendations, and Marketing Support for website development and optimization. A Client Login Portal provides administrative access, and a Reseller Program enables partners to white-label auction functionality for their own clients. Clients can choose between fixed per-auction pricing or percentage-of-revenue pricing models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Create Auction Platform Turn-key online auction platform for collectibles auction houses, providing proprietary software, hosting, database, and a license for use on the client's domain. Includes mobile-responsive design, auto-bidding, notifications, per-lot auction timers, SSL-encrypted registration, bidder verification, and scalable infrastructure.
• R&A Program (Research & Analysis) Analytical service providing auction house clients with structured research reports examining auction frequency, lot positioning, marketing, promotion, aesthetics, and ending protocol to identify opportunities for greater auction success.
• Marketing Support Website development and repositioning service that creates new websites or optimizes existing ones with memorable graphics, clear content, and improved organization/navigation to enhance online auction effectiveness.
• Reseller Program Partnership program allowing resellers and partners to offer Create Auction auction functionality to their own clients, enabling third parties to set up auctions under their own brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Billions of dollars in sales settled through the platform since 2001
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Microsoft AzurecoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud hosting and data storage provider used by Create Auction to run their auction platform infrastructure. This is a critical technology partnership for platform operations.
• CloudflarecoreTechnology or IntegrationContent delivery, traffic security, and denial-of-service protection provider. Used for platform security and performance optimization.
• Twilio SendGridcoreTechnology or IntegrationOutbound email delivery provider used for transactional and announcement emails sent on behalf of auction house clients. Handles email authentication with SPF and DKIM.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Auction Ninja: Auction Ninja provides online auction software for auction houses with features for listing, bidding, and payment. It is a direct competitor to Create Auction in the auction-house SaaS market, particularly for small and mid-sized auction operators.
• HiBid (Auction Flex): HiBid (formerly Auction Flex) is a long-standing online auction platform serving auctioneers across multiple verticals including collectibles, estate, and general merchandise. It competes directly with Create Auction for the same auction-house customer base.
• Bidsquare: Bidsquare is an online auction platform built specifically for the auctions and antiques industry, including collectibles. It directly competes with Create Auction in serving collectibles-focused auction houses with online bidding technology.
• iCollector (iGavel): iCollector provides online auction and live bidding software for auction houses, with strength in art, antiques, and collectibles. It is a direct competitor to Create Auction in serving auction-house customers with branded online bidding platforms.

Broad incumbents

• Proxibid: Proxibid is a large online auction marketplace serving heavy equipment, industrial, and general merchandise categories. It is a broader incumbent in the online auction space with significantly more scale and traffic than Create Auction.
• LiveAuctioneers: LiveAuctioneers is a major online auction marketplace covering art, antiques, jewelry, and collectibles. It serves as a broader incumbent that overlaps with Create Auction's collectibles vertical but operates at greater scale with a wider category mix.
• Invaluable: Invaluable is an online auction marketplace focused on fine art, antiques, and collectibles, with a global bidder base. It overlaps with Create Auction's collectibles vertical but at much larger scale and as a destination marketplace rather than a SaaS platform.
• eBay Auction Tools: eBay is the largest generalist online auction marketplace and an indirect competitor; some collectibles auction houses use eBay's marketplace tools as an alternative to dedicated platforms like Create Auction for reaching broad bidder audiences.

Emerging players

• Lot-Online (LotOnline): Lot-Online provides online auction software solutions for auctioneers with modern bidding features. As an emerging competitor, it competes with Create Auction in the auction-house SaaS segment, particularly for operators seeking newer technology stacks.

Regional players

• EstateSales.NET: EstateSales.NET is a US-based marketplace and software platform focused on estate sales and collectibles auctions. It is comparable to Create Auction as an auction-enablement platform but primarily serves the estate-sale and North American market segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Create Auction