Myth #2: ‘You can’t get financing at an offsite sale.’

Fact or fiction? Let’s clear this one up — because it’s costing sellers money every time someone believes it, and it’s part of the same myths-about-Ritchie-Bros. series we’ve been working through.

Here’s how the myth works: a potential buyer finds a piece of equipment they want at your offsite sale. They don’t have the cash on hand. They assume financing isn’t available the same way it would be at a dealership. They either sit out or bid less aggressively than they otherwise would.

That’s a loss for the buyer. But it’s also a loss for you, the seller — because that buyer just dropped out of the competition for your equipment.

The good news: the premise is wrong.

Ritchie Bros. Financial Services financing is available at every offsite

Ritchie Bros. Financial Services financing is available to buyers at every offsite auction we run. Full stop. It isn’t limited to yard sales or major events. Whether your sale is in Rouleau or Grande Prairie, buyers can access financing before and during the auction.

That matters more than most sellers realize.

When a buyer knows they can finance, they don’t have to limit their bid to what they can write a cheque for today. They can bid to what the equipment is actually worth to their operation — which is usually a higher number. More financing-eligible buyers in the bidder pool means more competition on your lots, which means stronger final prices.

What the numbers say about why this matters

That same Spring 2026 Prairie season showed just how wide the price range can get. Most lots sold for modest, manageable amounts, but a meaningful number climbed well into six figures, with a handful reaching well beyond that. That spread is exactly why financing matters: it’s what lets buyers compete at whatever level the equipment they need happens to land at.

Across the full 67-auction season, 3,426 unique buyers transacted and 15,960+ registered bidders participated. That pool doesn’t stay as large without accessible financing.

How it works for buyers

Buyers can get pre-approved for Ritchie Bros. Financial Services financing before auction day, so they arrive ready to bid on what they can actually afford to buy. The process is straightforward, and approval doesn’t lock them into a specific purchase — it just removes the ceiling on what they can bid.

On the seller’s side, you don’t manage any of this. The financing happens between the buyer and Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. Your settlement is the same either way.

The bigger picture

Every barrier you remove for buyers is a barrier you remove between your equipment and its best possible price. Financing is one of the biggest ones. A buyer who can’t get financing either doesn’t bid, bids low, or loses to someone who can.

Ritchie Bros. Financial Services is available. Buyers know it. And for the 219 lots that sold above $100,000 this spring, that access almost certainly mattered.

Talk to your local Territory Manager about what a financed, globally marketed offsite could bring for your equipment.

Spring 2026 data — Canadian Prairie Offsites, March 2 to April 29, 2026. Ritchie Bros. Financial Services financing available at all Ritchie Bros. offsite auctions.

See also

How to start a land clearing business: equipment, costs, and income potential