Speed, control and price
trade against each other.
Name the intermediary's role, compensation and authority before comparing offers or signing an exclusive agreement.
The same company can play very different roles.
A dealer buying as principal, an agent earning commission, a consignor controlling the asset and an auctioneer selling under terms create different economics and obligations. The written agreement—not the label—controls.
Facts to establish
- Whether the counterparty is buyer, agent, broker, consignee or auctioneer
- Who sets asking, reserve, reductions and acceptance authority
- Commission, buyer premium, seller fees, resale margin and expense reimbursement
- Exclusivity, term, territory, channel, termination and post-term tail
- Possession, storage, insurance, demonstration, maintenance and damage risk
- Payment flow, buyer default, title, taxes and removal responsibility
Documents and deliverables
- Role and compensation disclosure
- Complete agency, brokerage, consignment or auction agreement
- Pricing and approval authority matrix
- Expense budget and preapproval rules
- Custody, insurance and condition record
- Settlement statement and buyer contract
Ask before the decision becomes expensive.
A useful answer identifies a person, document, number, date, scope or acceptance test. Replace assumptions with evidence.
Are you buying my machine or representing me?
A principal buyer earns any later resale spread; an agent generally earns disclosed compensation. Put the role in writing.
Who controls the final selling price?
Define list price, reserve, reductions, counteroffers and whether the seller approves the final contract.
What happens to buyer-paid fees?
Ask whether buyer premiums, documentation, removal or service charges affect bidding, seller proceeds or intermediary revenue.
What happens if the machine does not sell?
Define return, storage, remarketing, repair, transport, exclusivity and post-term obligations.
Pause when the scope is vague.
- The same person calls the transaction a purchase and a consignment
- Commission percentage disclosed but the commission base is not
- Uncapped reimbursable expenses
- Exclusive term with vague performance obligations
- No seller approval over price reductions or final contract
What a controlled file contains.
- Chosen role and rationale
- Compensation and expense schedule
- Authority and communication rules
- Custody and insurance file
- Final settlement and buyer documents
Use the source that controls the question.
These links provide a starting point. The exact machine, agreement, site, jurisdiction and qualified professionals control the final decision.
Connect this question to the whole machine.
Machine ownership is a chain. Use the next relevant guide instead of treating any one checkpoint as the complete answer.
Direct answers, with the boundary intact.
Machine Blue Book organizes research. It does not replace engineering, legal, tax, insurance, safety, appraisal or trade advice.
What is the difference between a dealer and a broker?
A dealer may buy and resell as principal; a broker or agent generally arranges a transaction for compensation. The actual agreement and conduct control.
Is auction always a forced sale?
No. Auctions can be planned sale methods, but timing, reserve, premiums, fees, audience and terms materially affect results.
Is consignment the same as selling the machine?
No. Ownership and risk may remain with the seller until a later buyer transaction, depending on the agreement.
Which method produces the highest price?
No method guarantees the outcome. Compare likely seller net, timing, certainty, control, workload and risk using evidence.
Selling a CNC Machine
Carry this evidence into the rest of the decision—from machine identity through handover and final economics.