IronPlanet Customer Care: A Practical, Detailed Guide

Who handles IronPlanet customer care today

IronPlanet, founded in 1999 as an online marketplace for used heavy equipment and trucks, has operated under the Ritchie Bros. group since 2017. Ritchie Bros. completed its acquisition of IronPlanet in 2017 in a transaction valued at approximately US$758.5 million. Practically, this means customer care, payment processing, and dispute resolution for IronPlanet, GovPlanet, and TruckPlanet are handled within a single support and operations framework.

For buyers and sellers, the unified support structure improves response times, standardizes policies (for example on payment deadlines and pickup windows), and gives access to the broader Ritchie Bros. logistics network. If you move between IronPlanet’s weekly auctions, TruckPlanet’s specialty inventory, and GovPlanet’s government surplus sales, expect consistent processes for account verification, billing, release authorization, and claims.

How to contact IronPlanet support

The most direct way to reach customer care is from your IronPlanet account. After signing in at ironplanet.com, use the Help or Contact Us link (typically found in the header or footer) to open a ticket or find region-specific phone numbers and hours. If you’re looking at a live or upcoming lot, the “Ask a question” tool sends your inquiry with the lot number attached, which speeds routing. For post-sale issues, reply to your invoice or release email to preserve context and attachments.

Yard and pickup details are provided on your Release Authorization and in the “Order Details” page of your account. Contact the storage yard or seller contact listed there for gate hours, loading capabilities, and appointments; contact IronPlanet customer care for billing, title, tax, or dispute matters. If you need corporate escalation beyond frontline support, use the Contact Us page to request a manager callback and reference your ticket number and invoice number.

Bidding, deposits, and account verification

Customer care can help with bidder verification and spending limits. New accounts may be asked to confirm business details and tax status and, for certain events, place a refundable card hold or wire deposit to increase bidding capacity. The exact requirement varies by sale and your bidding history; plan for deposit reviews to take the same business day when done during standard hours, or the next business day if submitted after hours.

If you hit a bidding limit during an auction, call or message support immediately with the lot number and your target max bid so they can review options in time. Keep a current government ID and, if applicable, company registration and tax exemption certificates on file. Name consistency between your account, payment source, and release documents reduces manual reviews that can delay bidding or post-sale processing.

Payments, invoices, buyer’s premiums, and tax

Invoices are issued shortly after the sale closes and typically require payment within 2–3 business days. Wire transfer is the standard method for most transactions; smaller balances may be payable by card up to a limit (a surcharge may apply, depending on region and policy at the time of sale). Your invoice will break out the hammer price, buyer’s premium, taxes, documentary fees, and any environmental or title charges.

Buyer’s premiums vary by sale format and asset category; ranges of 10–15% are common, sometimes with minimums or tiered structures. Sales tax is based on the item location and your documentation. Customer care will advise on acceptable resale, agricultural, or export exemption certificates, and how to submit them before you pay to avoid unnecessary tax charges. For titled assets, expect a documentary/title fee and processing timeframe that can run from a few days to a few weeks depending on jurisdiction.

Pickup, shipping, and storage

After IronPlanet confirms cleared funds, you will receive a Release Authorization. Do not dispatch trucks until you have the release. Carriers will typically need the release number, a copy of the paid invoice, the lot number(s), and the yard contact. Many yards require at least 24 hours’ notice and load only during posted hours (commonly Monday–Friday). Loading assistance varies by site; confirm whether the yard can load your asset and whether rigging fees apply.

Most sales include a short free-storage window after the sale or after payment confirmation; 7–10 calendar days is common. After the grace period, storage can accrue daily and may range from roughly US$25–US$75 per day per item, depending on the yard. Over-dimensional or heavy-haul freight often prices between US$2–US$5 per mile in North America, with oversize permits running roughly US$50–US$200 per state; request current quotes from carriers. Customer care can reissue releases, update pickup contacts, and document yard-approved third-party pickups to avoid delays at the gate.

IronClad Assurance and dispute resolution

Many IronPlanet listings are sold with IronClad Assurance, which means a trained inspector documented key systems and conditions before the sale. If a material discrepancy exists between the inspection report and the actual item at pickup or delivery, you must notify customer care promptly. The claim window is short—often within 48 hours of pickup or delivery—so inspect immediately and take photos or video before moving or repairing the asset.

To open a claim, provide your invoice and lot number, a description of the variance, media showing the issue, and any third-party diagnostics or estimates. Typical outcomes include a negotiated adjustment, a partial refund for repair costs, or, in rare cases, sale cancellation and return if the discrepancy is significant and verified. Items sold strictly “as-is” without inspection coverage are not eligible for IronClad Assurance claims, though support may still help mediate factual listing errors. Resolution can take 3–10 business days, depending on the complexity and the seller’s participation.

Security and fraud prevention

Always verify payment instructions on your official invoice within your ironplanet.com account; do not rely on forwarded emails to confirm banking details. IronPlanet and Ritchie Bros. will never request payment via gift cards or to a personal account. If you receive a bank change notice, call customer care using the number shown on the Contact Us page and cross-check the last four digits of the account already on your invoice before sending funds.

Enable two-step verification on your account when available, and restrict user roles if multiple employees access bidding and billing. For third-party pickups, use the account tools to add your carrier’s details so the release shows the authorized name; this reduces gate rejections and prevents unauthorized removal.

Escalations and corporate details

If a ticket is open and you need a faster resolution—for example, a truck is on-site and a release has not posted—reference your ticket number, invoice number, and lot number when requesting a manager escalation. Frontline teams can often push urgent items, such as release reissues or invoice corrections, in minutes once they have the right identifiers. Keep communications within the same ticket thread so the history and attachments remain intact.

IronPlanet is operated by Ritchie Bros., whose corporate headquarters is located at 9500 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, BC V5J 0C6, Canada. For the most current regional phone numbers, hours of operation, and mailing addresses for payments and titles, use the Contact Us link at ironplanet.com. Policies can vary by jurisdiction and sale type, and the website will display the correct details for your region and event.

What to have ready before you contact customer care

Having complete information on hand allows support to verify your account quickly, locate your order, and take action without back-and-forth. For pre-sale issues, the lot URL and your account email are usually enough; for post-sale issues, invoice and release details are critical. Clear photos or PDFs help avoid disputes about condition notes, titles, or tax documentation.

If a carrier is already dispatched or waiting at the yard, tell support the carrier name, driver’s name, truck and trailer plates, and the expected arrival time. When disputing condition or invoking IronClad Assurance, capture photos of serial number plates and hour meters, plus wide shots and close-ups of the specific discrepancies.

• Your account email and company name exactly as registered
• Lot number, sale date, and the listing URL
• Invoice number and, if issued, the Release Authorization number
• VIN/serial number and odometer/hour meter readings
• Photos/video of the item at pickup or delivery, and any inspection annotations
• Carrier details (company, driver, ETA) or yard contact name and appointment time
• Tax certificates or exemption documents, if applicable
• Wire payment confirmation or bank trace number, if you’re verifying funds

Typical timelines and fees at a glance

The timelines below reflect common operating practices buyers and sellers experience across IronPlanet sales. Your invoice and event terms prevail; always confirm specifics for your sale. Building a schedule around these norms helps you book trucks and funds without unnecessary storage or late fees.

If any of these windows conflict with carrier availability or internal approvals, alert customer care early—extensions are easier to arrange before a deadline passes. Keep in mind that weekends and bank holidays can shift fund clearing and pickup appointments by 1–2 business days.

• Account setup and basic bidder approval: typically same day (10–30 minutes for straightforward cases)
• Deposit or card-hold release after sale: commonly 3–5 business days after release request
• Invoice issuance: within hours of auction close; payment due in 2–3 business days
• Release Authorization: usually within 1 business day of cleared funds
• Free storage window: commonly 7–10 calendar days; thereafter daily storage may apply
• Typical storage fees: roughly US$25–US$75 per day per item after grace period
• IronClad Assurance claim window: often 48 hours from pickup/delivery; resolve in 3–10 business days
• Refund processing after agreement: typically 3–5 business days to post, depending on bank

Is IronPlanet owned by Ritchie Bros.?

What is IronPlanet? IronPlanet, founded in 1999 and now part of the Ritchie Bros. family of solutions, is a leading online marketplace for selling and buying used equipment, trucks, and other assets in weekly online auctions conducted every Thursday.

What happens if I don’t pay IronPlanet?

Unless and until all default and late payment fees are paid in full a customer will be prohibited from bidding on our site. IronPlanet unilaterally reserves the right to prohibit participation on our site at anytime.

How do I contact GovPlanet?

Contact Customer Care (888-433-5426) if there are any issues with the name (s) on your profile.

What is IronPlanet customer care?

Customer Service
Customer Care Agents are available Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) Phone. 844-225-8799. +1-925-225-8799 (outside U.S.)