The Best Time to Buy Is...?

Understanding historical sales trends can help you find the best time to buy (and sell) equipment. Hint: It may not always be the last week of December!

- By Karen Jones, Executive Editor Machinery

Historically, large amounts of machinery have changed hands in December.

The dust of harvest has settled and, as the books close on another year, it’s a logical time to evaluate what needs to be sold, purchased, or upgraded to help manage your cash flow. But is December the best time to buy?

It depends on how you define “best,” said Andy Campbell, Tractor Zoom director of insights.

“You have to think contrary to what other people think,” he said. “If you buy something when you're not going to use it for a while, that tends to be the best time to buy.”

All machinery categories have seasonal spikes in demand, usually in the month leading up to when they will be heavily used. This is when prices tend to be highest at auction and, sometimes, at dealerships.

“You typically see premium auction prices in July, December, and in March,” Campbell said. “June and August are close, too — all times when farmers are in preparation mode, thinking about the next big season while they still have the freedom to look around for what they want and need.”

A Larger Buying Pool

January, February, April, and October often see pricing lulls, which can mean better deals but also a smaller pool of quality available equipment. However, with the prevalence of online auctions, it’s easier than ever to search for equipment.

“Back in the old open outcry sale days, the window was the first of November through the first of May,” said Mark Stock, cofounder of BigIron. “That has changed dramatically because now, people bid on their phone wherever they are — in the field working, in the dentist chair, sitting at their desk.”

Campbell suggested creating saved searches for your desired equipment on your preferred auction sites that can send you alerts, even when you're busy.