AI-Powered Platform Connects Ordinary Car Owners with Multiple Dealer Offers for the Best Price-Without Leaving Home
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / July 15, 2025 / Bidbus, the first true consumer-to-dealer pre-owned car marketplace in the United States, announces it has raised $3.3 million in seed funding, led by $3M from Mucker Capital. With the new funding, the company plans to build out additional AI capabilities and expand to new markets.
While other platforms offer pieces of the used car sales puzzle, Bidbus is the only AI-native business that owns the entire workflow-from pre-auction sales processes to post-auction deliveries. Founded by former auto dealers, brokers and wholesalers in 2022, Bidbus provides dealers with a previously hard-to-get fresh supply of high-quality used cars sourced directly from consumers. Sellers, in turn, now can access competing offers for their used vehicles without ever setting foot on a lot.
"We're bringing transparent, competitive dealer bids to consumers so they can sell at the best price, all from the comfort of home," said Ellson Chen, Bidbus co-founder and COO. "Many consumers hate selling their cars to dealerships because they associate it with being lowballed and haggled. By using Bidbus, regular people get multiple dealer bids, often beating trade-in, Carvana or CarMax prices. We estimate that to date, our sellers have earned a collective $3 million more from selling via Bidbus instead of through other channels."
Bidbus investor Joe Tsai, Head of Early Fund at Mucker Capital said: "Bidbus and its team understands the modern consumer and the new generation of dealers better than anyone else in the space. Their technology has the potential to level the playing field-for sellers to get the compensation they deserve, and for smaller dealerships to have a chance to compete with larger companies for the most sought after and hard-to-access inventory. This company is using AI to profoundly change how the industry operates today, and we're excited to be a part of it."
With tariffs, an automotive chip shortage, and the general slowing of sales during COVID years putting pressure on supply, dealers are desperate for these higher-quality consumer-owned cars as opposed to used cars from leases, repossessions and rental fleets. These preferred vehicles typically have lower mileage, better maintenance and also reflect the buying preferences of the geographic area.
However, buying from individual owners is a fragmented and intensive process for dealers. Each seller requires individual attention.
The Bidbus process is easy and transparent, with AI consolidating and streamlining the information collection. Sellers get a free quote after sharing a few details about their vehicle. An AI assistant then guides sellers through the listing process. Before officially entering the auction, sellers determine their minimum 'reserve price.' If bidding doesn't reach that price, sellers aren't obligated to sell the car.
The company estimates that their AI-driven process saved an estimated half a million dollars in sourcing costs for dealers last year.
Benefits for Dealers
Less Work, More Cars: An industry-specific AI engine analyzes dealer preferences, market trends, and vehicle-level data to automate sourcing-giving every dealer the tools once reserved for major retailers, with nothing needed but buying power
On-Demand Purchasing: Instant access to consumer-owned inventory, eliminating the need to chase or wait for leads
Unique Supply: Enabled by a continuous stream of individual sellers, unlocking hard-to-find inventory at scale
Benefits for Sellers
More Money Per Car: Machine learning price prediction sets an optimal reserve for the seller, so no money is left on the table
Concierge Service: A real-time AI SMS agent guides sellers through the listing process step by step
Less Hassle: Direct-to-dealer access brings top offers to sellers without haggling or lowballing
"Traditional auctions might have thousands of cars, from rental companies and leases, but only a handful are worth buying," said Kraig Coomber, dealership owner and Bidbus CFO and co-founder. "Our team built Bidbus after years of experiencing the frustration of sourcing inventory as dealers. We built a platform where quality comes standard and where every car is worth a bid."
"Today our inventory sells two to three times faster than average at dealer auctions, and that is a good sign," Coomber added.
Bidbus currently services dealerships and sellers in California, with a focus on Southern California. The company plans to expand to dealerships in the San Francisco Bay Area in the near future.
Today more than 1,000 dealers and thousands of consumers participate in Bidbus auctions. For more information, visit bidbus.com.
Images available here: Media Kit
About Bidbus
Founded in 2022 by industry insiders, Bidbus resolves the real pain points of modern vehicle sourcing through AI, automation, and a consumer-friendly experience. Bidbus' AI-driven marketplace enables consumers to sell their cars directly to dealers in a live, competitive auction from the comfort of home. Bidbus taps into a broader market of individual owners, maintaining a steady flow of quality cars for dealers. The Bidbus market has sold more than 2,600 privately-owned vehicles and is gaining traction with dealers across the country. For more information, visit bidbus.com.
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Media Contact:
Erica Zeidenberg
Hot Tomato Marketing
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SOURCE: Bidbus
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/automotive/bidbus-raises-3.3-million-to-reinvent-pre-owned-car-sales-process-with-first-true-consum-1048783
