Terms of Service
Effective date: September 15, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the ShipBid website at shipbid.co and related services (the "Platform"), operated by ShipBid LLC ("ShipBid", "we", "us"), Salem, OR, USA. By creating an account or using the Platform you agree to these Terms. If you are registering on behalf of a business, you represent that you have authority to bind that business.
1. What ShipBid is — and is not
ShipBid is an online marketplace that connects people and businesses who need something transported ("Shippers") with independent transportation providers ("Carriers"). ShipBid is not a carrier, freight forwarder, broker of record, or party to any transportation contract. We do not own vehicles, handle goods, set Carrier prices, or guarantee that any shipment will be picked up or delivered. The transportation contract is solely between the Shipper and the Carrier they book.
2. Accounts and eligibility
You must be at least 18 and provide accurate information. You are responsible for your password and all activity under your account. Carriers must complete our application, provide business identity documents, and be approved by us before they may quote. We may refuse, suspend or close any account at our discretion, including for violations of Section 6.
Each account is assigned an anonymous public handle. Until a booking is confirmed, only handles are shown; names, company names, phone numbers, email addresses and websites are revealed to the other party only after the Shipper pays the booking deposit.
3. How the marketplace works
- A Shipper posts a listing describing the shipment.
- Approved Carriers submit quotes stating the price they will accept. Quotes may use automatic lowering ("Minimum Quote") down to a floor the Carrier sets; a quote that becomes lowest by forcing others down is locked against withdrawal or increase for a period shown at the time.
- Until a booking is confirmed, all communication between Shippers and Carriers is public on the listing (Questions & answers). Private messaging opens after booking.
- The Shipper accepts a quote and pays the booking deposit (Section 4). Contact details are then exchanged and the parties arrange pickup and delivery directly.
- The Shipper pays the Carrier's price directly to the Carrier on completion, unless the parties agree otherwise. ShipBid never holds or transmits that balance.
Every price shown to a Shipper is an all-in price. Carriers see only the amount they will receive.
4. Fees and payments
Booking deposit. When a Shipper accepts a quote, they pay ShipBid a booking deposit, shown at checkout before payment. The deposit is ShipBid's service fee for operating the marketplace. It is refunded in full only if the booked Carrier cancels or fails to perform. It is not refunded if the Shipper cancels, changes their mind, or fails to make the shipment available. Refund requests must be made within 30 days of the scheduled pickup date to support@shipbid.co.
Optional add-ons. Shippers may purchase a Featured listing and Shipment Protection (see the separate Shipment Protection Terms). Add-on fees are non-refundable once the listing is featured or the shipment is picked up, respectively.
Payments to Carriers. The Carrier's price is a separate obligation between Shipper and Carrier. Shippers are advised to pay on delivery. Carriers may not demand prepayment as a condition of pickup unless disclosed in their quote.
Taxes. Fees exclude applicable taxes. Carriers are responsible for their own taxes on amounts they receive.
Card payments are processed by Stripe. We do not store card numbers.
5. Carrier obligations
Carriers represent and warrant that they: hold all licences, permits, registrations and operating authority required for the transportation they quote (including, where applicable, USDOT/MC authority); carry insurance adequate for the goods they carry; will perform bookings personally or through employees under their control and not re-broker them without the Shipper's written consent; will keep their documents current; and will honour accepted quotes. Carriers are independent businesses, not employees, agents or subcontractors of ShipBid.
6. Keeping transactions on the Platform
The marketplace only works if bookings happen here. You agree not to: share or request phone numbers, email addresses, websites, company names, social-media handles or other contact information before a booking is confirmed, in any form (including spelled-out, split, coded or disguised); propose or complete a transaction found on the Platform outside of it; or offer or accept payment intended to avoid the booking deposit. We use automated filters and human review to detect this, we may edit or remove content, and violations may result in warnings, cancelled quotes, forfeiture of fees, and permanent suspension. Any user may report suspected violations; reporters remain anonymous.
7. Content and conduct
You are responsible for what you post. Listings must describe the shipment accurately, including dimensions, weight, condition and hazards. You must not post unlawful goods, hazardous materials without disclosure, or content that is fraudulent, defamatory, infringing or abusive. You grant ShipBid a licence to display your listings, photos, questions, answers and reviews on the Platform. Reviews must be honest and based on a completed booking.
8. Shipment Protection
Shipment Protection is an optional add-on offered by ShipBid under separate terms. It is not a policy of insurance and ShipBid is not an insurer. Coverage limits, exclusions and the claims process are set out in the Shipment Protection Terms.
9. Disputes between users
Disputes about pickup, delivery, damage, loss or the Carrier's price are between the Shipper and the Carrier. We may, at our discretion, assist informally, share booking records with both parties, and act on our Terms (for example by suspending an account), but we are not obliged to mediate or arbitrate and are not liable for the outcome.
10. Disclaimers
The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available". To the fullest extent permitted by law, ShipBid disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. We do not warrant that quotes are accurate, that Carriers are competent, insured or licensed, or that shipments will arrive on time or undamaged. Verification badges reflect documents we reviewed at a point in time and are not a guarantee.
11. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, ShipBid and its owners, employees and contractors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or for loss of or damage to goods in transit, lost profits, or loss of data, arising out of the Platform or any transportation arranged through it. Our total liability to you for any claim arising from the Platform is limited to the fees you paid to ShipBid in the twelve months before the claim, or US $100, whichever is greater. Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
12. Indemnity
You will indemnify and hold harmless ShipBid from claims, losses and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the Platform, your shipments or transportation services, your content, or your breach of these Terms.
13. Termination
You may close your account at any time. We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms. Sections 4, 6, 9–14 survive termination.
14. Governing law and disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Oregon, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Any dispute between you and ShipBid will be brought in the state or federal courts located in Marion County, Oregon, and you consent to their jurisdiction. Either party may seek relief in small-claims court where eligible.
15. Changes
We may update these Terms. We will post the new version with a new effective date and, for material changes, notify account holders by email. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.
16. Contact
ShipBid LLC · Salem, OR, USA · support@shipbid.co