# Purple Wave Auctions Scraper — Lots, Bids & Sold (`crawloop/purplewave-scraper`) Actor

Scrape public Purple Wave equipment auctions: upcoming lots and sold results. Each row has make, model, year, hours, VIN, serial, current bid, location, and photos. No login.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/crawloop/purplewave-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Andrej Kiva](https://apify.com/crawloop) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce, Lead generation, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $5.43 / 1,000 auction lots

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Purple Wave Auctions Scraper — Lots, Bids & Sold

> **Disclaimer:** Unofficial tool — not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Purple Wave, Inc. or its affiliates. Data is read from publicly accessible auction search and lot pages only. No login. You are responsible for complying with applicable law (including GDPR where personal data appears) and the site’s terms. No warranty on accuracy or availability. Provided for informational and research use.

Scrape public Purple Wave no-reserve auctions for farm machinery, construction equipment, trucks, and government surplus. Each row is one lot: title, year, make, model, hours, VIN or serial, current bid, sold hammer when the lot is closed, location, and photos.

Dealers and appraisers use it as a Purple Wave scraper and as an API alternative to copy-pasting the catalog. Export JSON from the Apify dataset with Python, Node.js, cURL, or an MCP client.

> **Crawloop Used Machinery Marketplace Suite** — equipment auctions and dealer inventory.

| IronPlanet | GovPlanet | Ritchie Bros | BidSpotter | NetBid |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| [IronPlanet Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/ironplanet-scraper) | [GovPlanet Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/govplanet-scraper) | [Ritchie Bros Auction Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/rbauction-scraper) | [BidSpotter Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/bidspotter-scraper) | [NetBid Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/netbid-scraper) |

| Purple Wave | AuctionTime | TractorHouse | MachineryTrader | TruckPaper |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Purple Wave Auctions Scraper ◄── you are here | [AuctionTime Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/auctiontime-scraper) | [TractorHouse Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/tractorhouse-scraper) | [MachineryTrader Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/machinerytrader-scraper) | [TruckPaper Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/truckpaper-scraper) |

### When to use

Use this Actor when you need Purple Wave lots in a dataset: a keyword such as excavator, a make and state, one auction, or sold results.

Use [TractorHouse Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/tractorhouse-scraper) next when you want retail asking prices for the same farm equipment. Use [AuctionTime Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/auctiontime-scraper) when the lot is on AuctionTime instead of Purple Wave.

### Key features

- Keyword search plus make, state, and auction id
- Upcoming lots or closed lots with the published hammer
- Year, hours, miles, VIN, serial, bid count, close time, and photos from the public catalog
- Lot URL or auction URL as a start URL
- Monitor mode: the first run stores fingerprints and writes no rows; later runs emit new lots and bid changes
- Bidder account ids are not saved

### Input

| Field | Default | What it does |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `searchQuery` | excavator | Catalog keyword. Blank, with no other filter, saves 0 rows |
| `make` | empty | Manufacturer, such as Caterpillar |
| `state` | empty | US state code, such as TX |
| `auctionId` | empty | One auction id |
| `saleStatus` | upcoming | `upcoming`, `past` (sold), or `all` |
| `startUrls` | empty | Search, auction, or lot URL |
| `maxItems` | 50 | Maximum dataset rows |
| `maxPages` | 5 | Catalog pages per search (50 lots per page) |
| `monitorMode` | false | Emit only new lots and bid changes after a seed run |

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "excavator",
  "saleStatus": "upcoming",
  "maxItems": 20,
  "maxPages": 1
}
```

Sold hammers for one make:

```json
{
  "make": "Caterpillar",
  "saleStatus": "past",
  "maxItems": 20
}
```

A single lot URL:

```json
{
  "startUrls": [
    { "url": "https://www.purplewave.com/auction/261021/item/EU1538" }
  ]
}
```

### Output

| Field | Meaning |
| :--- | :--- |
| `title`, `make`, `model`, `year` | Lot identity |
| `auctionTitle`, `auctionId`, `itemNumber` | Which sale and which item |
| `currentBid`, `nextBid`, `bidCount`, `currency` | Published bid. On a sold lot, `currentBid` is the hammer |
| `sold` | True when the lot is closed |
| `hours`, `miles`, `vin`, `serialNumber`, `category` | Specs |
| `closingAt` | Close time in UTC |
| `city`, `state`, `location` | Where the machine sits |
| `url`, `images`, `description` | Lot link, photos, and plain-text specs |
| `changeType`, `previousPrice` | Set in monitor mode |

```json
{
  "id": "261021-EU1538",
  "title": "2024 Erie Industries EM15 mini excavator",
  "make": "Erie Industries",
  "model": "EM15",
  "year": "2024",
  "currentBid": 1650,
  "sold": false,
  "serialNumber": "EM15M00680",
  "state": "TX",
  "city": "Hutchins",
  "url": "https://www.purplewave.com/auction/261021/item/EU1538"
}
```

### Use cases

- Pull upcoming construction and farm lots before a sale for a bid sheet
- Export sold Purple Wave hammers for a make and model
- Watch one auction on a schedule and keep only new lots or bid changes
- Compare a Purple Wave lot with retail inventory from TractorHouse or MachineryTrader

### Integration examples

#### Node.js

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from "apify-client";

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: process.env.APIFY_TOKEN });
const run = await client.actor("crawloop/purplewave-scraper").call({
  searchQuery: "excavator",
  saleStatus: "upcoming",
  maxItems: 50,
});
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);
```

#### Python

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient(token="APIFY_TOKEN")
run = client.actor("crawloop/purplewave-scraper").call(run_input={
    "searchQuery": "excavator",
    "saleStatus": "upcoming",
    "maxItems": 50,
})
items = client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).list_items().items
print(items)
```

#### cURL

```bash
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/crawloop~purplewave-scraper/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"searchQuery":"excavator","saleStatus":"upcoming","maxItems":50}'
```

### MCP and AI assistants

Use this Actor from AI tools via [Apify MCP](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp).
Connect your Apify account, then call this Actor by its Store name `crawloop/purplewave-scraper`.

Example prompts:

- "Run Purple Wave Auctions Scraper for excavator and return the top 20 upcoming lots as JSON with bid, hours, and state."
- "Scrape sold Caterpillar lots on Purple Wave and summarize hammer, year, and location."
- "Chain Purple Wave Auctions Scraper then TractorHouse Scraper to compare auction bids with retail asking prices."

### Suite next step

After the auction export, run [TractorHouse Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/tractorhouse-scraper) for retail asking prices on the same farm equipment, or [AuctionTime Scraper](https://apify.com/crawloop/auctiontime-scraper) for AuctionTime lots.

### FAQ

#### Does this log in or place bids?

No. It reads the public catalog. It does not sign in, watch, or bid.

#### Why did a blank run save nothing?

A run with no keyword, make, state, auction id, or start URL does not download the whole catalog. Set a search or paste a lot URL.

#### What is the bid on a sold lot?

`sold` is true and `currentBid` is the published hammer. Upcoming lots use the same field for the live bid.

#### What does monitor mode write on the first run?

Nothing to the dataset. It stores lot fingerprints. The next scheduled run writes new lots and bid changes.

# Actor input Schema

## `startUrls` (type: `array`):

Purple Wave search, auction, or lot URLs. Leave empty to build a search from the fields below.

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

Catalog search, such as excavator or skid steer. A blank run with no other filter saves 0 rows.

## `make` (type: `string`):

Manufacturer filter, such as Caterpillar or John Deere.

## `state` (type: `string`):

US state code, such as TX or KS.

## `auctionId` (type: `string`):

Limit the search to one Purple Wave auction id.

## `saleStatus` (type: `string`):

Upcoming lots, closed lots with the sold hammer, or both.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum dataset rows. A monitor seed run fingerprints this many lots and writes none.

## `maxPages` (type: `integer`):

Maximum catalog pages per search. Each page has up to 50 lots.

## `monitorMode` (type: `boolean`):

First run stores lot fingerprints and writes no dataset rows. Later runs emit new lots and bid changes.

## `monitorStoreName` (type: `string`):

Named key-value store for fingerprints. Use a distinct name per watch.

## `resetMonitorState` (type: `boolean`):

Clear stored fingerprints before this run.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "excavator",
  "saleStatus": "upcoming",
  "maxItems": 50,
  "maxPages": 5,
  "monitorMode": false,
  "monitorStoreName": "purplewave-monitor-state",
  "resetMonitorState": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Default dataset items.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQuery": "excavator"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("crawloop/purplewave-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "searchQuery": "excavator" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("crawloop/purplewave-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQuery": "excavator"
}' |
apify call crawloop/purplewave-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,crawloop/purplewave-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/mDRCs5ciHEzhR0qhz/builds/RmrPls00FBUvjQbOd/openapi.json