MAC.BID is built around the idea of second chances, allowing customers to use returned and overstocked products instead of them piling up in landfills. Launched in 2018, the online auction retail platform is filled with products from top retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.
Kellen Campbell, MAC.BID co-founder, started the company with Shawn Allen after identifying a sales gap between businesses that buy wholesale and liquidated products, and individual customers. They realized there wasn’t a local market for selling those products directly.
“We thought, if you could get to scale by selling this product directly to the end consumer, you can really change the industry,” Campbell tells Pittsburgh City Paper. In 2018, Campbell and Allen began operations and brought resale auctions directly to local shoppers through MAC.BID.
The commitment to reducing waste is a core element to the company’s mission. Campbell says MAC.BID’s goal is to find a home for these overstocked and returned products to reduce the chance of them ending up in a landfill. According to a BBC Earth report, each year 5 billion pounds of waste is generated through returns.
“In most cases, we’re finding a use for it, and people can find a way to essentially recycle the product,” Campbell says.
MAC.BID also recycles cardboard, palletizes materials, and scraps metals to further reduce its environmental impact. “We do our best to try and minimize waste any way we can,” Campbell says.
All products undergo a brief inspection by the MAC.BID employees, but customers are encouraged to examine items in person at warehouse locations before placing a bid. Product conditions are ranked from damaged to open box or “like new.” Some items may be missing accessories or pieces of hardware.
“If we do notice something, whether it be damaged or missing a piece, we will note it in the description,” Campbell says. “We put everything out in advance of the auction close so that consumers can come inspect and make a determination for themselves.”
Currently, there are three MAC.BID locations in Pittsburgh, with another three just outside the city in Washington, Butler, and Beaver Falls. Product transfers can be made between Pittsburgh locations with an additional fee. MAC.BID now has more than 20 locations across the United States and about 1,500 employees.
Pittsburgh local Matt Simkovic says he’s been using MAC.BID for about two years. “I check it before I check anywhere else when I’m looking to furnish my home, upgrade some tech, or get a new toy just for me,” he tells City Paper.
The company says its second-chance theme goes beyond products. They also run an employment program for individuals who’ve been in recovery programs or impacted by the justice system. Campbell says the company takes pride in giving people the opportunity to better themselves.
“When we first started to hire, we had developed a relationship with the City Mission down in Washington,” says Campbell. “They have a lot of people that are recovering addicts, and some people that have made some bad decisions in the past and are trying to get their life together and start to make good decisions.”
“Giving them something that gives them something to aim at and to work toward is one of the biggest things in helping them get beyond their past troubles,” Campbell adds. “I think we’ve been able to provide that. At the same time, they’ve been unbelievable employees, incredibly hard working and dedicated to the company.”
MAC.BID has even given a second chance to its own real estate by revitalizing long-vacant retail and warehouse spaces in Washington, Butler, and Pittsburgh Mills — think Spirit Halloween. Cambell says restaurants and other businesses appreciate the shared foot traffic.
“We definitely see ourselves as just a company of second chances,” said Campbell. “It’s a cool feeling to see something that you envisioned, working and experiencing the success that we’ve had.”
This article appears in May 21-27, 2025.
