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7 Tips For Staying Focused on Your Auctions

FocusedIt’s easy to lose an auction. That is, if you’re not paying attention. Keep your eyes on the prize and don’t lose focus.

  • Don’t bid and multitask
  • Don’t bid and drive
  • Don’t bid and talk on the phone
  • Don’t bid while cooking dinner – or washing dishes – yeah, if you do that you may need to bid on a new smartphone or laptop 😉
  • Don’t bid then walk away from the computer for a minute, or even 7 seconds.
  • Don’t bid when your computer is about to do an automatic update
  • Don’t bid when you’re not paying attention

Okay, so it may seem pretty simple to stay focused on the auction you’re bidding on, but sometimes it really can be a challenge, especially if the auction has been going on for awhile.
It’s easy to get bored while bidding and even easily to open up a new tab and start browsing, playing a game or bidding in another auction even, so, with that said here are 7 tips to stay focused.
#1 Minimize Distractions
Before you start bidding make sure you are able to focus on the auction for as long as you decide you are going to watch and bid on the auction.  Set aside time to bid where you won’t get distracted. Find a quiet place to bid. Put headphones on maybe. If you have a hard time focusing on more than one thing. Turn your phone ringer off – set it to silent until the auction is over, or until you win. You’ll save yourself frustration and the other person on the line won’t be wondering why you keep freaking out.
#2 Set up BidBuddy – BidBuddy is DealDash’s automatic bidding tool that will let you set a predetermined number of bids, as many that you’d like to spend to try and win the item. It will only use your bids during the last few seconds of the timer. Others may be on BidBuddy too, and you won’t know it, but they also won’t know that you’re on bidbuddy. So set it and forget it, but really don’t forget it… Still watch and see where you’re at and how the auction is doing.
#3 Don’t multitask. Don’t open up new browsers and start surfing the Internet. Really, it’s easy to open up a new page and check something else out Online only to find when you switch back the auction ended and you lost your bids. Or – opening new browsers could freeze up your computer and not even let you get back on DealDash.
#4 Update & Clean Your Computer Make sure your computer’s software is up to date before you start bidding. A scheduled automatic update could suddenly force your computer to restart mid-auction. Also, make sure your computer is virus, spyware and adware free before you start bidding. Pop-ups and browser hijacking due to viruses and trojans will only wreck havoc, you’ll be unable to focus on an auction if you can’t get back in it. Some good, free software to use to clean your computer: AdAware, SpyBot Search & Destroy, Malwarebytes, Avast and AVG AntiVirus.

#5 Finish your chores first

Make sure dinner is already done. Laundry & dishes already started. Your homework or work obligations done. Your kids occupied or in bed. If you put off your obligations until the last minute and decide to take a break from them to bid, you are more likely to get distracted and lose an auction. So make sure that everything you need to do for the day is already taken care of before you start bidding.
#6 Train your mind to focus
Really, it seems easier than it is. It’s easy to get distracted while bidding, or while doing anything. Stop yourself if you’re beginning to lose focus. Apply this to all areas of your life, not just bidding, and you may just find more success when you manage your time and focus on the task at hand.  Start small with maybe just a few minutes a day and work up to larger amounts of time. If you find your mind wandering, just go back to bidding or whatever it is you’re working on.
#7 Set Goals and Time
Before you go into bidding write down how much money you want to spend at max to try to win an auction. Set how much time you want to spend bidding. Keep within this timeframe or budget and you will be less likely to lose focus on bidding.
What do you do to keep your eye on the prize and focus on the auction or task at hand? Tell us in the comments section!
Now is the best time to stay focused and try DealDash. Right now bids are only $0.15 each!
If you bid on DealDash share your tips with us!

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10 Ways to Bid Smarter On DealDash

1.  Only bid on the items on DealDash that you need or want

Especially if you’re new to DealDash – it’s a good idea to start out just bidding on items you need or want, that way if you end up spending more money on bids to win the items, you will get an item you already were planning on purchasing. Use the buy it now – you will get all of your bids back, the items will be shipped free of charge to you and come brand new in sealed packaging.
 2. Pay close attention
Do not allow yourself to get bored or distracted when you’re in the midst of bidding on an item. It only takes a second for you to switch screens on your computer, look away or answer the phone, etc. and you could very well end up letting the auction end. Set auto bid if you need a few minutes to do something else, just be sure to keep track of where that’s at.
3. Make Time for Bidding
Since it’s really not a good idea to spend money on bids when you have other things you should be doing, set aside time to bid and make sure you are free from distractions.
4. Keep Track of Your Bids and What You’re Spending
Set a budget. Write down how much money per month you are able to spend, and want to comfortably spend bidding on items at DealDash. Set a goal for how much money you can spend on bidding if you don’t win. Set amounts you will go up to before you elect to buy it now Stay within your set budget.
5. Use the autobidding feature on DealDash
Save bids, money and don’t leave your reaction time to chance (you really could miss out and let another bidder win if you didn’t click bid fast enough and the timer hits 1-0- ended.

7. Take Notes

Watch active auctions. Check out the ended auctions. Write down names, prices, items, time of day. Know your competitions.
8. Bid Later/ Bid Earlier
Try bidding early in the morning or late at night — the competition may not be as fierce.
9. Keep track of your opponents
Since all bidders are limited to winning 9 items a week, 6 items under $200 value, 3 over $200, keep track of who is at their win limit.
From your account dashboard click on “Who’s on their limit” – for just one bid, ($0.60) or if you buy bids now ($0.15) you can see a list of all of the bidders who have reached their win limits.
10. Keep track of winners
See a pattern of consistent winners? Watch what items they bid on, when and how many bids they spend to win.
These are just a few tips to become a smarter bidder in DealDash’s entertainment penny auctions. Do you have tips that you win by? We want to hear  them! We’re also looking for DealDash bidders to interview to feature here each week. Bid wisely, bid often, bid smart, but most of all have fun bidding! 
 

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Toilet Paper, Tide and Toothbrushes: The Secret to Learning How to Win on DealDash

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Are you new to bidding on DealDash auctions and want to know how to win?

The secret? Go for the toilet paper.

I know you want to win a shiny new Dyson vacuum cleaner, that way you can get your significant other or kids to actually want to clean the house, right?  Or  maybe you want a MacBook? or a PC?
But wait a second…
I wouldn’t suggest you purchase bids and go all out trying to win the big auctions, just not quite yet.
You need to start small and work your way up. Think baby steps.
Start out by bidding on items that you actually use in your day-to-day life.
DealDash offers really useful items. We’re not talking more iPods, laptops, Macbooks, chopping gadgets,  TVs, or ice cream makers, though these are all pretty useful and you really should bid on those, too.
So what are you going to bid on? Toilet Paper, TideŽ and Toothbrushes. 

DEALDASH-TIPS-ITEMS

  • Bid on the things you wouldn’t be able to live without. Like toilet paper.

Yes, DealDash has toilet paper auctions. Really!

  • You need to wash clothes. Think TideÂŽ. DealDash has laundry detergent auctions.
  • Clothes always wrinkled? How about a new iron?
  • If you own a car, you’re going to need to buy gas. Right? DealDash has gas gift cards.
  • Drink coffee and use a Keurig? Want a cup of tea? There’s even K-Cup auctions for you. Want a Keurig? Check.
  • Like snacking on cheese and crackers? How about Cheez-It Crackers? You can bid on these, too.
  • Wood floors need cleaning? There’s even auctions for wood flooring cleaning solution.
  • If you go out to eat, or go shopping at anywhere from Lowe’s, Bath & Body Works, Target, CVS, Amazon.com, Toys R Us, Red Robin, Chili’s, Kmart/Sears, JCPenney, even AMC gift cards for when you go out to see a movie, Applebee’s, Panera Bread, Boston Market, Staples, Dunkin Donuts, Barnes & Noble, Old Navy, Outback, Cracker Barrel, Walmart, new shoes? Foot Locker, to so many more retailers and restaurants.

It really is a no-brainer to bid on the items that you are already spending money on in your daily online and offline life.
Worried you might not even be able to win that $23 package of toilet paper, well guess what?
For each and every item you bid on at DealDash and don’t win, you can buy it now and get all of the bids you spent in the auction back into your account! Read more about how to bid on DealDash in DealDash Demystified.
This means you can use your bids again on another item you might need, this way you will be honing your bidding skills, making your name known (The Powerbidder’s Strategy to Winning DealDash Auctions), and after too long, maybe win your first big item!
Soon you may be winning items for less than you’d pay for them at the store. So, try it, “buy it now,” save yourself the gas and a trip to the store, and soon the delivery guy or girl will be bringing you your toilet paper. 96 rolls of toilet paper, if you want.
If you are brand new to DealDash, bidding on these useful items is a perfect way to learn how to bid, before you try higher valued items like new TVs, and other expensive electronics.
Bidding on what you need could help you win the things you really want.
Join DealDash  and buy bids.  But hurry! For a limited-time only, bids are just $0.18 each now $0.16, but you first must purchase a pack of them for $0.60 each if you’re a new user.

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The Powerbidder's Strategy to Winning DealDash Auctions Part 3 of 3


The importance of watching auctions.
“So if you know the place and time of battle, you can join the fight from a thousand miles away. If you do not know the place and time of battle, then your left flank cannot save your right, your right cannot save your left, your vanguard cannot save your rearguard, and your rearguard cannot save your vanguard, even in a short range of a few to a few dozen miles.”- Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Following on from part I & II.
Now do you see just how important it is to watch auctions and “get to know your competition?”
The bidders that are intently watching will see that the bidder who appears to have placed upwards of $1k in bid m (granted you’ll have to have been watching this for a few hours) and didn’t win likely didn’t want to lose their bids so they used buy it now to get their bids back. Say they spent approximately $1k in bids, 1,666 bids at $0.60 each. Maybe even more if they purchased the bids during a bid promotion.
$0.60/1000= 1,666.66.
Right now, for a limited time, with DealDash’s Christmas promotion bids are $0.18 each. $1,000/$0.18 = 5,555 bids.
Each bid placed by a bidder resets the auction clock by 10 seconds. Can you imagine just how long the $1k auction would go on for? 1 bid = an additional 10 seconds may equal 55,500 seconds (more or less). This is equal to perhaps at least 15 hours of bidding, then add another bidder bidding against this one bidder, and others every now and then. This is if the timer was reset each time towards the very last second of bidding (more on why you shouldn’t always bid last minute in a future tips article). Depending on the number of opponents and frequency of all users bidding, these two bidders could bid for well over 20 hours! Of course not all auctions last this long, but it has happened! This just goes to show that a penny auction on DealDash for a popular, high priced item could take a lot of time before it sees an end.
At $5.00 auctions are closed to new bidders, this is a good idea as it helps to decrease auction times and competition.
Should you be a powerbidder?
This is really up to you to decide, and there are other strategies that you could use that you will be able to learn about here in this blog in future articles.
Just remember it takes time, focus, patience and money (or winning a lot of bid pack auctions) to be a “powerbidder.”
What do you think of the powerbidder strategy? Are you glad that DealDash sets both time and win limits?
We want to hear from you and would be honored to feature your bidding stories here.
Don’t forget to share these articles with your friends!
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