Strategies and Tips Archives - Page 438 of 450

April 26, 2014

Its a Boy, Its a Girl, Baby Gifts Galore!

Spring is here and I don’t know about you, but it seems that more of my friends are expecting little bundles of joys than my friends who aren’t pregnant. This means with all the baby shower invites I am going to have to buy a lot of baby gifts. If this sounds like you, you should check out all of DealDash’s auctions for baby items! If you don’t win you can always use buy it now and get all of the bids you placed back and still get the item!
If you’re looking for baby shower gift ideas you’ve come to the right place!
Baby Shower Gift Ideas with Items You Could Win or Buy on DealDash.com

Deals on new baby monitors:

Every new parent should have a baby monitor to watch and listen to their baby when they are not in the same room. The Lorex Baby – SWEET PEEK Wireless Baby Monitor retails on Amazon for $98.95, but the buy it now price on DealDash is already a almost a $15 discount on this price at $85. An auction for one recently ended with a final price of only $0.15 – that means that the auction only took in 15 bids total from all bidders participating. Not bad! The Lorex Baby monitor, with 134 reviews currently holds a 4 star rating on Amazon.

A Baby Bullet Baby Food Blender

Another must have baby gift would be the Capital Brands Baby Bullet baby food blender and food storage system! One just sold on DealDash for a low price of $0.91! Woah! As you can see – the winning bidder used the ability to add a profile status message either to dissuade other bidders to win, or just to express her diehard interest by stating, “Both my daughters are pregnant and due 15 days apart in Oct 2014.”

Make a week’s worth of baby food with this Baby Bullet that features a blending blade for ideal textures and includes 6 date-dial storage cups for easy meal planning. The stay-fresh resealable lid allows safe transport.

Save money with a two-in-one shower gift with this new Pink Baby High Chair Play Table Conversion!

Baby feeding time could yield big messes, one great complimentary baby gift would be this brand new pink baby high chair with play table conversion. This high chair is really two-gifts in one with the creative tray table that easily converts to a play table.

3-position adjustable front tray, 3-position, reclining, adjustable seat. Recline seat using one hand.
5-point harness system with 1-handed, quick release buckle.
2 trays! Regular tray and removable, dishwasher-safe insert tray.
Removable tray includes two cup holders and large main compartment. Main tray features one spacious, indented compartment.

Britax Baby Carrier in Black

Babies are a lot of work! This Britax Baby Carrier will lighten a new mother’s load. This baby carrier reduces the risk of back and shoulder strain and is made with durable, high quality materials to safely carry infants from 8lbs to toddlers of up to 32lbs. $119 buy it now, or try to win it at a discount in an upcoming penny auction.

For all deals and auctions on baby items check out these baby items great for baby shower gifts on DealDash.

April 25, 2014

It All Started with Swoopo – A Brief History of Penny Auctions

Perhaps you’re new to bidding on DealDash.com and wonder where this pay for a chance to bid concept came about. While, it didnt start with DealDash, DealDash did start in the early days of penny auctions and enterainment shopping.
The fascinating penny auction concept all started with a German company called Telebid. Telebid originated in Germany and began as a series of advertisements on TV with items that could be “bid” on by calling in on the phone line. Then it progressed and expanded to the Internet with Swoopo.com in 2008. From 2008-2010 Swoopo grew exponentiall and opened to bidders worldwide with the same site open to offer the bidding experience to many countries and languages. It grew so large that the items would get bigger and better with auctions for brand new cars and a trip-around-the-world. The creators of entertainment shopping raised over $10,000,000 in funding in 2009 by August Capital in Silicon Valley, with earlier funding in 2006 from Wellington Partners.In 2010 Swoopo was named to the new TechCrunch Europe Top 100 Index list of the most innovative and “highest-potential” European tech companies.
On the heels of Swoopo’s great success, people took notice and aspiring startup founders set up shop and some even set up software companies just to sell “Swoopo-clone” software to anyone wishing to get into the space and make it big. See, the way Swoopo worked, and why it gets its name as the very first penny auction site is that auctions for desirable items, even trips and new cars, were sold on a rolling 24-hour basis with items being offered to consumers with a chance to win items at a discount, sometimes as much as 99% off (though traffic didn’t make it all that easy for bidders to win items at this great a discount, it did happen.). For many then-penny auction site owners, the concept was nothing more than a pipe dream. Some turned a profit, others lost tons of money. Others even outright stole from bidders and hundreds of examples of this can be found on the industry authority site PennyAuctionWatch.com. The problem was the ability to cheat bidders out of money with fake bidding bot software programs, and anyone who had a little bit of seed money and time to set up a penny auction could easily buy clone software, throw up pictures of a few items, advertise and then rake in earnings from bid packs sold to bidders who had high hopes of winning items that were nothing more than pictures on a screen.
There were good sites and there were bad sites. A few bidders even got in on the action and made a sizable income (some made around $100,000 a year just bidding and reselling items on sites like eBay and Craigslist.) More power to them really, but what happened was these bidders were in it to win and resell so they made it more difficult for the regular joe-bidder to come in and win at a discount, at least on the items they were dead set on winning.
After Swoopo came many other sites, hundreds of which have now come and gone. Swoopo tried to find more ways to provide a better bidding experience, but often came under fire by critics as being deemed online gambling, as being questioned for the ability to offer the same auctions across multiple websites and countries. Later they added buy-it-now which allowed bidders to purchase items at a discount. In March of 2011, Swoopo shut down for good, citing technical difficulties when they were really in the process of filing bankruptcy in Germany. Later on in 2012, DealDash acquired the Swoopo.com URL,so when you go to the website now you will be redirected to DealDash.com.
DealDash originally launched as BidRay and was live in early 2009, BidRay,originally with offices in Sunnyvale,CA, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland and has grown significantly since its launch and is one of the longest-running and few standing entertainment auction sites open today. In the early days BidRay offered items like nostalgic candy gift boxes, popcorn machines, gift cards, cosmetics, packs of gum, Apple products, and HDTVs.
Have you been around since the early days of Swoopo and BidRay? We want to hear from you!
Let us know if you bid on Dealdash and the reasons you still bid!

April 24, 2014

Graduation Party Made Easy With DealDash!

April will soon be coming to an end, before you know it your kids will be out of school and the older bunch will be graduating- that can only mean one thing: Graduation season is upon us! If you’re the parent planning the graduation, I know you’re probably more stressed about your soon-to-be-grad’s milestone and making the party a success that you’re too busy to get excited about it. Don’t let the planning or the expense of the party get you down. You have to just be strategic and follow our list of grad party essentials and how you can get them at a discount by bidding on DealDash!
1. Invite people & set a date!
First of all, start working on a list. Invite family from both sides, neighbors, family friends, the graduates friends, teaches, coaches, church or organization friends. Once you’ve got your guest list you will have a better feel for how many people will stop by at the grad party. Summer’s on the weekend can be busy with grad parties and many people who have graduates or are friends of a graduate will frequently visit more than one party on a weekend in the summer, so make your’s a memorable event!
2. Plan the party!
This is really half the fun, ok so you’re not the planning type and don’t know where to begin…
You’re going to need tables & chairs, and maybe even one of those big party tents. You could rent these items from a party supply store, or you start by collecting folding chair wins on DealDash. Coming up soon (4/24) is a set of four metal folding chairs (https://www.dealdash.com/battle.php?auction_id=2226622) , bid and win a few of these and there you have it, seating for all! Ok, well – you can also buy-it now on Dealdash at $186 for the four, but it’s even more fun to win them for just a few bids. So bookmark these and bid away!

Not too excited by the idea of chairs arriving with the daily mail – now for the fun!

You know those big inflatable bouncy castle houses?

Yeah, you might want to rent one or win one the next time you see one on DealDash, they’re a hit with all of the kids – not yet graduating age, but maybe it will be just another thing to help them want to stay in school and get their diploma, yeah they will remember that bouncy castle when they graduate too. But if you want to be non-traditional and have the most rockin’ party in town you could win this Gemmy Deluxe Outdoor Inflatable Movie Screen on DealDash. 12 foot and 16:9 widescreen, it’s actually self-inflatable thanks to a built-in fan, it’s so much easier to put up than you’d think! The speakers and projector are not included, so you’d have to get those separate (you can win these on DealDash, too).
Get notified of upcoming inflatable movie screen auctions and deals on DealDash.

Create an outdoor dance floor and line it in rope lights. Win this awesome Karaoke machine from DealDash, set up an outdoor dance floor, add lights, maybe even rope lights around the dance floor and get your groove on!
VocoPro Gigstar Jam-Along Karaoke System – Buy it now value $300 – the most recent one sold for only $0.98 on DealDash.
Next – you have your nighttime entertainment, what are you going to do about the most important part?
The FOOD!
A fun food machine is a MUST have at any party, especially a graduation party.
-Cotton Candy Machine

Great Northern Popcorn Vortex Cotton Candy Floss Machine – -Buy it now price is $317 on DealDash See more at: Great Northen Popcorn Vortex Cotton Candy Floss Machine
Popcorn Maker

Great Northern Popcorn Eight Ounce Antique Popcorn Machine – Buy it now on DealDash for $209, or win it by bidding!
Tacos, burgers, pasta salads, sloppy joes – all are popular at graduation parties.
Make sure you have what you need as far as serving these foods.
Crock pots are great to keep taco meat or sloppy joe filling hot! Bid and score deals on Slow Cookers on DealDash. This particular slow cooker just sold on DealDash with a final end price of $0.69 -69 bids!
You could even try to serve something less traditional like pre-packaged falafels, pitas and hummus with grape leaves, tabboleh salad or other fares with an ethnic flare. Or just keep it simple with 6 foot party subs from Subway (a lot of people are picky and most like Subway.).

Did you know that you can save money on these awesome Subway party subs and cookie platters, too? Bid and win a few Subway gift cards on DealDash. Check them out – deals on $25 Subway gift cards + 20 bids auctions.
Throwing a graduation party? What are you going to offer?
Good luck & happy bidding! If you have any questions about DealDash be sure to let us know!

April 22, 2014

Summer Fun Guide: The All-American Barbeque

Barbeques, camping, swimming, kayaking, biking, beaches, outdoor concerts, boat rides, fishing, drive-in movies, campfires, road trips, sunshine, lemonade, warm air, hiking, s’mores, just a few of our favorite things that spell out Summer…It’s time to gear up for a fun-filled summer and DealDash can help with our Summer Fun Guide Series. Starting with the great American pastime:
The All-American Barbeque
Barbeque comes from the Spanish word Barbacoa which means, “a framework for sticks set upon posts.” Meat and fish were placed on the posts and slowly cooked to perfection.
Back in the 1950s and ’60s, the barbeque was introduced as a staple in the American way of life. Entertaining with barbeques at family celebrations, weekends, gatherings with friends and family, or just for the fun of it became a part of the American lifestyleway of life and it still is to this day. Today’s grills make it even easier then it was back in the ’50s to barbeque.
DealDash has a variety of different grills and grilling tools and accessories to fit everyones grilling style and lifestyle.

You could get great deals on a Char-Broil Santa Fe Charcoal grill or a Blue Rhino Charcoal grill. Charcoal grills are not as easy to use as gas grills, but if you love the smoked flavor you really can’t go wrong with a charcoal grill. Charcaol grilling involves more time and energy than gas grilling – in that you have to build and light the charcoal briquettes and wait for the flame to start and believe me, this takes trial and error, but it won’t take too long before you become a grilling pro.
The Char-Broil Santa Fe Charcoal Grill has a 4 out of 5 star review, with 25 customer reviews on Amazon.

Char-Broil grills let you master the backyard barbecue. This charcoal grill offers 435 Square Inch of porcelain coated cast iron primary surface with an additional 176 Square Inch chrome plated swing-away, giving you plenty of cooking space for all your favorites. From burgers to kebobs, this Char-Broil Santa Fe grill is sure to turn out flavorful meals. It features an adjustable-height fire grate, front access fire door, metal side shelves, cool touch handles, temperature gauge and a bottom storage shelf.

-One reviewer does cite the downside of the grills design, stating that a lot of charcoal is required to run it.

-On the other hand, one happy owner is happy with the easy set up: “Happy to be grilling over coals again! This grill arrived in good shape and ready to assemble; two hours later, I was grilling steak! I’m a woman who has listened to complaints and bandaged bloody knuckles of my husband who had to put together grills in the past. This was so much easier than I thought it might be! Even when instructions suggested I might need an additional person to help, I was able to put it together without any. The only negative is that the coal rack hangs too low, even on it’s highest level. I only need small fires most of the time. I have to build a bigger fire than needed to get (and keep) the box hot. But it’s great when I need to grill for a group!”

The benefits of gas grilling is that it’s much cleaner, easier to use and quick. No messy charchaol or smelly starter fluid and no wait time waitin for the coals to glow. Plus, there’s no ashy mess to clean up after dinner. It just doesn’t impart the grilled flavor like a charcoal grill does.
The Char Broil Quick Set Gas Grill
Is easier to use than a grill like the Santa-Fe Charcoal grill – but the 3 star review on About.com is due to the low-quality burner, but this is a pretty inexpensive grill retailing at around $100.

One dual control low weight stainless steel burner 13,250 BTUs per side
265 square inches of total grilling space (no warming rack)
26,500 BTU total output from the main burners
Single push-button piezoelectric igniter
Porcelain coated steel wire cooking grates
Powder coated steel sheet metal body and frame with plastic side tables
Cover and propane tank sold separately

The Petit Gourmet Portable Gas Grill with VersaStand from Cuisinart
Cuisinart did a great job on this portable gas grill perfect for summer road trips – camping trips, tailgating, beach getaways or anywhere you can take it!
Beautifully designed, judging by the 4 star reviews by 243 customers if you want a grill for on-the-go you really can’t go wrong with this one!
One happy reviewer who received the grill as a gift shares, “Here is what it is: A very good portable gas grill that takes a minute or two longer to cook steaks, hamburgers, kabobs, chicken, hot dogs etc. It heats up fast, is easy to start and clean and is extremely portable. I liked it a lot and will use it a great deal this summer. To have a grill that is easily transportable and will work off of small tanks of propane is terrific.”

“The Petit Gourmet doesn’t compromise when it comes to keeping you well fed. Despite the compact size, the grilling surface is large enough to grill eight burgers, eight steaks, six to 10 chicken breasts, or up to 4 pounds of fish. The grill’s superior heating performance stems from the powerful 5,500 BTU stainless-steel burner and porcelain-enameled grill grate, which combine to heat the grill quickly and evenly to more than 500 degrees F. Whether you’re grilling at a tailgate, on a camping trip with the family, or at the beach after a fun-filled day in the waves, the Petit Gourmet grill will easily feed you and your crowd.”

Not only does DealDash offer deals on barbeque grills, there are tons of accessories too. Here’s just a taste of a few upcoming auctions: 20-Piece BBQ Grill Set by Whetstone, Outset Chimney Grill Starter, Barbeque Grill Covers, Steven Raichlen Stainless Potato Grill Rack, Stainless Grill Shield for Skewers, and a Kenmore 4pc Stainless Steel Grilling Tools Set.

Will you be grilling this summer? Want ideas for what to grill and how?

These Summer Grilling Recipes from Food & Wine Magazine are packed with tips and recipes from famous chef Michael Chiarello.You’ll find recipes for grilled chicken, burgers, steaks, grilled lamb, grilled pork, grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, grilled corn, grilled vegetables, vegetarian grilling, grilled desserts and how about some Cajun Lemonade? There are some pretty delicious looking recipes for pitcher drinks that go past the traditional lemonade in there too!

Good luck bidding and happy grilling!