Ok, so you get frustrated, red in the face and just downright angry when a bidder comes in “late in the game” and outbids you. These bidders have been coined “bid jumpers” by penny auction users, but what if jumpers had it all right and you were just bidding wrong?
Jumping is definitely a form of strategy for some penny auction bidders.
In defence of bid jumpers…
1. Bid Jumpers conserve their bids.
Think about this: If you begin bidding as soon as the auction starts and continue to bid for a few hours, just because you got in the first, or one of the first bids does not mean you will win or are entitled to win. Anyone can place a bid at any time. Except: Since DealDash understands that bidders do not like late entry “jumpers” all bidders must place a bid before the item hits $5.00, all new bidders after the $5.00 mark will not be allowed to place a bid.
2. Bid Jumpers pay attention.
Bid jumpers “sit in the weeds,” and pay attention to the auction. They research their opponents, they watch their bidding patterns, and they only place bids when the auction has been running for quite some time, or when they think bid buddies have run out of bids.
3. Bid Jumpers often annoy and confuse other bidders, therefore causing them to win more often.
Think of it this way. If a bidder “jumps” in enough while the same, say two bidders, have been bidding against one other it may confuse one or both of the two causing the new “jumper” bidder to win. Not always, but this is a possibility.
Still don’t like jumpers? Check out DealDash’s No Jumper Auctions.
How do No Jumper auctions work?
“When the price of an auction hits $5.00 (500 bids), all new bidders are blocked from entering the auction. This means less bidders and auctions that are easier to win. This is only on DealDash.com.
What do you think about bid jumpers? Do you jump in later?
DealDash Features Explained: Avatars and Statuses
Did you know that you can personalize your DealDash bidding experience?
DealDash allows all bidders the opportunity to add more personal flair to their bidding experience with features such as avatars and status updates. 
How do you select an avatar on DealDash? By going to the personal profile page which is found under the bidder dashboard you can put in a status update message to share with other bidders. Each time you place a bid your status will be displayed and it will also be displayed when hovering over all bidders in the “all bidders in this auction box.” The “all bidders in this auction” area is helpful because it tells you when a bidder’s first bid was placed. Note the rules, though state to not intimidate others with your status, but some do use this option as a part of their strategy.
Once you’re on the bidder profile page you can set your status. Note the rules:
“Maximum of 250 characters. (0/250 used) Please don’t try to intimidate others or post misleading content, bid count, links, emails, etc. Thank you!”
https://www.dealdash.com/dashboard-public-profile
Now you know how to set an avatar an status, just another great way to add more to the bidding fun on DealDash.com!
What’s your opinion of status updates and avatars?
The Number 1 Mistake New Bidders Make: Not Understanding How Penny Auctions Work
Then crying “scam” anyway…
Ok, so these may seem pretty simple to some of you who have been bidding and winning penny auctions for quite some time, however many of you may be making the biggest mistake when diving in and trying penny auctions for the first time
The number one problem bidders have when it comes to penny auctions is not understanding how penny auctions work.
Penny auctions are online auction/alternative e-commerce websites that allow consumers a chance to win popular consumer electronics, household gadgets and gear, gift cards and other desirable items at a discount. But in order to get a discount bidders must take heed and learn how penny auctions work and mistakes that cause many bidders to lose a lot of money.
Unlike the traditional auction such as eBay, where bidders register and receive a bidding name, place a bid and if they’re the highest bid when the time runs out wins, wins. In penny auctions, bidders purchase bid packages ahead of an auction (or if skillful – refill in the midst of bidding). Bid packs, depending on the site, can range from a few set packages to sites that allow bidders to customize their bidding experience by specifying a set number of bids.
On DealDash bids range in packages and are currently $0.20 a piece. Bids on DealDash are currently, as of today, January 25th, 2014 sold in the following bid pack amounts 180 for $32.40, 400 for $72, 800 for $144, 1500 for $270, 2500 for $450To purchase bids bidders select the amount of bids desired and can use either PayPal or a credit card, depending on the penny auction site. Again, no bidding is not free on penny auctions, this is where the penny auction greatly differs from the standard online auction model. So once you have purchased your bid pack you need to know how to bid and how the timer works.
Unlike eBay, where the timer counts down, and the bidder who has bid the highest when the time runs out, penny auctions have timers that count down, BUT – and this is what you must understand If you want to dive into penny auctions: The auction clock may show 10 seconds left, but time will be added, or reset (depending on the site) with each new bid placed. So really, when is 10 seconds left not really 10 seconds left? Any time a bidder places a bid in an actively counting down auction. Not only does the timer increase, or reset with each new bid, the “auction price” increases by $0.01 (hence the name penny auction) with each bid placed.
I’m sure by now, if you’re reading this you’ll have seen the penny auction ads and ending auctions stating end prices for items from anywhere to $0.01 to $100 and beyond. This is what you MUST understand – a penny auction that ended for $45.99, really took in 4,599 bids from all participating bidders.
So let’s back up… A penny auction is an online auction site with a twist. Bidders pay for a chance to win, with each bid placed money is being spent and there is only one winner per auction, so money spent in bids could be “wasted” when you’re not a winner,
So in actuality, when a site advertises items that end of $45.99, the bidder may have “won” the item for the end price of $45.99, but this is in addition to any purchased bids. Say biddertommy won the item, let’s say it was a brand new MacBook pro – awesome deal right?, a MacBook pro retails for $X, well, biddertommy was bidding against just a few other bidders, and he really wanted to win, so he bid a lot… in fact, he placed 998 bids and had to open up another browser window to keep reloading his bid count by purchasing new bidpacks throughout the duration of the auction.
Bids on the penny auction site he was bidding on, were $0.75 a piece (not an uncommon bid price) so biddertommy spent $748.50, plus the auction cost (remember: this price was a result of a culmination of all bids placed by all participating bidders) of $45.99 + any shipping costs if applicable. So when you see that the new MacBook ended for $45.99 and think wow, tommy got an amazing deal – now you’ll know how penny auctions really work. Remember, bids on DealDash are often discounted, with current prices at $0.20 a piece.
Tommy spent $794.49, which still a great discount off of the retail say a MacBook valued at $1,300 but really not the huge final end price savings that you presumed he got based on only looking at the end price.
#1 thing you can learn from this – there are definitely deals to be had on penny auctions, but if you do not win an item for $19 or an iPad at 90% remember – the % off retail and savings price is in most cases a reflection of the final end prices.
Try DealDash.com and let us know what you win!
Featured DealDash Item: iRobot Roomba 650 Vacuum Cleaner!
Do you ever get tired of cleaning and wish you could have someone do it for you? What if you could have something clean for you? If you haven’t seen the iRobot Roomba 650 vacuum cleaner yet you need to check it out.
The iRobot Roomba is a robotic vacuum cleaner that will do all the vacuuming for you. DealDash frequently offers the Roomba 650 vacuum for auction with a $400 buy it now price. The 650 was specifically designed to clean up pet hair, dirt and dust and automatically adjusts for the cleaning surface – the Roomba works very well on any surface, from carpets, hardwood, tile and linoleum as it can be set to move throughout your entire home or building.
The Roomba has been programmed with advanced sensors and software allowing to vacuum more surfaces, much more thoroughly as it vacuums every section of a room multiple times. A sensor tells the Roomba when the floor has been completely cleaned. Pretty slick right? It gets even better… You can set the Roomba 650 to clean at whatever time you tell it to, you don’t even have to be home – and it can be set to vacuum up to seven times per week! Plus, it will even return to its home base to dock and recharge between cleaning cycles.
Now, you might be skeptical of just how well the Roomba works – the Roomba was co-founded by an MIT professor back in the 90s and this model in particular has had over 330 reviews on Amazon.com and still holds a 4.5 out of 5 rating!
One Per User Auction
The Roomba is a one-per user item on DealDash, which means all users can only win one of these handy little vacuum cleaners. This means you could have a better chance of winning on!
- Roomba 650 picks up an amazing amount of dirt, pet hair and other debris with its patented 3 stage cleaning system
- Dirt Detect technology employs an acoustic sensor to identify dirtier areas and spends more time cleaning them
- iAdapt is an advanced system of software and sensors that ensures Roomba vacuums every section of your room and cleaning areas you cannot easily reach
- The included Virtual Wall keeps Roomba cleaning where you need it and blocks off-limit areas
- The robot can be scheduled to perform up to seven cleaning sessions per week, even when you are not home
Win the iRobot Roomba 650 Vacuum Cleaner on DealDash and spend the time you saved not having to vacuum doing something more worthwhile, like bidding and winning more useful items!
Bidders on DealDash are scoring the iRobot Roomba for end prices as low as $11.94! Find out more about how to bid and win on DealDash: 10 Ways to Bid Smarter On DealDash.