How to Win a Penny Auction

By John Willetts


In today's economy, everyone is looking to save a few dollars in the checkout line. We're always looking for the marked-down, final sale, liquidation prices that will allow us to buy the gadgets we've been lusting over. Because we're all in the same boat, penny auctions have become extremely popular in a short amount of time; in fact, a new penny auction site appears nearly every day. But how exactly does one win a penny auction?

When you're first getting started, it may be a good idea to choose small items. Bidders with more experience often go for the big-ticket items, so bidding on smaller items like gift cards will help you find your footing in a safe and manageable way. Bidders with more experience have developed skills that enable them to feel comfortable with the competition, and you may find yourself in over your head with them. Once you understand the structure of penny auctions, you'll be on your way to bidding with the big boys in no time.

A great way to ensure your success is to learn the game like the back of your hand. Carefully research the sites that seem to have the most success stories and positive reviews; this may be how you find the right penny auction site for you. Look at the items that people are bidding on, and compare their prices with other popular penny auction websites. This type of research will help you weed out the bad websites and the scams.

You should make sure that the website (or websites) you choose are trustworthy. It would be wise to confirm that the auctions and products are legitimate long before you begin spending money on them. Do a simple internet search on your preferred site and read a few reviews; you may find them to be outstanding, or you may find them to be disappointing. No matter what the outcome, you will be better off knowing the truth about the penny auction website of your choice.

One of the most important things to research is also one of the most basic: make sure that you know your competition well. Before you begin bidding on a particular item, study previous auctions for items like it. Look for trends; how much do these items usually go for? Is it a popular item, and is there likely to be a lot of competition? Is there a certain time of the day that is busier than another? All of these components will help you time your bidding correctly and get the item you've been coveting.

Over time, you will develop a penny auction strategy foolproof enough that you are able to compete against the professionals for highly desirable items. You won't believe how much money you'll save through penny auctions. You'll find that the allegations that penny auctions encourage gambling are simply untrue; once you begin bidding you'll understand that the savvy bidder gets what they want with ease and aplomb. With a little bit of experience, you'll be counting yourself among them faster than you can say, "bid!"




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