Penny Auctions are getting a lot of attention around the internet- either people love them or they hate them. Most people love the fact that you can get high-ticket items such as HDTV’s and laptop computers for pennies on the dollar. But there are also countless complaints being made about the legitimacy of these websites. If you’re going to give penny auctions a try, be sure to avoid these 3 common nightmares.
Unauthorized Charges to Your Credit Card
As many people have learned, there are a lot of penny auction sites that charge fees to new users without their permission. There are a few sites that have been known to do this, with the number one being SwipeBids.com. Many users of SwipeBids have claimed that $150 was charged to their credit card after they signed up for the “free” trial.
Although there are many PA sites that charge un-authorized fees to users’ credit cards, there are just as many if not more legitimate sites on the web. Before signing up to any PA site, make sure you check out the reviews and user ratings. This one simple tip can save you hundreds of dollars and keep you from being scammed.
PA Sites Using Bots
One of the most common complaints made about penny auction sites is the use of bots. Bots, also known as auto-bidders, are used by some PA sites to drive up the auction price. They are fake users created by the site to bid for items. This is extremely unfair, because people expect to bid against real people when they sign up for a PA site.
There are a few ways to watch out for this. First, check out reviews of PA sites before joining any. Next, take a look at the main page of the PA site you’re considering joining. Most sites will list the current bidder next to the auction timer. If you see a name come up only once, it should be considered suspicious. Most human bidders will bid at least a few times before giving up.
Spending Lots of Money Without Winning
Unfortunately, far too many people buy bids on a PA site, and use all their bids without winning anything. This is usually due to the bidder not using any type of strategy. Penny auctions are not like gambling, it’s not up to chance.
Using even the simplest strategy will set you apart from most other bidders on a PA site. Instead of bidding on the first item you see that you want, take some time to watch the auctions and get a feel for the average ending auction price. When you know this average, you can enter into auctions when they get near this price. Also, enter auctions when there’s only a few seconds left on the timer.
Avoid these three common penny auction nightmares by following these tips. Don’t become another person filing complaints across the internet because you got ripped off. Always read reviews before signing up on a PA site.
Loading ...
