# Are these online auction sites for real



## killieman (Mar 27, 2006)

I frequently go on aquabid and hotmail and I always see these ads for online auction sites, one being bidcactus.com and quibids.com. I figure that if its ok to advertise these websites on top websites that they must be legit. Anyway I see the winning bids on some of the items like electronics and other stuff and its crazy low, like under 50 bucks. Are these websites for real or is there a catch somewhere?
Gary


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

I've seen TV commercials for Quibids on Cable. I don't think I've ever seen paid TV commercials for a scam before. But that doesn't mean that their money making method isn't a bit sleezy, they are called Penny Auctions

It's said that on Quibids, each penny increment bid you make has a cost of something like 60 cents. So as I understand it, even though an item might go for only $100 at the end of an auction, Quibids could make up to $6000 on the sale.

If this is all true, I kinda wish I had thought of the idea.


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## killieman (Mar 27, 2006)

So does that mean if I bid on something and won it for $100 it would acyually cost me $6000?
Gary


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Not unless you outbid yourself every single time from the first bid of 1 cent.


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## killieman (Mar 27, 2006)

Hey Will you sound experienced with this, have you ever done it?
Gary


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

No sorry Gary, but like you, I was curious and lured in my the potential low cost of items. I just did some digging online searching out the legitimacy of these sites, quibids in particular. Consensus is that it is legit, and that quibids is making truckloads of money from their buisiness model.


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## mrobson (Mar 5, 2011)

they are just barely legal and are currently being investigated by the better business bureau. Their is a slim chance you can "win" your bid but just like gambling the odds are stacked against you. They use bid bots to drive the prices up and use bid extensions to keep you spending your bids. So even if you do "win" a low priced item you still have to factor in what you paid for each bid. By the time you factor in how much people spend on bidding the true price of the item ends up being hundreds more and the bid company makes massive profits.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

aquabid looks okay, seems there are frequent updated items from vendors but the price is high on most of them. Any other sites I don't know I would just go to ebay.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

He uses aquabid, hes just saying he sees the ads to the other sites there.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

I see I thought he just go there to window shop like me. I do have an account there too just haven't place any bids yet.



Will said:


> He uses aquabid, hes just saying he sees the ads to the other sites there.


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

those sites are in grey area. You can bid on the items but if you loose they will keep your money. Sometime, you don't know if you are bidding against a real person or a computer (probably used by the said company). The also set a timer so anyone can bid during that time

this is how it works

Ipod

starting cost = $0
you bid = $10
person A = 15$
person C = $100
you = $ 110 (lets say you stop at this point)
etc

highest bidder gets the ipod but the company will take $120 from your account. They will likely make ton of money on this. 

I never used those sites but this was the explanation given on Canada AM

i consider it scam and wouldn't use it tbh.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

wouldnt you lose only 110 (+ small fee from first bid)? 

that's like saying you bid 25K on a car, then another person bids 30K, and then you bid 35K. im pretty sure you are not on the hook for 60K.



i think you mean that you would lose 110 + the small fee charged for the first bid


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## GAT (Oct 8, 2011)

i'm not too sure. I think you maybe right. Still, $110 dollar is lot of money.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

GAT said:


> those sites are in grey area. You can bid on the items but if you loose they will keep your money. Sometime, you don't know if you are bidding against a real person or a computer (probably used by the said company). The also set a timer so anyone can bid during that time
> 
> this is how it works
> 
> ...


I think you understand it wrong.

On Quibid, They don't keep your bids, they charge you to make bids, and and so every bid increment earns them money.


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

And there are also abandon storage unit auction around GTA...which I subscribed and am tempted to go everytime I watch auction hunter or storage wars lol...yyyyeeeeeeeaap


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## ThaChingster (Feb 25, 2011)

Holidays said:


> And there are also abandon storage unit auction around GTA...which I subscribed and am tempted to go everytime I watch auction hunter or storage wars lol...yyyyeeeeeeeaap


Funny, I'm watching storage wars right now LOL

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

ThaChingster said:


> Funny, I'm watching storage wars right now LOL
> 
> Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk


there are actually some auctions around GTA and some of them you can bid online


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

Holidays said:


> And there are also abandon storage unit auction around GTA...which I subscribed and am tempted to go everytime I watch auction hunter or storage wars lol...yyyyeeeeeeeaap


really??? awesome! that would be epic to find some bars of gold lol!


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