The Best Online Auction Sites

Tuesday, October 8th

2024 Online Auction Site Reviews

eBay

eBay, founded in 1995, offers an expansive and user-friendly platform with a modern design, making it an industry favorite. It's suitable for both buyers and sellers with over 1.6 billion active listings and 183 million registered buyers. eBay has an impressive inventory, offering a one-stop shopping experience with millions of results in each category. The platform is suitable for casual shopping, pro sellers, and small businesses. eBay's supportive return policy and "A" rating from the BBB add to its appeal, making it the top choice for online auctions.

HiBid

HiBid is an impressive online auction platform offering a wide range of items from real estate to collectibles. The platform stands out for its local and worldwide search options, a straightforward time-based bidding system, and an inventory that includes unique items like classic cars and standard items like jewelry and accessories. While there isn't a company return policy, HiBid has garnered rave reviews and high ratings, closely competing with our top pick in this category.

AuctionZip

AuctionZip offers a real-time auction experience and an impressive inventory. It stands out for its authentic bidding style but may not suit those looking for a "buy it now" approach. It specializes in antique and unique items, although it might not have a wide selection of modern technology. While it has a high BBB rating, some customer reviews express frustration with losing out on bids, and its overall review scores are lower than some competitors. However, if you're looking for unique or historical items and enjoy real bidding wars, AuctionZip is a great option.

DealDash

DealDash is an online auction site specializing in overstock and liquidation items, offering the potential for significant discounts. Bidding on items involves strategic, real-time bidding, with each bid increasing the item's price by $0.01 and resetting the auction clock. While DealDash's inventory includes a variety of modern items, its selection can be limited. Despite its inventory limitations, DealDash has impressive ratings and an "A" rating with the Better Business Bureau. It offers an opportunity to obtain quality items at a fraction of their retail price.

Invaluable

Invaluable is a sophisticated online auction platform specializing in fine art. While its focus is primarily on art, it also features other categories like jewelry and autographed items. Invaluable provides multiple ways to purchase art, but its inventory doesn't include modern tech items, which could be a downside for some customers. Despite some limitations, the platform enjoys very positive user reviews, making it an ideal choice for art enthusiasts looking for high-quality and unique pieces.

Liquidation

Liquidation specializes in auctions for commercial surplus inventory and includes a wide range of industries from home improvement stores to clothing. You can shop for various items, usually in impressive bulk packages. While it offers great deals, Liquidation's inventory makes it a little hard to find specific single items, and the bulk packs turn over regularly. Returns are not guaranteed, and customer reviews suggest some items may be shipped in less-than-perfect condition. However, due to the nature of a returns/overstock retailer, this is fairly expected. Given these factors, Liquidation still ranks as a go-to place for those who enjoy fun surprises and bulk shopping.

PropertyRoom

PropertyRoom offers a unique online auction experience with auctions starting at just $1 and a focus on police-seized property. While it provides easy browsing and bidding, you won't be able to sell on this platform if you aren't a law enforcement or government entity. The inventory is lower compared to other sites, and the site's low ratings and lack of a return policy raise concerns about dishonest listings. Still, their "A+” BBB rating can balance out some of these concerns.

Atomic Mall

Atomic Mall, an online auction platform since 2008, disappoints with its outdated design and unreliable links. While it offers a wide range of product categories and user-friendly registration, it lacks specialization and doesn't offer you a concrete return policy. Reviews are mixed, with sellers often praising the platform, but others note issues with buying and charges. You might want to start your auction shopping spree with a more reliable site.

eBid

eBid offers a free and user-friendly interface with a one-stop shop-style inventory, but it has some red flags we can't ignore. While sellers can list items for free, and buyers can purchase bid points to participate (keeping you from directly bidding your cash if you don't want to), there aren't a lot of protections regarding returns for buyers. And, its "F" rating from the BBB raises concerns. With these things in mind, eBid only earns a low rating here.

Webstore

Webstore's outdated website and lack of intuitive navigation make it feel like a half-built and insecure platform. It offers both auction-style and fixed-price listings, making it suitable for casual buyers and sellers, but it lacks advanced tools for serious sellers. The site has low inventory and a clunky search function, which may not be ideal for buyers looking for specific items. With all these problems in one place, we had to give Webstore the lowest rating in our review.