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The Best Online Auction Sites

The 7 Best Online Auction Sites

Where Can You Find the Best Online Auctions?

Many auction platforms exist to help people buy and sell items like household products, furniture, antiques, electronics, collectibles, cars, and clothing. Online auctions allow people to find unique products that might be nearly impossible to get elsewhere. Not only can sellers get the best price for their items, but buyers can score good deals too!

In an online auction, people place products up at a starting price and anyone can bid on the item, continually increasing the price as they do so. There is a timeframe when bidding is open, and once it closes, the person who has offered the highest amount of money "wins" the bid. This has become a popular hobby for many people who seek out collectibles and other hard-to-find products as they compete with others for the chance to own them.

Saturday, September 30th

2023 Online Auction Site Reviews

eBay Review Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award 5 Star Rating

eBay

5 Star Rating Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award

As one of the longest-running and well-known online auction sites, eBay has much to offer their sellers and customers. They are widely used and support many individuals who run small businesses on their platform. You can find anything from hand-crafted products to electronics to used items in someone's closet on this site. If you're interested in purchasing classic cars, you'll even be able to find those on eBay too. They are one of the most robust, easy-to-use, and reliable online auction sites and they've earned our highest rating.

Invaluable Review 4 Star Rating

Invaluable

4 Star Rating

Invaluable specializes in auctioning off fine art from recognized artists around the world. They do not accept individual consignments, so you know that everything on their site has been vetted and appraised to be of high value. You can create an account for free and participate in their live or timed auctions at your convenience. This is a great option for people interested in collecting rare, unique pieces of art.

DealDash Review 3.5 Star Rating

DealDash

3.5 Star Rating

If you're willing to play the game, DealDash is an interesting way to get massive savings on new products. You'll have to pay money to bid on items and may end up losing money in the end without any product in return, but you could score a good deal if you are persistent. DealDash has a smaller customer base than some other online auction sites and could use a website update to give it a more consistent and professional appeal. However, customers have great things to say about DealDash and you might too if you give it a try.

Atomic Mall Review 3 Star Rating

Atomic Mall

3 Star Rating

Atomic Mall is an online auction site that sells nearly everything under the sun except large items like vehicles. Their website is badly in need of a makeover and makes it painful to casually browse products. Many customers and sellers have had great success on Atomic Mall, so we recommend this site if you're looking for something specific. Otherwise, you'll have a more enjoyable experience with a higher-rated online auction platform.

eBid Review 3 Star Rating

eBid

3 Star Rating

You'll find a huge, random assortment of independent sellers on eBid. From handmade rugs to trading cards to stamp collections, eBid has an interesting lot of products to buy. There are lots of flashy advertisements and unappealing web pages that make it hard to casually browse this site. If you are trying to find a particular item, we recommend searching on eBid in case you find it in one of their over 2,905,000 listings. However, shopping at a higher-rated online auction site will be a more visually appealing experience.

Liquidation Review 2.5 Star Rating

Liquidation

2.5 Star Rating

Liquidation takes overstock, damaged, or returned items from places like Target, Amazon, Home Depot, and Wayfair and auctions them off in bulk. It's one of the best places to buy high-end products by the truckload, pallet, or package from reputable stores. Their registration and buying process is easy enough and their website has plenty of filtering options so you can find what you're looking for. The main concern we have with Liquidation is the poor customer reviews around the internet about not receiving orders, products looking different than described, orders getting cancelled, and other issues.

QuiBids Review 1 Star Rating

QuiBids

1 Star Rating

QuiBids shows all their high-end, name-brand items up for auction being sold for only a few dollars. They claim that their auction site is the most fun and exciting way to shop online and that users save up to 98% of retail prices. However, their website gives scam-like vibes, most customers have complained about their practices, they've been sued for false advertising, and they are one of the more expensive online auction sites. It's a no-brainer that avoiding QuiBids is a good idea.

Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

For both buyers and sellers, online auction sites are a great place to turn if you're wanting a specific item. Whether it's an antique clock or the newest Apple watch, you'll usually be able to find them at an online auction. This gives people the chance to get their hands on products that might not be available in stores.

Before choosing an online auction site to use, we recommend you keep the following criteria in mind:

  • Ease of Use. It is much easier to navigate a straightforward, appealing website. If product details are unclear or the rules of the auction aren't obvious, then it will be frustrating to try and use the auction platform. Stick with one that makes it easy to browse items and submit bids.
  • Selection. Some auction sites are focused on selling liquidated items, antiques, collector's items, or a range of everything under the sun. Make sure you choose a site that fits the category of items you're looking to buy or sell.
  • Reputation. What does the Better Business Bureau have to say about the online auction site? If you're not using a professional or reliable platform, chances are there won't be as many items to browse or buyers to purchase what is being sold. Finding a well-known, reputable company will provide the best experience.

To help you identify the best online auction sites, TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked a variety of options. We hope this information helps you find new and exciting items for a great price!

The Best Online Auction Sites Compare Online Auction Sites Compare Online Auction Site Reviews What are the best Online Auction Sites Best Online Auction Site Reviews

Online Auction Site FAQ

An online auction is where people from any geographic location can sell and buy items on the internet. Some items can be purchased outright while others require you go through a bidding process to see who will pay the most for that product. Time limits are set and anyone can bid a certain amount of money towards an item before time runs out. Someone may or may not offer more money (outbid), so the price of the item continues to rise until the time is up.
Not necessarily To list items, browse, and create an account is completely free. The only money you'll usually end up paying is the cost of an item if you win an auction. However, there are a few online auction sites that require you to pay a small amount for each bid you place. Also, if you're selling an item, the platform you use may take a small cut of the earnings.
The sky's the limit when it comes to what can be bought and sold through an online auction. Just a few of the many categories you'll find include electronics, collectibles, toys, sporting goods, household items, and business supplies. Pretty much anything and everything you find around you would fit into a category of what could be sold or bought at an online auction.
At an online auction, you'll discover unique products you won't find anywhere else. Whether it's an antique or new electronics that are out-of-stock through traditional retailers, you can find the best deals. You'll be able to buy everything you're wanting and more from the comfort of your home. The best part is that your new and exciting products will get shipped right to your door, so you don't have to pick them up from a store!
If an item up for bid is running out of time, a soft close ensures that everyone who wants to gets the opportunity to put in an offer. For example, if you're trying to buy a luxury watch and place a bid in the last couple minutes of a live auction, another minute or so will automatically be added to the bidding time to allow for anyone else to bid higher than you. This prevents people from placing bids at the very last second and closing an item before someone else gets the chance. It also helps guarantee that the seller is able to get the highest dollar amount possible for the item they are selling.
Some auctions have bidding increments to prevent people from outbidding each other by insignificant amounts like a penny. It makes it so that people have to be serious about placing a bid because they are offering a reasonably higher price than the person that bid before them. For example, if an item is currently listed for $1,600, a bidding increment might be set at $100, which means the next bidder must offer at least $1,700 in order to participate.
Participating in an online auction is as easy as creating a free account on the auction platform and browsing the site for items you're interested in. Once you find something you want to bid on, you'll most likely need to provide payment information upfront and then you can select your item and enter the amount you'd like to bid. It's important to keep watching items you really want in case someone else outbids you and you want to bid again. If you want to sell an item, you will list it by providing a description of the product, a starting bid amount, setting a bid increment, and other relevant information.
The short answer is no. Once you place a bid on an item, you're locked into paying for it if you win the auction. Make sure you are always willing to pay what you say you will and that you seriously consider any purchases before bidding. Some auctions might get outrageous as far as what people are willing to pay, so be sure not to get caught up in the action if you don't have the funds to pay for an item. If you do find yourself unable to buy what you've won in an auction, it is best to contact the seller and ask if they will cancel the transaction and either re-list the item or offer it to another bidder.
The Best Reviews of Online Auction Sites