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Wednesday, November 6th
In 2010, DealDash made its debut in the realm of online auctions. This site specializes in the sale of overstock and liquidation inventory. What sets DealDash apart is the promise of discounts, with products often going for up to 90% off their retail price. Plus, at this auction site, you'll find items ranging from the latest Apple products and fashions to kitchen appliances, gift cards, and much more. However, to unlock these tantalizing discounts, there's a unique twist to the DealDash experience: customers must purchase bids, and it's these bids that are used to vie for the items in the auction.
Pre-purchase your bids to buy
When you get started with DealDash, you need to make an account. DealDash asks for the basics: a username, email address, password, and credit card information. However, this is not your typical free sign-up process: DealDash operates on a pay-to-play model, and as such, you'll be asked to provide payment information upfront. To initiate your account, you'll be charged $30, which translates into 250 bids. While the website promises that each bid costs $0.12, a video on the platform claims that they are priced at $0.60 each. Furthermore, DealDash offers packages of bids at a rate of $0.60 per bid which makes the actual price of the bids more confusing. Yet another section of the website suggests that bids can be acquired for "normally" $0.20 or less. The conflicting information is unnecessarily confusing when you're just getting started with the DealDash experience.
Bids in intervals of ten seconds for great deals
The bidding process on DealDash adds an element of anticipation and strategy to your shopping adventure. After purchasing the bids that serve as your currency, you can "spend” those bids on the items that catch your eye. Every bid you place increases the item's price by $0.01, while simultaneously resetting the auction clock for ten more seconds. If no new bidders step into the fray before the clock winds down, the last bidder standing is declared the victor and must pay the final price listed for the item.
You can get remarkable discounts
The purchase of bids is what allows DealDash to offer you such remarkable discounts. Since the platform makes money on bid purchases and not the actual items themselves, DealDash can offer you the best value for your money on the actual items. However, you can also lose money without obtaining the desired product. If you want to get your bids back, you can purchase the exact item you bid on at full retail price, but this could be very, very expensive depending on what you were bidding on.
Extremely low inventory
The inventory at DealDash includes a large range of modern items from technology to kitchen appliances, making DealDash a great place to grab items that are way too expensive at full price but fit in with a modern living style. You can find items from gaming consoles to office chairs, glasses, and gold earrings, and even packages of "bids” that you can bid on to win more opportunities to bid on other items.
How it stacks up against the other auction platforms
To compare the range of inventory at DealDash to other companies in our review, we checked out three common shopping searches (watches, autographed items, and iPads) to see how each company stacks up across its offerings. Here's what we found at DealDash:
Unfortunately, in terms of inventory, DealDash's items change out so often that there aren't a lot of options to browse through. Plus, the site lists completed auctions in the results, which means the items you can actually bid on are even fewer than they first appear.
Specializes in deals for modern items
While the specialty for DealDash is low-cost items that would normally be top-dollar, finding specific items may be difficult as the company has some of the lowest inventory we've found among online auction sites. So, while you can find stand mixers or Xboxes, there aren't a lot of auctions to pick from, and finding the exact item on your wishlist might be a bit of a struggle.
Returns in 90 days for first purchase
DealDash extends an enticing offer to potential customers: the opportunity to dip their toes into the auction model risk-free. If you have reservations about this unique approach to online shopping, DealDash promises a full refund for your first purchase within 90 days if you find yourself dissatisfied with the experience. However, keep in mind this only works for your first purchase, and the return policy after that point is extremely vague.
Impressively high ratings
At first glance, the concept of DealDash might raise eyebrows, appearing too good to be true, given the remarkable bargains it offers and the low inventory. However, the ratings for DealDash are impressive. At the Better Business Bureau, DealDash holds an "A” rating and accreditation as well as an impressive 4.1-star average out of 5. That score is reflected in approval from customers across third-party verified review sites too. On three different sites, DealDash holds a 4+-star rating. Thousands of individuals attest to making DealDash their go-to platform for shopping, often securing high-quality items for less than $10.
Great opportunity for deals
DealDash, in our estimation, occupies a middle ground in the hierarchy of online auction sites. With tenacity and a bit of luck, you could potentially acquire high-value items like KitchenAid appliances, iPhones, or robot vacuum cleaners for just a few dollars (plus the cost of your bids). The flip side of the coin is a significant one: if you don't clinch the winning bid, you may find yourself at a financial loss without any tangible gains, unless you opt to purchase the item at full retail price and regain your bids. However, with so many rave reviews, it's definitely worth checking out.
If you're on the hunt for used items or rare finds, online auctions can be the best place to look. Just a quick search will reveal tons of online auction websites designed to help you sell or buy a wide array of goods. These digital marketplaces serve as the perfect arena for individuals to trade everything from household products and furniture to antiques, electronics, collectibles, cars, and clothing.
Online auctions offer a distinct advantage by granting you access to unique products that might otherwise be hard to find at traditional stores. Whether you're looking for rare collectibles or a very specific item that's not on the market anymore, online auctions are the best place to go. With the potential to score incredible deals or sell items at a price that feels fair to you, there are tons of benefits to shopping at an online auction.
If you're looking to sell, you wield the power to showcase your items in an online auction. You can rest assured that thousands (maybe even millions) will see your items, helping you get the best deal out there. However, what truly defines the charm of these platforms is the democratic nature of the bidding system. Anyone can partake by placing their bids, each incrementally elevating the price of the item. Once the curtain falls on the auction, the highest bidder emerges victorious, earning the privilege to claim their prize. This means you might even make more money on your sale than you expected if a bidding war ensues.
If you're on the other side of the auction - looking to buy, or simply an enthusiastic shopper in search of that elusive, one-of-a-kind item - you can tailor your choice of online auction sites to your needs. Whether you're looking for a vintage locket or the newest Apple Watch, you can find anything and everything on these platforms. Plus with low starting prices, online auctions transform seemingly unattainable items into tangible acquisitions that you could win at the click of a button. You'll have access to great deals and rare finds that you might not stumble upon in your local stores.
As you venture into the realm of online auctions, you'll find that not all platforms are created equal. The key to a fulfilling online auction experience is finding a platform that offers a top-notch user experience.
If you're not sure how to start narrowing down your options, here are some criteria to bear in mind as you browse:
To help you find the best online auction site out there today, Top Consumer Reviews reviewed and ranked different platforms so that you don't need to worry about it. We hope that our reviews will serve as a compass, guiding you to the platforms that best align with your selling-and-shopping pleasure, so that you can focus on what's most important: uncovering those new and exciting items at outstanding prices (or connecting with buyers who will pay top dollar for what you have).
Select any 2 Online Auction Sites to compare them head to head