HappyBidDay.com is one of the most popular and complete site in the Penny Auction world, and offers up one of the best incentive programs I’ve seen so far.  The “Happy Auction” system allows users to cash in free bids earned by referring players, their sign-up bonuses etc, and bid on high quality electronics for free!  HappyBidDay.com has fantastic player reward systems for referrals, daily logins, birthdays and purchases of bid packs which can all be used towards the Happy Auction system for LCD TVs, Keurig coffee makers, gift cards and even unique items like 1oz Silver bars…with the stock price of silver going through the roof, gotta love a penny auction site that protects the precious metals stock portfolio as well!!

Items to Bid on

 As I mentioned up above…great variety.  32” LCD TV for $42.79, 1oz Silver Bar for a ridiculously low $1.03…Keurig, Gaming Headsets, The Lion King…I have no idea where this site get their ideas and items from, but they offer up some of the best variety I’ve ever seen.  As a guy who pays a keen interest to the stock market, the price of precious metals is going up almost daily, and no commodity has increased more on a percentage basis than silver over the last five years.  HappyBidDay.com actually made me money…imagine that!  Making money with Penny auctions is something that can be very easy to do, but no different than American Pickers or Auction Hunters, you have to know what to look for.  Look for my article (Found Here) on using Penny Auctions to re-sell items and make a few dollars.

Whatever your electronic or gift card needs are, give HappyBidDay.com a try.

Rewards Program

HappyBidDays.com sets itself apart slightly by offering free bids as sign-up and referral rewards, and offers “Happy Auctions” where these free bids can be placed.  This is a bit of a double edged sword, as the price increment on these auctions is $.35, and I can understand that some users would resent not being allowed to use their bids in the penny auctions.  The winning bidder has to pay the winning auction price, plus the shipping on  Happy Auctions…but anyone who complains about paying shipping on a 40” inch Samsung TV they paid only $42.37 for is out of their minds anyways, so no worries there.  Plus, the Happy Auction bids come for free, so don’t worry about burning through them, there’s always more friends to refer, more birthdays to be had, and worst case scenario…buy a Bid Pack!!!

The Rating Game

I love HappyBidDay.com.  Customer service and site layout are good, easy to navigate and the item variety is right up there with the best.  The customer rewards program keeps you feeling appreciated, and the fact that if you refer enough of your friends, you don’t have to pay to bid is a great for everyone out there with a big social network.  Look for more on HappyBidDay.com in my blog and strategies section, and take a look at this fantastic penny auction site before you leave here.  I have received only great reviews from HappyBidDay.com, and can wholeheartedly recommend them as a great option for Penny Auction Hunters.

I’ve mentioned in reviews and my main posts that penny auctions can be a money maker, and this would be one way to go about it.  Earning free bids by taking surveys, and turning those free bid’s into items won is a quick and easy way to turn free bids online into some serious profits.  The gift card selection also makes purchasing your favorite products and services, essentially, free.  Make money using iBid2Save, or your own personal favorite site.

Speaking from experience, iBid2Save is a Top Pick on this site for a reason.  Sign up here for your free bids, and best of luck bidding on some great items!!

Check it now

It has come to my attention that while I thought I was bidding against other people, I have actually been bidding against an automated program designed to automatically place bids, up to a maximum amount.  Even more frustrating than the machine’s unending patience, is the “Bid Sniper” program that has me ready to throw handfuls of my own excrement at the monitor.  Apparently this sniping program is designed to ensure that users who are away have their minimum bid met, so that auto-bid can take over.  Is this even legal???

Signed- Everyone who has ever been beaten by a machine.

Dearest “Everyone”

Yes, Auto-bid machines are legal, although they are heavily regulated.  An auto bidder can be one of the areas that gets a little grey in the eyes of the law, but as long as they are capped/limited they are a legal means of bidding.  The BidSniper feature is, indeed, annoying, as it is an automated program that bids at the last second of the auction to ensure that the bidder’s minimum is met, so that the auto bid feature can take over.

Let me begin by saying I hate auto-bid and bidsniper.  Both of these programs take away from the entertainment value of penny auctions, and if you feel the same way I would encourage that you look for sites which either disable auto-bid, or at least offer up a few auto-bid free auctions.  The issue i have is an ethical one, since I like to think of Penny Auctions as a form of entertainment and competition and competing against a machine designed to win is like ice-skating uphill; lotta work for no result.   Best bet is to keep looking through sites until you find a reputable one that doesn’t allow either of these programs if you want the pure competition aspect, but keep in mind that both of these devices do have their uses.  Any user can, in fact, use these features, and if you are so inclined you can become one of those people everyone else hates.  Use autobid wisely though, since the machine doesn’t really care how light your wallet feels after a bidding war; they are designed to enter your maximum bid, so my caution is, again, play within your limits, and don’t let machines bid for you!!

I’ve reviewed my share of Penny Auctions, and I have never seen promos like iBid2Save.com  Within seconds, and I do literally mean seconds, my account was activated and credited with 25 bids, just for signing up.  My first bid pack purchase of 30 bids brought me up to 125 courtesy bids, 155 total.  All those bids, and all I had done was sign-up!  It took less than one minute to be registered and ready to go with 155 bids to use on the selection of gift cards, LCD TVs, Xbox 360 consoles and accessories, discount jewelry and much, much more.  Ibid2save.com has taken the idea of penny auctions and refined it, standing out among its competitors, well ahead of the curve and the expectations.

check it out

Earn Free iBid2Save Bids

Not only can you buy bids, but the rewards programs with ibid2save.com makes bidding even simpler and less expensive.  By referring friends, completing surveys, or simply browsing through their links page for services you’d buy, and use, you have the chance to have free promo bids linked directly into your account.  How about 11 bids for a 30 second survey?  Or you could earn 9 bids for playing a free online RPG?  Maybe you’d rather have the chance to win $500 for sharing your thoughts on Angry Birds?  I have never seen referral system as rewarding as this, and iBid2Save.com makes the Penny Auction world even less expensive, offering up the absolute best in freeiBid2Save promo bids, iBid2Save coupon codes and iBid2Save friend referrals.

Great Prices on Jewelry and gift cards, Big Savings on Electronics

The jewelry section offers up sapphires, platinum bands, Italian imported gold and jewelry, pearl and silver jewelry sets, Walmart Gift Cards…well a huge selection of gift cards…and much more!!  The selection offered up here is just amazing, and it only seems to be getting bigger.  There is something for everyone here, tons of items for some rock-bottom prices.  We expect great deals from our Penny Auctions, but iBids2save.com is at the top of the game for some of the products you want the most.  How about a $200 Walmart gift card, PLUS 500 iBid2Save.com promo bids…for .05?  The saving here really are obscene, and given the referral and reward system for promo bids and free bids for users, you may never have to actually spend a dime o win your electronics, gift cards or jewelry.

Save big at iBid2Save.com

I would never call Penny Auction sites a “can’t miss opportunity” but if you’re here at PennyAuctionCaptain.com, chances are you already know a thing or two about the online bidding world and want to either continue your success or get started with the fun, savings and thrill of online Penny Auctions.  I truly can’t recommend a better site than iBid2Save.com.  Take the 5 seconds of your day it takes to register, and start with your FREE 25 Promo bids…it’s that easy, and if you want to save big on great merchandise, you owe yourself a trip to iBid2Save.com!!!

January 27, 2012: iBid2Save.com…The BEST Promo bids!!!

January 22, 2012: A few thoughts on “Auto-Bid”

BidCactus.com is my personal top pick for penny auction sites.  With a variety of auction “levels” from First Timer to Expert, the BidCactus experience is one that will be enjoyable for people of any experience looking to land that PS3, LCD TV, iPod, Kuerig machine or gift card collection.  Bidcactus.com is exactly what you’re looking for in a penny auction- great variety, good prices, tons of bidding options and just as the cherry on top of the cake…they are A+ members of the Better Business Bureau.  While this may not mean much at first, the BBB holds its members to high levels of accountability and responsibility, and acts as a third party to oversee any disputes.  With a 100% resolution rating, BidCactus has proven over time that they are a legitimate and professional company.

For anyone worried about the reputation these sites have taken on as scams, the BBB logo should let you bid on your favourite electronics quite comfortably and without worry.  Even better, you can bid within your weight class and experience level by utilizing their variety of auction options.  If you’re new to Penny Auctions, the “First Timer” is probably for you…bid against other Newbies for your items, and as soon as you win that first item, you’re ready to try either the beginner class or even tread into the shark infested waters of the expert class.  BidCactus.com offers up the same variety of electronics as many other penny auction sites, but they have a high volume of auctions daily and also separate their auctions by experience level, a reassurance for new bidders that they won’t always be against expert bidders.  In addition to electronics, Bidcactus.com has a great selection of different gift cards and restaurant vouchers as well as unique “combined” offers like gift cards along with bid packages, an item that will certainly encourage high volume bidding.  BidCactus.com also offers up some of the best loyalty reward programs available, offering up points for bids placed and auctions won, which users can exchange for prizes and services.

Overall, my Bidcactus review is stellar.  I am a proud member of the Bidcactus community, and have actually won a few auctions.  This site is among the best in the online industry.  It is run very professionally and efficiently and gives users of all experience levels a chance to win some fantastic electronics and other items.  If you are brand new to the idea of Penny Auctions, make sure you check out Bidcactus.com to make sure your first experience is a positive one.  BidCactus should serve as your first stop on the Penny Auction tour, and believe me you won’t regret it!

Visit site now

HappyBidDay.com is one of the most popular and complete site in the Penny Auction world, and offers up one of the best incentive programs I’ve seen so far.  The “Happy Auction” system allows users to cash in free bids earned by referring players, their sign-up bonuses etc, and bid on high quality electronics for free!  HappyBidDay.com has fantastic player reward systems for referrals, daily logins, birthdays and purchases of bid packs which can all be used towards the Happy Auction system for LCD TVs, Keurig coffee makers, gift cards and even unique items like 1oz Silver bars…with the stock price of silver going through the roof, gotta love a penny auction site that protects the precious metals stock portfolio as well!!

Items to Bid on

 As I mentioned up above…great variety.  32” LCD TV for $42.79, 1oz Silver Bar for a ridiculously low $1.03…Keurig, Gaming Headsets, The Lion King…I have no idea where this site get their ideas and items from, but they offer up some of the best variety I’ve ever seen.  As a guy who pays a keen interest to the stock market, the price of precious metals is going up almost daily, and no commodity has increased more on a percentage basis than silver over the last five years.  HappyBidDay.com actually made me money…imagine that!  Making money with Penny auctions is something that can be very easy to do, but no different than American Pickers or Auction Hunters, you have to know what to look for.  Look for my article (Found Here) on using Penny Auctions to re-sell items and make a few dollars.

Whatever your electronic or gift card needs are, give HappyBidDay.com a try.

Rewards Program

 HappyBidDays.com sets itself apart slightly by offering free bids as sign-up and referral rewards, and offers “Happy Auctions” where these free bids can be placed.  This is a bit of a double edged sword, as the price increment on these auctions is $.35, and I can understand that some users would resent not being allowed to use their bids in the penny auctions.  The winning bidder has to pay the winning auction price, plus the shipping on  Happy Auctions…but anyone who complains about paying shipping on a 40” inch Samsung TV they paid only $42.37 for is out of their minds anyways, so no worries there.  Plus, the Happy Auction bids come for free, so don’t worry about burning through them, there’s always more friends to refer, more birthdays to be had, and worst case scenario…buy a Bid Pack!!!

The Rating Game

 I love HappyBidDay.com.  Customer service and site layout are good, easy to navigate and the item variety is right up there with the best.  The customer rewards program keeps you feeling appreciated, and the fact that if you refer enough of your friends, you don’t have to pay to bid is a great for everyone out there with a big social network.  Look for more on HappyBidDay.com in my blog and strategies section, and take a look at this fantastic penny auction site before you leave here.  I have received only great reviews from HappyBidDay.com, and can wholeheartedly recommend them as a great option for Penny Auction Hunters.

Penny Auctions are a hybrid of eBay style online auctions, combined with “groupon” style bulk discounts.  Penny Auctions feature wholesale appliances and electronics that are placed up for timed auctions.  The bidding structure allows for users to bid in one cent increments until the auction time expires, making prices for high end electronics and kitchen appliances, gift cards and other unique items.  Popular penny auction items include LCD TVs, Plasma TVS, PS3, iPods, iPads, Macbooks, laptops and more.

Check out our Review section for some of the best Penny Auction sites on the web.

How Do Penny Auctions work?

$23.07 for a 32″ LCD TV?  12.03 for a Sony Playstation 3? $4.01 for an iPod?  Something has to be wrong, right? Wrong.

Please excuse the intentional double negative, but Penny Auction sites are basically a well organized wholesale liquidation.  An online flea market of sorts, where users can bid and win electronics, gift cards, kitchen items, video game consoles and more for a fraction of the MSRP.  While every site operates a little differently, the basic idea is that these sites buy items in large quantities to get a wholesale/bulk discount, and then auction them off online to make a profit.  Users purchase “bid packs” which allow them to increase the price of an item up for auction by one cent at a time.  Bids generally cost 50 cents each, but again, this price varies from site-to-site.  As the price of an item increases, time continues to count down until only one bidder has won the item.  Unlike eBay, the auction time refreshes until no bidders are left to reset the countdown timer…the last 10 seconds of an auction can last for hours!

Once an auction ends, the winning bidder is responsible for paying the winning amount for the item, as well as shipping.  Its just that easy to win the items you’ve had you eye on…and the appeal is in trying to get that winning bid in!

Are Penny Auctions Legal?

The short answer is yes, the sites are entirely legal so long as they operate within the  laws of the host country.  Most sites feature information regarding their payment/purchase policies, privacy agreements and individual website use/auction use disclaimers and agreements.  These are usually very generic user agreements that basically state your information will not be shared with third party marketers, your payment information will be kept confidential, and users are protected against defective or damaged items.  Penny auctions are a legal form of online entertainment/shopping and only become illegal if a fraud or theft is committed.

Some sites, such as BidCactus.com are affiliated with the Better Business Bureau, and as such should give users some peace of mind in using Penny Auction sites.

Are Penny Auctions a Scam?

No.  As with any online venture, there is a certain amount of controversy surrounding Penny Auctions.  Most of the time, the “scam” idea is the fault of scam artists who set up fake penny auction sites with the intent of committing frauds.  The sites reviewed here at PennyAuctionCaptain are reputable, trustworthy sites that provide a quality service for anyone who would like to try Penny Auctions.

Many people feel that the format of Penny Auctions are somewhat unethical, buying “pennies” for .50 cent increments.  The basic math means that an item sold for $20 on a site has actually generated 2000 bids, each bid worth approximately 50 cents.  That means that an item sold for $20 on the site actually generates approximately $1000 in revenue for the auction site.  This isn’t necessarily something that the sites advertise, but it is the way they make their money.  Common sense should tell you that penny auction sites are not free to run or maintain, and that they are a money-making business for someone.  The purpose of the sites is to allow one bidder to win an item at an amazing discount, and the profits of the company are what allows those auctions to take place.

Treat Penny Auction sites as gambling websites; they are for entertainment purposes only.  Set your spending limit and don’t go over it!!