Making Money Online

So, you’re finally ready to bid online in some live auctions. You’ve done all the research, you’re registered, you’ve asked the right questions, and you know how much you want to bid. But you may be wondering how you actually go about placing your live bid.

Mark Your Calendar and Login
It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people forget about an auction or get confused about the day. Unless you are submitting an absentee bid, you must be online during the live auction.

Auction sites will typically have countdowns showing the amount of time left before the auction begins. Once the auction begins, click the button to enter the auction.

Navigating the Live Auction Screen
A new window should appear featuring the live auction. Depending on the seller, there may be live video or audio of the event. More important, there will be several columns that will tell you what’s going on.

One column will show an image and/or description of the item. If you click on the item, a new window will open and take you to that item’s entry in the online auction catalog.

Another column will show you the status of the current bid. If someone places an in-person bid, the notice will say “floor” to represent auction floor. If a person places bid online, that bid will be marked with that person’s username.

On the screen you will also see status messages and messages sent by the auctioneer that are separate from the current or asking bid. For example, a message will appear when a lot opens for bidding and another will appear when it is closed. Sometimes auctioneers will ask if there are any more bids.

There should also be a column showing the queue of all of the items in the live auction.

The Waiting Game
There can be hundreds of items up for bid during an Internet live auction so you will probably have a bit of a wait before your lot. However, don’t stray too far away from your computer. Lots can go quickly, especially if a lot closes without bids or if there are unchallenged absentee bids.

Watching how people go about bidding online may prompt you to re-think your own bid. You may also discover other items that you can’t afford to pass up. Logging in early has the extra benefit of making sure that everything works on your computer and allows time to fix any glitches.

The Main Event – Live Bidding Online
Remember, you must be registered, approved, and logged in before you can bid. The approval process varies by auction house, so make sure you don’t wait until the last minute.

From the live auction screen you will see a bid button featuring the current asking price. If that amount is acceptable, click the button and wait to see if anyone outbids you. The process will continue until no one else bids.

Finally, if you win your item, the auction house will contact you to go over payment and shipping/pick up arrangements.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/antiques-articles/what-to-expect-when-bidding-in-internet-live-auctions-2780681.html

About the Author

Bid live online in upcoming live auctions at http://www.icollector.com. William J. Walberg is a freelance writer who writes articles in the auction and technology industries.

What is a Penny Auction?

The Penny Auction business model has garnered a bit of buzz recently. Beezid was featured in the New York Times, while Snaglo commercials have found their way into prime time television spots. The allure of purchasing items such as a Macbook for $20 can be too much to resist. However the high level of savings comes with a certain degree of skepticism. After further investigating penny auction websites, I can conclude that several are completely legit and worth a try.

How it Works

For those of you who do not know Penny Auctions work like this: Users purchase bids at roughly 60 cents each. When a user places a bid, the price of the product goes up 1 cent. Let’s assume an auction’s starting price is 0, and bidders bid on it until it eventually sells for $20. This means 2000 bids were placed at 60 cents each. Therefore $1200 of bids went into the auction allowing the owners to easily cover the cost of the $400 piece of equipment. The winning bidder ultimately spends the price the auction sells for, plus shipping, plus however many bids they used. Patient and intelligent bidders will benefit most from penny auctions.

How to Win

When bidding on these auctions I HIGHLY suggest finding a lesser known site with less users. Why? Well less users means less competition. And less competition means using less bids and saving more money. For example, try a brand new penny auction site such as IShop4Cheap. The prices as well as the bid numbers here are significantly lower than the likes of a Beezid or Snaglo. Also, try to use patience and not bid too early. Once the product gets up to it’s average sales price it is time to start a bidding marathon. If you place 200 bids on the auction at 60 cents each, then you spend $120 on bids for a product that cost $400. Not bad at all. In fact, some people make a living at home by purchasing items low, then selling at retail price on Ebay. I recommend giving penny auctions a shot. Remember to keep the techniques above in mind when bidding and you will be well on your way to turning large profits.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/beezid-and-penny-auctions-are-they-legit-2893507.html

About the Author

Michael is an Certified Public Accountant from Wilmington, DE. Over the years he has worked in tax preparation, corporate audits, and assisting the public in making signifigant financial decisions.

How to Save Big at Repo Trailer Auctions

Trailer auctions are a great alternative to buying directly from an owner or paying the markup dealerships add to all of their inventory. With the highest bid winning regardless of how that compares to the retail value of the trailer, it is common to pay 40-60% less than retail price when you buy at an auction. However, enjoying these savings does take a little more than just showing up.

1. Get all the auction details in advance. You need to know what forms of payment are accepted, how much the deposit is or if the entire amount must be paid right away, and when the rest of the money must be paid. Also ask about the inspecting the trailers and if there will be any warranties or any return policy. Most are sold just “as-is,” but go ahead and check because auctions and state laws are different.

2. Research trailer and RV auction inventory beforehand. You not only want to look into prices and values before the auction, but also the individual trailers that are available. The more you know the quicker you will be able to spot which ones are going for much less than their value. Many other bidders are dealers with experience at auctions and an instinct for finding deals. The more knowledge you have, the easier it will be for you.

3. Preview as many repo trailers as you can. Since live trailer auctions are a competitive bid process, you might find yourself being outbid by someone willing to pay more. If your favorites all get too high, you can still bid on a backup that you looked at and know whether or not it is worth it.

While it may not have been your first choice, you may get such a great deal on it you can afford to add some upgrades and make a few repairs.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/rvs-articles/how-to-save-big-at-trailer-repo-auctions-2974554.html

About the Author

Spencer Arnold is an expert at motorhome repossession and foreclosure.

We’ve all been there – you go to an online auction on eBay or a similar web site, intending to place a bid and then bam, at the last second someone else swoops in with a “sniper” program and steals the bid out from under you. It’s unfair, but there is nothing you can do about it. However, if you were to work with live online auctions, you will have a fair shot at getting the object that you are interested in. Plus, you may see something else that you didn’t even know you wanted and end up making the purchase on the spot, right then and there. Here’s why we love these kinds of auctions:

Even Playing Field

Some of us simply don’t like to use sniper programs in order to get in a deal on eBay. Others would prefer that they weren’t needed, but shrug and say, “what can I do?” Well, if you were to attend live online auctions instead, you could do something.

At these kinds of auctions, a live auctioneer is selling off all the various objects for sale and people all over the world are busy putting in their bids for the item. The auction keeps going until the very last bid is in and then, if you’ve decided to go for it, you win. No last minute snipers rushing in to steal the bid, no worrying if your bid is high enough to get by the hurdle of other last minute bidders. You’re there and you get it in, right on the spot.

The Chance to See Other Objects

Another thing that’s great about live online auctions, as opposed to the more traditional online auction services that we’re all familiar with, is that just like at a regular auction, you could easily stumble on something that you fall in love with and decide that you just have to have it right then and there.

While it may be a bit painful for your wallet, there is nothing quite like the spontaneity of a real, live auction to allow you to really enjoy yourself and to feel the adrenalin pumping. By making your purchase from one of these kinds of auctions, you’ll get the same kind of feeling that you would get from making a purchase at a traditional auction, except for the fact that you can sit around bidding in your pajamas and having a cup of coffee while you do it.

Absentee Bidding Available As Well

You may be wondering how absentee bidding online would work at live online auctions. Well, it works exactly the same way that it works at a traditional auction, except again, there are no snipers to swoop in and steal your deal away at the last second (not that you won’t lose, but at least you’ll know it was done fairly). Basically, you just put in your maximum bid and the auctioneer will bid up for you as the bidding goes on around the Internet. In other words, it’s what eBay was meant to be, but hasn’t been for some time.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/ebay-vs-live-online-auctions-3304338.html

About the Author

To view and bid live in upcoming live auctions, visit http://www.icollector.com. William J. Walberg is a freelance writer who writes articles in the auction and technology industries.

Antique auctions online are set to grow exponentially over the next few years and if you let yourself be left out of the loop, insisting that only a traditional auction will do for your buying needs, you’re going to be missing out on some great antiques. If you’ve never heard of such an auction, allow us to be the first to explain to you exactly how it works.

Different Types of Online Auctions

There are several flavors of auctions both on and offline. The most traditional kind of auction of course is the kind we always picture when we hear the term auction. That’s where a group of objects are gathered in a particular room somewhere, they are all tagged with numbers, and sometimes they will have estimated values. Often, you have to pay a fee just to walk in the door of such an auction. Once the auction starts, the auctioneer will stand up front and call out prices from the crowd based on who waves their paddle.

There are also Chinese auctions where you purchase the right to bid on a certain value of product, say $5 items, $10 items, etc. Then you walk around with your tickets and stick them into boxes for that “auction.” At the end of the evening, a random drawing from the tickets dropped in the box will decide who wins the auction. These are often used by charitable organizations in order to raise money.

Finally, there are silent auctions where you are free to write down a price you are willing to pay and other people will write down their prices on the same piece of paper and after a specified time, the auction ends and whoever bid the most wins the auction.

All three of these types of auctions exist online, however, the antiques auction online that we see poised for the most growth is the traditional type, using an auctioneer. Here’s Why:

Other Types of Auctions Aren’t Right for Antiques

With the advent of the Internet, for the first time people were able to come together and do things with friends and family all over the world. The Internet also meant that people all over the world could easily do business with each other. There was no more need to mail a catalog, wait for it to arrive, wait for your bid to come back, and then hope you could win the auction. Today, it’s all instant. However, this has also brought a scourge for the antiques auction online business. There are so many fakes floating around that silent auctions such as eBay are being discredited. The variation of Chinese auctions online, where you pay each time for the right to bid and the time of the auction is extended for 15 minutes, has the same inherent sense of chance as a traditional Chinese auction and thus is not suitable for serious antiques collectors.

Live Bid Auctions to the Rescue

The only kind of antique auctions online that can be safely employed by the serious antiques collector is the live auction. These types of auctions allow for maximum flexibility with buyers being able to live anywhere, and maximum security because these kinds of auctions are run only by licensed auctioneers who must follow state licensing rules. So get out there and find an online antique auction today. You’ll thank us later.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/antique-auctions-online-poised-for-rapid-growth-3304349.html

About the Author

To view and bid live in upcoming live auctions, visit http://www.icollector.com. William J. Walberg is a freelance writer who writes articles in the auction and technology industries.

Antique auctions online, like any other business, have their own peculiar bits of unique words and phrases that you may not be familiar with if you don’t usually bid on such auctions and especially if you don’t buy antiques very often. Therefore, we decided to put together this simple guide to the language of antiques and online auctions which should allow you to more easily find your way around the various offerings that exist out there.

Online Auction

Unlike a traditional auction, an online auction is one which is held entirely online. There are numerous formats that these kinds of auctions can take, including things like silent auctions such as eBay and live auctions.

Traditional Auction

When people think of an auction, this is what they usually imagine – a room somewhere with various objects for sale and a person standing in the front calling bids for the things for sale. The price keeps going up until no one else wants to bid and then the item is sold to the highest bidder.

Silent Auction

A traditional silent auction is a situation where various objects are laid out on tables along with a list to be filled in with a bidder number and a bid. The bids can continue to be made until the time specified for the end of the auction. eBay runs an online variation of these kinds of auctions.

Reserve Price

A reserve price is the amount below which a seller will not sell an item. These are especially common with antique auctions online as a seller may believe a particular object is worth a certain amount of money and simply refuse to sell for less than that amount. Even if people do bid, if no one goes over the reserve (a number which is often hidden in order to maintain interest), then the highest bidder does not get the item they bid on. Instead, it goes back to the original owner.

Collectible

These days, virtually everything is “collectible” and seeing this term used by an auction house simply means that they are trying to drum up extra business. The word simply means that you could have a collection of these items; however, since people collect all kind of objects, virtually anything can be labeled as “collectible.”

Reproduction

This is an especially important term to know if you want to bid on antiques. A reproduction means that this item is not an original. There are reproductions of virtually every antique and antiquarian object imaginable, along with reproductions of most famous ancient objects as well.

Antiquarian

While this term is commonly used to refer to books which are antiques, it technically means someone who is involved in the business of antiques in some way.

Antique

In the United States, there is no legal definition of antique; however, a good rule of thumb is that an object should be at least 100 years old in order to be antique.

Vintage

When a seller wants to advertise an object which they think may be of interest, but the object is less than 100 years old, those who are honest will usually refer to the object as being “vintage” rather than “antique.” It is not uncommon, for instance, to find antique auctions online offering “vintage” 1950s furniture for sale, which while it is only about 50-60 years old, is often highly desirable and something which fetches quite a bit of money.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/understanding-the-language-of-antique-auctions-online-3304359.html

About the Author

To view and bid live in upcoming live auctions, visit http://www.icollector.com. William J. Walberg is a freelance writer who writes articles in the auction and technology industries.

If you’ve never heard of a live bid online auction, then you need to take a moment to read this introductory paragraph. Otherwise, feel free to skip ahead to the good stuff where we’ll tell you all about how to make such auctions work for you and for your personal interests. Now, if you’re still with us, we’ll assume you’ve never heard of a live online auction. Fair enough.

Similar to a traditional auction, live auctions held online are designed to sell off various objects that someone else no longer wants but hope you do want. They also work in exactly the same way that a traditional auction works by using an auctioneer who calls the bids as they come in and are held in “real time,” meaning that you get to bid in such auctions as they are happening, not like eBay auctions where you bid any time. Okay, now that we have that introduction out of the way, here’s the good stuff.

Making Online Auctions Work for You

We’ll assume here that you know all about going to a live bid online auction and that you simply want to know how to make them work for your needs. If you have no idea what we’re talking about, see the paragraph above. Live online auctions aren’t just a more convenient way to do your auction purchasing. Yes, you can get great deals at such auctions the same as you can at traditional auctions and you don’t have the fuss of getting in the car and driving to an auction house.

However, the best thing about an online auction is that you can easily purchase from auction houses that are thousands of miles away since everything is done online. This is a boon for collectors who have specific items they look for. The trouble is, with all the online auctions out there, how do you find the ones that specialize in the antique fish lures that you love collecting? Simple – just use Google Alerts and RSS.

What is Google Alerts and What is RSS?

These are two separate technologies that actually work together to make things easier than ever for those who enjoy bidding at a live bid online auction. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and is a fairly old technology (in Internet terms that is – it was created for Netscape Navigator and the My Netscape web portal back in 1999 – an eternity in Internet years) that allows you to grab content from different web sites and to see it all in your e-mail or in an RSS reader. The system is most often used for collecting articles from news websites and blogs.

Google Alerts is another system that will tell you when a new webpage is added to the Google index which contains specific keywords. Therefore, you could, for example, have it do an alert every time a page is added which mentions “antique fish lures.” However, that will simply bring you a ton of pages and doesn’t really differentiate between what is out there and what you’re looking for.

Using Google Alerts

What if you only want to find any live bid online auction that happens to feature antique fish lures? You have two choices: Either you can put both of those into your search by putting them in quotation marks (i.e. “live bid online auction ” ” antique fish lures”) or, if you know of specific online auction sites that sometimes have them, you can tell Google Alerts to let you know only when those sites add in something of interest using the “site:” command (i.e. site:myfavoriteauction.com “antique fish lures”). Try that with a traditional auction and you’ll just get blank stares! Oh, and the best part? Google Alerts will even send you an RSS feed when it finds the auctions you’re interested in.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/how-to-find-live-bid-online-auctions-that-specialize-in-your-area-of-interest-3304355.html

About the Author

To view and bid live in upcoming live auctions, visit http://www.icollector.com. William J. Walberg is a freelance writer who writes articles in the auction and technology industries.