Welcome to the wild world of online auctions. For most people, once they dabble into their first auction, it turns into something of a hobby/obsession. I mean, the deals! The unique items! The excitement! It’s all here.
First, pat yourself on the back for joining this semi-secret club of people who have broken up with Facebook Marketplace. You don’t need to hope and pray that a random stranger will respond to your inquiry and not ghost you when you try to make pick up arrangements. In auction world, if you see something you like, not only is it really for sale, but chances are you can get it for a really great price.
If you haven’t already, head on over to Auction Ninja and enter your zip code to see what sales are happening near you. Simply click one that looks interesting and start browsing through the listings. For those who are new to Auction Ninja, I recommend just starting with one auction to get a feel for how it works. It can add a lot of complication when you’re juggling more than one auction. Every company does things a little differently, so unless you’re really good at reading fine print and juggling multiple pick up dates, choosing one auction can streamline things for your first go around.
Next, find something you like! Make sure to look at all the photos. For our company, we include measurements in the photos, which you won’t see unless you scroll through the images. This is also where you’ll see detail shots of damages or other things you might want to know about before bidding. But seriously, look at the measurements. No one likes being surprised by something that is three times bigger than they thought and doesn’t fit in the car.
When you’re ready to bid, Auction Ninja will walk you through the steps to create an account. I recommend using your cell phone number for the contact phone. We send text reminders to buyers before we close our pick ups, and you won’t get those reminders if you have a home or office number in that field.
You will need to enter a credit card before you can bid. If you win something, your card will be charged automatically when the auction ends.
Typically, most auctions have a starting bid of $1. Yes indeed – you can enter $1 on that amazing item and the site will say you are the high bidder! There are certainly times when items sell for $1, but generally you can expect to have some competition. There are two strategies for this:
- Use the auto-bid feature. If you see a vintage ceramic bird figure you are willing to pay $15 for, you can go ahead and enter $15 in the bid box. That gives Auction Ninja the go ahead to bid for you, up to $15. Anytime someone tries to bid against you for that adorable bird, they will be immediately notified that they’ve been outbid. If someone bids $16, then you’ll get an email or text letting you know that you are no longer the high bidder. If you know your limit on an item, this can be a nice set-it-and-forget-it feature.
- You keep an eye on the item by saving it to your favorites, or signing up for an email or text reminder to be sent 10 minutes prior to the item closing. This is the strategy more seasoned bidder tend to use, but it does rely on you being in a position to place those last minute bids. If you have kids that need to go to bed or a dog that needs to be let out, you might consider the max bid strategy detailed above, but this strategy is good for those who like a little adrenaline rush (and don’t have kids or pets that require their immediate attention).
As a heads up, the majority of the bidding is done on the final day, particularly as the auction ends. You could be in the clear on your most loved items, only to start getting outbid notices right before the closing time. Yes, it’s annoying, and you won’t win everything you want. My recommendation is to pick a few items you really want, and focus your efforts on those.
Again, if you’re bidding on multiple auctions, it can get a little confusing on what items belong to what auction, where the pick up is and when, what the company policies are, etc. So consider that next level stuff after you’ve experienced a few auctions.
If you made it past the end-of-auction excitement, next is to see what you’ve won! Auction Ninja will automatically send you an email that contains a list of what you won, along with pick up instructions. You’ll also get an email confirming the credit card charge. If for some reason you don’t see either of these emails, check your spam. This is really important as you don’t want to miss the pick up! We have definitely had people lose out on items because of missed emails. If the emails just aren’t getting delivered, you will need to log in to your Auction Ninja account and visit the account dashboard, where you can review invoices for items you’ve won.
Now, put the pick up date and location in your calendar. And have a Plan B in mind in case something comes up. Some auction companies have warehouses with more flexible pick up options. We normally are working out of client homes, and only have the one pick up day. So if you miss it, you can’t go back to get your items. It’s okay to send a friend or family member instead if you can’t make it. Communication is important here. Be sure to text the auction manager before the end of the pick up if an emergency presents itself. We may be able to make alternate arrangements. Once we leave the property, there isn’t much we can do.
We have a robust FAQ here, or we’re happy to answer your questions at help@birdsnestauctions.com. All inquiries are welcome! We’re here to help.
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