Let’s face-it, penny auctions can last a long time. And sometimes, they can last a really looooonnng time. For many bidders, auction running time is the determining factor between whether they win or lose. Let’s say you get started on an iPad penny auction at about 7pm. As midnight approaches, the auction is still running and you’ve got work in the morning. What’s a bidder to do? On one hand, you could stay up just a few more minutes hoping that things will wrap up. In reality though, this auction could still be running when you wake in the morning for work.
Enter penny auction auto-bidding tools…
Sanctioned Automatic Bidding Tools for Penny Auctions
Most penny auction websites offer an automated bidding tool for bidders to use. In general, these tools allow bidders to set rules for bidding which bid for them even while the bidder is away from his/her computer. Back to the iPad auction scenario– let’s say midnight comes around and you want to keep bidding but you also want to sleep. Depending on the penny auction, you can typically set a bidding tool to place bids for you such that, over the next 2 hours, it places up to 100 (or any other number) of bids for you. Now, even without watching the auction in person, you still have a shot at taking home the prize. Unfortunately, so does everyone else.
As we mentioned before, each penny auction offers a different tool for automated bidding. Here’s a rundown of each.
Auto-bidding on Quibids
Bid-O-Matic is the name of Quibids automated bidding tool. Bid-O-Matic is started when a user sets a ‘bid from price’ (the price at which it will turn on) and the number of bids to be placed.
- When it bids: During the last 20 seconds (although you can’t control exactly when)
- How many bids can it place per campaign: Minimum of 3, maximum of 25
- How many can be set simultaneously: 1 per auction, as many as you want in total
- Can it be deactivated? Yes (at any time)
- Restrictions: Cannot be activated when there are less than 2 seconds on the clock and some auctions don’t allow it at all.
- Try Bid-O-Matic
Auto-bidding on HappyBidDay
BidRunner is the name of HappyBidDay’s auto-bidding tool. BidRunner is started when a user enters in a ‘bid from’ (the price at which it will turn on) amount, a ‘bid to’ (the price at which it will turn off) amount and the total number of bids to be spent.
- When it bids: Randomly during the final few seconds
- How many bids can it place per campaign: Up to 400 bids
- How many can be set simultaneously: 1 per auction, 2 at any one time
- Can it be deactivated? No. Once it’s started, it cannot be stopped
- Restrictions: New customers cannot set more than 50 bids at a time
- Try BidRunner
Auto-bidding on Beezid
AutoBeezid is the name of one of Beezid.com’s automated bidding tools. Like HappybidDay, AutoBeezid is started when a user enters in a ‘bid from’ (the price at which it will turn on) amount, a ‘bid to’ (the price at which it will turn off) amount and the total number of bids to book.
- When it bids: During the last few seconds
- How many bids can it place per campaign: Varies but usually 50-100 bids per campaign
- How many can be set simultaneously: No restrictions
- Can it be deactivated? Yes
- Restrictions: None
- Try AutoBeezid
BeezidSniper is Beezid’s other auto-bid tool. The reason BeezidSniper was put into place is to account for the fact that many bidders would miss out with AutoBeezid because the ‘bid from’ price was never met. With snipers, the bidder simply determines the number of bids to place and Beezid will place them at any price, as long as the auction gets down to just a few seconds.
- When it bids: During the last 3 seconds
- How many bids can it place per campaign: Up to 10 bids except during turbo auctions where it’s 20 bids (this is noted on each auction page)
- How many can be set simultaneously: Any number
- Can it be deactivated? Yes
- Restrictions: None
- Try BeezidSniper
Auto-bidding on DealDash
BidBuddy is the name of DealDash’s auto-bidding tool. On DealDash, BidBuddy is initiated by entering the number of bids and hitting ‘start’ (no start and stop points are needed). The tool will then place bids for you in the final few seconds of the auction.
- When it bids: During the last few seconds of the auction
- How many bids can it place per campaign: No limits
- How many can be set simultaneously: Any number
- Can it be deactivated? Yes
- Restrictions: None
- Try BidBuddy
Auto-bidding on BidCactus
AutoBidder is the aptly-named auto bidding tool used on Bidcactus.com. AutoBidder can be set simply by determining the number of bids you want it to place for you.
- When it bids: You set the bidding time
- How many bids can it place per campaign: 999 total bids at a time (across all campaigns)
- How many can be set simultaneously: Any number
- Can it be deactivated? Yes
- Restrictions: None
- Try AutoBidder
Auto-bidding on Zbiddy
EZ-Buddy is the name of Zbiddy’s bidding tool. Simply set a start and stop price range and the number of bids to place and EZ-Buddy takes care of the rest.
- When it bids: Either randomly or it can wait for 10 seconds on the clock
- How many bids can it place per campaign: 2-25 per auction
- How many can be set simultaneously: Any number
- Can it be deactivated? Yes
- Restrictions: None
- Try EZ-Buddy
Auto-bidding on OrangeBidz.com
AutoBidder is the name of OrangeBidz’s approved auto-bidding tool. AutoBidder is built into the website works like this:
- Set the range that you wish autobidder to bid for you
- Set max bids amount you want to use
When you buy new bids on OrangeBidz, autobidder must be refreshed. Try OrangeBidz.
Unsanctioned Penny Auction Bidding Tools
There are a number of tools available which facilitate advanced automated bidding for penny auctions but are not permitted for use. Some of these tools offer similar features as the sanctioned tools but without all the restrictions. Others offer advanced logic to provide bidders the upper-hand.
We don’t condone or promote the use of these tools for two reasons: 1) They can create an unfair bidding environment and ultimately end up causing higher prices for all bidders and 2) 3rd party tools rarely work as intended. Most penny auction sites are savvy enough to implement programming practices which prevent these tools from working correctly. We’ve tried 3rd party tools and have found too many flaws to rely on them.
WHy don’t those site give more tools like the 3rd party? Is BidFelo and Bidderrobot the tools you’re talking about?