AW Daily - Tips & Tactics - During the Auction: Finding Bargains

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Everyone loves a bargain. But how do you go about locating the best deals on auction sites? Read on for tips on how to find those pleasing--and sometimes frustratingly elusive--bargains.

Mistakes Are Good
Although typos, misspellings, and inappropriately listed items might seem like nuisances, they are perhaps a buyer's best bet when hunting for a bargain. Using a site's search function, conduct searches for misspellings, partial words, combinations, and variations of your keywords. (For more information, read our performing better searches tip.) By doing so, other folks searching for the correct keyword (for example, "pokemon" instead of the incorrect "pokeman") won't come across the auction with the mistake, thus increasing your chances at paying less. And make sure to search the auction descriptions, not just the titles. Your search results will be larger, but you'll also have a better pool of auctions from which to uncover a deal.

Also, look for items in the wrong category. Who knows--you might discover that coveted (and buried) Hello Kitty lunchbox in the automotive section, thanks to a seller who fumbled the listing process. This method is more time consuming than searches, but browsing inappropriate categories can lead to unearthing hidden gems.

Knowing What's What
Be knowledgeable in your area of interest. Keep informed of trends and the market by reading trade publications, collector magazines, and related Web sites, as well as by visiting message boards and consulting price guides. If you have enough expertise, you might come across a seller who's not aware of an item's true value--and thus score a purchase that will satisfy your bargain-hunting fix.

Going, Going, Gone
Browse the "ending today" or "ending soon" sections of auction sites. Although these areas have a high degree of visibility and are highly trafficked, they still might hold a great deal that has slipped through the cracks (items that have no bids or a low opening bid, or both). Place a last-minute bid and sit back and savor the joy of another financially rewarding find.

Play the Game
Monitor auctions that close without a bid. It's very likely that the seller will relist, perhaps with a lower opening bid or reserve, or without a reserve altogether. Once the auction closes, do a search for that seller or the item and you might be pleasantly surprised. Also, in general it's a good idea to develop relationships with sellers who specialize in the kind of merchandise you're interested in. If you're a regular customer, sometimes they will throw in free shipping or other perks (technically not a bargain, but a money-saver nonetheless).

The Long and Winding Road
Just hunt around and spend some time browsing the auction sites. Be patient, allow yourself some time, and you're more than likely to come across some deals. And keep an open mind--you might be looking for one type of item, but don't be so tunnel-visioned that you could potentially miss out on a deal on a different item.

Happy bargain hunting!

Performing Better Searches
Bidding Strategies
Researching Sellers