| What in the world is a "low bid auction"!? | | | | percentage of the list cost. |
| This usually is the first question most people ask when | | | | Though sharing the same basic premise of the lowest |
| they first encounter the concept of the low bid auction. | | | | unique bid, every site puts its own twist on the game. |
| The idea of winning with the lowest bid is | | | | Some games limit the number of bids in an auction, |
| counter-intuitive to our usual way of thinking, and our | | | | while others do not; Some limit the number of bids per |
| way of living in this highly competitive, "me first" world. | | | | person per day, and some even donate your winning |
| We are trained from childhood to think that winning | | | | bid to charity. Most bids are placed via a web browser |
| means having the highest tally, the greatest total score, | | | | interface, though a few can even take bids via text |
| that we must best the competition to succeed. The | | | | messages. |
| concept of the low bid auction turns this standard on | | | | Correspondingly the costs to play vary from site to |
| its head. To succeed at a low bid auction your offer | | | | site . One site I know of, charges a monthly |
| must be the lowest amount tendered. | | | | subscription fee, which actually makes it one of the |
| The second question generally asked is, "Ok, I will just | | | | least expensive games on a per bid basis. Others |
| bid a penny: Do I win?" The answer of course is, | | | | charge on a per bid basis with the cost of a single bid |
| possibly. Low bid auctions have one caveat attached: | | | | ranging from as little as fifty cents per bid to as much |
| to win, your low bid must also be unique. Meaning that | | | | as three British pounds. |
| if you and I both bid a penny, we cancel each other | | | | Playing these games can be a lot of fun, but can also |
| out. | | | | be highly addictive. I would not recommend this to a |
| I have found sites from Europe to the United States | | | | person with addictive behavior tendencies. If that is not |
| offering up this sort of game. Prizes run from gift | | | | you, give it a try; you might just find a treasure waiting |
| cards to Sony Play Stations(TM) and HD televisions, to | | | | at the end of the day. As in all things monetary |
| vacations, cars, and even houses, all for only a fraction | | | | "Caveat emptor" or in, this case, let the bidder beware. |
| of their list cost. They usually go for a small | | | | |