How it Works
Penny Auctions
All items are up for auction starting at 1 penny. The auction starts with a 15 second countdown timer. Each time you bid, 3 seconds are added to the timer and the price of the item goes up by 1 penny. Bids cost $1 unless otherwise indicated. Be the last person to bid and you win!
Consolation Prize or Free Bids
Every auction item comes with its own consolation prize. If you bid and you don't win, you receive a consolation prize by email (usually a discount to the same merchant or free bids). Free bids can be used immediately on the next item and are deducted first from your bidding total.
Bids Become Donations
At the end of the auction, your credit card will be charged for the number of bids used. If you won an item, you will also be charged for the amount the item reached during the auction. 90% of the amount raised through the sale of bids is donated to the Cause unless otherwise indicated.
Buy It Now
When the Buy It Now button appears, you can buy the item for its retail price minus the number of bids used by all bidders. The price of the item keeps going down as the bidding continues. There is a minimum number of bids required to have access to the Buy It Now button. The first person to hit the Buy It Now button wins the item for as low a price as it has reached at that time.
Robobidder
The Robobidder lets you bid on an item automatically. If you can't make it to the event, set your Robobidder to do your bidding. Robobidders bid when an auction is closing (less than 1 second left on the timer). Set the number of bids you want to use and the Robobidder will do the rest. You will only be charged for the actual number of bids used to win the item not for the number of bids you set.
Donate the Balance of Bids from your Robobidder to your Cause
If the number of bids used to win the item is less than the number of bids you set, you can donate the difference to your Cause by clicking the Donate Balance box.