Is UBID.COM just a scam?

[greendestiny]

I have been noticing ubid.com for quite a while and got an impression that they could simply be just a cheater. For instance, a PALM Vx will usually be bidded at least $209 and sometimes it even goes $229. And that doesn't include the shipping cost that is so outrageous at ubid.com. As you all know that we can get a PALM Vx on the web for just a tad above $200 without a tremendous hassle of bidding.

What makes me believe this is that ubid.com can manipulate the bids without anybody able to prove that, ...say they can make some fake bids just to push the price up to the level they can make some profit. They can use some computer program to do all this and can even make it look real. Nobody can prove that they are just a bogus auction site.

So, is UBID.COM just a scam?

[LocaChica]

we've been shopping there since '99 and have gotten some REALLY good deals, specifically on electronics. Now, I'm not saying that EVERYTHING is a great deal, that is up to the shopper to decide, but you can find things for 50% off or more lower than retail. I'm not trying to "sell" them to you, if you think you can find better elsewhere then by all means do so. Shipping charges are high, but if I were to purchase the items I've purchased at another online store or even B&M, I'd be paying much more with their retail price, shipping costs and tax. I pay no tax w/UBID and like I said I usually get items for 50% off or more.


so that's my input, take it for what it's worth.

[millervt]

I've gotten stuff from ubid before. I don't think they actively maniupate the bid prices. If you look at ebay, you'll see exactly the same thing - people paying full retail ,and sometimes more, for electronics.

What's going on? well, some of those bidders are people who live outside the US and can't get the item for typical US retail prices - try going to japan and see how much electronics cost there, for example. Some people actually think bidding is *fun*, not a "hassle". Others aren't aware of lower prices elsewhere. Some are using ubid's $ off coupons. And so on.

If ubid were doing something like you propose,how long do you think before someone leaked the info? Its a pretty hard thing to keep secret. Once it got out, the company would be finished.

No, "fortunately", there are many legal ways to separate people from their money, and I'm sure ubid (like most retail sales companies) knows them all...

[csgregory]

Manipulate who? Hey, if you go into a bid with a set price, how can you be manipulated? I got an excellent buy on a Nikon Digital Camera a while back and I have not see anyone get close to matching the price I got it for and I have had it for almost a year now. Ubid is the operative word I guess. Ubid high you get screwed. You bid low, you might come out with a bargin or just nothing.

[bdinalbq]

Totally agree with you all. My husband has gotton some incredible deals on computers, software, computer accessories and electronics in general...I mean HUNDREDS of dollars in savings. I just do little things when I want something. I rarely go to the site to "browse" cause I always wind up bidding on something, and I sometimes get it! I've been really impressed with their customer service too. My mom won a bid on a printer/scanner/fax/phone unit and it didn't work..they paid s/h and instead of the refurbished one she bought, they sent her a brand new one with a full warrenty.

[txwylde]

I tried bidding on some older laptops and you get some real clueless people who will over bid on something they can buy in a store for a heck of alot cheaper. I did get a 2.4 ghz phone from them that did not come with a battery. They offered me a refund or stated if I bought a battery they would refund the cost of the battery. I ended up returning it. They were pretty cool about it.