A few weeks ago, my wife was telling me a story about how her boss got a good deal on an under-desk elliptical by using a site called JustBid. When I first heard the name, what came to mind was the likes of DealDash, which boast big savings but charge you a per-bid fee. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I went to JustBid and explored for myself.
First, I should note that JustBid has a pretty limited reach at the moment. Currently, they have four locations in California (two in Sacramento plus Lincoln and Rancho Cordova) but also expanded to Springfield, Missouri of all places. More recently, they actually moved from Springfield proper to Brookline, MO and opened a location up in Kansas City.
So what is JustBid? They’re a site that sells what seem to be Amazon return items. That theory is supported by the fact that they often post items using their Amazon listing names. Anyway, if you find an item you want, you can bid on it up until the time the auction ends. There is no fee for bidding — you’ll just need to add a form of payment in case you end up winning. Also, like on eBay, you can set a maximize price you’d be willing to pay and have JustBid bid for you.
You’re probably wondering if there’s a catch. The answer is “yes” but a small one. For each winning item, you’ll pay a 15% auction premium (based on the final bid price) plus a $2 lot fee. Obviously, that auction premium can add quite a bit to your winning price, so be sure to factor that in when bidding.
Something else that’s important to note is that you’ll be required to pick up your items at a JustBid location. Moreover, this must be done within a few business days of your win (your invoice will tell you exactly when you need to pick up by). For that reason, I’d highly recommend checking your settings and only searching for items at your local warehouse.
After hearing about my wife’s boss’s under-desk elliptical, I decided to get one for myself. My winning bid was $22, which meant I paid $29.51 after fees. However, this particular model sold for nearly $200 on Amazon! And the items appeared to be brand new in the box. That said, though, be aware that JustBid does also sell Used, Damaged, and other condition items in addition to “Appears New.” So be sure to scrutinize the listing before bidding.
When it was time to pick up my item, we headed to the warehouse and scanned the QR code displayed near the entrance. Doing so in the app confirmed that I was in line and told me how many people were ahead of me. Luckily, it wasn’t too busy at the time, so a team member brought my item out a few minutes later. To confirm my pick up, they just scanned the code on my phone and checked my ID.
More recently, I ended up buying a cooling comforter from Rest. These retail for $229 on Amazon, although they seem to regularly be on sale for $160. Either way, my final price after fees was $37.71. Once again, the item seems to be brand new, and the pickup process was pretty painless.
So far, I’ve really enjoyed using JustBid to find some great deals. However, not every item is a slam dunk. As I noted, you’ll want to look carefully and make sure the item is in good condition. Plus, keep in mind that, once you add the fees, you may not be saving as much as it appears to be on paper. That’s why I like to bid on more expensive items that I can save large amounts on.
Obviously, I don’t know what the future holds for JustBid as far as expansions go. But, if they do happen to pop up in your town, I think it’s worth checking them out. After all, it’s free to set up an account and to bid — so why not give it a shot?