Auction Shopping: Experiencing Online Auctions

Maybe you collect antique eyewash cups, or have a lifelong fascination for Peanuts paraphernalia. You're probably a little tired of digging through flea markets and junk stores for quality specimens of your cherished collectibles. Thanks to the Web and online auctions, the whole country is now your marketplace. They say that one man's junk is another man's treasure, and these auction sites are already a dumping site and treasure trove for millions of people.

Online auctions happen pretty much the way they do in real life. An item is put up for sale at a starting price, for a limited time frame, and the highest bidder gets the item. Of course, the seller may be in California and the buyer in Maryland, so they must work out payment and shipping terms. Many sites offer some form of security, since you're buying something you haven't seen, up to a certain dollar amount or for a fee. Most allow you to comment on your experience and rate sellers, so buyers have a way to decide if they're going to trust the deal.

The really neat thing about online auctions is that they seem to be a new source of virtual community. Chat rooms allow buyers and sellers to discuss the goods they're passionate about. If you collect, or are looking for, a specific type of item, chances are you can meet someone with a similar interest. You can also sign up to be notified when items come in that might interest you. Instead of a couple card tables full of old stuff to rummage through, online auctions offer the attic contents of an entire nation for sale.