BidSauce

https://bidsauce.com/faq (Word for word)

-What are the costs associated with the auctions?
The base cost for a bid is $1. However, you can buy bids at a discounted price when bought in bid packages of 25, 50, 100, 250, or 500. When you win an auction, you will pay the "item sold" price listed on the auction IN ADDITION to what you have spent on bidding for that item.

-Is there a guarantee on auctioned products?
Purchased items are subject to the warranty provided by the manufacturer. Bidsauce.com does not offer product guarantees.

-What is your return policy?
If you are not satisfied with any auction item you have purchased, you may return it for a full refund within 14 days, unused and in its original package. A full refund is considered to be the price you paid for the winning item at the end of the auction at check-out, this does NOT include shipping and handling charges. No refund will be given for the cost of any or all bids that may have been used to place a bid.

So, basically- everytime you bid, you're paying a dollar and if you don't win, you don't get that dollar back. If you do win, you are being "double billed" paying for the prize AND paying for your bid for the prize.

Not only that, but on TOP of that, you are being billed for a shipping charge? And "bidsauce.com does not offer product guarantees". So... they haven't even checked to see if it's in working condition.

Oh, and if you decide you don't like it, you can ship it back and they'll refund you for the product- but not for your bid for the product.

I would say it's the worst scam ever, but some people ACTUALLY think they are getting a good deal- so perhaps they are not the worst scam...

Like many of you, I was dupped into paying for a $149 bid sauce package. I didn't realize there was a fee for joining. I thought i was getting a promo. I went onto the auction placed several bids felt ripped off, phoned customer service, had to wait a week and now have been given this email by bid sauce stating they can only refund me $40 because I didn't read the fine print. I really wonder if this is legitimate for them to do. I really want a full refund. Below is what they sent me. Tell me what you think.

Bidsauce has made every effort to clarify to consumers exactly what they are going to receive upon purchase. Prior to completing the registration process, the customer is required to read and understand the terms and conditions in which it explicitly states "3. By entering your credit card information on the Website you are authorizing Bidsauce to charge your card for the amount stated at time of purchase."

Prior to processing the customer's order, it is made clear in three different and conspicuous places on the order page that this is a sale and upon entering their credit card information, the customer will be charged the amount stated on the page. When customers enter their credit card information and hit the "Start Bidding" button, they are agreeing to pay $149.95 to receive a 250 bidbox (value $200.00) plus 50 bonus bids to start bidding on the auctions posted on Bidsauce.com.

Bidsauce.com pays 3rd party entities to bring customers to our site. As a result, for every person who purchases a bidbox on our site, we are required, under contract, to pay a non-refundable commission. As a result, we are only able to refund a portion of the purchase price. In an effort to help resolve this issue, we are happy to offer you a $40.00 refund. This partial refund will also allow you to maintain the original 250 bids purchased (excluding the 50 bonus bids), with the additional benefit of the Sure Sauce Guarantee. If you are not previously familiar with penny auction pricing, this is an incredible price.

I was intrigued when Ebay "promoted" this "new" site on Oct 10th, 2010. When I logged into Ebay that day, there was a page promoting bidsauce.com. I, like most followed the link, and like others, registered and found out that the fee was $149, I was hesitant, but since Ebay had shown this on their site, what could go wrong is how I saw it. Well, right off the bat, I "won" 3 auctions. A $50 gift card to Amazon, a $50 Target gift card, plus a 25 bid pack. This was on my first day of registration, Oct 10th, 2010. This is January 4,2011, and to date; I have NOT received the Gift Cards. After numerous calls to customer service, and several on-line chat sessions, I have gotten the run-around during all conversations, that is until yesterday. Yesterday I had called asking for an address to mail a letter to the company, and was told by customer service they couldn't give that out, but the address was available on-line as a matter of "public disclosure". I searched, and didn't find any address. I went on-line next and used the 'chat" feature, and wow-got an address from a representative. This is the address that I received. I was told this is the Corp. address. For bid sauce:
1733 W ******* S, Riverton, UT *******

I also have called and registered a complaint with Ebay. I called the "buyers protection" extension and verified that my call would be recorded, and that my information would also be forwarded to the Marketing Department and elsewhere as needed within the company. I shared that in my opinion/perception with Ebay first showing this on their site, it seemed as if Ebay was "sponsoring" bidsauce.com. I told the Ebay representative all that has transpired, that I was upset that Ebay promoted this, and that someone apparently did not research this company enough and a lot of people were getting scammed and that this is now a bad reelection on Ebay. Not sure how much good that will do, but at least it's a regristered complaint. My next step is to read an Ehow article on how to file a "class action" suit. Now that I have an address, I'm also sending a letter demanding product delivery within a 10 day time frame or other action is being pursued. I will of course be being sending the letter signature required.

I feel cheated and misled. It was billed as a penny auction. I bought a bidding package for $85.00 which gave me 85 bids plus they gave me 15 bonus bids. I started with 100 bids total. I soon found out that the pennies were actually dollars disguised as pennies. Example: If you were bidding on a $50 walmart gift card and it was going for $. 17, that was actually $17.00. So, as soon as the $50 card had bids of $. 50 or more it was auctioned for more than it was worth. Of course the cummulative total was from more than one bidder but the non-winner loses those bids. It is not a true acution where you hold onto your bids if you don't get the item.
There are other things I noticed while viewing the site. There were winners who would win multiple items for very small amounts; $. 03; $. 07; $. 09... Those bidders had unusual names that you would just associate with a "bidding" site (i. E. "iwon'tstop") instead of the ususal names you see on most wed sites (ladybug10, beachbum90,...). I think they were plants or owners to make you think the payoff was good but just for those people. Occasionally an "ordinary" person would win a bid but those items would not be the bargain items. They would be things like $100.00 Visa Check CArds and the bids would got to around $4.98. Which translates to realmoney language of $498.00.

The last thing that really gets me about this site is the scroll over. They will charge a click (not always but often enough) if your mouse goes near the bid pad or hovers. When I think of the time and energy I wasted on this site I really get sick. I will never fall for another deal like this again.