You might have seen ads on TV or the internet about people scoring gaming systems, laptops, kitchen appliances, and all sorts of expensive goodies for just a couple of pennies or dollars.
Enter DealDash – a leading “penny auction” website where you can bid a pennies at a time to win all sorts of exciting merchandise.
However, after we signed up for DealDash and took a look around, we're not too convinced this is the deal of a lifetime its advertisements would have you believe. And there are tons of negative DealDash reviews online and people claiming it's a scam.
The issue? DealDash uses sneaky tactics to get you spending money, even if you don't win an auction. Ultimately, we don't think this company is legit or worth using, so let's explain why that's the case and what some of your other options are.
Want more legit ways to get deals? Checkout:
- EarnIn: Borrow up to $150 per day against an upcoming paycheck!
- Self: Boost your credit score ASAP with Self's amazing tools!
Our Key Takeaways:
- DealDash is available in Canada and the United States
- This penny auction site runs auctions every hour for a range of products
- You have to buy bid credits to take part in auctions
- You don't receive bid credits back, even if you lose an auction
- Many users complain that DealDash is a scam and doesn't make it obvious you're being charged
- We tested out DealDash and don't recommend using this auction website whatsoever
What Is DealDash & How Does It Work?
DealDash is an online penny auction website where you can bid on a wide range of prizes, with the winning bid getting the prize.
The website advertises all sorts of exciting items up for auctions. Laptops, watches, cookware, toys, clothing, and all sorts of goods go up for auction every single hour. And with bidding often starting at 75% lower (or more) of an item's MSRP, it does look like there's some amazing value right off of the bat.
Getting free electronics and all other sorts of expensive items for pennies on the dollar sounds like an amazing way to save more money. But there's some catches right off of the bat.
First off, when you create a free DealDash account, you learn that you have to buy bids. That's right – you need to spend $30 to $60 upfront to purchase the bids you use at auctions.
That's because when an auction starts on DealDash, users start bidding on an item. Every bid increases the auction price by 1 cent, and deducts a bid credit from that user. This is how most penny auction websites work.
The auction timer is set to 10 seconds. If someone bids, the timer resets and the price goes up. If someone doesn't bid in 10 seconds, the person who placed the final bid wins the auction and that item.
This might sound like a fun game. However, you don't get your bid credits back if you lose an auction!
Well – you can get your bid credits back. But only if you lose the auction and then purchase the item at its listed “Buy It Now” price – which defeats the purpose of bidding in a penny auction in the first place.
This is the sneaky system DealDash uses to take your money while leaving most people empty-handed. The money you spend on bid credits isn't refundable, so this is money you're flushing down the toilet.
And yes – you might win an auction. But this is much harder than it seems. You have to time your bid correctly, and the price steadily goes up as people pile into the auction. Ultimately, there is only one winner and tons of losers. Plus, there's no way to know if DealDash uses bots or artificially rigs auctions to increase its own profit margins.
PRO TIP: Stay away from this website and don't waste your money!
Our Experience With DealDash
My first experience with DealDash – and the reason I'm writing this review – all started when I visited my friend to watch an NFL game at his house.
We saw an advertisement for DealDash on TV. He decided to try out the website during halftime. So, he signed up, entered his credit card, and looked around at some auctions.
He didn't realize at the time – but DealDash charged him $60 for his starting bids to fund his account. And when he started bidding on a new iPhone 14, none of us realized every bid was costing him money either.
DealDash does an amazing job at making the bidding system a bit confusing. It was only after the auction ended that we realized for him to get his bids back, he had to but the item at full price or kiss his bids goodbye.
Overall, it was a very poor and confusing experience. And all of us felt like we had been tricked by the commercial we saw on TV.
💵 The Best Reward Apps That Help You Save.
Is DealDash Legit?
After trying out DealDash, we don't think this site is very legit or worth using. And the nature of penny auction websites means that most people lose money and only one person walks away with a deal. Plus, DealDash makes the process somewhat confusing, so many people don't realize they don't get their bid credits back following an unsuccessful auction.
Sure, this website has a high rating on TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau. But if you look on forums or social media, DealDash reviews are overwhelmingly negative.
Most people, like my friends and I, aren't even aware they're losing bid credits when they enter an auction and bid. And a lot of people don't even realize they're getting charged after entering their credit card details which is a massive red flag!
What Kind Of Products Do People Win?
Ads for websites like DealDash often show shoppers getting a brand new iPhone for $10 or expensive jewelry for just $1. While there are some great deals, these promotions are exaggerations.
Auction websites do offer great online deals, most auctions go for closer to retail or even more than retail when you add in the cost of making bids. Because of this, it’s important to bid wisely and to calculate the cost of your bids into what you are willing to spend.
What type of products can you win on DealDash? Here are some of the types of auctions:
- Free gift cards
- Electronics
- Jewelry
- Clothing and handbags
- Bid packages to bid on more auctions
- Toys
- Kitchen and other home items
How Much Does DealDash Cost?
How much does DealDash cost? When signing up for DealDash you will be asked to create a username and password. After you complete that, you will be asked to connect a form of payment which can be a credit card or PayPal account.
When you connect a payment method, you can then purchase a package of bids that can be used to bid on DealDash auctions.
At the time of this post, the cost per bid is $0.12 per bid, but this rate does change frequently. You will use those bids every time you make a bid on an auction, which does mean that you are being charged for each bid you make.
Be sure to keep the cost of bidding in mind when making your bids, since this can add to the final cost of the auction.
👉 The Best Money Apps Paying You Instantly.
Is DealDash A Scam?
DealDash isn't an outright scam because there are winners in every auction, and you can find some positive testimonials online. However, this company is incredibly misleading. And we think most people lose money with DealDash and never win a single thing.
For this reason, we don't recommend using DealDash. Don't even bother creating an account. And definintely avoid entering your credit card or PayPal details because this company will take your money.
How Does DealDash Make Money?
With prices that seem too good to be true, you may be wondering how DealDash makes money on their sales.
The profits on this website come from the bids which users pay for. As a shopper, you are going to pay for each and every bid you make, even if you do not win the auction.
While it may look like an item is selling for just $2 or $3, the item can have hundreds or even thousands of bids which has generated a significant amount of money for DealDash. Those bidding are also paying quite a bit for winning an auction when you consider the price per bid as well as the final item price.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- A wide variety of products go up for auctions
- Auctions run every single hour
Cons:
- DealDash charges users per bid, even if they don't win an auction
- DealDash is only available in Canada and the United States
- The bidding credit system is confusing, and many users don't realize they're being charged
- The nature of penny auctions means everyone loses except for one single winner
Better Alternatives To DealDash We Recommend
After watching my friend waste his money on DealDash, I don't recommend using this platform. Plus, there are tons of reward apps and shopping extensions you can use to snag deals instead. Some of my favorite DealDash alternatives include:
I also made a video outlining some of my favorite shopping extensions that can help you find deals, coupons, and savings. And these platforms are free and easy to use, unlike DealDash.
📲 The 30 Highest Paying Apps To Use.
Is DealDash Worth It? – Our Final Thoughts
After testing out DealDash, we don't think it's worth using. Most users will lose money with this website since that's the nature of penny auctions. Plus, the bid credit system is confusing, and most negative reviews come from users who claim they didn't know they were getting charged.
DealDash isn't an outright scam. However, we don't think this is an effective way for most people to save money. But if you love auction websites and are familiar with penny auctions, you can give it a try if you like.
Hopefully, our honest DealDash review helps you decide what's best for you!
Want more legit ways to make and save money? Checkout:
