RockyBid - Penny Auctions with a Twist

RockyBid is a penny auction with a twist. You might be surprised by what's happening here.

Millions of seconds ago our forefathers gassed up the F150 and drove off in search of auctions. They scoured country roads looking for deals. Today we click our mice at sites like RockyBid.com. RockyBid is another entry in the online Penny Auction niche. Like BidCactus andd Swoopo, bidding on RockyBid costs next to nothing, but do you get what you pay for? Let's find out together.

On our first visit, RockyBid offered 102 items for bidding. All the items were new and selected by the site managers; don't bother to try emptying your basement here. RockyBid doesn't offer any mechanism for selling your used Yugo.

RockyBid offers a wide range of items after which to lust. From gold bullion to Slingshot Flying Monkeys (huh?), there's something for every inveterate bidder. Bidding starts at one penny or 15 pennies, depending on the item (what's the difference?). Bidding costs 75 cents and the bid increment locks in at one penny. Your minimum investment is $14.99 for 20 bids. Incredibly, a 750 bid package also exists. It'll set you back $500.

Registration is free and includes 2 free bids. When's the last time eBay gave you something free?

RockyBid creates customer loyalty through a points reward system. Earn points by bidding on auctions, then redeem them at the company store for gift cards from major companies. Even losers win something. Quoting the RockyBid site: "if you lose one auction, don't worry, you can use the value of the bids to pay the price of a future winning auction within 30 days." We're not sure what that means, but it sounds friendly.

Auctions last for a few hours to as long as several days. We noted a Motorola Sidekick, retail price $250, with over 2 days remaining. At that time the item had been bid up to 2 cents. Obviously that's a fantastic price for a Motorola Sidekick. You could sell it on eBay for much more even if you decide not to keep it.

RockyBid lists over 800 items in their auction history. You can navigate through the entire list, but a search feature would be nice. We observed a $900 LCD television that sold for $29.60. Assuming 75 cents per 1 penny bid increment, RockyBid raked in $2220 over the life of the auction. Perhaps we are in the wrong business.

Everyone has a right to make a profit. The information is all there on the site; cheers for RobkyBid if they are able to create a niche that becomes this profitable.

Who chose the name "RockyBid"? Hopefully your bidding experience won't be rocky. The company logo includes rugged mountains; perhaps the company servers reside in Denver.

Why do some auctions start at one penny and others at 15 pennies? Perhaps an NSA-funded study revealed a psychological price-point at 15 cents? We are stumped.

RockyBid.com looks like fun. Collect your 2 free bids and take a chance.