Frequently Asked Questions
The Big Question: What makes HonkinDeals.com different from other Penny Auctions?
Most Penny Auctions require you to buy "bid packs" (they may be called something a little different depending on the site) to bid. The catch is, once you use them up, you have nothing of value left. So if you don't win any auctions, you lose your money! That doesn't sound like fun to us. So, with the aid of Wisdom, we came up with a new plan for HonkinDeals.com: Make sure every customer is happy! How? We give away the bids!
However, there are two problems with just giving unlimited bids for free- (1.) The bidding would go right up to the retail value of the product, and 2. We would go bankrupt pretty fast! (that was something we really didn't like) So, here is the win-win plan: We reward customers of our website who purchase Store Credits, with the same amount of Bid Credits. They can have fun with the Penny Auction while giving us business for our store where we do our best to have reasonable prices and the products that you want. Nobody gets fleeced, and everyone wins!
1. I tried to put a bid in with the timer at 3 seconds and it did not take. Why not?!
It is possible for your computer's timer to be a few seconds fast or slow. For this reason we recommend bidding before the timer goes under 25 seconds. Your internet service provider, web browser, internet speed, and computer system can all affect this. The timer will go back up to 30 seconds every time a bid is placed. If in doubt about the status of an auction, refresh your web browser. It is also a good idea to make sure your computer's time is synchronized with an Internet Time Server before bidding.
2. What's so great about a Penny Auction?
Penny Auctions usually go for less than half of the item's retail value, sometimes as much as 99% off. This means you can get great deals! With a penny auction, you have to bid at 1 penny increments. The result is that items often go very cheap! Note: If the auction is under 30 seconds and a bid is placed, it will go back up to 30 seconds. Don't wait until the last second to bid though, because internet latency can be a little tricky. We recommend bidding at 25 seconds if you are serious about winning.
3. I don't understand the credits thing, what is the difference?
There are Store Credits, and Bid Credits. Store Credits are used for paying for Store items and Auction items that you win, and Bid Credits are used to bid on Auctions. When you buy Store Credits, the same number of Bid Credits are complimentarily added to your account.
4. Can I buy something from the store without buying Store Credits?
No, you must use store credits to make purchases. Although auctions you win and shipping must be paid with your credit card or PayPal.
5. How can you afford to sell things so cheap on your Penny Auctions? (Especially when you don't sell Bid Credits by themselves)
Currently we are using the Penny Auction as a promotion for our store and website. If we would not have our store we would not have the Penny Auction. We would rather attract people to our website with the Penny Auction then spend thousands of dollars on billboards and TV ads.
6. Will you be adding more products to the website?
Yes! If there is a particular product, or line you would like, email us at info@honkindeals.com and we will see what we can do to add it.
7. Do you have a store we can visit?
No, we only sell online.
8. How soon will I get my item?
That depends on if it ships from our warehouse or a suppliers warehouses. If there is no handling time specified on the listing, it means it will ship from our warehouse, in about 24 hours, or the next business day. If there is a handling time on the listing, that means it may go that long until it ships out of the suppliers warehouse. All handling days listed are business days. All auction items are shipped directly from our warehouse.
9. Can I use Store Credits to pay for shipping?
No, as of now you must pay for shipping fees with a credit card or PayPal card when checking out.
10. Do you bid up your own auctions?
NO-that would be highly unethical, and probably illegal. Auctions start out at 1 penny, and the bidding is done by legitimate HonkinDeals.com users.
11. Where do I buy Bid Credits?
Sorry, you can't buy Bid Credits. They come free with Store Credits. The good news is all you have to do is buy more Store Credits, and the same number of Bid Credits will be automatically added to your account. Click here to purchase Store Credits.
