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The Way of the Auctions


by emmrs12

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I've been spending a lot of time and money at the auctions lately and I've realized that it isn't just simple and virtual fun, it's a tough and dirty business. I started going to the auctions to stock my store, buy them cheap and sell them higher. I prefer bidding on codestones and bottled faeries, since they usually come in vast quantities. So as I started out, it was pretty simple and enjoyable. Look for the item, bid on it and wait. But as the faeries or codestones got noticed and became more in demand, that's when the business part comes in. Going from a low, low price of around one to a hundred Neopoints, it suddenly skyrockets to 5000 or so. And if you're the kind of person like me who wants to save money and not go broke, that price is way too crazy. Giving up is the only option. Auctions have simple steps to earn a decent amount of cash. I've done it before, and it did seem fun, watching the prices on the item go everywhere from five hundred to forty thousand and one. Trust me, that happens more than you'd think.

Being the Auctioneer

Step One: The Item

The first step to auction something off is to find an item worth 200 NP or more, click 'Put up for Auction!', and choose the starting price. If you have trouble choosing something, look at the things most people go for, like potions, wearables and Neohome items. The best things I'd say are my favorites, faeries, codestones and scratchcards. Not just because there my favorites, but because there's an extremely high demand for them. If you can't really find anything, experiment! If you don't sell it, you'll get it back, and if you do sell it, you'll get some cash for it. You don't have to go crazy trying to find something; just an average day plushie will do.

Step Two: Minimum Increment

The next step is the minimum increment, ranging like the prices. If you're new to the auctions, simply let it go as one. That way people can nudge it up slowly, or make it soar to a price you dreamed of, but didn't expect. I know slowly doesn't sound all that great, but if you do that, more people will bid on it because it's a lower price each time. Compare that to the minimum of one item as a hundred or more. This way, your item will get more attention, which is good, right?

Step Three: Length of Auction

The last needed piece of information is how long the auction goes, from two days to an hour. Two days seems long, but this way you'll have more time to get it to a high price. An hour is short, but it's a quicker way to get the money.

Length of Time Chart: (Longest to Shortest)
Two Days Six Hours
One Day Four Hours
Eighteen Hours Three Hours
Twelve Hours Two Hours
Nine Hours One Hour

Anything is fine; it really depends on you.

(Optional) Step Four: Neofriends?

There's a little check box you can click if you want to make it Neofriend only. This way your neofriends can bid on it, but no one else. Most people who do make it Neofriend only have expensive and priceless stuff up for auction. This is heartbreaking to know that there's a paint brush out there for only a Neopoint, but you can't get it. Still, doing Neofriend only is like trading, but just between friends.

If you prefer to do the bidding and not the auctioning, you have a ton of competition. There's different levels of satisfaction both ways, as in you win or lose, because you get the item or your money back. So don't worry if the auction closes and you don't win; you'll get your money back.

Being the Bidder

Specific Item:

Step One: Finding Auctions and the Item

Auctions can be found under Shops as the fourth option or in your control panel in the top right beside Shop Wizard and Trading Post. Once you click on it, you'll see auctions nearly processed and completed. Don't try those just yet. First, click 'Auction Genie' below the picture of the Auctioning Shoyru, and type in your quarry. It's like the shop wizard; you just type in something as in identical or part of. There is no price range, but there is a little box to ignore Neofriend only auctions. When you click 'Search', the list will come up below the Genie picture and the items will be from cheapest to most expensive. Of course, start out cheap.

Step Two: Placing a Bid

If you like the amount the auctioneer is asking for, click on the picture of the item, or its name. Then scroll down the list and then click 'Place a Bid'. The list states who has placed bids, when and for how much. If you click on the little green circle with the question mark near someone's name, their profile will show up.

Step Three: Patience is a Virtue; You Need it Here

Wait, wait, wait. If you click on 'My Bids' (also underneath the Shoyru) to the left of 'Auction Genie', you can re-bid if someone overwrote your other one. There's little signs and numbers beside the item you've placed a bid on to show how much time is left. For those of you who aren't good in math, here's a quick reference:

24= more than a day left (somewhere between two and one days)

Step Four: Win or Lose

If you:

Win: (yay!) After about five or six minutes, the site will have processed the auction and will send you a message. It will say what you have won, plus its lot number, not extremely important, and say that it's now in your inventory. Congrats!

Lose: (boo...) After the same amount of time, five or six minutes, the site will give you your money back and it will be added to your open account, not your bank.

Random Item:

Step One: Whatever you Want

When you click on 'All Auctions', it'll either refresh the page if you're already on it, or go to the first page of the Auctions. Look above the list of items and there will be some numbers. Click on 61 - 80 or 81+.

[Auctions 1-20] [21 - 40] [41 - 60] [61 - 80] [81+]

This way you'll have more time to browse through, look at things and make a decision.

Step Two: Placing a Bid

(This is the same as the first Step Two of 'Specific Item.)

Step Three: Patience is a Virtue, You Need it Here

(This is the same as the first Step Three of 'Specific Item'.)

Step Four: Win or Lose

(This is the same as the first Step Four of 'Specific Item')

Misc

On the 'All Auctions','My Auctioned Items' and 'My Bids' pages, this is a quick reference to the chart:

  • Auc No. - This is what number it will processed in by the site. One is the next one, and 81+ are the later ones.
  • Item - States the name and picture of auctioned item.
  • Owner - Who the Auctioneer is, has a profile link as a green circle with a question mark.
  • Time Left - How much time till the Auction is over.
  • Last Bid - How much was placed for the last bid.
  • Current Price - How much the next bidder would have to pay. They can bid a different amount if they wanted, as long as it was at or above the minimum increment.
  • Last Bidder - Says who placed a bid last, has a profile link as a green circle with a question mark.

Note: 'My Last Bid' on the 'My Bids' page is exactly like the 'Current Price on the other pages.

The 'Help' page is exactly what it means and the status shows how many auctions are left to process.

So if you bid on or auction an item, you can enjoy it all the same. Just make sure someone isn't trying to get more for an item than it's worth.

 
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