Overstock.com Reviewer's Comments

With the “TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award” winning auction service, there is no such thing as too much of a good thing. Overstock.com auction has everything you could hope for in an online auction service from easy to use categories and search features to exceptional details and buying options.

With 31 categories to choose from and more than 300,000 items, Overstock.com has one of the largest selections of personal online auctions available on the Internet. Overstock.com provides comprehensive buying details and feedback about every user on the site.

Overstock.com falls a hair short of eBay because it is missing some of eBay’s fancier seller’s features such as blocking bidders, pre–filled information and offering private auctions.

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Ease of Navigation/Layout:  

All Overstock.com’s features and information are clearly labeled and easily located. The homepage is simple and aesthetically pleasing. All standard categories are listed on the left sidebar. Overstock.com also features top searches, brands and sellers.

Standard Categories:  

Overstock.com includes all major and minor category selections. Within each category, there is a series of subcategories including designer brands and top searches to help you further refine your search. Overstock.com also includes a small category feature selection on the subcategory page.

Buying:  

Information about the seller, with feedback ratings, bid history, shipping and payment options, product details and bidding is all easily located in the table of contents on the left side of the product page. Overstock.com’s product pages include all the imperative information required to make buyers feel safe and secure in their purchases. You can also contact the seller if you have any questions about the product.

Overstock.com frowns on sniping. Sniping is a method buyers use to swoop in and steal an auction at the last second, literally. All Overstock items are placed on “soft closes” this means if there is any bidding activity within the last 10 minutes of the auction, it is extended for another 10 minutes until bidding stops.

Overstock.com also includes a live time clock on every page that continuously counts down the auction without having to repeatedly refresh your page. However, remember to refresh occasionally to update other bids.

High priced items require bidders to place credit card deposits as earnest money on the product. All deposits will be refunded when the auction closes.

Selling:  

Overstock.com charges listing and selling fees. Your fees depend on your starting price and how much your item sells for. If your item sells for less than $25, then Overstock.com’s commission is 3.25 percent. That rate goes up with your selling price. There are additional fees for reserve and listing features like bold, highlight and extra photographs. All listings allow one free photo.

Overstock.com has subscription plans for frequent and concurrent users. Plans start at $6.95 a month for 25 simultaneous listings.

You can open a store and cross promote other items on your details page. However, Overstock.com does not allow you to block bidders, change images or add to an item’s description.

User Options:  

You can monitor your bids, sales, wins, loses and watch auctions on My Home Page. Additionally, you can save a list of your favorite sellers and frequent their items or stores.

Overstock.com allows you to customize your account by setting payment, selling and buying preferences. The feedback program gives users full knowledge of buyer/seller histories. Overstock.com highly encourages all users to participate in the feedback program because it helps build a good reputation and creditability within the auction community. However, Overstock.com does not have an internal messaging system, but you can usually contact the seller through email.

Browsing/Searching:  

Overstock.com has a complete and relevant search feature. There wasn’t anything we couldn’t find using the category or keyword search.

When browsing through categories you can further narrow your search through subcategories and additional subcategories down to specific brands. Items can be arranged in several ways including new listings, lowest price, ending first, highest price, fewest bids and most bids.

The search feature allows you to search by general keyword, whereas the advanced search can narrow results to price range and user.

Help/Support:  

Overstock.com provides several help and contact options including live chat if you have questions that are not answered in the large FAQ section. They also include “How to” tutorials, which walk you through the processes of buying and selling.

Summary:  

Overstock.com is an excellent alternative to eBay. It includes many of the same features and provides you with the safety and security of using a well–known company to host or buy at online auction.