Bidz.com is a website similar to Ebay.com, wherein a person is being offered supposedly high and highest quality merchandise like jewelry, watches, electronics and other consumer products. The format is pretty simple: real time "rolling auctions", wherein merchandise in a category comes up for bid, and registered users can place binding bids on the goods. The merchandise is all described in very precise seeming language, and an added inducement is the use of "Compare" prices and "Comp" pricing along side the offered article, say a watch.

What a novice such as myself may not pick up on is that the goods being offered are base-grade junk made in China, using sound-alike names, such as "Geneva" for "Geneve" [the latter being an expensive Swiss watch maker]. I admit, I was fooled too. The goods appear to usually have several bidders, who I suspect are "shill bidders" as they're called on Ebay - phoneys, ringers, frauds used by the seller to jack up the price for junk.

My initial order consisted of 4 supposed Stainless steel watches, one with a leather band. What I received were 4 watches made out of silver painted plastic, super cheap "crystals" of plastic and watch bands of painted plastic!! The ladies watch had a very clearly uber-cheap vinyl band that was stretchy like a rubber band.

Inside two of the watch cases were 2 pairs of "free designer sunglasses" - actually two illegal counterfeits of "Cartier" sunglasses made from the sort of base metal used for stuff found in cereal boxes. Bend it once and it'll crack immediately.

The watches aren't even keeping accurate time! I was completely and utterly ripped off for $55.00 US, and feel like a total moron for falling for that scam website.

DO NOT BUY FROM BIDZ.COM - THE STUFF BEING SOLD IS JUNK, SOME COUNTERFEIT AND THE COMPANY ISN'T IN CULVER CITY, CA, THEY'RE OFF SHORE on one of those islands set up to rip off the American consumer.

Run don't walk from Bidz.com

Everything I've gotten from them has appraised at around what they said it's value was....

I've been buying stuff from them for several months and love it.

Doc

I had purchased a "Gold Nugget Style Watch" from them. Here is how it worked. You bid on the product that they say is worth, as in my case, $2,500.00 American retail. So, "Wow I won the item for only $369.00!". Free shipping in some cases. When the package arrives, and you are in Canada, FedEx charges you the GST on top of the purchase price. You must pay this in order to get your product from FedEx. In my case it was around an additional $70 cdn. I opened the box to look at the product. Honestly, I would not pay $50.00 for this cheap piece of costume jewelry. It was light as a feather, granted, they did tell me how much it weighed. The band was very flimsy and cheap. It had been molded with no back side. Kind of the same way you would make a bottle cap. There was no back side between your wrist and the wrist band. Each link in the band was connected by the manufacturer by folding two small fingers into open holes in the next link (Very cheap). Here is the best part. The actual watch movement itself was connected the same way. Usually with watches the face of the watch is all one piece. Not with Bidz.com jewelry. The movement is in a self contained piece, and is held up to the opening using 4 small fingers that are bent over the back to hold it in place. On top of that, it is supposto be solid 10k and does not have a stamp anywhere on it saying that it is 10k. It is being returned due to manufacturers defect as it has a "Pit" in the gold on the face. I sure hope they do not charge me their standard %15 re-stocking fee. It is bad enough that I have to pay the shipping charge, and chase FedEx to reimburse the taxes I paid. NEVER AGAIN !!!!! BEWARE OF THEIR CRAP JEWELRY!!!!!

I have bought from there 3 times, not received my 3rd yet.
I have not bought any watches, but som rings and like that.
The silver and whitegold are ok, not been lucky with the yellow gold. So, I keep me hands from that. I have asked a jeweler about if it seems fake and got the answer it seems real. A ing i gave oabout $20, they set the worth about $230, so I must say Im satisfied.

But after what I've heard from you, I will not touch a watch from there.
But hey, few people = cheaper prices, so stay away ;)

I purchased several items from Bidz.com. 1 watch didn't work from the day I received it and when I sent an email to them, they never replied. So I couldn't return it. That piece of junk cost me $10.00. But the latest is that I purchased what was supposed to have been a ring worth over $4,000 for just $300.00 plus shipping. I received the envelope, but NO RING. I have been fighting with them since March on this issue. Naturally they won't let me on their site anymore. I believe that they went through the motions of shipping (sent me an empty envelope), but never put the ring or invoice inside. Or put it in and then opened the thing and took it out. They tried saying that I got the merchandise and when the post office signed a letter saying that I didn't, Bidz is now trying to say that I didn't notify them within 48 hours. Well, I have emails to prove that I did that too. Just have to see what happens, but I would never buy from them again, and sure won't recommend that anyone else does either. Their stuff is junk and not worth the $1.

I have been buying items of Bidz.com for a couple of years now and have found them to be an upstanding co.
As far as them being and offshore co. from some island I can tell you they are not for I have been there myself. I live only about 6 miles from Culver city Ca.

Hi there,
God i am amazed at the negative comments about Bidz.com and glad that i didnt hand over one dollar as yet.
I had been emailing and emailing their customer service department, as i wanted to know whether the item that gets shipped to you has the "true value" on the customs declaration or the amount you paid for it.
I emailed them 4 times, not one reply, then i emailed the "damn director" he/she did not reply, then emailed their public relations department and put a "read receipt and delivery receipt" attached to the message. Got the delivery one, but no read receipt. I cant believe it, that did it for me, if you cant get a simple response from questions that you need to ask....how the hell would you go if you actually have a problem with a purchase????
Anyway i really appreciate peoples feedback although sorry to hear that people got ripped in the process. Why not report these people?
If they are scammers....surely there would be a some sort of "body or organisation" that you could forward their website information to.
Anyway i will stick to ebay!
cheers

Bidz is being advertised here so I headed on over. You get $25 free just for signing up. I just did this yesterday and have had a couple of glitches on the site. Anyway I went just now to see the watches and must have typed in the wrong url. I did a Google search and saw this thread there!

Wow - I too am glad I haven't bought from them. I didn't think I'd hand over hundreds of dollars and I figured if they want to give me something free with my $25 I'd take it but then I looked and there is a $9.00 shipping charge for a WATCH that I would ship on eBay for $4.00 - $6.00 at the most. Thanks for this thread! jo

I HAVE JUST BID FROM BIDZ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I JUST BOUGHT OUR WEDDING RINGS, [FOR THE NEW YEAR] IF I DON'T GET WHAT I THINK I PAID FOR I WILL NOT JUST LAY BACK, I'M THE TYPE TO ATTACK BACK TO GET WHAT I ACCUALLY PAID FOR. I HOPE THIS COMPANY IS FOR REAL. I'LL LET EVERYONE KNOW WHEN I RECIEVE MY RINGS.

Why don't you all write reviews so people looking for info on this company will read your experiences? The complaints you seem to have will be seen by far more people in the review section and will also change their overall rating to a lower one.

If you can write an express or good, non ranting regular review about the site, it would be a lot more beneficial than writing about it here, IMO.

Patty

I bought numerous items from Bidz.com about three yrs. ago. Most of the rings were garbage; I returned so many of them that I lost count. Several were ok. Also, they misrepresnt their items!! I had a really hard time returning rings that had FAKE stones and they said they were natural. VERY BAD COMPANY!! And I believe they now shill bid on top of everything. Can't prove it though!

I forgot to mention one thing; even though I proved to bidz that the rings had fake stones, which was so obvious it was ridiclous once received, they still would not return my money. And, I bought several rings with missing stones as well! The only thing that save me, to the tune of $2,500, was my credit card co. went to bat for me and returned my money to me. This was back when the rings were much cheaper than they are now. And considering you don't even know who's really bidding on their items, and you don't get to see feedback, I assume they've taken their cheating ways one step further, and that is to shill bid!

I found that site about a week ago and even got a $50 discount for sign up. They said double discount for signing up, offer valid until Septmeber 27, 2005. When I went on there on Septmeber 29, they said double discount until September 30, 2005.
So, I bid on a couple of pieces and was happy that I just about paid 10% of the value worth, kept it with $50 on my bid and got the deal for $8.95 shipping and handling. I paid via paypal and signed up with more accounts and started bidding on better things like gold and diamonds. When I started bidding I had no idea about jewels at all, not even wearing earrings myself, but I understood soon that there is a difference in 10k, 14k and 18k. At the shopping channel they sell 14k ring with a stone for about $200. But then, when I pay for it $20 and can sell it for $200, is money in my pocket, even if it worth just half of what they say.
However I have not gotten any delivery yet, but a tracking number for the first order over $38.95, worth about $500 as valued by bidz.com
Today I have paid for a ring worth $2070.00,bid won with $158.00 and was going to pay another one priced at $1699.00 bid won for 178.00
Now try to imagine.
When they give everyody a $50 discount for signing up...and you can sign up with just an valid email address....so any address for that matter...you bid for something just over $50, valued at a $500, then they lose $500 right there. And they do that with every customer who find their site....listed on top of all the search machines? They seem to lose every day thousands and thousands of dollars....so yeah I spend now about $200 and should have close to $3000 worth on merchandise what I am waiting for. Even when it worth just $500 I am happy. Hopefully the merchandise will arrive soon and after reading all this negative feedback, I will make sure when the delievery comes in that the delivery guy from fed ex stand right beside me when I open the box and hopefully I have a witness if nothing is in it.
By the way. The first payments I made over paypal will be cleared by October 03, 2005....transfering from my bank account. Bidz.com has relisted the items but I can't stop the payments made to pay the bid and nobody from customer service seems to answer regarding this matter.
So I think that is how they get their sign up bonus in...by just relisting it and keeping the shipping and handling.
I will be back when I have my delievery and keep you guys up to date.

bidz
Well, I am really interested in all your opinions.

I have just bid on an item, and will be expecting it in 6 or so weeks.

I too, have emailed them asking exactly the same question as shazfromoz - guess what, no reply!!

I agree with the opinion above, that we should all make our voices heard, and rate this company - not just on Epinions.

I came across this site, by Googling for Bidz.

Are you satitsfied w/ the rings you got at Bidz? Let me know. I'm thinking about getting my fiances's wedding ring from there.

here's my story,about 15 months i bought few rings and one white gold chain whith pendant from bidz.com as a gift for my sister's 16th birthday,shipped them overseas and the truth she was happy with what she got.today 10/05/05 i hva received a call from the same sister tell me the white gold chain became redish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!so i called the cust services ,first guy hang up on me and i'm positive i'didn't loose the signal,second guy his name CHRIS claim that only the pendant is solid white gold (THE PENDANT ALSO TURNED RED)so for you to figure out.and he said too late for refund.

Um...Hey, kids...This is getting you nowhere and it's clogging up the board. If you guys want to chat about it exchange phone numbers and leave the board for people that really want to use it...

Thanks a bunch!

Jenn