Tophatter: 8 Things Users Need to Know

The Tophatter app and 90 second auction website is growing in popularity as users look for a fun Wish app alternative. This is a free to bid auction site with fast paced auctions online and in apps for iPhone and Android.

You’ve no doubt seen an ad for Tophatter while browisng the web, which promised a massive discount and fast paced auctions. Users don’t need to pay to bid, like with penny auctions, so this is a tempting alternative that still results in low prices.

Here’s what you need to know about buying something on Tophatter or the Tophatter app.

What is Tophatter?

What you need to know about Tophatter and the Tophatter app.

Tophatter is a shopping website in the U.S and many other countries. The app includes a wide range of items from jewelry and clothing to phone accessories and gaming items.

All of the auctions start at $1 and they only last for 90 seconds. The tagline for the service is that, “It’s like eBay, but everything sells in 90 seconds.”

Some items ship fast and arrive within a week or two, while other items may take up to a month to arrive.

Unlike penny auction sites, you won’t find a lot of name brand items on Tophatter. In my time looking through the listings it is mostly made up of non-name brand items or off-brand items similar to the listings that you see on Wish.

You can shop on Tophatter online or using the Tophatter app for iPhone or Android.

How Does Tophatter work

The Tophatter app and website shows a range of short auctions that you can bid on once you get an account. Each bid is free, so you only pay when you win an item.

The auctions last 90 seconds, so you have to act fast. You can bid immediately on live auctions and you can set reminders for auctions that are coming up so that you don’t miss out.

When you see something you like, bid on it, and pay attention to what happens to see if you need to bid more or if you win.

Once you win, you need to pay for the item quickly. In some cases you may not be able to bid on more items until you pay fro items you’ve won.

You Need an Account to Use Tophatter

Even if you just want to browse through the auctions, you need to sign up for an account.

This is to help them convince you that you should buy something later with emails.

You also want an account n case you see something you like. Since the auctions end in 90 seconds, you need to be ready to bid as soon as they go live.

What’s the Tophatter Catch?

This might look like a GoPro, but it’s an off brand.

There are a few catches to using Tophatter. The first thing you need to consider is that most of these items aren’t brand name, so you will want to read up on the specs and descriptions before you bid.

Since the auctions end fast, it can be hard to do a lot of research on the items before you bid. Try to look for items that are coming up for sale instead of already on sale.

Tophatter Returns

If you cancel too many bids after you win, you may not be able to use Tophatter anymore, but if you get an item that isn’t as described you can return it.

The official Tophatter return policy is “We want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase on Tophatter. If you are not satisfied, you may return any item within 30 days of delivery.”

Tophatter Bidding Problems

If you are having problems placing Tophatter bids or winning auctions you need to check a few things.

One of the biggest issues is when bids are placed at the same time. You may need to place a second bid almost immediately if you run into issues while you are bidding.

If you cannot bid at all, you need to check to make sure that you’ve paid for auctions you’ve on. You can only win so many auctions without paying.

A seller can block a buyer from buying another item and you can be blocked if you cancel too many transactions.

If you see an error code, you can copy it and contact Tophatter support.

Tophatter Shipping

You can return items for up to 30 days.

Tophatter shipping prices vary based on the item. You should see the price of shipping for the item to your location before you bid.

Shipping is often $5 to $7 on the items I looked at buying with shipping to Ohio.

The shipping times can range from a week or two to a month. It depends on the item and where it ships from.

Research Before You Buy

If you want to get the best deals and end up with the best items, you should research before you buy. This is hard with 90 second auctions, but you can look at upcoming items and research those and then bid when the items go live.

Fake Gold Bars

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$3.00 from Wish You can buy Fake Gold bars on the Wish App. These small gold bars are designed to look like real gold. With a MSRP of $54 you only need to pay $3 to get an oz of fake gold that is designed to look like real gold.  The description is up front about what you are getting. Even though the photo shows Credit Suisse and appears to show markings that this is real gold, it is identified as a replica souvenir coin.   Most reviews indicate this is a great prank gift to give to someone. A real 1 oz bar of gold like this can be purchased on eBay for significantly more.

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