Online auction and bidding sites. How to get the best bargains, find out what I need to know, check feedback on sellers and make decisions on offers - it is all here. Heimdallnet.com Heimdall Net dot Com is a site dedicated to new and experienced internet users. Visitors will find advice on security & safety issues; online auctions guide, money and how to move it on the web, advice on antivirus, firewall, Spyware and malware killers, how not to be spammed and how to set your systems up for maximum usability in years to come. Links and resources for all levels of experience to products and solutions to keep your computer secure and safe, at home or at work. For those interested, we also offer a guide to online shopping, resources and business opportunities suitable for all with a little business sense and willingness to set some time aside and get a job done. Bargains, best buys and product information, it is all here at Heimdallnet.com!

Heimdall Net . Com

Welcome to Heimdall Net's

Auction page for Buyers

One thing that I am going to get off my chest right now,.. most auction sites call the stuff you successfully bid for a, "win". That is like saying that the petrol (gas, diesel etc.) you just paid for at your service station was 'won'! It is emotive wording designed to make you feel better about spending your money. If you are paying for it, it is not a win, it is a purchase. OK,.. Now I feel better at least, let's look at some common mistakes and some very valuable tips to understand before you start bidding:

Make sure you actually want the item. Read the item description fully, look at the pictures, read the shipping costs. It is no use getting a bargain for 99 cents for something that retails for five dollars and then paying fifteen dollars for shipping! Amazing bargains are most decidedly out there to be found and snapped up, but make sure you look at the whole price, not just the simple purchase price.

Decide how much you are happy to spend on the item BEFORE you start bidding. Once the 'fur' starts flying and you find yourself in a bidding war, decide where your point is where you will say, "enough". Research the item a little.

Before you bid, look at the payment methods. PayPal is my total and absolute favourite payment method and I am happy to deal with almost anyone who uses PayPal. Bank deposits, Western Union transfers etc. is essentially untraceable cash sent to someone you do not know. How much trust do you really have?

Look at the feedback that the seller has. Beware of writing the seller off just for seeing a few negative feedbacks. In my experience, it is very worth it to look at the actual feedback to see if you can get a feel for the scenario around the negative feedback; you might be amazed how often an incorrect email address can cause major difficulties! I have dealt very happily with sellers who recently acquired some negative feedback; it was the nature of the negative comments that suggested where the faults lay. If the person giving the negative feedback is a newbie, and the vendor has thousands of happy customers, the chances are good that the newbie did not understand where a difficulty might be hiding.

Watch out for the fine print. Some Auction sites have a "Buyer's Premium". This is essentially a percentage of your negotiated price that goes ON TOP of the price you settled on. For example, a 12% buyer's premium on a $100 purchase turns the price into $112.

The auction sites I personally recommend and use do not do this.

Check where in the world you are, a close friend just bought a watch from a town named Newcastle, problem is the one where the watch was is in the UK and they thought it was the Newcastle in Australia! A difference of 12,000 kilometres! It is very easy to discover the hard way that the internet is truly global. Do not underestimate the costs of international shipping once items get a little larger, but again, do not let this put you off either if the purchase price is right AND they use an accountable payment system like PayPal. I have bought some amazing bargains overseas and had them shipped here for far less than local retail prices.

Check what currency you are bidding in. If you thought you were bidding in Australian Dollars and got a bargain, you might cry a bit when you discover you were bidding in Euros (over a 200% mark-up on exchange rates!). Most large sites including the auction sites I personally recommend generally show a converted currency equivalent as long as you have filled out your personal preferences with that site.

If your item is coming in from another country, any import taxes, customs duties etc are yours to pay. Do not let this put you off buying from overseas. I recently purchased some computer equipment that still worked out 20 - 25% cheaper than the best local price I could find after all shipping and expenses AND it got here in five days.

Overseas media like DVDs and Videos may be different formats or regions from yours. For example, residents of Australia live in DVD Region 4 and need an all region player to watch a Region 1 (USA) DVD. Likewise, most video machines sole in Australia will play PAL, NTSC and a variety of other Video Formats, but many playback devices sold in the US can only play NTSC. It pays to check it out before finding out the hard way.

Overseas electronics may not be compatible, especially if they use AC power. Devices that use DC power can often be powered by a locally sourced transformer as long as the ratings are the same in voltage and amperes as the original. Check with a local technician if in doubt.

Parts may no longer be available for obsolete models, whether they are bought at a physical auction or online. Again, do not let this put you off looking at the second hand goods. Something bought at one fourth its replacement value only has to operate for long enough to owe you nothing. I have a printer bought second hand (saving about 60% off its new price) that has just printed its 300,000th page for me with not one glitch except a replacement paper tray feeder guide (<$20 installed). You will be amazed at what parts you can find in obscure places if you decide to look too.... An adventure! An adventure!

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Who or What is Heimdall:

Reproduced here from the Encyclopedia Mythica™ is a summary by Micha F. Lindemans

I chose Heimdall as the identity of this site as it is my desire to see the advice herein protecting all from harm on the net as much as is possible.

The idea of a naming my site after a protector encompasses this desire.

Heimdall © Encyclopedia Mythica™ (Norse)

Heimdall is the god of light, the son of nine mothers (variously given as the daughters of Geirrendour the Giant or of Aegir). He was born at the end of the world and raised by the force of the earth, seawater and the blood of a boar. Because of his shining, golden teeth he is also called Gullintani ("gold tooth"). His hall is Himinbjorg, The Cliffs of Heaven, and his horse is Gulltop. Heimdall carries the horn Gjallar.

He is the watchman of the gods and guards Bifrost, the only entrance to Asgard, the realm of the gods. It is Heimdall's duty to prevent the giants from forcing their way into Asgard. He requires less sleep than a bird and can see a hundred miles around him, by night as well as by day. His hearing is so accurate that no sound escapes him: he can even hear the grass grow or the wool on a sheep's back. At the final conflict of Ragnarok he will kill his age-old enemy, the evil god Loki, but will die himself from his wounds.

As the god Rig ("ruler"), Heimdall created the three races of mankind: the serfs, the peasants, and the warriors. It is interesting to note why Heimdall fathered them, and not Odin as might be expected. Furthermore, Heimdall is in many attributes identical with Tyr.