During this time of pandemic, we rely online for most of our needs. We do our banking transactions online, we buy our needs and wants online, we pay our bills online, and we even do our work online. Just this year, I have encountered something new online too – online auctions and bidding.
I chanced upon HMR Bid in facebook and was curious on how it works. HMR is a famous store that sells imported items – some of which are new, others are pre-loved, and most of their items and returned items with defect. I was instantly intrigued as to how online bidding of HMR Bid works and so I registered.
How to bid online at HMR Bid
- Go to https://hmrbid.com/#/ and register for an account.
- Check out the list of auctions and see for yourself the many items you can choose from.
- If there is an item you are targeting, you can click the heart-shaped icon and put it on your watchlist.
- Make sure to check the following details prior to bidding:
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- Location of warehouse where the item you won can be claimed. Some HMR stores are located in Pampanga, Cebu, and Iloilo. If you are residing in Manila, then those places are not feasible for you.
- Check and double-check the item/asset status. Some items are noted “with defects”, some are “almost new”, some have “missing parts”, and others have “incomplete items”.
- Check and double-check the photos posted for each item. I have tried bidding on an item that says “Almost New” but the photos show dirt on the item.
- Check for the terms and conditions of each Auction Lot. Some requires bid deposit before you can participate.
- If you really want the item, make sure to check the start and end dates of bidding for the Auction Lot.
- Start bidding and hope you win.
- Once you win a lot in the bidding, it will appear in your cart. HMR Bid will also send you an email on how to pay and claim for your winning bid.
- Take note that there is a 15% buyer’s premium on top of your winning bid.
- You can now claim the item you won in the HMR warehouse and pay for it on-site or online. Do note that you need to pay and pull-out the items you won in three days otherwise, you will not be able to claim it.
Here are my personal experiences in HMR Bid.
Have I won any item in HMR Bid?
I did. I have won ten (10) lots in HMR Bid. Here are some of them: Kogan LX10 Robot Vacuum, DieCast A380 Emirates airplane, DIY Miniature dollhouse, air purifier, scratch cleaning mop, and a lot more.
Are those items I won worth the price I paid?
They are worth the price. The Kogan LX10 Robot Vacuum I won for less than Php1,000 is worth almost Php15,000. It is one of the best items I won. The DIY Miniature dollhouse is sold online at Php2,500 and I paid less than Php600 for it.
I won the diecast A380 Emirates airplane for less than Php1,000 and it is priced online at Php6,500.
All these items I won are “Almost New” in condition.
Did I regret a winning bid?
I did. It is the very first lot I won in HMR Bid. It is a lot of assorted items. I paid less then Php600 for the following: a gaming keyboard, a gaming mouse, a robot cleaning mop, a selfie stick, and an air pump. All these items are “almost new” and if bought separately would cost almost Php2,000. Why did I regret my winning bid? I do not have any use for any of the items. I just want the experience.
Have I seen an item before I bid for it?
I have not seen an item before I bid for it. I think you can do it if you live close to an HMR warehouse. I live far and thus I just risk bidding as long as I like the item.
Have I won an item in HMR Bid and did not claim it?
Yes, I did. More than once. One item was an item tagged as “almost new” but I only scrutinize the photo after winning and saw that the item in the photo was not really “almost new” as it has a lot of dirty inclusions.
Another item was an air purifier we were not able to claim within the 3-days pull-out time. We went to the HMR warehouse on the 5th day, and we were not allowed to pay for it nor claim it.
What happened when I did not claim my winning item?
After not claiming three items I won in HMR Bid, my account was blocked, and I was no longer allowed to participate in HMR online bidding.
When buying in a physical store of HMR, you get the chance to scan if the item was worth the price you are paying. This is not the case for HMR Bid. So, I advise you to bid carefully and think before clicking the BID NOW button.
