We must admit that we weren’t entirely in awe of the ePier website interface. It was very plain, with not a whole lot going on. But, searching for the perfect item shouldn’t be too difficult, as there are category links on the left margin and a search box if you know exactly what you want.  

Ok, so this site isn’t eBay and they don’t have nearly as many listings or auctions for that matter, but we did find a few products in the specific searches we performed. We liked how easy it is for registered members to buy or sell, as the steps were pretty self explanatory and you are alerted by email if you’re outbid or win an auction.

• ePier Space – a MySpace function where you can get to know other members of the ePier community a little better.
• See which ePier users are currently online

Star Reviews applauds websites that try and offer a community feel, as it demonstrates their commitment to their customers. We definitely saw this on ePier with their social networking tool and real-time contact function. Searches shouldn't be too challenging on this online auction and we liked how low the Final Value Fee was, at 2.5%. There really wasn't a buyer protection program, so if you're wary of that type of issue, this might not be your best choice. Customer support was a disappointment, with non-responsive telephone support and absent email support. There were a few FAQs if you like to read...all in all, we assigned them 5.0 Stars!

Don’t expect the world at Online Auction. They offer a good amount of listings in various categories, but at times their auctions were a bit sparse. For those who enjoy frequent selling, you may want to consider if you’ll actually sell what you list.

We really liked some of Online Auction’s features, like their O-mail system, which makes your auction correspondences fairly easy to keep track of. We also loved the different auction formats you can buy and sell in, as this is unique in this industry.

• Five online auction formats
• Member chatrooms

Star Reviews thought it was odd that Online Auction brags of 7 million items up for bid, but it doesn't seem to show in their online auctions. We noticed how few search results we got for many of their categories. If you don't mind digging, then this site is for you. There are some seller's fees here, so check them out before placing a bid. The basic plan runs you at $8 per month, which isn't terrible.

We would have liked to see some form of Buyer Protection, but do understand that the offered feedback system was coined by eBay and is still a reputable means of avoiding fraud. Customer support by way of telephone and email were both efficient, which we appreciated after some of the nightmares we've face with other online auction support. We wanted to reward them with 4.5 Stars!

All in all, we felt that uBid was a pretty good online auction. Despite having some of the worst customer service we’ve encountered in our online auction reviews, we feel their actual service is decent. You shouldn’t run into too many issues when navigating the intuitive website, as its interface was organized in a succinct manner.

We liked the search results we were provided and enjoyed how current winning bid lists and product descriptions were neatly arranged. For those of you who don’t want to bid in an auction, you can participate in ‘Ubuyitnow’ and directly purchase an item you can’t live without.

• Express auctions - 30 minute auction times.
• uBid Travel Auctions
• Certified Merchant Program - Products sold by approved sellers, not just your average Joe.

Ok, so our team has to admit we had a good time browsing the uBid website. We didn't expect the world here, as we know it's not eBay. But, we were impressed by their number of categories and a majority of their selection. We loved the Buyer Protection Program and really commend uBid for screening their sellers for criminal activity. What a relief! There is also a great return policy, which any online shopper can appreciate. Customer support by email and telephone weren't stellar and one rep was a bit unfriendly, but all in all we think they deserve 4.5 Stars!

Ebid's online auction didn't leave us feeling hot or cold. We really liked their auction categories and the number of products listed, as they were quite extensive.

However, we didn’t really think their pricing scheme and membership fees were that understandable and the novice buyer or seller may run into some problems. Signing up for an account and placing/listing a bid are easy enough, so that shouldn’t pose too much of a burden on visitors.

• Happy Hour Auctions - No, no drinks involved. But, you can find great auction deals from 6-10 p.m. every night. How's that for extended happy hour time?
• 'Wanted' -No one can read your mind & this feature lets you tag what you're eyeing, so buyers and sellers have a better idea of which products will sell when and to whom.

Star Reviews was not in awe of this online auction. Let's face it, they don't have the greatest selection and their buyer protection program is very limited. There are some confusing membership plans, which were a challenge to even locate. Final Value Fees will run you at 3%, which is fairly low for an online auction. While not boasting a selection up to par with eBay, there were numerous auctions going on in many categories we peeked at. Customer support was pretty much a disaster, so good luck if you need help. They earned 4.0 Stars!

We were really disappointed with the Bidz experience, all in all. Not only were they lacking a professional and succinct site feel, their selection wasn’t the greatest. There were tons of jewelry auctions going on, but in their other auction categories, there were definite holes in inventory.

We liked that they incorporate flash in their live auctions, as this makes for an exciting experience. But, the pages loaded very slowly because of this and we didn’t like how rollover images produced gigantic close-up images, as it was a bit distracting if we slid our mouse over the picture by accident.

• Get 10% off your first purchase when you register as a Bidz member!
• 15-day money back guarantee on all products sold through the auctions

Star Reviews thinks Bidz can improve their website interface by a longshot. We thought it was pretty elementary in its layout, which made the whole online auction experience kind of a hassle. While we did appreciate the Certified Merchants program, we felt that by purely selling goods from their own warehouses and certified businesses, it greatly reduces their inventory. We must note, the majority of items sold here are jewelry and watches. Look elsewhere if you like selection. Customer support was a nuisance here and we never received the answers we were looking for--from any of their support options. Overall, they get 3.5 Stars!