ShopGoodwill: the Goodwill auction site

Every ShopGoodwill auction uses automatic, or proxy, bidding: you enter the most you are willing to pay, the system bids by the increment on your behalf, and your maximum stays hidden from other bidders. Some auctions also carry a Buy It Now price that stays available until someone bids above it, and other listings are fixed-price only. Accounts less than 30 days old can be the high bidder on no more than 15 auctions at a time.

Leaving it to the last seconds is risky: ShopGoodwill warns that a bid typed as the clock runs out may not be processed before the auction closes. On BuyHub you can sort by ending soon or most bids, and set an alarm on a lot, from the results or by pasting its shopgoodwill.com link, so you have time to place your maximum bid.

Joining is free. Shipping is either a flat rate set by the selling Goodwill or a rate calculated from the carrier by size and weight, and handling fees are set by each seller and shown on the listing before you bid. Choosing in-store pickup saves the shipping but not the handling fee. You can pay with major credit or debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay or Venmo.

ShopGoodwill is the online auction site of Goodwill, the American non-profit organisation, and has been running since 1999. What goes under the hammer are donated goods, which local Goodwill stores list as their own lots, and the proceeds support the organisation's charitable work. Items are sold as-is, and shipping is handled by the store that listed each lot, although many stores also allow buyers to collect in person.

Because everything comes from donations, the mix is broad: antiques, art, jewellery, collectibles and electronics all turn up. Listings are in English and bids are placed in US dollars. With no guarantee on condition, the photos and description deserve a close look. Each store also decides whether it ships outside the United States, which is worth checking on the listing before bidding.