do you love oohilove?

Once in a while a great secret comes along and you just can't keep it to yourself. I made an account at oohilove several months ago, back when I first dipped my feet into the world of online sample sales and designer auctions. Making the account was as far as I got, though. Somewhere between the Hautelooks and the Modniques little oohilove got lost. I finally acknowledged the Facebook ads I had been seeing and yesterday I went over to explore. Oh. My. Goodness. Oohilove isn't a sample sale website, it's an auction website, like a designers-only version of eBay only infinitely better. It took me a little while to understand how it works, but I'll do my best to explain it...

Just like you buy gambling chips at a casino, members first buy Bid Packs. Bid Packs range from $29.99 for 30 Bids all the way up to $792.00 for 800 Bids. After buying a Bid Pack members can proceed to the auctions and place their Bids, each one worth $0.99. With every Bid placed the auction price increases by $0.02 and the timer gains a few seconds. Confused? Don't worry, so was I. Their frequently asked questions is a big help. What it all comes down to is this: some lucky soul managed to win a pair of nude Christian Louboutin pumps for under. fifteen. dollars. That actually happened! Just yesterday a Louis Vuitton wallet and a pair of RayBan Wayfarers (dream sunnies!) both went for 95% off - that's about $12 and $3, respectfully. Now not everybody gets these deals, obviously. The majority of them seem to be anywhere from 60% to 80% off - still a really fantastic price on a designer item.

Now for myself, I’m not a gambler. I’m the opposite of a gambler. I play it safe and avoid any and all risks. The question is, do I want that Gucci bag or that Louis Vuitton wallet or those Louboutin pumps badly enough to grow some risk-taking skills? One thing I think is fantastic - nobody loses! If you don't win an item at auction you get two Love Dollars for every Bid you placed and those Love Dollars can go toward purchases in the oohilove Trunk Show. So say you spent $30 on Bids and used all those Bids on an auction, but you didn't win. You'll get $60 to spend in the Trunk Show! Not a bad way to lose, right?

If I didn't explain it well, looking around the site and reading their literature really helps to understand the process. And if you join through my invitation link and buy a Bid Pack you'll automatically get 10 free Bids! And so will I! Hint, hint. ;)

If any of you are already members, what do you think of the site? Have you won anything?