Before your skepticism sets in, we want to go ahead and recognize that it can seem like an oxymoron to see “government” and “deals” in the same business page. However, if you like shopping on auction websites like eBay, GovDeals might be just the place for you. To best explain what sets GovDeals apart, keep in mind that anyone can sell on eBay. They have 150 million registered users and more than 1.4 billion items listed for sale. Even the most avid deal shopper can be overwhelmed trying to find any one thing in that sea of sales.
GovDeals, by contrast, is a place for local and state governments as well as public institutions to sell off their surplus equipment and assets. Sounds kind of dull until you consider the sorts of items you can find on GovDeals. For example, if you search with Indiana University as your location, you can bid on the Championship Banners the IU Mens Swimming and Diving teams won back in the 1970s. You can find approximately 1795 volumes of miscellaneous law books from the state of South Carolina. You could bid on filing cabinets and wood desks from Defiance County, Ohio.
You get the idea. If you have a quirky item you’re looking for and you don’t trust that Joe Smith on eBay is going to deliver a quality version (no offense to Mr. Joe Smith), GovDeals could offer a better alternative. And if you’re just looking for something fun to play around with when you’re bored, looking for the most obscure item you can find on GovDeals is a good way to waste an hour when you should be writing posts for Indianapolis on the Cheap. Oh, wait, I guess that’s just me.