Save Money From Other People’s Typos

Several years back I remember buying a watch on eBay.  With the retail value hovering somewhere near $100, I couldn’t understand why I was able to walk away with such a fine timepiece for about $12.

Then I realized: I had accidentally searched for a G-Shok watch, not a G-Shock!

Ever since then, I’ll often purposely type things incorrectly in order to find a bargain.  It’s never really worked out, and whenever I’ve explained the tactic to friends, they just think I’m weird (at least weirder than I really am).  Well, apparently, I’m not alone.

Meet TypoBuddy, the Web site that thrives on keyboard misfires, and promises you better buys because of other people’s errors.  Think about it, a simple error can make your listing invisible.  use the tool when you’re looking for goods on eBay or Craigslist.

Here’s what happened when I searched “G-Shock Watch” on TypoBuddy.

* eBay results: 80 typos of “watch” with g-shock
* eBay results: 125 typos of “g-shock” with  watch
* eBay results: 48 more typos of “g-shock” with  watch
* Craigslist results: 253 typos of “g-shock watch”

Pretty nifty!  You get to capitalize on people’s poor command of the English language (or those speedy typers who use two fingers - like me!)

According to TypoBuddy:

Careless eBay sellers post misspelled eBay items. Find these misspelled items on eBay and you’ll usually pay less because fewer people find misspelled eBay auction listings. This means eBay auctions with misspelled words get fewer bids. People make typos on Craigslist ads too, so happy hunting!

Hears to savng moneys! (Yes, those typos are on purpose!)  ;-)

Tagged with: craigslist , ebay , typobuddy