Placing a bid
Bidding
The seller will set a reserve price and a start price – the reserve can be higher than the start price. You'll see a yellow flag if the auction hasn't met reserve, and a red flag when the auction has met reserve. A listing can't sell until it's met reserve.
When placing a bid, it needs to be to be equal to the start price or reach the next minimum bid amount. You’ll need to select your preferred shipping option so that your 'Total to pay' is spot on if you win.
Minimum bid increments
Minimum bid increments are the next smallest bid amount that can be placed within a certain price range. This makes sure that each bid is 'meaningful' (e.g. bids for 1 cent aren't placed when the bidding is at $500).
The minimum bid increments are:
|
Current bid |
Min. increment |
|---|---|
| Up to $20 | $0.50 |
| Between $20 and $200 | $1.00 |
| Between $200 and $1,000 | $5.00 |
| Between $1,000 and $5,000 | $10.00 |
| Between $5,000 and $25,000 | $50.00 |
| Over $25,000 | $100.00 |
Auto-bidding
You can also place an auto-bid, which will keep you in the lead by placing a bid for you whenever you’re outbid. We’ll place the minimum allowable bid for you until you win the auction or your auto-bid is exceeded.
Just tick the auto-bid box to place an auto-bid. If you're keen to increase an existing auto-bid, simply place a higher value auto-bid. Don’t worry, no extra bid will be placed if you already lead the bidding.
FAQs
Why has my auto-bid jumped to its maximum?
If your auto-bid is below or equal to the reserve, your maximum auto-bid will be placed. If an existing auto-bid is greater than yours, your auto-bid may also jump to its maximum, and be immediately outbid.
Why did my auto-bid jump straight to the reserve price?
If your auto-bid exceeds the reserve, a bid will be placed equal to the reserve. You’ll then lead the bidding until your auto-bid is exceeded.
Why did my auto-bid bid against itself?
If another member places a bid equal to your auto-bid, your maximum auto-bid will be placed. It’ll look like two consecutive bids from you. Auto-bids have priority over normal bids of the same value as they were placed earlier.