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84 posts tagged bidding

Does bidding first hurt me?
No — and in a quiet room it is usually the cheapest bid of the evening.

It says the reserve was not met
The seller set a floor and the bidding stayed under it. What happens to the item, and what you can do.

Can I bid again if I am already winning?
Nothing on screen stops you — and there is no reason to. What to do instead if you want more headroom.

Why is the price jumping in big steps?
Not a rising increment — the step is fixed. Two other things cause the jumps.

I bid by mistake
The honest position: the bid stands. What to do immediately, and what the slide control is for.

What does "outbid" mean?
Somebody bid higher. What it does not mean, and what to do in the next few seconds.

If I leave the show, do I lose my bid?
No. Your bid stands, and here is exactly what is preserved and what you will have missed.

How to place a bid, step by step
The slide control, the practice run, and what the screen shows when you are winning versus outbid.

Can I see who I am bidding against?
Display names, yes. Who they are, no. And one thing nobody can see at all.

Is there a minimum bid?
Two numbers decide it: the starting price and the step. Both are on screen.

What happens to an item nobody bids on
Nothing bad. What the seller can do next, and what it tells both sides.

Can I bid in two shows at the same time?
Yes. The warning is about winning both, not about bidding in both.

It sold for less than I bid
This is what a maximum bid does, and it is working in your favour — here is why.

Did my bid actually count?
One place to look, and what a bid that never registered looks like on screen.

How will I know if I won?
Three ways you are told, and what to do if you saw none of them.

I bid but someone else is showing as highest
Almost always the increment, or two bids landing in the same second. How to tell which.

How to set a reserve price, step by step
Where the field is, what buyers are and are not told, and why a reserve on everything costs you more than it protects.

Questions to ask before bidding on food or drink
Which date is it, what are the allergens, and how is it getting to me?

Questions to ask before bidding on beauty products
Show me the seal, the batch code and the dates. Then tell me where you bought it.

Questions to ask before bidding on baby and child items
Model number and date stamp. With those two you can do the one check nobody else can do for you.

Questions to ask before bidding on an estate lot
How much of this have you actually been through? Everything else follows.

Questions to ask before bidding on outdoor gear
Was it ever packed away wet? Ask that one first.

Questions to ask before bidding on sports equipment
What is the specification, what has been repaired, and can I see it working?

Questions to ask before bidding on furniture
Measure it, and ask how it is getting to you. Both before the bid, not after.
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