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The best way to explain how it works is by way of an example.

Imagine our auction has just started. The 2 most important pieces of information displayed along with the auction description are

  • Maximum Bid and
  • Admin Fee

These tell you what is the most your bid can be and how much it costs to make a bid. Every bid you make costs the same (the admin fee). No matter how much the bid. Admin fees may vay between auctions however.

Suppose the Max bid is £500 and Admin Fee £50

Lets also assume that other people have been bidding and the bids so far look like this You wouldn't normally see this information!

  • £500.00
  • £500.00
  • £499.97<-----Highest Unique Bid
  • £499.96
  • £499.90
  • £499.60
  • £480.00

You decide to make a bid of £499.98. There are bids higher than yours but yours is the Highest Unique Bid. As it stands now you would be the winner!

  • £500.00
  • £500.00
  • £499.98<-----Highest Unique Bid
  • £499.97
  • £499.96
  • £499.90
  • £499.60
  • £480.00

You will be told how your bids are doing in the Bid Status part of the web page. The Bid Status will be automatically updated to show your bid status. Every bid will be one of the following

Status values
Not Unique
Unique Not Highest
Highest Unique

As the Auction progresses other people may 'knock your bid off the top spot' They will do this simply by making the same bid as you or by making a higher unique bid. Once a bid has been made more than once it is no longer unique and cannot win. The next highest unique bid will then become the new 'Highest Unique Bid'

The Auction then progresses like this until the required number of bids has been made. The auction will then end and whoever has made the Highest Unique Bid at that time will be offered the chance to buy the auction item for the price they bid in their winning bid

Bid Facts

  • All bids are kept secret until the auction ends
  • You will be kept informed for every bid whether it is
    • Highest Unique
    • Unique but not highest
    • Not Unique

Every Auction will be flagged with one of the following to help you see how it is progressing.

Auction Status Values
New Auction
Bidding has started
Bids exceeded 25% of required bids
Bids exceeded 75% of required bids

 

See our list of Frequently Asked Questions