How Bidding Works
This article explains how AuctionSnap sets the next bid amount on Online Auction items, how Auto Bid works, and how to read the Bid History, so you can answer questions from your bidders. Item settings are covered in Auction Event Setup.
The Next Bid Amount
The next bid amount shown on an item is the lowest bid AuctionSnap will accept. It is based on the item’s Starting Bid, Default Bid Increment, and Quantity.
| Situation | Next bid amount shown |
|---|---|
| No bids yet | The Starting Bid |
| Quantity of one, with bids | The current high bid plus the bid increment |
| Multiple quantities, not all taken | The Starting Bid |
| Multiple quantities, all taken | The lowest high bid plus the bid increment |
Bidders who are currently winning see their own current bid instead of the next bid amount.
Items with Multiple Quantities
An item with a quantity of 4 can have 4 high bidders, each with a different bid amount. A new bidder only needs to outbid the lowest of the high bidders to take a spot. If multiple high bidders have bid the same lowest amount, the later bid is knocked out first.
Each person can hold only one bid per item, so a bidder can win only one of the available quantity. A high bidder can raise their own bid at any time; the new bid must be at least their current bid plus the bid increment.
Auto Bid
Auto Bid is available on items with a quantity of one when Allow Auto Bid is enabled. The bidder enters a bid along with a maximum amount they are willing to pay. Their bid is placed right away, and AuctionSnap bids for them, up to their maximum, whenever someone else outbids them. The maximum is never shown to other bidders.
- The higher maximum wins. When two bidders both use Auto Bid, the bidder with the higher maximum wins.
- Auto bids go up by the bid increment, until they reach the maximum. If the maximum is less than a full increment above the other bid, the auto bid uses the maximum. For example, with a $5 increment, an auto bid with a $251 maximum will beat a $250 bid at $251.
- Ties go to the first bidder. If two bids are for the same amount, the one placed first wins. For two auto bids with the same maximum, the one set first wins.
- Bidders can change their maximum after setting it.
Reading the Bid History
The Bid History lists every bid on an item with the bidder’s name, amount, and time. Bids placed by Auto Bid look the same as any other bid.
- Times for auto bids show when the auto bid was placed in response to another bid, not when the bidder set their maximum.
- An auto bid that is outbid shows the bidder’s maximum.
- When two auto bids have the same maximum, the one set later shows $1 less than the winning bid.
Example
This item has a $5 bid increment.
| Time | What happened | Bid History shows |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00pm | Maria bids $150 | Maria – $150 – 12:00pm |
| 12:40pm | Sam bids $175 | Sam – $175 – 12:40pm |
| 12:50pm | Maria bids $180 | Maria – $180 – 12:50pm |
| 1:00pm | Sam bids $195 | Sam – $195 – 1:00pm |
| 1:01pm | Maria bids $200 and sets a maximum of $251 | Maria – $200 – 1:01pm |
| 3:29pm | Sam bids $250 | Sam – $250 – 3:29pm |
| 3:29pm | Maria’s auto bid responds. $250 plus the $5 increment would be $255, which is over her maximum, so it bids her $251 maximum | Maria – $251 – 3:29pm |
Maria wins at $251, and the next bid amount shown to other bidders is $256.