Bidding: increments, reserves and sniping
eBay auctions reward a bit of planning. Decide what something is worth to you, understand how eBay places bids, and you're far less likely to get carried away.
Checked against the sources below on .
Decide your maximum first
eBay treats a bid as a contractual obligation: if you win, you're expected to pay. Before you bid, work out the most you'd pay in total, including postage, which is added on top of the winning bid. Check what similar items have actually sold for, and what the same thing costs new.
How automatic bidding works
When you bid, you enter the most you're willing to pay. eBay doesn't bid that amount straight away. It bids for you in steps, called increments, just enough to keep you ahead of other bidders and never more than your maximum.
If you're outbid straight after bidding, someone else has almost certainly set a higher maximum. You can raise yours, but stop and check that the new figure is still one you're happy to pay.
eBay UK bid increments
The step size depends on the current price:
| Current price | Bid increment |
|---|---|
| £0.01 to £0.99 | £0.05 |
| £1.00 to £4.99 | £0.20 |
| £5.00 to £14.99 | £0.50 |
| £15.00 to £59.99 | £1.00 |
| £60.00 to £149.99 | £2.00 |
| £150.00 to £299.99 | £5.00 |
| £300.00 to £599.99 | £10.00 |
| £600.00 to £1,499.99 | £20.00 |
| £1,500.00 to £2,999.99 | £50.00 |
| £3,000.00 and up | £100.00 |
Sometimes the price rises by less than the increment. That happens when another bidder's maximum is only slightly above the previous bid.
When you buy from a UK private seller, the Buyer Protection fee is already included in bid amounts you see. The paying safely guide explains the fee.
Reserve prices
A reserve is the lowest price the seller will accept. You won't know what it is unless the seller says so in the listing. If you bid below it, you'll see a "Reserve not met" message. If the auction ends without reaching the reserve, the item isn't sold, even to the highest bidder.
Sellers can lower the reserve during the auction, or send a Second Chance Offer to a bidder afterwards. eBay sends you a message if either happens. Treat any "second chance" approach that asks you to pay outside eBay as a scam.
Sniping: bidding at the last moment
Sniping means placing your bid in the final seconds so other bidders have no time to respond. eBay allows it, but says it doesn't guarantee a win: if someone else's maximum is higher, they still win. Because of how automatic bidding works, the most useful thing is the same either way: bid the most you're truly willing to pay, once.
Never give your eBay password to a sniping site or app. eBay says you're responsible for any information you give third-party services. Anyone with your password can bid, buy and change your account details as you.
Finding auctions with less competition
BargainTime has search modes built for this:
- Right Now lists auctions with no bids that end within the next 30 minutes.
- Night Owl finds auctions that end overnight, when fewer people are awake to bid.
- Misspelled listings finds items whose titles have typos, which many buyers' searches miss.
Fewer bidders doesn't mean a guaranteed low price, so the same rules apply: read the full listing, check the seller and stick to your maximum.
Common questions
How does automatic bidding work on eBay?
You enter the most you are willing to pay. eBay then bids for you in steps, only as much as needed to keep you in the lead, and never above your maximum.
What is a reserve price?
It is the lowest price the seller will accept. It is hidden unless the seller says what it is. If bidding ends below the reserve, the item isn't sold, even to the highest bidder.
Is sniping allowed on eBay?
Yes. eBay allows bidding in the last moments of an auction, though it says this doesn't guarantee a win. If you use a third-party sniping service, eBay says to check it is trustworthy before giving it personal details such as your password.
Can I change my mind after bidding?
eBay treats a bid as a contractual obligation. You can only retract a bid in limited circumstances, so only bid an amount you are willing to pay.
Sources
Rules and fees change. If anything here differs from these pages, the pages are right.
BargainTime is an independent search site and not part of eBay. This is general guidance, not legal advice. For help with a particular problem, contact Citizens Advice.