I spotted a new and unused software package on Ebay and thought I’d have a bit. Unfortunately the seller had set a reserve price (fine in itself) but had also set a starting bid below this and as my bid was the first it met the starting bid but not the reserve. Nobody else bid so consequently my bid stayed at the minimum; every time I visited the auction Ebay would announce that I was the highest bidder, but that they reserve hadn’t been met, so why didn’t I increase my maximum bid? (which of course would be pointless and until somebody else bid, my bid wouldn’t increase).

The auction finished with my bid the only one and at a level well below my maximum bid and the reserve not met. I understand that a low starting bid may attract more bidders (although this one didn’t) but if you’re going to set it below the reserve price wouldn’t it make sense to at least provide a Buy It Now option at a level you’d be prepared to accept?

The item has been relisted and I’ve had another pop, but it may end the same way.

list up the item and I will compete with you 😉

Try contacting the seller direct re this I once had someone list it at BUy it now and I bought it

Just keep adding a pound until you either go above the reserve or above the price you are willing to pay. It will tell you when the reserve has been met (I think).

But you need someone else to do that against.

I must admit I’m surprised it doesn’t bid you up to the reserve once it finishes if your max bid is above it.

Sounds strange, I thought it was meant to increase your bid immediately to your maximum or to the reserve price. Obviously if your max bid was above the reserve price you should win it.

Did you actually bid or just going through the motions in your head? I’ve watched items in the past where the first bidder has increased their bid several times until finding the reserve price.

It will do if your bid meets the reserve, even if its only you bidding. As said, if your max bid isn’t over the reserve it wouldn’t increase until someone bids against. If your max doesn’t meet the reserve, you won’t be winning it anyway!

My bid was the only bid but perhaps it didn’t meet the reserve (although it was over the starting bid); I’m not sure what the reserve is but I can see that perhaps if I’d continued to bid to a point in excess of the reserve I would have won (I didn’t realise that it did that).