Frequently asked questions
How bidding works on BidIt, and the two places it differs from the auction sites you already know.
Can I set a maximum bid and let BidIt bid for me?
No. Every bid is one you place yourself, for the exact amount you are willing to pay, and the price becomes exactly that amount — it is not raised gradually on your behalf up to a hidden ceiling. BidIt is a live format: lots are won by being there, not by leaving an instruction and coming back later.
What you are protected from is being beaten in the final second. A bid placed near the end pushes the clock out again, so a lot only ends once bidding has genuinely stopped — nobody wins by arriving a moment before the close.
Can I set a reserve price on my lot?
No. The starting price is the floor, and there is no hidden minimum beneath it. A lot can sell for its starting price and never for less, so set that price at the lowest figure you would genuinely be happy to accept.
This matters because a bid is a binding offer: when the clock stops, the lot sells to the highest bidder. Cancelling afterwards because the price disappointed you is recorded as a failure to dispatch, and repeated failures restrict your ability to list. If a number would upset you, it belongs in the starting price rather than in a decision made later.