Bidding on an Item Before It Goes Up For Auction

You can bid on an item listed in a seller’s product list anytime before the auction starts, as long as the seller has pre-bidding turned on for that item. 

When you bid on an item before it goes up for auction, you’ll set a maximum bid amount that you’re willing to spend on that item. This does not mean you will have to spend that amount if you win the bid. Instead, the app will automatically bid for you with minimum bidding increments until either: 

• You win the auction at or below your max bid amount.
  OR
• Someone else outbids your max bid, at which point you will have to bid again or allow the other bidder to win the auction. 

To learn more about how bidding amounts are determined, visit Bidding Overview. 

Bidding on an Item Before it’s Auctioned

1. Open a livestream on your mobile device. 
2. Tap on the Store icon in the bottom right corner.
   
3. Go to the Auctions tab. 
4. Tap the Bid Now button under any item.
   
5. Enter the max bid amount you’re willing to pay for this item by
   1. Tapping on Show Keypad and typing in the bid amount.
      OR
   2. Tapping the plus or minus buttons next to the bid amount to increase or decrease the bid amount. 
6. Tap Submit.
   
   
   

Winning max bids will appear on the item listing with the text Winning next to the number of bids placed on the item. 

Frequently Asked Questions

If I pre-bid on an item, do I need to be present for the live auction?

You do not have to be present during the auction if you’ve pre-bid on an item before the seller runs the auction.

If a person outbids you, you will receive a notification on your mobile device informing you to increase your max bid to secure the item. Tap the notification to re-enter the stream and update your max bid. Visit Bidding on an Auction Item During a Livestream for more info. 

Are pre-bids binding?

Yes, if you pre-bid on an item and are the highest bidder when the live auction finishes, the item is yours and your payment will be immediately captured from your card on file. 

Is there a minimum or maximum dollar amount that you can pre-bid on an item? 

All pre-bids will start at the auction starting price (if set by the seller) or $1. If the host starts the auction at a price higher than the highest pre-bid amount, all lower pre-bids will be voided. There is no maximum on how much you can bid on a given item. 

What if the auction for an item I pre-bid on never happens?

If the item you pre-bid on never gets put up for auction, your pre-bid will be dropped, and there will be no charge to your account. 

Can I cancel a pre-bid?

At this time, there is no way to cancel a pre-bid. 

If an auction item is listed with more than one quantity, does my pre-bid apply to all quantities of that item? 

At this time, pre-bids only apply to the first available item that goes up for auction after you put in a pre-bid.