A bid increment is the minimum amount by which the current bid must increase for the next bid. The required increment is based on the current bid amount, not the Maximum Bid entered by a bidder.
As the current bid increases, the required bid increment may also increase.
Current Bid Increments
| Current Bid | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0.00–$9.99 | $0.25 |
| $10.00–$49.99 | $1.00 |
| $50.00–$99.99 | $2.00 |
| $100.00–$999.99 | $5.00 |
| $1,000.00 and above | $25.00 |
The bid increment may display as $0.00 on the item listing until the first bid has been placed.
Example
If the current bid is $57.00, the bid increment is $2.00. The next bid must therefore be at least $59.00.
How Bid Increments Work with AutoBid
When you place a bid, you can enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay. AutoBid then bids on your behalf, increasing the current bid only as much as necessary to keep you in the lead, up to your Maximum Bid.
Your Maximum Bid is not necessarily the amount you will pay. If competing bids do not reach your maximum, you may win the item for less.
For more information, see AutoBid.
Why Can the Winning Bid Be Less Than a Full Increment Above My Maximum Bid?
The bid increment determines the minimum bid a bidder must enter based on the current bid at the time the bid is placed. It does not require the final winning price to be a full bid increment above another bidder's Maximum Bid.
For example:
- Your Maximum Bid is $576.00.
- The current bid is $566.00, where the required increment is $5.00.
- Another bidder must enter a Maximum Bid of at least $571.00 to place a valid bid.
- The other bidder enters a Maximum Bid of $577.75.
Because the other bidder's Maximum Bid exceeds your $576.00 Maximum Bid, AutoBid can make that bidder the high bidder at $577.75. The winning amount does not have to be $581.00 simply because the bid increment at that price level is $5.00.
Key point: Bid increments determine the minimum amount required to place a bid based on the current bid. They do not determine the required difference between two bidders' Maximum Bids.