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Introducing Extended Bidding: helping auctions reach their full potential
Summary: au_news_team announced the rollout of Extended Bidding starting August 17, aimed at creating fairer auctions on the platform. This feature will extend auctions by 60 seconds if a bid is placed in the final minute, allowing other interested buyers to respond and ensuring the winning bid better reflects the item's value. This change seeks to create a level playing field, keeping competition alive, and offering clarity and confidence in the auction's closing moments. The initiative aims to provide buyers more time to bid effectively and help sellers achieve prices that reflect true market demand.
From 17 August, we’re rolling out Extended Bidding to help create fairer auctions and better outcomes for buyers and sellers. Extended bidding keeps the final moments of an auction open while bidding is active, creating a clear and confident close for both buyers and sellers.
What is Extended Bidding?
If someone places a bid in the final minute of an auction, we'll automatically extend the auction by a short period. This gives other interested buyers time to respond, instead of relying on who can place the fastest last-second bid. The result is a fairer auction where the winning bid better reflects what an item is worth.
How It Works
When a bid is placed during the final minute of an auction, the remaining time will reset to 60 seconds until all bidding stops. The auction continues until no more bids are placed during the final minute, giving everyone who's actively bidding the opportunity to respond.
Why are we making this change?
We are creating a level playing field that gives committed buyers a fair chance to place their best bid.
Keep competition alive: Auctions end based on bidding activity, not a rigid clock, so competition can finish naturally.
Stay in the action: When bidding heats up, buyers can respond instead of being outbid at the last second.
Confidence at the close: The final moments of an auction are clear, visible, and decisive, so buyers and sellers understand exactly what’s happening as the auction ends.
What this means for buyers
Extended Bidding gives you more time to place your best bid when an auction is about to end. Instead of missing out because someone bid at the last second, you'll have the opportunity to respond if you're still interested.
What this means for sellers
More time for active bidding can help your item reach its true market value. During our pilot, we saw stronger bidding activity and, in many cases, higher final sale prices on high-demand listings.
Thank you for being a part of the eBay community.
