e-bay - again

[Hgrove]

I am bidding on e-bay to try and buy something.  Is there a difference on e-bay between a bid and a maximum bid or are they the same?  For ex., the item I bid for has current bid �10.  I decided to bid �16 (don't ask why that particular figure!) but it is now showing as bid still �10, and my max. bid is �16.  Why is it not showing that the current bid, and entered by me, is �16?  Am I doing the right thing?  Thank you.

[j2buttonsw]

This will happen if your maximum bid does not exceed the maximum bid of the previous bidder. Although he is the highest bidder with �10 he may have a maximum bid of �20 and your bid doesn't exceed it.

[sammy snake]

Say there was something that you really wanted that was currently at �10.  You could place your maximum bid at say �30 but if no-one else bids, you don't want to pay �30 for something if you could have had it for �11.

Each time someone places a bid that exceeds the last one, e-bay will place a bid on your behalf, upto the amount that you specified as your maximum. In this case �30.

As mentioned above, it could be the case for your item that the person who has bid the �10 has already placed a maximum bid of higher than your �16 and if so, it normally tells you this when you try and place a bid.

[j2buttonsw]

I'm talking utter ****, please ignore me.

[Hammer]

Ebay increases your bid as little as possible to ensure you are still winning.

 You are currently winning at �10.

If someone comes in at �11, you will then be winning at �12.

If someone else bids �15, you will be winning at �16.

If someone else bids �17, you are outbid.

(All this assumes that the bid increment is �1, just to make the numbers easier to follow.)

[BenDToy]

Hgrove - can you confirm that you are winning the auction? If you bid �16 and the current bid is �10 you should continue "winning" until the price exceeds �16.

[Hgrove]

Thank you for all the replies but I am not sure I am going to be able to buy this item now.  I am still confused.  There are now two different people selling the same item.  On one of them (based in Washington, UK - is it in Scotland? Does anyone know?) the current bid is �46.  The seller wants �3 p&p.  I am the high bidder but the reserve has not been met.  It has 6 days left to run.  As for the other item (seller based in Dustable) I have been outbid; the current bid stands at �40 plus �7.50 p&p.  There are 4 days left. So it seems to me I am unlikely to "win" either item.  Am I right?  What should I do next?