okay, now a different hypothetical . . . let's say that there are 20 items available in a single dutch auction; minimum acceptable bid is $1.00; if Mr. A wants 5 of them and he wants to be pretty sure that he's them so he bids $40 for each of the 5 items, but if no one else has bid yet and there are still 15 available at the minimum acceptable bid price, then ebay would show Mr. A's bid at $1.00, correct?
Now as time passes by and others join into the fray, let's say that the next highest bidder, bids for 18 at a price of $5.00 . . . then it would show Mr. A's bid at $5.00 also (because it would not display Mr. A's ultimate bid if he might still win it at a lower price) right? In this situation, does it show Mr. B as only partially winning or just as another winner and Mr. B finds out later that it is only a partial win?
Okay, moving on, if Mr. C comes in and bids for 1 at $50, then it shows Messrs. A, B and C as all bidding $5, but if it ended then and there Mr. C would get his 1, Mr. A would get his 5 and Mr. B would get only 14 out of the 18 Mr. B wanted, right?
Still same example, because Mr. B doesn't win his entire order, Mr. B can reject a partial order. If Mr. B does reject the partial order, do the folks who bid an amount below Mr. B's price have an opportunity to still buy? Or does the seller have the right to kick in a few more widgets at the price selected by Mr. B to sell Mr. B the entire eighteen (18) items that Mr. B wanted?
an inquiring mind would like to know . . . steve