The problem seems to have been due to using a bid-group and having a bid placed when the database was unavailable due to maintenance; the "DID NOT WIN" result. This combined with the fact that I had a bid group buy quantity > 1 and had one win already made for a situation where I could add auctions but the system wouldn't ever enter a bid on them.
Apparently if I bid to low I'd still get THAT status shown otherwise it wouldn't bid.
So... In the future I'll scrap a bid group if I get a do not win just to be safe.