How much gets bid?

In your example AS would send a bid of $250 to eBay. Because of eBays proxy bidding system, if no other bids are made, you COULD win for $202.50 (providing that 200 was their max). You don't know what the current winners max is. Your $250 bid could still be to low to win.

>Click Here< to learn about proxy bidding at eBay, and >here< for bid increments.

and to the forum!

So if I put a max bid of $250 down that is not necessarily what I will end up paying. But if someone else bids over me that just means they have bid more than $250. But it doesn't show what anyones max bid is. So the current bid is just the amount the item is currently at, not necessarily what the maximum someone has bid on that item.

So lets say I place a bid of $250 on the same item mentioned above. The page may still only show $205. And then say another guy comes along and bids $275. Then the amount on the page will only show $210? But then would the sytem automatically place another bid by me to increase it to $215. And then it keeps going back and forth like that until one of our max bids is reached or the auction ends?

The winner of an auction will pay one bid increment above the next to highest bid. (with a few exceptions and can be less than a full increment)

Bidder A bids 240 on an auction with an opening price of 200. Current price on eBay shows bidder A the winner with a price of 200. (opening bid amount)

Bidder B comes along and bids 215. eBay will show Bidder A the winner at 217.50 (one increment above B's max)

Bidder C bids 275. eBay shows bidder C in the lead at a price of 242.50. (one increment above A's max)

You now snipe for $250. You lose to bidder C at a price of $255. (one increment above your max)

Get it?