How Bidding Works

How bidding works at Lake Ariel Sales and Auctions

Bid increments

Every bid must beat the current bid by at least the increment for that price range. The increments in use are:

So if a lot stands at $19.99, the next bid must be at least $22.99. The bid form shows you the minimum, and the quick-bid buttons fill it in for you.

Proxy bidding: bid your maximum once

When you place a bid you are telling us the most you are willing to pay. We keep that number private and bid on your behalf, one increment at a time, only as far as needed to keep you in the lead.

• If you are the first bidder, you lead at the starting price, not at your maximum.
• If someone bids against you but below your maximum, you stay in the lead automatically and your shown bid rises to one increment above theirs.
• If someone bids above your maximum, they take the lead at one increment above your maximum, and you get an outbid email.
• Ties go to the earlier bidder. If two people set the same maximum, the one who set it first keeps the lead. To beat a maximum you must actually exceed it.
• You can raise your maximum at any time while you are leading; your shown bid does not change unless someone pushes it.

Bidding your true maximum early is the best strategy here. You will never pay more than one increment above the next-highest bidder, and you cannot be beaten by someone who merely matches you.

Ending time and last-minute bids

Lots close one after another, a few seconds apart, from the advertised closing time. A lot does not simply end at its posted time if bidding is still active: any new bid placed in the final 2 minutes pushes that lot's close out to 2 minutes from the moment of the bid. This repeats as long as bids keep coming, so a lot closes only when 2 full minutes have passed without a new bid.

This is deliberate. It means a bid in the last few seconds cannot win by leaving no time to respond — everyone gets 2 minutes to answer, just as they would in the room. Raising your own maximum while you are already leading does not extend the lot; only a competing bid does.

In short

Bid the most you would be happy paying. The system does the rest, keeps your maximum private, and gives everyone a fair 2-minute chance to respond.