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Non-compliant auction
Summary: kre16622 reported a problem with an eBay auction, where despite being shown as the highest bidder, the item was awarded to another participant after the countdown ended. They are asking for an explanation of this inexplicable phenomenon. *miss-tigri* replied, suggesting that it could be due to the use of last-second bidding software, known as a 'sniper,' and shared a link for more information on the subject.
I would like to report a very unusual situation that occurred when the eBay auction ended.
Right up to the very last second, the interface clearly showed:
“You are the highest bidder” — no new bid, no other participant appeared, and the countdown was ending normally.
When the timer reached zero, the auction was officially closed. And only after it ended, when the time had completely run out, did an unexpected message appear:
“We are determining the winner”.
A few moments later, I discovered that the lot had been awarded to another bidder — someone who had never appeared in the system before the end and whose higher bid was never visible.
This person was declared the winner with only €1 more than my maximum bid (for example: €289 for me, €290 for this “invisible” participant).
This final higher bid was never shown live, which makes the situation incomprehensible, especially since until the end I was shown as the winner.
I am therefore asking you to check what really happened when the auction closed and to explain this mechanism to me, as it does not seem either transparent or in line with the usual auction process.
Thank you in advance for your reply.
1 comment
*miss-tigri*
Mentor8 months agoHello
You’re addressing a forum and not customer service..
You’ve probably come across a sniper who uses software to bid in the last second.
https://www.ebay.fr/help/buying/bidding/enchres-de-dernire-minute?id=4224&st=3&pos=5&query=Ench%C3%A8res%20de%20derni%C3%A8re%20minute&intent=Ench%C3%A8re%20derni%C3%A8re%20&lucenceai=lucenceai&docId=HELP1298