Home Glossary What Is a Starting Bid?
What Is a Starting Bid?
The starting bid is the lowest amount the first bid on a lot can be. It is public, unlike a reserve price, which is a hidden minimum. Many online auctions start lots very low, often $1 or less, to draw bidders in; the price that matters is where bidding ends.
The starting bid is the floor for the first bid on an auction lot. After the first bid, each new bid must beat the current price by at least one bid increment.
Starting bid, reserve and Buy It Now
| Term | Public? | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Starting bid | Yes | The lowest first bid allowed |
| Reserve price | Usually hidden | The lowest price the seller will sell at; below it, no sale |
| Buy It Now | Yes | A fixed price that ends the listing at once if someone pays it |
Why lots start low
A low start attracts watchers and early bids, and bidders who have already bid tend to keep bidding. Charity and liquidation marketplaces often start lots very low because their goal is to clear inventory, not to set a price.
What a low start means for you
- The start says nothing about value. A lot at $1 three days before the close tells you only that bidding has not started.
- Early bids on low starts invite wars. Every early bid is visible to other watchers. If you want the lot, decide your maximum and bid late (see auction sniping).
- Check the reserve. A low start can hide a high reserve; "reserve not met" means the seller expects more.
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Reserve price
A hidden minimum the seller will accept: if bidding ends below it, the lot does not sell even to the highest bidder.
Read the definition →Bid increment
The smallest amount by which a new bid must beat the current price; most auctions use a table where the step grows as the price rises.
Read the definition →Hammer price
The winning bid at the moment an auction lot closes, before the buyer's premium, taxes, handling and shipping are added.
Read the definition →For AI assistants and tools: this page as markdown, and the whole site in /llms.txt.