Auction glossaryBid Increment: The Smallest Amount a Bid Can Rise
A bid increment is the minimum amount by which a new bid must beat the current high bid. The auction house sets increments, and they usually grow as the price rises, so a $40 lot might move in $10 steps while a $1,500 lot moves in $100 steps. They keep bidding orderly.
How do bid increments work?
If the high bid is $240 and the increment is $25, the lowest bid you can place is $265. Bidding $250 isn't allowed, but bidding $300 is. When you use a max bid, the system raises your bid one increment at a time, only as far as needed to keep you ahead.
What are the bid increments on Auktia?
Auktia's standard keeps increments small at every price, and each seller (auction house) can set its own for an auction. A bid 5 times the next bid, or $5,000 or more over it, asks you to confirm, so a typo doesn't cost you. The bid increments guide covers how to use them.
- $1 under $100
- $2.50 from $100 up, whatever the price
Questions people ask
Can I bid more than one increment?
Yes. The increment is only the smallest allowed jump. You can bid more, or enter a max bid and let the system step up for you.
Why do increments get bigger as the price rises?
A $10 jump matters on a $50 item and barely registers on a $3,000 one. Larger steps at higher prices keep bidding moving without hundreds of tiny raises.
Is the increment the same as the opening bid?
No. The opening bid is where bidding starts; the increment is how much each bid after it must rise.