I’m the highest bidder. Did I win the car?
Last edit: February 08 2026 • 896 view
Hey guys! We keep getting your questions, and today I want to share one common case. Our customer Laurence won the auction with the highest bid and was a bit surprised to learn that the seller had a reserve price. Let’s take a closer look at this case. Let’s go!
First of all, I need to say there are 3 types of sale status. Sale status shows the type of auction for a specific lot.
Pure Sale. There is no reserve price. The vehicle is awarded to the highest bidder. Even if your bid is $100 and it was the last bid, you get the car.
On Minimum Bid and On Approval. The seller has a reserve price and can accept your bid, reject it and relist the vehicle, or send you a counteroffer.
The sale status is shown on the lot page. Unfortunately, Laurence did not notice the sale status right away, which is why he was surprised when we told him that the seller had made an offer.
Sellers do not often show their reserve price, but sometimes we can see this information in the Pricing analysis section. Please use it, it is very helpful when bidding.
So how does this work if you are the highest bidder, but the sale status is On Minimum Bid or On Approval?
When the auction ends, we wait for the seller’s response. In most cases, the seller sends a counteroffer. You can keep your current bid, counter with a new bid, or accept the seller’s reserve.
Please note: if your final offer is far below the reserve, the seller can reject it and relist the car. We recommend slowly increasing your offers up to your max limit and negotiating with the seller to lower their price. For this, you need to provide your max bid, and we will negotiate with the seller within your limit.
Why is it important to negotiate with the seller?
Imagine your final bid is $1,000, but you were actually ready to buy the car for $2,000. No one bid more than $1,000, and the seller’s reserve is $1,500.
If you keep your current bid, there is a high chance the seller will relist the vehicle. If you negotiate, the seller may lower the reserve during the process. Yes, you will pay more than your final bid, but you will get the car and still buy it for less than your original max bid.
I hope this short guide was helpful. Use our Pricing analysis section, and if we contact you and tell you that the seller has made an offer, negotiate with the seller to increase your chances of buying the vehicle.
