Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
After this, any future bids must be at least equal to the current winning bid plus one
bidding increment, where the bidding increment is determined by the amount of the
current winning bid, as shown in the following table:
Current winning bid
Bidding increment
$0.00 to $1.00
$0.05
$1.01 to $5.00
$0.25
$5.01 to $10.00
$0.50
$10.01 to $50.00
$2.50
$50.01 to $100.00
$5.00
$100.01 to $500.00
$25.00
and so on
When a new bid is placed, oBay determines the winning bid by comparing the
maximum amount
of the current winning bid with the new bid; whichever is
highest is determined to be the winner. However, the amount of the winning
bid is determined by adding one bidding increment to the maximum amount
of the losing bid.
If the calculated winning bid is greater than the maximum bid of the winning bid,
then the winning bid is set equal to the maximum bid. In the event of a tie, then
whoever placed the bid first is deemed to have the winning bid, and the winning
bid is set to their maximum bid amount.
At first glance, this might sound quite complicated, so let's take an example to clarify.
If the minimum amount set by the seller is $1.00, then the winning bid would be
worked out as follows:
•
If bidder A places a bid of $7.00, then they would currently have a winning
bid of $1.00
•
If bidder B then bids $3.00, bidder A would still have the winning bid, but it
would now be $3.25 (bidder B's maximum bid plus one bidding increment)
If bidder B then bids $6.99, bidder A would still have the winning bid, but
now it would be $7.00
•
If it had gone up by a full bidding increment, it would now
be $7.49, but the maximum bid of bidder A is $7.00.
•
Finally, if bidder B bids $10.00, then they would now be the winning bidder,
with a winning bid of $7.50
