How online auctions work on BidBuy
Updated 9 November 2026
A BidBuy auction is a seven-day timed sale. Bidding opens at €1, competition does the pricing, and the seller is protected by a reserve.
The €1 start
Every lot opens at €1 so that bidders join early. The €1 is not a price the seller has to accept.
The confidential reserve
The seller sets the lowest price they will accept. Bidders never see it. If bidding does not reach it, the auction closes with no sale and nobody owes anything.
Anti-snipe
A bid in the final two minutes extends the clock by two minutes, repeatedly. The highest bidder wins, not the fastest clicker.
Bidding
- Sign in with an email code and register on the lot.
- Bids are binding. Check the figure before you press bid.
- You are emailed if someone outbids you.
After the close
If the reserve is met, the winner and seller are emailed each other’s details to arrange viewing, payment and collection directly. BidBuy does not hold money.