When bidding on objects with a higher value, you may be requested to provide a one-time bid reservation. You’ll be informed of this by a notification above the bid block on the right-hand side of the object page that explains a credit card is required to place the next bid.
A bid reservation requires the user to provide their credit card information so that the bid may be properly confirmed (currently this is only possible via MasterCard, VISA or American Express cards). As a result of the bid reservation, a hold will be placed for the bid amount requested.
Please take into consideration that the amount secured for your bid reservation is not withdrawn from your account, it is only subject to a temporary hold on the funds. The outcome of your bid reservation is dependent on whether the auction is won, lost, or payment is not provided.
Auction won
If you are the winner of the object which you have provided a reservation for, then the hold placed on your credit card will be credited directly towards your open invoice. By going to your payment page, you will be able to pay the remaining balance on your purchase using our accepted payment methods.
Auction lost
In the event you have provided a bid reservation but have not won the object being auctioned, the hold placed to reserve your bid amount will be removed, and the funds will be made available once again in your account. The amount of time it takes for your funds to be made available depends on your bank or financial institution.
Payment not provided
If you win an object for which you provided a bid reservation but fail to pay the remaining purchase price within the allowed period, the sale will be cancelled due to non-payment and you’ll be notified. As you won the object, you’re required to pay the Buyer Protection fee. This must be paid before we can process a refund for your bid reservation. After paying the Buyer Protection fee, please contact our Customer Service team to release the hold on your credit card and complete the refund of your bid reservation. Note that the refund will only be issued after the Buyer Protection fee has been paid and you have reached out to our team.