The last affordable bid
Training 2055 minutesauction limit
Your total budget is $120. Fees are 10% of the winning bid, plus $10 shipping. Another bidder clicks quickly.
Training goal: Hold the full-price ceiling
▶ Play this trainingSituation
1. Round 1. A $100 bid. Full price?
- $110
- $100
- $120
2. Round 2. The next bid is $105. Does it fit?
- Yes, the fee stays at $10
- No, the total is $125.50
- Yes, it is still below $120
3. Round 3. An equivalent verified item costs $118 including shipping and all fees.
- Compare it with the auction’s full price
- Keep bidding to win
- Call the shop dearer than the $100 bid
4. Round 4. Bidding passes your ceiling.
- Raise the limit at every new bid
- Ignore shipping to allow another bid
- Stop and keep the alternative
What you will learn
- A bid is not the full price
- Fees change with their base
- Compare the ceiling with an alternative
Your real-life step
Before an auction, record your full-price ceiling and an alternative.
Questions and answers
Can a ceiling change?
Yes, with meaningful new information, not merely another bid.
Do all auctions charge 10%?
No. That is a round condition; check actual rules.
Does losing mean losing money?
Not necessarily. Stopping can preserve the better option.
More trainings in this module
- A percentage round trip
- A positive month, a cash-short Tuesday
- A fee on which amount?
- Can the reserve take another hit?
- Prices in different units
- A stall breaks even
Numbers are illustrative. A game, not financial advice.