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Ending bidding time is wrong, I placed a bid with only 10 seconds remaining,
I posted a bid with 10 seconds remaining on the listing, I got notice of my bid with 3 seconds remaining, the auction ended, it gave notice I had won the bid, then about 30 seconds later I had been out bid, I feel ripped off. So, I checked the time my bid posted (with 10 seconds remaining) "26 Aug 2025 at 11:43:01am PDT" then I checked the posted time of the winning bidder, "26 Aug 2025 at 11:44:33am PDT) this isn't possible, that's over 30 seconds later than my bid, I need this fixed! Here is a link to the original listing, this is not right! https://www.ebay.com/itm/277342032107?
17 comments
eburtonlab
Mentor11 months agoThe short answer is: if your computer's clock is wrong, your auction countdown will be wrong.
Here is my boilerplate on this topic:
Bidding ends a set number of days after the auction started down to the exact second. Bids are accepted so long as a bid for a valid amount is received by eBay's server before the auction ends, even if those bids are not displayed on individual bidders' pages around the world until a few seconds later.
eBay does not extend bidding. Once you have bid your maximum, bid extensions can not help you, only hurt you.
For some unknown reason eBay no longer displays the ending time to the second at the top of the bid history page, but if there are any bids you should be able to calculate the actual ending time by examining the starting time of the auction at the bottom of the page. Auctions always begin and end at the same time down to the exact second, unless the auction is ended early by the seller. All bidders have the same time to place valid bids, and no one gets any extra time. eBay time stamps every bid as it is received by eBay, and the times are displayed to the second in the bid history if you use a desktop browser.
Being told you are the current "high bidder" while the auction is still ongoing is not the same as being declared the winner after the auction is over, even if the countdown on your computer reaches zero. If you are the winner, you should see a link to check out.
If you think you have encountered an auction where a bid was accepted after the end of the auction, examine the starting time closely and compare it to the time the bid was received and you should find that the bid was received before the auction actually ended. If not, please post an item number so that others can see it.
If you bid the maximum amount you are willing to pay (taking into account any shipping or taxes) then the only way you can lose is if someone is willing to bid more than you were and actually does so, or if someone bid the same exact amount, earlier.
No one can count on having the last bid, and bidders should assume that other bids will be placed at the end of the auction too late to be reacted to, and set their bids accordingly.
If your auction countdown is not behaving correctly, check to make sure your computer's time and time zone are set correctly, and the date and time are synchronized with an internet time server such as time.windows.com or time.gov.
Check your computer's time here:
https://time.is/
Any difference between your device's clock and eBay's clock can cause problems for you if you intend to bid in the last few seconds of an auction. If your clock is fast or slow by thirty seconds, either way, this can prevent you from bidding. Either your computer will think the auction has ended when it has not, preventing your from bidding, or else you will think you have more time when the auction actually ends. Neither helps you.
Synchronize your device's clock to minimize errors, and don't wait until the last second to place your bid.
house*of*paws
Mentor11 months agoHi @mark_3957
When was the last time you synced your computer’s time with eBay’s or real time?
mark_3957
OP11 months agoI use a PC Desk Top.. not a stupid cellphone. The browser tab was open, it displayed the auction time clock clicking down, it was running down the count (real time) at 10 seconds I submitted my bid, the listing page auto refreshed, the auction timer showed 3-seconds remaining, displaying active counting, 3,2, 1, ENDED the page refreshed again stated I had won the auction. I left the browser window open, when to my email to write an email, went back to the open browser tab, it had refreshed again, then it displayed that I had been out bit. You're grasping at straws with your reply, this isn't going to go away! this need corporate attention! I'm getting more PIS**ED about this by the minute.
mark_3957
OP11 months agoI'll give Ebay until Night Fall Eastern Time, then I'm going public with this!
All of the information ebay needs to contact me they have excess to in my profile, make it happen.
At this point it appears as though ebay is involved in fraudulent activity. It would seem that sense ebay brought Ai onboard they've been on a study decline in many ways, all driving by greed.
house*of*paws
Mentor11 months ago@mark_3957
I merely asked when you had last synced your computer clock … meaning that you may not be seeing eBay’s auction clock in real time on your computer.
You are not the first person to have questioned whether eBay has surreptitiously added time to an auction to allow additional bidding that shouldn’t have been allowed. When told to check the accuracy of their computer (not cellphone) clock … they were surprised to discover that it was significantly ‘off’.
I definitely am NOT trying to prevent you from going public to the world about eBay’s dastardly deeds … but I AM suggesting that there may be an alternative reason for what you were seeing. If you don't care about the possibility that you are mistaken ... then go right ahead and spill the beans.
[You can check your computer clock accuracy here: https://time.is/]
mark_3957
OP11 months agoThe clock is a streaming clock!, the clock ENDED the auction, It reflected I had won the auction, that was the second step after reflecting I was the winning bidder, that was displayed with only 3 seconds remaining, those 3 seconds ran out, the page auto refreshed, it was revised to reflect me as winning the auction. I go away to start an email with the browser still open & when I do the page auto refreshes then it reflects I had been out bid. I does my computer clock account for screen refreshes with on time notifications? Even me winning the auction?
I get it, you're trying to help, but I'm working with another Ai service detailing this issue and there is only ONE thus far likely outcome, & that's ebay services misusing Ai service for financial gains to the company, at my winning bid ebay was set to receive $2.50 with the magic of Ai they managed to bring that up to $4.30 that's near double the profits.
So, if that's the case there is a "Backronym" for this. AITRIFINE using "Artful Inventions Tricking Real Investors, Fabricating False Illusory Numbers Endlessly.
This isn't going to be swept under the rug, I'll will bring this out into the light, I'd suggest a corporate from someone that's really within ebay, see ebay has also arranged (closed nearly all DOORS to the public so these matters can't be worked out, I used to report listing of counterfeit coins, then ebay started using Ai for support, so then every time I reported one the dumb a** Ai (it really is Artificial Intelligence) replied that it checked the listing and could find an issue with, so this FAKE worthless coin was sold for $1,000 dollars, the buyer got nothing, the rip off seller was well rewarded for his $3.00 China investment & ebay services but a haul on the transaction, Ebay's Ai doesn't have the ability (no Ai does, I've tested all of the main one, the ALL fail) to judge a counterfeit coin, so now millions of dollars in worthless tokens move across ebay services, & ebay approves of it, its makes them a fortune, I was forced to stop reporting those fraudulent listings, I spent endless nights scanning ebay's coin auctions and reporting those theft listings when ebay didn't care, so, the brought in Ai and now those scams go mostly unnoticed, no these, this is over the top.. I'll not sweep this under the rug, this isn't going away... if they keep this up they need to expect a "Bud Lite/Cracker Barrel event" to take place. The public isn't going to stand for, we swept the fact that ebay services charges fees on the shipping fees, that's bad enough, when is enough enough?
rfmtm
Mentor11 months agoPlease post the notice that you won the auction.
mark_3957
OP11 months agoIt wasn't a email notice, the refreshed screen first reflected I was the winning bidder with 3-seconds remaining, then with the 3-seconds passed, the screen refreshed at the top left of the auction listing it reflected that I had won the auction. Seeing how I had "Won The Auction" I didn't start taking screen shots at that point. That said, lets play out the theory of a mismatched computer clock if something could explain to me how the clock in my computer can cause the ebay web service to reflect & have me winning the bid, then 3-seconds later on the next screen refresh the ebay web service declares my as winning the auction? Can my computer clock have that much control over ebay's web services?
Heck I could manually set my clock to the future a couple days, place a last second bid, wait for the screen to reflect I won the auction, take a screen shot of it & sue ebay for altering the auction listing. My computer can do that?
Please explain that, if you can then I'll walk away for this whole conversation a changed man, I'll wait...
rfmtm
Mentor11 months agoYou would have received an email and/or ebay message, which would still be available in your ebay message folder, if you won the auction. If you did not receive this message and it was just something that flashed by on the screen is it possible you misread it, which generally said you currently were winning, not that you have actually won the auction.
Also, if your problem was widespread there would certainly be many complaining here and we would be the first to call in the ebay support team we have access to, if there were screen shots or copies of ebay messages to support it.
Regardless, highest bid always wins and is in no way connected to when that bid was made, whether days ago or in the last fraction of a second.
mark_3957
OP11 months agoRight after the last 3-second screen refresh (auction ended) where it reads here "Sorry You were outbid" it read I had won the auction. So, how did my computer clock cause that.
lady_madonna
Mentor11 months agoThe auction ended at 11:44:43am
You bid at 11:43:01am, 1 minute and 42 seconds before the auction ended.
The winning bidder outbid you at 11:44:33am, 10 seconds before the auction ended.
mark_3957
OP11 months agoThat's the problem. I watched the bid clock tick down, I waited until there was only 10 seconds remain, I would NEVE place a bid with over a minute remaining! I on purpose waited until the timer ran down to 10 second's. If that timer isn't a real timer than why is it there?. No! look at my account, I've been buying & selling on ebay sense the year 2000, there was NOT a minute left on the clock, now I'm getting mad about this, this is the second time this has happened, the 1st I eat it thinking I had don't something wrong, this time there was ONLY 10 SECONDS LEFT ON THE AUCTION TIMER when I placed the bid, I submitted the bid, refreshed the page, the timer showed 3 seconds remaining, I followed the count, the auction ended, the page refreshed, then the auction showed I was the winning bidder, so I went to send a friend an email, went back to the still opened browser tab then it reflected I was OUT BID. This is a RIP OFF, I WAS FRAUDED BUY THE EBAY SYSTEM! With over a minute left on the bid timer I would have went and got a cup of TEA and came back. I had several I could have done in the couple of hours I waited around the house just because I didn't want to miss that bidding on that auction, but I hung around & waited it out, JUST TO BE SCAMMED! WRONG! If THIS IS CORRECTED, I WILL NOTIFY THE ENTIRE WORLD ABOUT THIS FRAUD! I'LL POST THIS EVENT ON EVERY MAJOR FORUM ON THE WEB! This was one of the lest important item listings I've ever bid on, & I wasn't mad about missing out on it, now I'M ANGRY ABOUT IT! its NOT POSSIBLE THAT I MADE AN OVER ONE MINUTE ERROR IN POSTING MY BID! SOMETHING IN THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN SET TO SCAM BUYERS! THIS IS BEYOND OUTRAGIOUS!, I'LL NOT EXCEPT & JUST GO AWAY! I'm normally a very passive person, BUT NOT THIS TIME!!! Make No MISTAKE ABOUT IT! There WAS ONLY 10SECONDS REMAINING ON THE BID TIMER WHEN I SUBMITTED MY BID! Something is very VERY WRONG here! The system automatically play it out so so ebay got more money! Its leaned to the favor of the seller because it made ebay MORE money & in this case it's screwing the buyers! FIX THIS! CORRECT IT, OR LOOK TO FOR A BUD LITE/ CRACKER REACTION! I WAS RIPPED OFF & I CAUGHT EBAY SERVICES DOING IT! FIX THIS! THIS IS FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY!
rfmtm
Mentor11 months agoIt doesn't matter what time anyone bids in a proxy type auction, the highest bid always wins.
mark_3957
OP11 months agoWhen my BID WENT IN! THERE WAS ONLY 3-seconds remaining on the BID CLOCK! not a minute, Read my most again! Look at the posting times, its not POSSIBLE if the bid timer is real at all, that there was that much time left for anther bidder to bid, its NOT POSSIBLE. You've made something else out of this entirely, you missed the point. Its not about the money its about the actual bid posting time, I on purpose let the bid timer run down to 10 seconds, submitted the bid, refreshed the page which left 3 seconds remaining on the bid timer, the time expired, the page auto refreshed, it stated I had won the bid & the auction ENDED! then moments later when I went back to the open browser tab the page had refreshed again this time stating I had been OUT BID! What matters in this case, is I on purpose ran the bid timer down so far that when my bid went in it stated I had won the auction, there wasn't enough time after my bid for another bid to have been made, except for the 3 seconds, there wasn't no minute remaining, THIS IS FRAUD!
mark_3957
OP11 months agoIt needs NOTED that when the page refreshed showing only 3-seconds remaining, the listing showed I was currently the high (winning bidder), when the bid timer expired & the page refreshed again, it stated I had won the auction & showed the auction CLOSED! then it later auto refreshed again (recalculated) then it reflected I had been outbid. The problem wasn't that I was OUTBID, the problem is in the recalculating posting times so that Ebay got more money, double more in fact.. This is fraudulent activity that if not corrected will not just go away. Ebay makes more than enough profits that it doesn't need to stupe to such low standards, I know that lots of parts of ebay has been turned over to Ai & I know that Ai runs on a sit of programmed standards, if this is impart due to Ai then it needs FIXED! There is a difference between being currently the winning bidder and You've won the auction after the auction CLOSED! Ebay in this practice could face a "Bud Lite/Cracker Barrel" event! This is unacceptable & I'm not going to let this go without making a world notice about it! I did the first step of Place Bid at around 2-minutes (that's not the final submit) then I observed the bid timer & I ON PURPOSE watched the count (clock) run down to only 10 seconds it was at that point when I did the final "Submit Bid" the page refreshed & displayed only 3-seconds remaining, I watched the 3-seconds run out, the page auto refreshed then reflected I Won The Auction. I'm not going to let this go! The only way this could go away is if someone with in ebay claims that the bid timer isn't accurate, that's is just a close estimation, & if that's the case then SCRAP IT, & let us go back to how we did it in the days of Dial Up Modems and using Egg Timers, that's how we used to do it, yes, I've been doing this that long.