Multiple bids from same buyer

Question

Hi does anyone know why a buyer is able to make multiple bids on one item off there is no other buyer bid between their bids.

woodland_gnome · Answer

Because eBay does not restrict the number of bids a bidder can place on an auction. Only one bid counts in setting the price (and for only 2 bidders: the highest bid of the second highest bidder, and the lowest bid of the highest bidder that is enough to beat that "underbid"). eBay auctions are a variant of sealed bid second price ("Vickrey") auctions with revisions to make them LOOK like an outcry auction so it doesn't scare away buyers who insist on making multiple bids like it IS an outcry auction, but it is not an outcry auction (and there is no prohibition that you have to wait for someone else to bid before you can place another bid, why should there be?). There are many reasons why a bidder would want to place a new bid without having to wait for someone else to place a new bid (outbid by an earlier higher bid, trying to meet a Reserve Price, eBay encourages bidders to raise their hidden maximum).