Auctions are opening on Quidbo soon. Until then every listing is Buy it now at a fixed price. When they open, these are the rules every auction runs on.
Bid the most you'd pay
You tell Quidbo the most you would pay for the item, and Quidbo bids for you, one step at a time, only as far as it needs to keep you in the lead. Nobody else sees your maximum. The price is the second-highest maximum plus one step, and never more than yours. If two people bid the same maximum, the earlier bid leads.
Bid steps
Each bid must beat the current price by a step that grows with the price:
under £1: 5p
£1 to £4.99: 20p
£5 to £24.99: 50p
£25 to £99.99: £1
£100 to £249.99: £2.50
£250 to £499.99: £5
£500 and over: £10
No last-second sniping
A bid in the last 2 minutes moves the end to 2 minutes after that bid. The auction ends only when nobody has bid for 2 minutes, so the highest bidder is whoever really wants it most, not whoever clicked last.
Reserve prices and Buy it now
A seller can set a reserve: the lowest price they'll sell for. Bidders see whether it has been met, not the amount. Once someone's maximum reaches the reserve, the price goes straight to it.
A seller can add a Buy it now price. It goes once the first bid is placed, or once a bid meets the reserve.
Sellers choose a length of 1, 3, 5, 7 or 10 days.
Winning and paying
The winner pays within 12 hours of the end, through Quidbo checkout, so the Quidbo Guarantee covers the purchase.
Won several items from one seller? Pay for them together: one payment, one parcel and combined postage that is never more than posting them separately.
A winner who doesn't pay in time loses status points, and the seller can relist the item for free.
Entered the wrong amount? You can take a bid back. The first few are free; after that, a retraction costs status points.