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Invalid Bid Retraction

Note: This page details an eBay policy. For help with this policy, please see the related links at the bottom of this page.

When you bid on an item you enter into a binding contract with the seller to purchase the item if you are the highest bidder at the end of the listing. All bids are active until the auction ends. If you win a listing, you’re obligated to complete the transaction. You are only permitted to retract your bid under the following special circumstances:

  • You entered the wrong amount (you should place a bid for the correct amount shortly after you retract your bid)

  • The seller changed the item description

  • You cannot contact the seller

Misuse of the bid retraction option to manipulate the bidding process is not permitted. This includes any manipulation of the bidding process to discover the maximum bid of the current high bidder or to uncover the reserve price.

Breaches of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

  • Listing cancellation

  • Limits on account privileges

  • Account suspension

  • Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

  • Loss of PowerSeller status

If you believe another member has breached the Invalid Bid Retraction policy, please report them to us. For privacy and security reasons, eBay will not share the results of their investigation with you.

Some Examples

The following are examples of invalid bid retractions:

You are bidding on a new car with a reserve price. To see the reserve, you bid more than you’re willing to pay and then retract your bid.

You are bidding on a rare collectable item. With each bid you find that you are immediately outbid by someone else because they've already placed a maximum bid which is so much higher than yours. In the end you purposefully bid far more than you’d want to pay to find out what the other member's maximum bid is. You then retract your bid.

You want an MP3 player. You place bids on many identical MP3 players and then retract them all, except the one you think you’ll win as the final 12 hours approach.

Additional Information

  • eBay will consider the circumstances of an alleged offence and the member's trading record before taking action.

  • Disciplinary action may result in a formal warning, temporary suspension or indefinite suspension.

  • If a complaint can't be proven with certainty, we may take no action.

  • For privacy and security reasons, eBay cannot discuss the results of an investigation.

Why does eBay have this policy?

Inappropriate or excessive bid retraction harms the eBay marketplace. It is unfair to buyers who are placing legitimate bids and it can harm sellers by driving away legitimate bidders. Bid retraction undermines trust in the marketplace, since a bid is a binding contract between the seller and the buyer. Please bid responsibly.


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