# How to Bid on Auctions

District auctions are designed to be fast, interactive, and easy to use—whether you’re participating in standard timed auctions or live auctions happening in real time. This guide explains all your bidding options.

### <mark style="background-color:yellow;">Standard Bidding</mark>

For auctions with a specified end date and time, from the listing page:&#x20;

* Click Place Bid to bid the next minimum increment, or
* Enter a Max Bid amount to allow District to automatically bid on your behalf up to that amount (using Auto Bid logic).

You’ll see a confirmation screen before your bid is submitted.

{% hint style="info" %}
Whether you place a manual bid or enter a max bid, the system will follow the current bid increment structure for that item. See Bid Increments [here](/buying-in-a-marketplace/buying-and-payments/auctions-buyers/auto-bids.md).
{% endhint %}

### <mark style="background-color:yellow;">Live Bidding (Live Auctions)</mark>

For auctions with a live seller or host, you can participate using one of the following options:Click to Bid (Desktop)

* Click the Bid button to place a bid at the current minimum increment.
* You can click multiple times to increase your own bid.

#### Swipe to Bid (Mobile/App)

* Swipe right to place a bid at the current minimum increment.
* You can swipe multiple times to raise your own bid—even if no one else bids.

{% hint style="info" %}
Note: Click to Bid and Swipe to Bid are Minimum Bid actions. They do not place a max bid, and you can increase your own bid repeatedly by clicking or swiping again.
{% endhint %}

#### Auto Bid (Max Bid)

If you’d rather not manually bid during a live auction:

* Enter your maximum bid at any time during the live auction.
* District will automatically place the minimum amount needed to keep you in the lead—up to your max.
* You can still manually bid or swipe after setting an Auto Bid.

[Learn more about Auto Bid →](https://help.district.net/buying-in-a-marketplace/buying-and-payments/auctions-buyers/auto-bids)

#### Bid Increments&#x20;

District auctions use bid increments based on the current price range. These increments determine how much higher each new bid must be than the last. You’ll always see the current increment displayed on the auction screen before you confirm your bid.\
[See Bid Increment Reference →](https://help.district.net/buying-in-a-marketplace/buying-and-payments/auctions-buyers/auto-bids#:~:text=the%20bid%20increment.-,Bid%20Increments,-Based%20on%20your%20starting%20price%2C%20bids%20have%20a%20specific%20incremental%20change.)

***

#### Bid History and Notifications

* You’ll receive real-time notifications if you're outbid.
* All bids are final and binding.
* You can review your bidding activity from the auction page at any time.


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