--- title: How Auction Minimum Bidding Increments Work description: How Auction Minimum Bidding Increments Work Minimum Bidding increments and the logic with Auto Bids --- [Skip to content](https://help.trellis.org/how-auction-minimum-bidding-increments-work#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![Trellis-MainLogo-AllWhite-01.png\]](https://help.trellis.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Trellis-MainLogo-AllWhite-01.png?height=40&name=Trellis-MainLogo-AllWhite-01.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [Raise an urgent issue (out of office hours)](https://formcrafts.com/a/urgentform) [Raise an urgent issue (out of office hours)](https://formcrafts.com/a/urgentform) Help & Learning - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help & Learning](https://help.trellis.org/?hsLang=en) 2. [Silent & Live Auctions](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en) 3. [Manage Your Auction](https://help.trellis.org/silent-live-auctions?hsLang=en#manage-your-auction) # How Auction Minimum Bidding Increments Work ## Minimum bid increments set the minimum next highest bid a bidder can place. They can place any amount above this minimum. ### **Understanding the Basics** When creating an auction item, you can set two important values: - **Minimum/Starting Bid** – The amount where bidding begins - **Minimum Bidding Increment** – The smallest amount that a bidder must increase the bid by The smallest possible increment allowed is $1. You can set higher increments depending on the value of the item (e.g., $10 or $25 for high-value items). ### **Why Bids Might Not Follow Exact Increments** Trellis uses **minimum** bidding increments, not **restricted** increments. That means donors can place bids that are *more than* your set increment—but they aren’t limited to exact multiples. For example: - If you set a **$20 starting bid** with **$5 increments**, bidders must place bids **at least $5 higher** than the current bid. - However, they could also bid **$6**, **$10**, or **any higher amount**. This allows for more flexibility and encourages donors to give what they feel inspired to offer. ### **How Auto-Bidding Affects Increments** Let’s say your auction item starts at **$20** with a **$5 increment**: - **Alex** places a manual bid of **$27**. That’s fine—it exceeds the current bid by more than $5. - **Bill** sets an auto-bid with a max of **$77**. The system enters his bid as **$32** (which is $5 over Alex’s). - **Chad** sets an auto-bid max of **$80**. Trellis auto-bids in $5 steps between Chad and Bill until: - Bill reaches his max of **$77** - Chad then outbids him at **$80** You might notice the final bids don’t line up perfectly with your original increments, and that’s okay. The **auto-bid system always ensures** the bids are: - At least your minimum increment above the previous bid - Reflective of each bidder’s **maximum willingness to pay** This ensures fair outcomes while maximizing funds raised. ### **Why the Increments Work This Way** The goal is to: - Make bidding **as flexible and competitive** as possible - Prevent underbidding when awarding an item to the next-highest bidder - Capture the **full value** of what each donor was willing to pay, even if they didn’t win ### **What Happens in the Case of a Tie?** If two bidders place the same maximum auto-bid: - The **first person** who set the auto-bid wins - Trellis timestamps each bid and gives priority to the earliest one --- #### **Need Help?** *Reach out to our Product Engagement Team via the blue chat icon or email support@trellis.org.* - [Admin & Reporting](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Welcome to Trellis](https://help.trellis.org/admin-reporting?hsLang=en#welcome-to-trellis) - 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