Hi eBay community,

Wondering if you can help me. I placed a bid of £78.78 on an item within the last few seconds and won the auction. When I looked at the bidding history, I noticed that I won the item at £33 above someone who had placed a bid of £32, but then automatic bidding made the winning price my top amount £78.78. A few bids beneath those were from the same buyer, first placing a bid of £31 and then increasing their bid to £78. I've detailed the last 5 records in the bid history below.

I contacted eBay customer service on the advice of the seller. Customer service said the bid of £78 had been retracted by other the buyer at the last moment, but this didn’t reset the highest bid, and my bid was accepted at £78.78. They confirmed that had I not placed a bid, the next highest bid would’ve won after the retraction (so this would’ve been £32). This seems like a double standard, as in the event I didn’t bid it would’ve forgotten the bid of £78 that had been retracted by the other buyer, but as I bid above that amount and automatic bidding took place it did not forget the retracted bid. eBay support have said there is nothing they can do to adjust the winning bid and to negotiate this with the seller.

I still want the item, but this situation feels completely unfair. I believe the highest bid should’ve reset as the retraction was made just before the end of the auction and therefore this is a fault with eBays systems. Can anyone with more experience advise where I stand here. Thanks so much

Me - £78.78

Me - £33

Seller A - £32

Seller B - £78 (retracted last minute)

Seller B - £31

Another buyer retracted their bid but automatic bidding still bid against the retracted amount on my behalf