GENERAL ONLINE BIDDING FAQs | RM Sotheby's

HOW TO BID: Once logged in and registered to bid, additional information on the bidding process will be available on each individual lot page via the “HOW BIDDING WORKS” button. Key information included in the instructions is also listed below.

OUTBID NOTIFICATIONS: If a bid placed by another bidder exceeds your bid, you will be notified via the email address you provided during registration, and the lot page will indicate you have been outbid.

ANTI-SNIPE FEATURE: If a bid is placed within the final two minutes, the auction will be extended by an additional two minutes to prevent a bidder from trying to place a high bid in the final moments of the auction.

LOTS WITH RESERVE: Some lots may be subject to a reserve price or the minimum amount that a seller will accept as the winning bid. The reserve price will remain confidential. For lots with a reserve price, your bid must meet or exceed the reserve to win the lot. In the event you are the highest final bidder, but your bid has not met the reserve price, the lot will not sell. For lots with reserves, bidding starts at half (50%) of the published low estimate, and the final bid must exceed the reserve price in order to sell to the highest bidder. Whether the reserve has been met will not be disclosed until the auction has ended.

Note: When a motor car or any other lot is sold subject to such reserve bid, the auctioneer (RMS) may bid on the Consignor’s behalf in an amount not to exceed the amount of the reserve bid.

LOTS WITHOUT RESERVE:  If you are bidding on a lot that is “offered without reserve,” you will win the lot if you are the high bidder at the time bidding closes. For unreserved lots, bidding starts at 50.

The asking price is determined by the increment table below. If you type an amount that would result in an off-increment bid, your bid will be rounded down to the nearest on-increment bid.

If you are currently the high bidder, you may still increase your bid by placing another bid for a higher value.

Following the close of the auction, unsold lots will be listed as ‘Still for Sale’ and will move to our Still For Sale section once the entire auction has closed. Interested parties are invited to contact an RM Sotheby’s Car Specialist to make an offer.