Here are some common prompts/errors and their solutions:
Prompt: Sign in to bid
What It Means
This prompt appears when a shopper attempts to participate in an auction without being logged in.
Guest users can view the auction in read-only mode but cannot place bids.
What Triggers It
The shopper is:
- Viewing the auction as a guest
- Not signed in to their account
How to Resolve It
Advise the shopper to:
- Sign in to their account
- Return to the auction
- Place their bid again
Prompt: Add address to bid
What It Means
This prompt appears when a shopper does not have a shipping address saved to their account.
A valid shipping address is required before participating in an auction.
What Triggers It
The shopper:
- Has not added a shipping address
- Removed their saved address previously
How to Resolve It
Guide the shopper to:
- Open their account settings
- Add a shipping address
- Return to the auction and continue bidding
Prompt: Add a card to bid
What It Means
This prompt appears when the shopper does not have a payment method saved to their account.
A card on file is required to place bids in a live auction.
What Triggers It
The shopper:
- Has never added a payment method
- Removed their saved card
- Has an invalid or expired card on file
How to Resolve It
Ask the shopper to:
- Add a valid payment card to their account
- Save the payment method
- Return to the auction and place their bid again
Error: Your bid must be higher than the current high bid
What It Means
This message appears when a shopper submits a bid that is lower than or equal to the current highest bid.
What Triggers It
The shopper attempted to:
- Match the current high bid
- Submit a lower bid amount
How to Resolve It
- Increase the bid above the current high bid
- Use a higher manual bid amount
- Consider setting a max bid for automatic bidding
Error: Your card couldn’t be charged. The merchant is reviewing
What It Means
This message appears when a shopper wins an auction, but their payment fails during the automatic charge attempt.
What Triggers It
Possible causes include:
- Insufficient funds
- Expired card
- Incorrect card details
- Bank decline
- Temporary payment processing issue
How Shops Can Resolve It
The shop can choose one of the following options:
| Option | Result |
| Put the item in the shopper’s cart | Allows the shopper to complete checkout manually using another payment method |
| Award the item to the next-highest bidder | Transfers the win to the runner-up shopper and attempts payment automatically |
| Note: If the item is placed in the shopper’s cart, encourage them to update their payment method and complete checkout as soon as possible. |