Auctions: The Customer Experience

Abdul Sameer

Auction experiences vary slightly between the webstore and the mobile app, but the overall bidding flow remains the same.

Note:

This feature requires mobile app version 4.7.0 or newer for both your shop’s app and your customers’ apps. If a shopper cannot view auctions or related features in the mobile app, ensure they have updated to the latest version of your app.
Shoppers watching your live sale directly through Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok cannot view or participate in auctions and related auction features. To participate in auctions, shoppers must watch the live sale through your CommentSold webstore or mobile app.

Accept Auction Terms

Before participating in an auction, shoppers must accept the Auction Terms of Use.

This is a one-time prompt unless the terms are updated in the future.

Before Bidding

Auction participation is gated to ensure shoppers are eligible to complete purchases.

Before bidding, shoppers must:

Sign in to their account
Add a shipping address
Save a payment method

If any required information is missing, the interface displays prompts with clear instructions and action buttons.

Guest User Experience

Guest users can view the auction overlay in read-only mode.

They can see:

Current high bid
Remaining time
Bid activity

However, they cannot place bids until they sign in.

Placing a Bid

Once eligible, shoppers can place bids using:

Standard bids
Quick-bid options
Max bid (auto-bid) functionality

The bidding interface displays:

Current high bid
Bid increment options
Max bid entry fields

Understanding Max Bids

Shoppers can place a standard bid or set a maximum bid amount. When a max bid is set, the system automatically increases the shopper's bid incrementally as needed up to their selected maximum amount. The shopper's maximum bid remains private. Shoppers only pay the minimum amount required to win, which may be lower than their maximum bid.

Example 1

Auction starting bid: $20
Shopper max bid: $35
Another shopper bids: $22

The system automatically places a $24 bid on behalf of the shopper.

If no additional bids are placed, the shopper wins the item for $24.

Example 2

Auction starting bid: $50
Shopper max bid: $80
Another shopper bids: $60

The system automatically places a $62 bid.

If another shopper later bids $75, the system automatically increases the bid to $77.

If another shopper bids $80 or higher, the shopper loses the auction unless they increase their max bid.

Managing Settings

Shoppers can manage their checkout and bidding settings directly from the auction interface by selecting the Manage link in the bottom-right corner.

From this menu, shoppers can:

Toggle add-ons on or off
Apply available store credit
Update shipping information
Adjust payment methods

These settings allow shoppers to quickly make changes without leaving the live auction experience.

Auction Ending Experience

As the auction concludes, shoppers receive real-time updates showing:

Winner confirmations
Payment status
Outbid notices
Error messages if payment fails

Winning shoppers receive clear confirmation messaging and order details immediately after the auction ends.

Error and Rejection Messages

If an issue occurs during bidding or payment, shoppers see clear feedback directly in the interface.

Examples include:

"Someone outbid you — try a higher max bid."
"Your card couldn't be charged."

On mobile devices, certain alerts may also trigger haptic feedback or overlay notifications.