5 tips on how to become a top bidder on No Reserve Day

Written by Jenna | Published on 26th January 2022

Catawiki’s biggest auction event, No Reserve Day, returns for two whole days on 7-8 February, providing the perfect opportunity to secure that special something. For the uninitiated, a reserve price is the minimum price at which an object can be sold at auction. On these two special days, there is no such minimum, making the thrill of the bid even more enticing. To increase your chances of winning at auction, here are our top tips and tricks on how to become a successful bidder on No Reserve Day.

Explore special objects ahead of time

With over 65,000 objects up for auction each week, it’s all too easy to spend your day browsing rather than actually bidding. So how do you avoid choice overload? 

Most of the No Reserve Day auctions are already active a few days before the event goes live, allowing you to get a headstart and explore to your heart’s content before the real bidding action begins. So it’s a good idea to browse your favourite categories ahead of time and set your sights on your absolute favourite objects. You’ll also want to start thinking about how much you’re willing to bid. 

By preparing ahead of time and having your priorities in place, you can stay focused and set yourself up for a successful bidding experience on the day. 

Set an automatic bid

Once the bidding begins, you have the option of placing an automatic bid. By setting up an automatic bid, our system will automatically place new bids on your behalf each time you are outbid. All you need to do is enter the maximum price you are willing to spend on an item. Our system will then keep on bidding for you, by the smallest possible increase each time, until your maximum price is reached. 

This is a great strategy for No Reserve Day – particularly if you’re bidding on multiple objects – saving you the effort of having to manually place multiple bids as an auction progresses. 

Receive alerts to place a bid

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to download the Catawiki app (available on Apple and Android devices) and enable notifications. 

That way, you’ll receive an alert the moment you’ve been outbid. Particularly handy during the final stages of an auction when bids are coming in thick and fast, this will give you time to act quickly and place a new bid to stay on top.

Mix up your bidding strategies

It’s tempting to immediately place a bid on a special object you’re intent on winning, even if there are multiple days left until the auction closes. There's no right way to bid but if you notice an object is still at a price within your budget, it often pays to avoid an early bidding war and hiking up the price long before the deadline by waiting to bid. Much of the bidding can take place in the last few minutes of an auction, so refraining from bidding until the final moments can be one strategy to win an object at a great price.

Alternatively, it can be worth setting your intention early on by making a bid. If it's an object you really want, making a bid can register interest and may dissuade less passionate buyers. It's the nature of the auction game so mix things up from time-to-time. 

Avoid rounded numbers

This one might surprise you, yet it’s a tried and true tactic that can make all the difference in securing the winning bid. 

As humans, we have a natural preference for round numbers, i.e. those ending in 0 or 5, as they’re simple, symmetrical and easy to process. Our bidders are no different. Recognising this bias and avoiding bids that end in 0 or 5 can help you get ahead of the competition in the last moments, increasing your chances of being the top bidder by 30%. 

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From classic cars to collectable comics, exclusive watches to ancient artefacts, explore the full range of No Reserve Day auctions now.