Frequently asked questions
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What's a reverse auction?
Normal auctions bid the price up. On BidDown, buyers post the most they're willing to pay for something, and sellers compete by bidding that price down. The buyer gets to pick whichever bid they like best, not necessarily the lowest.
How do coins work?
Coins are BidDown's flat action fee: 1 coin to post a want listing, 1 coin to place a bid, regardless of the item's price. New accounts get a few free coins to start. You can buy more one-time, or get a monthly allotment through a paid membership tier.
Do I have to accept the lowest bid?
No. As the buyer, you can accept any active bid on your listing at any time — condition, seller history, and communication all matter, not just price.
What happens when my listing expires?
If you haven't accepted a bid by the time your listing expires, it just closes — no charge, and any open bids on it stop counting toward a seller's active-bid limit.
Can I withdraw a bid?
Yes — go to My Bids and tap Withdraw on any active bid. Withdrawn bids can't be restored, and re-bidding costs another coin.
Does BidDown handle payment or shipping?
No. Once a bid is accepted, you can message your match directly in BidDown to coordinate payment and shipping. We recommend using payment methods that offer buyer and seller protection, and secure tracked shipping to protect both sides of the transaction.
What do membership tiers actually change?
Fees stay flat no matter what tier you're on. Paid tiers buy you more active listings/bids at once, better search visibility, want-match alerts, and seller analytics. See the full breakdown on the Membership page.
What's First Edition?
BidDown's founding membership tier — price-locked for as long as you stay subscribed, capped at 1,000 spots total, with a permanent Gold badge.