Question regarding Ebay reserve auctions

Casey

Auction #1 - I'm the first bidder on a reserve auction starting at $1. My bid exceeds the reserve price, and now the current bid is at the reserve. I few more bids enter the fray, but I end up winning and I'm happy.

Auctions #2 - I bid on a reserve auction already in progress but the reserve has not been met yet. My bid becomes the high bid, but still has not met the reserve. No one else bids and the auction closes with no sale. My maximum bid was substantially higher than the close. Why won't my bid at least go to my maximum to see if I would have met the reserve? I'm willing to pay but can't buy because no one else wants to go that high? Why was I able to hit the reserve in the first auction?

I'm perplexed.

quattrocoins

The reserve in auction #2 was higher than your bid. If your bid had exceeded the reserve, the bid price would have become the reserve price.

nankraut

Quattro is correct. If you are the high bidder and want to find out what the reserve price is, keep raising your bid until you catch it.

nOoBiEeE

Both replies to your question are exactly right.

Casey

Thanks for the help. This should have been obvious to me!