How does the auction work?

In this article, you'll find answers to the most frequently asked questions on the course of a Fluenta Auction event.

1. How can I accept the auction invitation?

   
   In the list of auctions on the Auction / Start page, click the "thumbs up" icon at the end of the given auction's row.
   
   

2. When and how can I practice for the auction?

   
   Practice auctions are only available if the organizer has provided this option. Thus, it's possible that the auction you were invited to doesn't have a connected practice auction.
   The practice auction is only accessible in the timeframe given by the organizer. You can check the scheduling of the practice auction in the auction's overview page.
   The practice auction works the same way and with the same settings the live auction does. The difference is that during the practice auction, participants bid against the "computer", not each other. In the practice auction, bids are deleted at certain intervals depending on the type of the auction, essentially restarting the practice auction.
   
   

3. When do practice bids get deleted?

   
   Practice auctions are restarted at certain intervals depending on the type of the auction; bids are deleted each time. At the end of the practice auctions, practice bids are not stored in any form. The real, live auction starts from the prices set up by the organizer, completely independently of any value in the practice auction.
   
   

4. I entered the auction, but I can't see the bidding page.

   
   The bidding page can be accessed via the "eye" icon at the end of the given auction's row in the Auction / Start page list view. If you clicked on the auction's name instead, you are redirected to the overview page; the "eye" icon you can click to enter the bidding page will appear above the auction data, in the top right corner of the overview.
   
   

5. I can see the bidding page, but I can't enter my bid.

   
   In case of Japanese and Dutch auctions, bids are automatically generated by the system, and the participants have the choice of accepting or not accepting them. In these types of auctions, participants can't enter their bids freely; only a checkbox appears next to the current bid for each item.
   You can check whether you are participating in an English, Japanese, or Dutch auction on the top middle of the bidding page in blue, or in the overview page by clicking on the auction's title in the list view.
   
   

6. Is the participant's start price (pre-bid) a valid bid?

   
   This should be included in the preliminary information provided by the organizer. Fluenta does not contain this information.
   
   

7. Does the bidding page automatically refresh?

   
   

   The bidding screen refreshes automatically; however, you can refresh any time with the Refresh button at the top right of the bidding screen, the refresh button of your browser, or the F5 key on your keyboard.

8. Why am I constantly in first place?

   
   In case of traditional (blind) auctions, it's possible that the other participants are constantly in competition, which means they might outbid the best price and take the first place any time.
   In Japanese auctions, all participants are always at the same price level, so all bidders are always in first place.
   
   

9. Why didn't the system accept my last bid?

   
   If you submitted your bid in the last few seconds of the auction, it's possible that due to Internet speed and the automatic bid validation, the bid actually arrived after the auction has ended.