eBay is currently testing a new feature aimed at creating a fairer bidding environment for collectors: extended bidding in the Trading Cards category. Under this system, if a bid is placed within the final two minutes of an auction, the end time is automatically extended by another two minutes.

Why It’s Being Introduced

This change is designed to combat “auction sniping,” a common tactic where buyers place last-second bids to win items without giving others a chance to respond. By adding extra time whenever a late bid is placed, eBay gives all interested buyers a more equal opportunity to place their highest offers.

How It Works

The pilot program is limited to select listings in the Trading Cards section, including sports cards, Pokémon, and other collectible card games. When a bid is made during the final two minutes of an auction, the countdown clock resets to two minutes. This cycle continues until no new bids are placed within that window, creating a soft-close format similar to what traditional auction houses use.

What It Means for Buyers and Sellers

For sellers, this feature may help drive up final sale prices by encouraging more competitive bidding at the end of auctions. Buyers, on the other hand, no longer have to worry about losing an item in the final seconds—they now have a fair chance to respond if they’re outbid.

Looking Ahead

The extended bidding feature is still in the testing phase and only applies to trading card auctions for now. eBay has not yet announced whether it plans to expand this feature to other categories in the future.