A reserve price is a hidden minimum price—essentially, the lowest price that the seller is willing to accept for the item. If the listing ends without any bids that meet the reserve price, the seller is not required to sell the item.

As a buyer, you are not shown the reserve price.  As you bid on an auction-style listing with a reserve price, pay attention to the label next to the current bid price to see if the reserve has been met. Once the reserve has been met, the “reserve not met” label will be removed. Learn more.