Bidding in an Online Auction Here's how to bid on an item up for auction at the Netscape Auction Center:
1.	Go to the main Classifieds page by clicking the Classifieds link on the Netscape Netcenter home page.
2.	Click the Auction Center link.
3.	When the Category Index appears, click the category you want to search.
4.	When the next page appears, select additional category-specific search criteria, then click the Search button.
5.	When the search results are displayed, click an individual header to display the detailed listing for that item.
6.	When the listing page appears (see Figure 17.2), enter your maximum bid, your user ID, and your password, and then click the Submit Bid button.

Click to enlarge figure

Figure 17.2  If you want to bid on an item, enter the maximum amount you're willing to pay.

Reserve Price Auction  This is an auction where the seller has reserved the option to set a second price (the reserve price) that is higher than the opening bid. At the end of an auction, if the high bid does not meet or exceed the seller's reserve price, the seller does not have to sell the item to the high bidder. Sellers sometimes use a reserve price on high-end items if they want to make sure the market does not undervalue what they are selling.

7.	At the end of the auction, if you are the winning bidder you will be notified by email. You should contact the seller within three business days of the close of the auction and arrange payment and shipping.

Going Once, Going Twice...  Bidding on an item can actually continue beyond the stated auction close. If there is any bidding in the 10 minutes prior to the close of the auction, the auction is extended in 10-minute increments.

Protect Yourself  While most sellers are completely honest and trustworthy, if you have concerns about paying for an item before you receive it, you can use the services of a third-party escrow service (such as Trade-Direct, at www.trade-direct.com/C2K/) to act as a broker for your transaction.