Skip to main content

POST/bidding/{item_id}/place_proxy_bid

This method uses a user access token to place a proxy bid for the buyer on a specific auction item. The item must offer AUCTION as one of the buyingOptions.

To place a bid, you pass in the item ID of the auction as a URI parameter and the buyer's maximum bid amount (maxAmount ) in the payload. By placing a proxy bid, the buyer is agreeing to purchase the item if they win the auction.

After this bid is placed, if someone else outbids the buyer a bid, eBay automatically bids again for the buyer up to the amount of their maximum bid. When the bid exceeds the buyer's maximum bid, eBay will notify them that they have been outbid.

To find auctions, you can use the Browse API to search for items and use a filter to return only auction items. For example:

/buy/browse/v1/item_summary/search?q=iphone&filter=buyingOptions:{AUCTION}

Restrictions

For a list of supported sites and other restrictions, see API Restrictions.

Input

Resource URI

POST https://api.ebay.com/buy/offer/v1_beta/bidding/{item_id}/place_proxy_bid

This method is supported in Sandbox environment. To access the endpoint, just replace the api.ebay.com root URI with api.sandbox.ebay.com

URI parameters

ParameterTypeDescription
item_idstringThis path parameter specifies the unique eBay RESTful identifier of an item you want to bid on.

This ID is returned by the Browse and Feed Beta API methods.

RESTful Item ID Example: v1|2**********2|0

For more information about item ID for RESTful APIs, see the Legacy API compatibility section of the Buy APIs Overview.

Occurrence: Required

HTTP request headers

All requests made to eBay REST operations require you to provide the Authorization HTTP header for authentication authorization.

The table below shows additional HTTP request headers that are either required, conditionally required, or strongly recommended for this method. Other standard HTTP request headers- opens rest request components page (not in this table) can also be used, but they are optional.

HeaderTypeDescription
Content-TypestringThis header indicates the format of the request body provided by the client. Its value should be set to application/json.

For more information, refer to HTTP request headers.

Occurrence: Required

X-EBAY-C-MARKETPLACE-IDstringThe ID of the eBay marketplace where the buyer is based. This value is case sensitive.

For example:
  X-EBAY-C-MARKETPLACE-ID = EBAY_US

For a list of supported sites see, API Restrictions.

Occurrence: Required

OAuth scope

This request requires an access token created with the authorization code grant flow, using one or more scopes from the following list (please check your Application Keys page for a list of OAuth scopes available to your application):

https://api.ebay.com/oauth/api_scope/buy.offer.auction

See OAuth access tokens for more information.

Request payload

Copy complete valid JSON to clipboard

Request fields

Input container/fieldTypeDescription
maxAmountAmount

The amount of the proxy bid to be placed. This is the maximum amount the buyer is willing to pay for the item.

Note:

  • Currency for the bid must be the currency specified by the seller when listing the item.
  • VAT (value added tax) does not need to be added to the proxy bid amount even if VAT applies.

Occurrence: Required

maxAmount.currencyCurrencyCodeEnum

The three-letter ISO 4217 code representing the currency of the amount in the value field.

Occurrence: Required

maxAmount.valuestring

The monetary amount.

Occurrence: Required

userConsentUserConsent

Specifies whether the buyer wants to give their consent to bid on adult-only items. For a buyer to bid on an adult-only item, you must collect their consent using this field, and they must agree to the Terms of Use.

For more information about adult-only items on eBay, see Adult-Only items on eBay.

Default: false

Occurrence: Optional

userConsent.adultOnlyItemboolean

The type that defines the fields for buyer consent to bid on adult-only items.

This field must be included in the placeProxyBid request and set to true if the buyer is bidding on an adult-only item.

For more information about adult-only items on eBay, see Adult-Only items on eBay.

Occurrence: Conditional

Output

HTTP response headers

This call has no response headers.

Response payload

Response fields

Output container/fieldTypeDescription
proxyBidIdstring

Identifier of the proxy bid created by the request. This indicates that the bid was placed and is not used for anything else.

Occurrence: Conditional

HTTP status codes

This call can return one of the following HTTP status codes. For an overview of the status codes, see HTTP status codes in Using eBay RESTful APIs.

StatusMeaning
200OK
400Bad request
404Not found
409Conflict
500Internal Server Error

Error codes

For more on errors, plus the codes of other common errors, see Handling errors.

CodeDomainCategoryMeaning
120000API_OFFERAPPLICATIONThere was a problem with an eBay internal system or process. Contact eBay developer support for assistance.
120001API_OFFERREQUESTThe item ID {item_id} was not found. Check that this is an active auction item ID.
120002API_OFFERBUSINESSThe auction was ended because the item was purchased with Buy It Now (fixed_price).
120003API_OFFERBUSINESSA seller cannot place a bid.
120004API_OFFERBUSINESSYou are not eligible to bid on this item.
120005API_OFFERBUSINESSThe bid price cannot be greater than the Buy It Now price.
120006API_OFFERBUSINESSYou are not eligible to bid on this item due to seller restrictions.
120007API_OFFERREQUESTThe bid amount is too high.
120008API_OFFERBUSINESSThe bid amount is too low.
120009API_OFFERBUSINESSThe bid currency needs to match the item price currency.
120010API_OFFERBUSINESSYou cannot lower your proxy bid.
120011API_OFFERREQUESTThe bid amount exceeds the limit.
120012API_OFFERBUSINESSThe auction has ended.
120013API_OFFERREQUESTThe bid amount is missing or invalid.
120014API_OFFERREQUESTThe bid currency is invalid. Refer to the documentation for a list of currency codes.
120015API_OFFERREQUESTThe X-EBAY-C-MARKETPLACE-ID header is missing. This is a required header.
120016API_OFFERREQUESTThe maximum bid amount is missing.
120017API_OFFERREQUESTThe Marketplace {marketplaceId} is not supported. Supported values are {allowedMarketplaces}.
120018API_OFFERREQUESTFor this auction, the bid amount cannot have decimals.
120019API_OFFERBUSINESSYou must be pre-approval to bid on this auction.
120020API_OFFERBUSINESSA user agreement acceptance is required for this auction.
120021API_OFFERBUSINESSYou are not authorized to bid on adult items. See the eBay help on adult items.
120022API_OFFERBUSINESSA privacy user agreement is required for this auction.
120023API_OFFERBUSINESSThis is a business to business only auction.
120024API_OFFERBUSINESSThe item is currently unavailable.
120025API_OFFERBUSINESSThe bid was blocked because you have exceeded the item purchased limit.
120026API_OFFERBUSINESSThe bid was blocked due to a seller restriction based on your feedback score.
120027API_OFFERBUSINESSThe bid was blocked due to a seller restriction on the shipping location.
120028API_OFFERBUSINESSThe auction is restricted to users with a linked PayPal accounts.
120029API_OFFERBUSINESSThere has been a buyer policy violation.
120030API_OFFERBUSINESSThe bid was blocked due to unpaid items.
120031API_OFFERBUSINESSThis requires credit card verification.
120032API_OFFERREQUESTThis requires the user's consent for adult items.

Warnings

This call has no warnings.

Samples

New to making API calls? Please see Making a Call.

Note: Identifiers, such as order IDs or user IDs, and personal data in these samples might be anonymized or may no longer be active on eBay. If necessary, substitute current, relevant eBay data in your requests.

Sample 1: Place a Proxy Bid

Places a bid for a buyer on an auction item.

Input

The input is the item_id passed in as a URI paramater and the buyer's maximum bid in the payload.

POSThttps://api.ebay.com/buy/offer/v1_beta/bidding/v1|2**********2|0/place_proxy_bid

Output

This call places the bid for the buyer and returns the proxyBidId.