Avito Launches Auctions With Bidding for Items Up to 150,000 Rubles

Russian classifieds platform Avito has announced auctions with bidding. Sellers can now list a single, one-of-a-kind item with a price of up to 150,000 rubles, and buyers can compete for it, according to the company's press service.

How the auctions work

The seller sets the starting price, and the listing shows the current highest bid. An auction can be launched when the ad is published or later, if the service detects heightened interest in the item.

Bidding lasts 24 hours, after which the system automatically picks the winner. A confirmed bid cannot be withdrawn. The winning buyer has 12 hours to pay through Avito Delivery. If they fail to do so, the right to buy passes to the participant with the second-highest bid. If that person does not pay in time either, the item is relisted in the standard format.

Who can take part

Auctions can be started in most categories, including clothing, electronics, furniture and collectibles.

At launch, the feature is limited to private sellers who do not use professional plans, have a rating above four stars and have completed at least one deal through Avito Delivery. On the buyer side, one person can bid in no more than five auctions at the same time.

The format gives sellers of rare or hard-to-price items a way to let demand set the price instead of guessing it. The restrictions on rating, delivery history and concurrent bids suggest Avito is rolling the feature out cautiously, with an emphasis on payment through its own delivery service.