Can I bid lower than the opening bid?

It is not possible to bid lower than the opening bid during the ascending-bid phase.

If the auction has both an ascending-bid phase and a descending-bid phase, the descending-bid phase follows after the ascending-bid phase. During the descending-bid phase, we add the highest ascending bid to the descending amount. You can then end up below the opening bid if the requested opening bid was not placed during the ascending-bid phase.

Here is how that works: if no starting amount has been published, the ascending-bid amount is EUR 0. The descending amount always starts at a higher amount and then counts down to EUR 0.

If no bid was placed, even though an opening bid was requested, then no bid has been made. In that case, we cannot continue to apply the requested opening bid, so it becomes EUR 0. In that situation, you can press “mine” at an amount lower than the requested opening bid. Good to know: this is only possible during the descending-bid phase if no bid was placed in the ascending-bid phase.