The screen says The time to pay has passed. Here is what that means, in order.
What happened to the item
It was offered to the under-bidder at their own bid. They get twelve hours to decide, because they were not expecting the message either.
If they take it, the item is sold and gone. If they decline or let it lapse, it goes back to the seller, who will usually relist it.
Can you still have it?
Not automatically, and not by paying late. The window is closed; there is no button.
What you can do:
- Message the seller. If the under-bidder has not taken it, a seller can relist it and often will. This works more often than people expect, because the seller would rather sell it than not.
- Follow the store so you hear when it is relisted.
- If it is a buy-now item, it may simply be back on sale. Check the listing.
Asking politely and quickly is the whole method. "I missed the window, I'm sorry — is it still available?" is a reasonable message and sellers get it all the time.
What it cost you
One strike. Three inside ninety days and you cannot bid for a while.
Strikes age out. One is a bad evening, not a mark against you for ever — the window is ninety days from each strike, not from your first.
If it was not your fault
A payment that genuinely failed is different from a window you missed. If the money left your account and the order still shows unpaid, that is a payment problem and it gets sorted out — payment failed.
If you were in hospital, or the app would not load, say so to the seller. They cannot restore the win, but they can relist it for you, and a seller who understands what happened is not going to hold it against you.
How to not do it again
The window is short on purpose. Two things help:
- Pay from the show, immediately. The quick pay sheet exists so you do not have to leave the room.
- Set a maximum bid instead of watching. Then you are not deciding at eleven at night whether you still want it. What a maximum bid is.
More: what happens if I don't pay, what a second chance offer is, how long do I have to pay.