The timeout: how long you wait for bids

The timeout: how long you wait for bids

The "timeout" is the number of milliseconds your auction waits for bidders before it stops and shows an ad. A common starting value is 1000 (one second).

Why it matters: too short, and slow bidders don't answer in time, so you lose their money. Too long, and the page feels sluggish, which hurts the visitor.

Tiny example: set 300ms and a $4 bidder who needed 500ms gets cut off — you just left money on the table. Set 3000ms and the page stalls.

One thing to try: note your current timeout. If it's under 500ms, ask whether nudging it to 1000ms recovers lost bids.

In plain English: the timeout is how long you let buyers raise their hand before the gavel falls.