This is called being on the “wrong leg,” an auction term used when placing absentee bids at auction. It is possible to lose out, not to a higher bidder but by being on the ‘wrong leg’. Even if you have left a bid for $100 and the goods sell at $100, if the bidding on your behalf is the lower bidder (i.e. bids up to $95), they are on the wrong leg and you have lost to the person who tops that bid. There are two ways to avoid this common occurrence – either place surplus bids (e.g. ‘plus one’ or, more safely, ‘plus two’) – thus allowing the person to bid once or twice above your ‘maximum’ bid – or attend in person.