Finding incredible bargains on auction sites can be an addictive habit. You start out by looking for a new lightbulb on eBay, and before you know it you've put in bids worth a couple of hundred dollars on everything from sports memorabilia to dog toys.

Sure, it feels great at the time. But after a few hours, when the reality sets in, you realize a signed baseball cap really isn't worth $180 of your hard-earned cash.

But don't panic, you don't need to cancel your eBay account. In some circumstances, you can remove and retract a bid on eBay. Interested? Let's look at how to cancel a bid on eBay.

Note: If the auction has finished, you're too late. Unless the item is defective or not as described, your ability to return the item and get a refund on eBay lies solely in the hands of the seller.

How to Remove or Retract a Bid on eBay

eBay Bid Retraction Form

So, can you cancel a bid on eBay? Well, yes, but it depends on the circumstances.

If you want to retract your bid on eBay, you need to act quickly. If there are more than 12 hours left in the auction, you can retract all your bids without providing a reason.

If the 12-hour deadline has passed and you still want to remove your bid, you need to fall into one of three criteria.

  • You accidentally bid an incorrect amount. For example, you entered $700 rather than $70 when bidding for an item.
  • The seller changes the product description or photographs.
  • You cannot reach the seller during the auction, such as if you get an email bounce back or the telephone number is wrong.

Even if you don't fall into one of the three categories, you can still retract your most recent bid. To withdraw older bids, contact the seller.

To retract a bid on an eBay item: Go to My eBay > Settings > Bids/Offers. Select the bid you want to cancel and choose the reason for your retraction from the dropdown menu. The same form is used regardless of the timeframe or reason.

If you are not within the 12-hour cutoff and you do not fall into one of the three other categories, you can contact the seller directly and ask them to withdraw your bid manually. Be aware that the seller is under no obligation to do so.

You can contact the seller by going to Purchase History > Contact Seller.

To learn more about buying on eBay, check out our guide on how to use automatic bidding to increase your chances of winning an auction.