Allow custom bid amounts similar to Max Bid

-- HikaShop version -- : 6.6.0
-- HikaAuction version -- : 6.0.4
-- Joomla version -- : 6
-- PHP version -- : 8.4
-- Browser(s) name and version -- : all

Hi Team

I would like to ask if it is possible to modify the Normal Bid functionality in HikaAuction so that users can enter any bid amount they choose, rather than being limited to the automatically calculated fixed bid amount (bid increment)

Bid increment should still be kept as minimum

Currently, when a user places a normal bid, the system obliges the next predefined bid amount based on the current bid/increment.

What I would like is:

Normal Bid: The user can manually enter any amount they wish to bid.
Max Bid: Continue working as the current maximum/proxy bidding functionality.
The manually entered normal bid should still be subject to the auction's minimum bid and any other applicable validation rules.
The system should accept amounts higher than the current required minimum, without forcing the user to use only the next predefined increment.

I understand that the max bid feature serves a similar purpose. However, all auction platforms still offer standard, manual bidding as a free option. This is likely because not all users are familiar with or fully understand how the max bid system works.

Thank you

Hi,

Thank you for your feedback. That's a good idea. We'll look at adding this for the next release of HikaAuction.

Thanks Nicolas!

Hi again Nicolas

by any chance, was 'Allow custom bid amounts' added in hikaauction 6.0.5 please?

Thank you

Yes, this is in HikaAuction 6.0.5, released on October 12, 2026. In the HikaAuction configuration, enable the option "Allow fixed bids next to max bids" (disabled by default, and only for Vickrey auctions). The bid popup then offers two buttons: "Bid this amount" places a fixed bid, so the current price becomes that amount right away (unless another bidder has a higher maximum bid, in which case that maximum answers automatically), and "Set as max bid" places a maximum bid as before, which stays secret.

Hi Nicolas and thanks for this

The new development is very good but needs swap of buttons behaviour so that there is not any confusion in fixed and max bids. The objective is to keep two separate buttons for fixed and max bids so customers can clearly distinguish between the two options.

As shown in the following screenshot, the bidding options are separated prior to any click leaving no doubt to the bidder: see example

I suggest keeping the max bid as a single button displaying the max amount. 
Under the "live bid" option, users could then either bid the amount suggested by the minimum increase or enter a custom fixed bid.

So, the new development can remain mostly as it is, just with the button behaviours swapped. 
Please see the video explanation here

Let me know if you agree with this approach.

Thank you again 
 

Agreed, and it is now in HikaAuction 6.0.6. With the option "Allow fixed bids next to max bids" enabled, the product page shows three separate buttons:

Bid for X: a fixed (live) bid at the next minimum amount, so the current price becomes X right away.

Place custom bid: opens a popup to enter a fixed bid of any amount above the minimum, with only the "Bid this amount" button.

Place max bid: opens a popup for a maximum bid only, with the "Set as max bid" button. The maximum stays secret and the price only rises when others bid.

So bidders choose between a live bid and a max bid before any click. A bidder who is already leading still sees "Raise my max bid" instead of the bid buttons. The option is described here: www.hikashop.com/support/documentation/3...aauction-config.html

Since you relabelled the "Bid for" button as "Place live bid", it now really places a live (fixed) bid. If you restyled the buttons, check the new "Place max bid" button after the update.

This version also fixes a bug of the "Bid for X" button with euro prices written like 1.250,00 €. When the amount behind the button had decimals (for example after taxes), it could be recorded 10 or 1000 times too high. Whole amounts such as 1.250 € were not affected. If you see an unexpected maximum bid in an auction's history, this was the cause.

The texts of the new bidding features are also translated now: in 6.0.5 they showed in English on sites in other languages.

The new version is now available and you can update to it.

That's muuuuuch better Nicolas

Thank you!

For the future, it might be helpful to add an option to hide one of the two live bid buttons, as some users may prefer to offer two options instead of three.

Many thanks again

Good idea, thank you. We have added it: a new setting "Fixed bid buttons" in the HikaAuction configuration, just under "Allow fixed bids next to max bids", lets you choose which live bid buttons appear next to "Place max bid": both "Bid for X" and "Place custom bid" (as now), only "Bid for X", or only "Place custom bid". The hidden button is simply not displayed, so bidders get two choices: a live bid and a max bid.

We've added a new setting in the HikaAuction configuration for it.

Amazing, thank you Nicolas!