Online sellers guide to eBay spring update On eBay, the bidder who places the highest bid wins the auction and pays what the second highest bidder offered. Each spring, eBay updates its rules and fees and in spring 2019 it announced higher fees to start later in the year. What method is used to allocate goods on eBay? How does an eBay auction influence consumer surplus on the good traded? How does eBay’s fee for service influence consumer surplus?