Also called reserve · auction reserve
Reserve price, explained
Reserves are usually hidden. Bidders typically see only whether the reserve has been met, not the figure, though some sellers disclose it to draw serious bids. An auction without a reserve sells to the highest bidder above the opening bid, which is how expired-domain auctions usually run: the registrar wants the name sold, so the only floor is a low starting price.
For sellers, a reserve protects against a weak auction, but set it at a price you would truly accept. A reserve far above the market produces a public no-sale that bidders remember, while a low or no reserve brings more bidders and a real market price. Never bid on your own name to push past the reserve; marketplaces prohibit it. For buyers, a reserve-not-met result is an opening for a direct offer to the owner after the auction ends.
Example. A seller puts a one-word .com into a marketplace auction with a hidden reserve in the low five figures; bidding stops short of it, the reserve is not met, and the name stays unsold.
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