It's been buggin' me for a while. Folks who have the highest bid accepted by the seller say they are "winners." I always thought they were the buyer.

Is it based on the idea of a competition?

Or was it made up by auction houses to make folks feel better parting with their money?

Or is it just as simple as buyers being pleased that they got an item they really wanted?

I'm just trying to figure out when/how that word started being used in auction. Haven't seen any live auctions lately, but the ones I have used to say "and the water pitcher goes to bidder number 23" or "sold to the woman in the flowered hat!"

quite simply, they beat other bids with their higher bid

Crossing the Line w/ Highest Bid or Best Offer.

The difference between "buyer" and "winner" -

Shall we take a trip back to set theory in math class?

A buyer is the individual who purchases an item.

A winner is an individual whom in a competition is identified as the person whom foremost completes the competition successfully.

Our first Set A (Bidders). All bidders for an item are contained in this set.

We have a second Set B (Bids). This set contains dollar values which were submitted by members of Set A.

Each member of Set B has a corresponding relationship to one and only one member of the Set A.

Joining these two sets we can identify a third Set C (Best Offer) which contains the highest bid of Set B with the corresponding bidder of Set A.

We have a fourth Set D (Acceptable Offer) which consists of a range identified by the seller or their proxy(auction).

If Set D intersects Set C then we have a new subset, Set E (Winner). This set identifies the bid and bidder which acquire the item in question. If the set is null, then no acquisition is made.

Too many variables for 2 to mate, it's really a wonder how humans were ever able to over populate the world!

You kinda hit on why auctions are successful and why prices quite often go through the roof. Bidding makes for competition, and many hate to lose in competition, even if it means paying more than they wanted or what the widget is really worth.

Hummm, so paying more than the wanted or more than it's worth makes it a winner?

I think I will stick with choice #4: as simple as buyers being pleased that they got an item they really wanted.

I was just trying to figure out when that word started being applied to buyers at an auction. Perhaps with the e-bay era? Thought it might be a tricky marketing thing they created. Or maybe it was backlash for when the Oscars stopped calling people who got an award a winner.

But meanings of words change. Terrific used to be defined as an even worse form of terror/terrible.

Thanks for the replies.

Since I am getting older and like explanations simple and straight forward.... Here is my take...

An auction is a "competition"... Whether it is on the 'net, in a "brick-front store", in an open arena or someone's backyard... I have to compete against others to be the "High and/or Winning Bidder"... As such I win an auction...

When I go to the Grocery Store, Furniture Store, Home Improvement Store...etc.... and I purchase and item.
I, myself, consider it buying an item...

Unlike at an auction, retail facilities have countless numbers of the same item(s)... In fact it is common to find dozens, hundreds, thousands of similar items next to one another on the shelves.... Very rarely, is there just one of an item... If an item is out of stock, it can be brought in from the Warehouse, another store, from the Manufacturer.... etc...

Unless it is a fantasy or repop... it is extremely rare for there to be more than one of an item at an auction...


But, that is just my take on the difference between "winning and buying".....

With 25% commissions and 18% buyers premium I believe the real winners are the auction house / auctioneers.