First timer - bidding help!

[PseudoBadger]

I've put a bid on an item and have put on a maximum bid amount. So at the moment I'm the highest bidder at £10, my max bid is £40. It's telling me that the reserve isn't met - is it talking about the current bid or the maximum bid amount? Hope that makes sense!

the seller has added a reserve, the lowest will be £50. you will have to bid higher than the reserve to win the item, so £40 will not be enough, hence the reserve not met. Your bid is only at £10 because nobody else has bid against you yet.

The reserve price isn't disclosed to the bidder. It's an artificial way to drum up bids by luring bidders with a low starting bid. You've done the right thing by thinking about how much you'd be willing to pay for the item. Be wary of paying any more - it's a buyer's market at the moment for most things!

as fergoose says the lowest you can set a reserve is £50 so if max bid is £40 you have no chance ie even if you are winning bidder seller does not have to sell to you as reserve not met

you could put in a max of £50.01

the seller has put on a reserve as she does not want to sell at a silly price like 99p

reserves are often used with higher price items just like normal auctions it is reasonable to set a reserve so if no -one bids or only bids low you have option to keep your item reduce price or attempt to sell elsewhere

I agree that it's sensible to put a reserve on a high value item, but to start the bids at a silly price, when there is never a chance of selling the item at that price is a deception in my view.

not really - the reserve is there to protect the seller, hardly deception. It clearly shows if you have met the reserve or not. An item started at a lower price can cost less in fees plus attract more bidders, that is just the way it works, at both on and offline auctions.

So if mine ends up as the highest bid at £40, she could still sell it at that price? Or would eBay stop her as the reserve wasn't met?

no - she doesn't have to sell if you don't meet the reserve, but if she wants to she can. I think they would prob just relist though.