Auction Site - How do they do that?

I've been buying/selling items on the Auction site for a couple of weeks and have noticed ppl do some things that I cannot work out using the standard controls:

1. I bid on an item. It doesn't reach the amount that the person selling thinks it should reach. The next time I check the Auction has changed from '1 day' to '5 Days'. I've looked all over but cannot find any way to change an Auction once it has been bid on - only closing it (which emails the highest bidder to tell them they've won).

2. I bid on another item. Next time I look the item has vanished. The seller contacts me in game and offers me it at the price I bid so I buy it. I remind him I cannot leave feedback cos the item is no longer there. He thanks me and says he'll make me the winner of the Auction. Five mins later I get an email telling me I've won the Auction and I can now find it again and leave feedback.

So what's happening here? How do ppl extend/close/reopen Auction items that have been bid on when the only control I can find is the Close option? Is it linked to the reserve price or some such with 'hidden' features cos I've scoured the Help text and there's nothing there.

Finally what's the point of the 'suspended' and 'pending' sections - they don't seem to do anything.

Many thanks

1. You, the buyer, did not win the original item's auction because of a reserve. The Seller has his auction set up to automatically relist the item. Right now, for some odd reasons, previous bids are carrying over. This is a known issue. So it gives the appearance that the seller has changed the date because the ID number stays the same. The auction did close and the item did relist. Your bid just went with it.

2. I've never heard of this happening. I'm leaning toward it was always there. A seller has the right to close an auction at any point. The highest bidder in that auction would automatically win the item, the auction closes, and emails would be sent out. I can't verify or find out what's happening on this one without knowing the Seller and the Auction #.

Once there are bids on an auction the auction is locked. The Seller cannot edit anything (whether it be the price or the ending time). He can close the auction early, but as I stated above, if there are bids on the auction the winner becomes the highest bidder at that time.

Suspended and pending auction are admin action that can be taken against your auctions. Not a section to worry about.

Thanks for a very informative answer