It is never a profit-maximizing strategy for a seller in an English auction to set a reserve price for the good he is selling so high that he might not be able to sell it at all.

English Auction

A type of auction in which the price ascends as participants sequentially bid higher prices until only one bidder remains, who wins the item.

Reserve Price

This is the minimum price a seller is willing to accept for an item in an auction.

Profit-Maximizing

A strategy or process aimed at increasing a company's profits to the highest possible level.