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Shady Ebay Seller

pfr0g

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I recently lost a bid on a coat being sold on Ebay by 5 bucks. The other bidder was just created in the last 30 days, had never bid on any other item, and bid up the item in question 7 times. The item is now relisted. Can you report this type of garbage?
 

mack11211

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What's to report? Maybe the seller was the victim of a nonpaying newbie. If the seller has a shill bidding, then the shill should not win -- just drive up the other bids.
 

Teacher

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Yeah, I don't think there's anything to report. Try again, and don't go any higher than you did last time. If you lose again, it probably means somebody just wanted it more than you did.
 

pfr0g

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Yep, Knee-jerk reaction. I just thought the situation was shady. It has happen to me before with the shrill buyer bidding up the price. Disregard my ranting
laugh.gif
 

augustin

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If it really was a shill, the seller could have accomplished the same thing with a reserve price.
 

zjpj83

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shill bidding is a fact of Ebay life. I hate it, but for some sellers it's their M.O. I just bid low and if they decide to give me a "second chance offer" then I'm still getting a deal. If not, oh well.
 

spence

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It would make sense to not use a reserve as this would increase the listing fee. It's quite possible that the seller assumed the item would fetch what they wanted, and used a shill bidder to protect the item...only having to eat the listing fee.

Shill bidding is a massive problem on Ebay, buyer beware!

-spence
 

Isaac Mickle

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agreed that shill bidding is epidemic on ebay. many ebay vets handle multiple accounts and many sellers bid on one another's auctions. you scratch my back, i scratch yours. ebay loves it because it increases seller satisfaction and, most important, their cut of the sale.

there are two ways to be at peace with all this. one, only bid in the last thirty seconds of an auction. or two, bid your price and expect to pay it. if you bid $90 on an item at $40 with two hours to go, and a shill comes along to bump you up to $85, then you should not complain when you win at $85.

a lot of ebay bidders are overcome with some kind of deal-seeking passion. just because you do not win an auction at the lowest possible price, that does not mean the purchase is not a good deal for you. it is a good deal for you if you win the item at or below your price.

buyers who often use ebay & study it always win in the end.

one other thing: anyone who bids twice on the same auction, if he or she is not a shill, is a rank amateur. repeat bidding is the surest way to drive up the final sale price. an experienced bidder will bid only once per auction, and this bidder will also walk away from a lot of "must-have" items.
 

pfr0g

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The shill bidding certainly does its job, and I should know better. I really hate the practice because on the surface it seeks to undermine a fair market economy by inciting market irrationality when bidding. However if you stick to what you are willing to pay, which I did, it is hard to fall victim to this practice.

I contacted him and simply asked if he would be willing to sell it to me for the last price I bid. The seller has actually just offered me the coat at the last price before the shill bidder even entered the bidding. I wound up saving $160in the end.
 

mack11211

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I'm not part of the shill bidding game, but I do notice that my auctions rise about 30% in the final moments due to sniping.
 

spence

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Originally Posted by pfr0g
I really hate the practice because on the surface it seeks to undermine a fair market economy by inciting market irrationality when bidding.
How is this any different than a traditional marketing driven environment?

The term "fair market economy" is relative for sure, most of the corporate world is rigged to some degree!

-spence
 

mack11211

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As a seller, I encourage you to treat bidding on ebay like voting in a Chicago election: Bid early and bid often!
devil.gif
 

lawyerdad

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Originally Posted by mack11211
As a seller, I encourage you to treat bidding on ebay like voting in a Chicago election: Bid early and bid often!
devil.gif

And bring your dead relatives.
 

pfr0g

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Originally Posted by spence
How is this any different than a traditional marketing driven environment?

The term "fair market economy" is relative for sure, most of the corporate world is rigged to some degree!

-spence


My mistake, I should have said ideal free market economy; with the idea that the price is driven by individuals actually willing to pay for the item.
 

mack11211

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Originally Posted by lawyerdad
And bring your dead relatives.

If they can pay by paypal, why not?
smile.gif
 

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