Strange bidding situation

Sphynx

I bid on a table earlier this evening, it still has 6 days to go but I haven't been having much joy sniping so I went for old school and put in for just over £46. Almost straight away I was outbid by a pound but not straight away suggesting someone had put in a higher amount, I was the hig bidder for about half an hour.
It just seems strange to me that I was outbid so quickly on such a precise amount. I know when you are bidding it says bid xxx or higher but the table was at £10.50 prior to this so I would have expected a number of bids before it got to that amount.
I am feeling like I am being scammed but not sure how the scam is working.



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jennypdolphin

I don't see how this is any different to normal.


Please correct me if I'm wrong but I think you're saying that they bid more than you so it jumped to being £1 above what you bid, which would be the next acceptable amount.

With the timing with the amount of people able to access ebay I'd not be too concerned.

angelicmary85

About 2 years ago I was bidding on an item and was outbid every couple of mins in the run up to the auction ending which is obviously nothing unusual but all the bidders were private (I think there were 4 or 5 outbidding me)

I left it as it started getting to be too high a price for a 2nd hand item as a new item would have been roughtly the same price.

2-3 hours later, the sellar emailed to say that the buyer had let him down and would I like to purchase the item at the finishing price - I said no Thank you but I thought it was really strange. I came to the conclusion that the sellar had friends bidding or something to try to make the price go higher

bris

There is nothing unusual about being out bid. Post the item number and we will see if it is possible shill bidding is taking place.

jasmineswhiskers

It's a strange phenomenon but I have often found that if I have an item for sale with a few watchers then as soon as someone bids then someone else outbids them pretty much straight away. I reckon they don't like the thought of someone else winning what they want.

soolin

bris wrote: »

There is nothing unusual about being out bid. Post the item number and we will see if it is possible shill bidding is taking place.

I always warn people not to post anything that iDs their ebay account on here as it can lead to all sorts of problems.

Sphynx

Thanks Soolin, I did think about posting the item but I won't now. I do think there is something fishy going on. I will leave it until the last minute and see if I can get it for an extra £1. Or I might leave it if it doesn't go up and see if they offer second chance. I know there is nothing strange about being outbid, but I don't know how they knew how much I had bid to such an exact amount.
Hummmm

annie-c

Sphynx wrote: »

Thanks Soolin, I did think about posting the item but I won't now. I do think there is something fishy going on. I will leave it until the last minute and see if I can get it for an extra £1. Or I might leave it if it doesn't go up and see if they offer second chance. I know there is nothing strange about being outbid, but I don't know how they knew how much I had bid to such an exact amount.
Hummmm

I don't understand what you think is going on?

Surely how much they bid is irrelevant, they may well have put in a bid for £80 or so but ebay will only show a bid that is £1 above yours until an even higher bid is made.

Sambucus_Nigra

Sphynx wrote: »

Thanks Soolin, I did think about posting the item but I won't now. I do think there is something fishy going on. I will leave it until the last minute and see if I can get it for an extra £1. Or I might leave it if it doesn't go up and see if they offer second chance. I know there is nothing strange about being outbid, but I don't know how they knew how much I had bid to such an exact amount.
Hummmm

You DO understand how ebay works, don't you?

frivolous_fay

Bid increments info here:
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/bid-increments.html

knightstyle

Have a look at this item 160485177500 I bid £5.50 it went up to £6 and then I was offered second chance! Legit or schill?