Does this sound odd to you? Or am I just paranoid?

helping_hubby

With 3 hours to go on one of my listings

I get a message saying Bob retracted their bid. 10 minutes later Bob retracts 2 more bids. Here's what has happened: (names and values made up)

Bob made a bid of £100, and beats the current winning bidders bid. Bob retracts the £100.

Bob makes a bid of £99, and beats the current winning bidders bid. Bob retracts the £99.

Bob makes a bid of £98, and beats the current winning bidders bid. Bob retracts the £98.

Bob makes a bid of £96, and this doesn't beat the current winning bidders bid and so the current winners bid is pushed from £60 to £97.

Does this seem odd to anyone? Is there a limit to how many times a person can retract a bid on one item? How long do ebay usually respond to reports like this (I've emailed them)?

frivolous_fay

This is very blatant bid shielding. He's trying to find out the max bid of his fellow bidders so that he can beat them... but not by too much!

Report Bob for invalid bid retractions, cancel his bids, then block him from bidding! And watch out for other suspicious bidding.

helping_hubby

Oh really? Even though he isn't winning at the moment? Do you think he will place a last minute bid just to beat the current winner?

How do I do a proper report on someone? I've only sent an email to customer services.

helping_hubby

Oh help...how do I block him? I've just cancelled him and the amounts gone back down to what it was before his odd bidding.

frivolous_fay

Highlight Bob's name and copy it (or write it down)

There's a link to click here to report.

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/invalid-bid-retraction.html

After you've done that, click on his name and it will show the number of bid retractions. I bet our friend Bob is a repeat offender!

frivolous_fay

Links here:

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/sell/manage_bidders_ov.html

You can find handy ebay functions by searching the help files btw

And yes... if you cancel Bob's bids, the price will drop... but with luck you'll get some more honourable bidders instead.

helping_hubby

Thank you fay. Sorry I would have looked for myself I was just in a panic as theres less than an hour to go on the auction now. He's been cancelled and blocked. I feel so much better now.

frivolous_fay

I'm very curious how many times he's retracted.

helping_hubby

I've been looking at his history, but I can't see anything similar. Maybe he was genuine? I just can't help but think it wasn't though. And if he didn't win I couldn't have lived with the guilt that it appeared that he deliberately upbidded the other guy.

He did have 2 negs and 2 neutrals and only 40 something feedback.

frivolous_fay

If you look on his feedback page, it will show the number of bid retractions under 'feedback as a buyer'

frivolous_fay

helping_hubby wrote: »

And if he didn't win I couldn't have lived with the guilt that it appeared that he deliberately upbidded the other guy.

Why would he do you that favour?

Besides, your other bidders might not have been too chuffed if you'd allowed his bids to stand - that's the kind of bidding pattern that makes an innocent seller look like a shill-bidder.