Was this Shill Bidding?

Avoriaz

Last week I bought a guitar at a good price. I arranged to collect it this morning and also check out another guitar the seller had for sale with a listing due to end this afternoon. When I last checked yesterday, bidding had reached £55.99 which was less than the £75 I was prepared to bid. I played the guitar this morning and it is a beauty. Well worth £75. However he told me bidding had now gone over £80.

I left with my guitar and I am very happy with it. Perfect condition, I paid a low price and he gave me an unexpected guitar bag worth about £6.

This afternoon I watched the other auction out of curiosity. It closed at £88.50. I have no regrets. I am strict with myself and once I have decided my maximum I stick to it.

I looked at the bidders list out of mild curiosity and then I noticed something.

Last night, 15 hours before the auction was due to end, bids of £75 and £88 were placed by a “joannewaymire”. The sellers surname is Waymire. Waymire is not exactly a common name.

Co incidence or conspiracy?

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=330096567697

Curiously the auction was won at £88.50 by a newbie based in the USA. The seller, Mr Waymire, is an American who has been working here in the UK for 3 years. He seemed a regular nice guy.

susplum

It looks like its incredibly stupid shill bidding!

jumpingjackd

It looks to me like it probably could be.

Avoriaz

I shall keep an eye on this guitar and check to see if feedback is ever left by and/or for the USA buyer.

It makes absolutely no sense for a US buyer to buy an American branded guitar from the UK. It is not a rare or a collectable guitar, just a decent mid priced electro acoustic. Shipping costs alone would make it uneconomic let alone the fact that a new one is probably quite cheap in dollars in the USA.

Maybe it will just quietly reappear on ebay.

Snooze_Control

As a seller, I don't see the problem with shill bidding.

Now tax evasion, that's a whole different topic...

SC

jumpingjackd

As a buyer. I do. lol.

Techno

Yes I think it probably was! You could always give him a ring saying you are still interested (at your price of course) if the other buyer 'unexpectedly' pulls out of the sale!!!

mah_jong

someone else won though!

Avoriaz

mah_jong wrote: »

someone else won though!

Yes, a US based newbie.

Very strange.

Maybe he was buying it for someone in the UK.

Techno

with a very similar user name to the seller!!!!!!!!