Shill bidding on Ebay - so what?

Hintza

I agree that shill bidding is morally wrong but I bid late on all my auctions and to be honest it has little or no effect on me. Why anyone would start bidding on an item early on is beyond me that is the quickest way to pay a lot more on any auction regardless of whether the seller shill bids. If I suspected a seller of shill bidding I just wouldn't bid, that is the best way of dealing with those people.

Avoriaz

frivolous_fay wrote: »

..I wasn't trying to be patronising, ..

It just comes naturally to you Fay without even trying.

Shill bidding and all the other ebay tricks just reinforce my belief that the only way to bid on ebay is to snipe, either manually or with goofbay or a similar free service.

Decide your maximum price, don’t change your mind and bid that price in the dying seconds of the auction.

frivolous_fay

Avoriaz wrote: »

It just comes naturally to you Fay without even trying.

Pfft! Just in case that wasn't a joke... I was addressing a hypothetical seller with regard to a non-specific discussion about hypothetical shilling.

Unless Mr Hypothetical Shilling Seller is present, no-one need feel patronised, because I wasn't addressing them!

(If you're there, Mr Hypothetical Shilling Seller, ya boo sucks to you)

kedj

Even if you are sniping, shill bids could have still driven up a price more than it would have been otherwise - so I dont see how it effects you any less using this technique. Though sniping will obviously increase your chances of winning an auction, as it doesnt allow the less experienced bidders a chance to respond with a higher bid. I think newbies probably lose out more often to snipers than shill bidders!

I'm surprised that ebay dont try to curb this tactic. I forget which site now, but I have seen an online auction where if bids are received in say the final minute then the auction automatically extends by another 5-10 mins. What would people think of that on ebay??

Seems like it would be ok for sellers (and ebay's final value fee), but it would take all the fun out of ebay for buyers!

Avoriaz

frivolous_fay wrote: »

Pfft! Just in case that wasn't a joke..

Of course it was a joke Fay. You know I love you really.

But remember the best humour is based on truth.

That was a joke too.

Or was it?

forumfan_2

It's the people who shill bid but accidentally outbid you and then give you a second chance offer that amaze me.

I've had this happen to me three times but would never accept a second chance offer anyway. I wonder how many people have fallen for it though.

I did enjoy getting back at one of them by winning their auction for 99p when they relisted a few weeks later :rotfl: