How to detect shill bidding

eagle_eye

If you never bid more than an item is worth you will never lose out.

I don't use ebay much but I use my wife's account and we always put a low ceiling on items. It means sometimes we have had to wait weeks before we get the said item as my ceiling bids are usually lower than nearly all of the final bids.

The shrill bid will drive the price up but what if the Shrill bid is the highest? Doesn't the seller have to pay to put it on ebay again?

Strapped

I've seen increasing amounts of shilling on ebay lately. I've given up reporting because they don't ever seem to do anything even in the most blatant cases. I think it gives the site a bad name.

alykatz

eagle_eye wrote: »

The shrill bid will drive the price up but what if the Shrill bid is the highest? Doesn't the seller have to pay to put it on ebay again?

No they dont have to pay a fvf`s[ will do a mutal] and will in most probabilty list as a 99 pence free auction.
Ive been caught out a few times with shillers, always snipe now in the dying seconds of an auction to try and avoid the worst of it.

EKEA

Just report it to eBay...

mrbadexample

EKEA wrote: »

Just report it to eBay...

Who like shill bidding because it increases their profits. What, exactly, do you expect them to do about it? They've already made it much more difficult to spot.

duncan-biscuits

lol @ comment 22 , he needs to learn to spell the word before joining the chat, that was a high pitched piercing bid indeed!

FirstTimer4Me

Strapped wrote: »

I've seen increasing amounts of shilling on ebay lately. I've given up reporting because they don't ever seem to do anything even in the most blatant cases.

I've bid on an item from a "Top Rated Seller" item is advertised regularly on EBay by the same seller, is there anyway of finding out what the item has previously been sold at by the seller.

I was outbid on the item, next bid was £10.00 higher than mine, bid after that increased by £5.00 both bids from same buyer.

The1832ReformAct

I thought that Ebay had checks in place for shill bidding such as checking the IPs for all bids versus the IP of the seller?

porto_bello

EKEA wrote: »

Just report it to eBay...

I formally do report obvious cases of shill bidding to eBay - though this only highlights that inaction results. The approach is usually to dramtically reassure you that eBay takes shill bidding ever so seriously, so leave it to them and forget all about it... Next!

[The proof of the pudding is that if a month later, the same bidder is still bidding on the same seller's stuff... whatever stuff they offer!

In effect, it's a case of buyers having to judge for themselves where shill bidding is happening, since they cannot rely on eBay to step in to warn them, even when it's really obvious!

duncan-biscuits

OP, you probably meant well and felt outraged, but no ones life ends cos of a few shill bids (or as him up there says "shrill" bids) and most folk rip you off on ebay it is just part of the fun, it is after all a jumble sale online, but drawing peoples attention to bidders bidding on their own stuff means not a jot to anyone , they continually get away with it and ebay do nothing, and if you email the seller and rant or swear or do anything other than ask a colour or length in "ask a seller a question" it constitutes abuse and you would well end up banned off ebay, and be the one in trouble for sending Malicious Communications and could find your own account suspended!

So, for a peaceful life, either bid, buy, sell, etc and just never email anyone and dont look into bid patterns, OR leave ebay if it upsets you too much to see people rip the pee pee!

Turn a blind eye as you will only end up with racing heart and high BP, and internet buying is meant to enjoyable, handy and convenient not an artery bursting killer!!

Anyway ebay is dying on its ar£e cos of all the fakes and now rm prices through the roof, better off to shop ON THE HIGH STREET AGAIN LIKE THE GOOD OLD DAYS!!