Shill bidding...

mamabuddah

If you suspect it on Ebay...you have to draw their attention to it while the auction is live, otherwise they won't investigate...

bummer...don't get caught out like I did.:mad:

iammumtoone

That can't be right. I reported someone for shill bidding the other day. I couldn't tell until the auction had ended as I didn't bid until the last minute and they had put in a high bid just before me.

mamabuddah

strange I went through the help process and the advice I got was useless....should I still challenge it?

iammumtoone

I reported it but whether they acted on it, I don't know. I didn't hear anything back but didn't expect to.

edit: I reported it by clicking on report item, listing practice, fraudulent listing practices, seller is using other accounts to inflate item price.

HTH

forgotmyname

Report as much as you like. The chances of them doing anything is remote.

I contacted them last year about a seller than had sold lots of items of furniture to the same seller several times.

I phoned to see if i could get someone with half a brain. Seems they dont employ anyone with any braincells at all.

The reply i got was that its normal for buyers to buy many things from one seller. They do it all the time. I doubt that i doubt they have the IQ to use ebay.

When i asked yes but when you buy an item from a seller do you then buy the same item another 6 times. Sometimes paying more than what you won it for last week.
I think they had their fingers in their ears at this point and just kept repeating its normal for a buyer to buy lots of items from one seller.

techspec

I reported a car seller who had sold the same used car to the same buyer 3 times.

Ebays intelligent response - it may be a repeat buyer :doh:

RHemmings

I have reported many obvious shill bidders over the years. I have NEVER seen ebay do anything about it.

RFW

forgotmyname wrote: »

When i asked yes but when you buy an item from a seller do you then buy the same item another 6 times. Sometimes paying more than what you won it for last week.
I think they had their fingers in their ears at this point and just kept repeating its normal for a buyer to buy lots of items from one seller.

That's how their recommended items works, I recently bought a heating element for a spin drier, I've had emails and pages recommending more of them ever since. Different makes and models too, perhaps they're collectable.

I used to have a customer who, if I was an outsider, looked decidedly suspect. She only ever purchased from me and was often quite high volume with low feedback.

Customer services for most companies are built to stop people pestering them. Shill bidding will be low priority for Ebay, I know they pass on some cases to Trading Standards to investigate. They keep tinkering with automated systems that will have some effect, there was an upcoming change that may help.

RHemmings

RFW wrote: »

I used to have a customer who, if I was an outsider, looked decidedly suspect. She only ever purchased from me and was often quite high volume with low feedback.

Did this customer ever buy a singular item from you, you then relisted it, and then they bought the same item from you again?

RFW

RHemmings wrote: »

Did this customer ever buy a singular item from you, you then relisted it, and then they bought the same item from you again?

Yes, several times. I know it isn't common and most of it will be shill bidding but it can happen.

soolin

RHemmings wrote: »

Did this customer ever buy a singular item from you, you then relisted it, and then they bought the same item from you again?

RFW wrote: »

Yes, several times. I know it isn't common and most of it will be shill bidding but it can happen.

I have people who have bought from me and then resell on ebay. Not so much anymore as the fees mean it just doesn't work, but a good few years ago I had someone buy up virtually everything I listed- I offered him direct deals but he insosted on buying through ebay.

Nowadays it tend to be speculators who buy vintage or antique items. I sell them honestly mentioning damage etc, they buy a few to get shipping discounts and resell with no mention of damage, and perhaps some change to the title. So for instance my retro bit of jewellery with a makers name that puts it firmly in the 1970s gets relisted as authentic art deco with no mention it has a logo on the reverse. A modern copy of a Staffordshire flat back gets listed as original.