shill bidding on ebay

[butterfly 17]

well, I found something on ebay that I really like and would like to purchase, but when I bid, I noticed someone else bid right away and increased the bid amount now to three times what the bid was at when I initially bid. It is still fairly cheap though.

This bidder has 0 feedback and when I checked the seller''s feedback (20 with 100% feedback) to see other items they have sold, I see that the same bidder bid on 6 items the seller has sold. In each auction, this bidder bid a few times thus increasing the final amount and yet did not win any of them, but was the second to the last highest bid on the item.

This is apparently a shill bidder, right? So, now I am wondering if I should report it to ebay or just continue to bid as I really like this item and still consider the price to be fairly cheap for what it is.

Also, should I make the seller aware that I know this same bidder keeps bidding on their items? Perhaps that will stop her "friend" from bidding and increasing the bid amount?

 

[Kaleigh]

Sounds like a shill bidder to me. That stinks.

 

[belle]

you need to report that to ebay.

 

[FireGoddess]

I''m curious - what did you end up doing? Contact seller and/or report to ebay? I''d like to know what worked if this happens to me in the future.

 

[fire&ice]

They''ve done a lot to crack down on shill bidders - but it still goes on. One way to avoid someone from "bidding up" the item you want is to use esnipe.com. They will bid for you in the last seconds of the auction.

 

[butterfly 17]

I was not sure what to do as I really did want this ring so I figured if I just asked her straight out, she would get embarassed and stop the shill bidding.
So, I sent her an email asking if she knew this person because I noticed that the shill bidder kept bidding on her items. She told me that she did not but did notice that this person also bid on the last ring.
I told her that was funny because the bidder did not just bid on the last ring, but on a few of her items, like almost everything she has sold recently.

I then told her that I did not want to make assumptions, but I if this was someone that she knew, then it was not fair for them to be bidding in order to increase the price of the auction. I asked her to place a reserve or a BIN if she wanted to get a certain price for the item.

After that, the person stopped bidding. I won the ring for really cheap, $71. I have a feeling that if I did not send her that email letting her know that I was aware of the shill bidder, the price would definitely be a lot more.

By they way, it is a pave type butterfly ring, not exactly the style I want, but for the price, a real bargain. I will try to post a picture of it.

 

[butterfly 17]

Here is a picture from the listing. I thought it looked really pretty so hopefully, it will be just like the picture. I was actually willing to pay triple the price I won it for as the price quotes I received for making a pave type butterfly ring were >$1k.

Of course, this is not the exact ring I would have made, so I probably will have one made in the future regardless.

 

[ammayernyc]

The picture didn''t post...

 

[ForteKitty]

I know that some sellers create multiple account just so they can shill bid. I''ve even had one shill bidder tell me that there''s nothing I can do, after i emailed that seller. Since that bidder never bid on the seller i was suspecting, there was nothing eBay could have done.

Nice ring tho!!!

 

[butterfly 17]

Date: 2/21/2006 4:40:30 PM
Author: ForteKitty
I know that some sellers create multiple account just so they can shill bid. I''ve even had one shill bidder tell me that there''s nothing I can do, after i emailed that seller. Since that bidder never bid on the seller i was suspecting, there was nothing eBay could have done.

Nice ring tho!!!

Thanks!

Well, that''s what I don''t get. Why not just set a reserve or a BIN or start the bid at a higher price. I personally hate bidding. If I see what I want and it has a BIN price, 95 % of the time, I will just go ahead and purchase it because I hate to wait and I hate to lose and I want everything NOW!LOL!

 

[butterfly 17]

Date: 2/21/2006 4:36:40 PM
Author: AmandaPanda
The picture didn''t post...

I am not sure why it didn''t post, because I can see it on my screen. I think Forte saw it as well..

 

[Kaleigh]

I can see it, it''s very pretty!!

 

[FireGoddess]

Thanks for sharing. That''s good to know....just be up front and if it continues, put ebay on to it. I like the ring...please post pics when you get it! I hope it''s fabulous!

 

[AndyRosse]

Oh I love the ring! Can''t wait for some hand pics!!

And by the way, I think you handled the bidding situation very well