Shill Bidding

[vikchick18]

Good morning good people.

I put in bids on two items with the same seller yesterday. Late last night, when both were bid up to close to my limit within minutes of each other, by the same bidder, my suspicions were raised. I looked closely at the bidding on this seller's other items and, lo and behold, ten items had received bids FROM THE SAME BIDDER within a seven minute period. In all but one of these, the "buyer" has bid the item up, without becoming the winning bidder.

Here's a summary  ........

Item Number - 130869946988

0***1( 5 ), AU $30.00, 17-Mar-13 22:50:03 AEDST

Item Number - 130869858739

0***1 ( 5 ), AU $30.00, 17-Mar-13 22:51:09 AEDST          

0***1 ( 5 ), AU $25.00, 17-Mar-13 22:51:00 AEDST

Item Number - 130869863557

0***1( 5 ), AU $15.00, 17-Mar-13 22:51:33 AEDST          

Item Number - 130869867284

0***1( 5 ), AU $5.00, 17-Mar-13 22:51:57 AEDST

Item Number - 130869878419

0***1( 5 ), AU $15.00, 17-Mar-13 22:52:20 AEDST

Item Number - 130869879439

0***1( 5 ), AU $5.50, 17-Mar-13 22:52:40 AEDST

Item Number - 130869898785

0***1( 5 ), AU $10.00, 17-Mar-13 22:53:24 AEDST

Item Number - 130869931506

0***1( 5 ), AU $5.00, 17-Mar-13 22:53:48 AEDST

Item Number - 130869934501

0***1( 5 ), AU $15.00, 17-Mar-13 22:54:12 AEDST

Item Number - 130869889326

0***1( 5 ), AU $25.00, 17-Mar-13 22:57:10 AEDST

What do you think? Is this shill bidding? If so, what can be done about it?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.

[kopenhagen5]

Report it and ebay will look at it. They have all all sorts of tricks to find out if it is shilling. Sometimes it can appear that way but turns out to be coincidental.

[thecatspjs]

It may be or may not be.  If you think it is then report to ebay.

I will say though, what "looks like" shill bidding may not always be the case. For example, last night on one of my buying accounts (that also has low feedback)  I bid on around a dozen items that a favorite seller had auctions on.

Within a space of twenty minutes from my bids and til all of the auctions ended,  I had won only two and I am pretty sure a range of of bidders were pursuing multiple items from the seller, as they were desirable goods plus combined post savings incentive.

[thecatspjs]

LOL - Just had a closer look at those listings, they are all relatively popular garments with low starting prices for the brand - no shill bidding as far as I can see.

Any one who likes this particular designers garments (that retail new in the low $$$hundreds)  is going to be inclined to snap up as many as they can at a great price and bid on several at a time.

[coast_golf]

I'm inclined to agree with thecatspjs, it could be shill bidding but on face value I don't think so. I don't know much about clothing listings but it would seem to me that if someone with similar taste to me is listing a whole bunch of items in my size that I'd be inclined to bid on multiple items. It would be a different story if they were bidding on everything from size 8-28, then you might have to ask a few questions.

[vikchick18]

Thank you everyone. Having had a closer look and a think about it myself, I agree with you, thecatspjs. It's good to be able to come here and get an experienced opinion. I'd hate to accuse someone of something without foundation.

[walesforever2010]

Hi,

I was reading comments by some members on Shill Bidding. I can assure you this is Happening in the Jewellery Section Auctions. The Sellers in Queensland are all Friends & this has been reported to USA eBay Many Many Times & they can see Shill Bidding is definitely occurring. Yet Nothing is done about it. They warn the Sellers but let the shill bidding continue.

I have been a member on eBay since 2005, so assure you many long term sellers of jewellery know what is happening. I will not even list anymore on my other site, what is the use when we have Criminals [that is what USA eBay called them], pushing the bids up.

You can easily see this, The Same 2nd Hand Rings etc etc Listed over & over again. Same Size, Same Listing, we all know this is impossible. Shill Bidding has been occurring since last year, some have stopped  Listing [ but Keep Bidding] but friends who were winning the items are now listing.

We all feel so sorry for Bidders who chase the bidding, as they are paying much more than they should.

Shame on eBay!!!

So for eBayers who think this is not happening & eBay do something about it, I am sorry this is not the case. eBay want their fee's more than cleaning up the shonky Jewellery Auctions. Very Sad.