accussed of shill bidding what should I do?

[ozmachineryandequipment]

G'day got a question I've just been accused of shill bidding, I had a number of powertool chargers I've been selling, all identical new chargers, pre test tagged by the company I puchased them off and engraved with a stock number.

I've sold atleast 15-20+ I'm down to my very last one, and have a problem.

A member bid on second last one $99 didn't win reckons he was outbid in the last 3 seconds with a bid of $100, item was paid by winning bidder I've sent it off as per usual etc. the chargers I have on automated relist, and don't change photo's, same as I do on a number of CB radio's as I may have 50 in the same condition.

The under bidders now bidded on it, he also contacted me via email asking what he asked on the phone which is how much do you want for it, I've explained whatever it goes for we retail them for $140 through our company, but because of being last I can't pull the listing, due to our company policies.

He replied saying yes you are shill bidding, as serial numbers etc. are the same.

As mentioned the only difference is engraved stock number and serial number from the photo's.

We don't need to shill bid for starters, as we are doing extremely well out of this deal, (bulk pallet purchased at auction)

and so are the customers, being they are buying a $400 charger for anywhere from $99 to nearly $200.

Secondly if we were shill bidding we'd start at 99c not pay the extra listing fees.

to start at $99

Anyway this is aggitated me but what would you recommend we do, as I do not want to wind up with negative feedback, or positive feedback with an accusation of shill bidding etc. over something we don't do, I don't do shill bidding and I don't do reserves etc. as I think you should not start bidding below where you want to be otherwise you waste everybodies time.

I despise this as I attend a lot of live auctions and reserves can stuff a whole day up, as you may not get an answer, to a reserve/offer price until the next day, so 5 hour drive the next day to pick up something you would've got the day before, but now your 10 hours down.

what the safest way to handle this?