Ghost bidding

[patch0429]

I was bidding on an item against a privately listed bidder (Ghost Bidder) I placed 5 bids till I came to my limit where each bid was automaticlly outbid. It was after the close of auction that I was inform I had won the item as the ghost bidder had retracted their bid or bids that were higher than mine, which didn't include the previous bids that had me make an extra 4 uneccessary bids. Subsequentlly I was bidding against myself which may or maynot have been manipulation by the seller, either way this is unethical system leaving itself open to curruption. Anybody could use this process to achive an outcome of having a buy it now price defeating the true spirit of the process of being a true auction.

[lyndal1838]

It was a Private Listing....all bidders would be "ghost bidders" including you.  This is set up by the seller and the only people to see you full ID are you and the seller.  The other bidders only see your ID as you see them "Private bidder".  You have no idea which bidder retracted their bid and whether they retracted only the bids above yours.

[aussietastic]

@lyndal1838

I think you miss the point!

What if there are only one other bidder?

You may not know who is bidding but you can tell how many are bidding and when.

Also, (@OP) if you don't want to pay that amount you can play the game and retract your bid as well.

It's just fun and games on eBay these days!

[davewil1964]

We don't know how many bidders there were, THAT is the point.

A bidder cannot withdraw a bid after an auction has finished. All they can do is not pay and get a NPB case opened against them and subsequently a strike. Please get your facts correct.

OP, if you bid the maximum you were happy to pay, and you won at that amount, why don't you now want to pay what you were prepared to pay when you bid?

[aussietastic]

Sorry, my bad

misunderstood "privately listed bidder" I think it is just bidding on a Private Listing with "private listing - bidders' identities protected" showing.

I wouldn't be getting into a bidding war, if desperate for it just put one bid with the most you are prepared to pay and leave it at that.

Yes, you can't cancel a bid after an auction ends but I mean, is there a difference between canceling a bid 5 min before the end and canceling a sale 5 mins after? Isn't there some process where you give a sad excuse for either to get out of it, happens all the time.

Just say the cat died and you are in deep grieving and cannot think straight right now. I'm sure that one is on the list.

NPB case......... does that go on your credit rating?

[davewil1964]

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@masterb2006 wrote:

Sorry, my bad

misunderstood "privately listed bidder" I think it is just bidding on a Private Listing with "private listing - bidders' identities protected" showing.

I wouldn't be getting into a bidding war, if desperate for it just put one bid with the most you are prepared to pay and leave it at that.

Yes, you can't cancel a bid after an auction ends but I mean, is there a difference between canceling a bid 5 min before the end and canceling a sale 5 mins after? Isn't there some process where you give a sad excuse for either to get out of it, happens all the time.

Just say the cat died and you are in deep grieving and cannot think straight right now. I'm sure that one is on the list.

NPB case......... does that go on your credit rating?

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Unless the bid was placed in the previous hour it cannot be withdrawn within 12 hours of an auction ending. There is no requirement for a seller to offer a cancellation either. And the lamer the excuse, the less likely.

Whilst as NPB case probably won't affect your credit rating, a second one WILL impact on your ability to buy from prudent sellers (those who have blocks in place for serial pests NPBs). The big advantage for a seller is that any negative feedback left by a NPB will be deleted on request. This is not necessarily so with a cancellation.

If you click on 'site map' at the bottom of every page, you will find a mine of information about how this place works. Recommended.

[aussietastic]

Sorry, I'm being a little facetious and you appear to be a rather pedantic eBay disciple.

We're not trying to split atoms here!

The OP is talking about one incident where he feels miffed and if he feels that strongly, don't pay. There is a system in place where the OP can give a story and may not receive a strike. If he does it every week then he will get into trouble.

I'm sure there are plenty of pliable excuses to be used and of coarse the seller doesn't have to cancel, but there is an appeal process as well.

Everybody does it!

Oh! and after all, it didn't seem that hard for the seller to cancel the bidder that got the OP miffed in the first place.

[davewil1964]

eBay disciple?

Let's just say that as I trade here I tend to go by eBay's rules.

And I don't offer 'facetious' advice to people asking real questions. Especially without an indication that it is facetious.

Masterb, indeed.

[gunnaparty2]

I bid on an auction earlier on today and the same bidder kept over bidding me,I had to go to work before the auction ended and when I got home it said I did not win the auction,then I got an email for a second chance offer at my highest bid 6 minutes after the auction ended as the winner did not complete the transaction so he/she must have cancelled after they won the item and pretty **bleep** quickly at that

[lyndal1838]

Did the bidding history show that the highest bidder retracted or did not complete the transaction?

A seller will often send a Second Chance Offer if they have another item exactly the same to sell.  It is quite legitimate and gives you the chance to get the item at the highest amount you were prepared to pay.

That is the most usual scenario when the SCO is sent as soon as the auction finishes as a seller can not send a SCO until the first transaction is officially cancelled.

The highest bidder cannot retract after the auction has finished and if they retracted before the end you would have been the winner rather than receiving a SCO.