Seller jacking up bid by phantom bids under another name

[kerry22grace]

Can this happen? is there a way that eBay can prevent this? I have just won an item that required me to keep bidding (i wanted the item and it was a good price) - but what I notice is that every time I put a bid in it was topped, this went on for days until a certain total was reached then all went quite? if in the last 5 minutes I expected a late bid but not response. I suspect that the bidding was coming from a source that had no intention of buying - just wanted to push the price hihg - Kerry

[the3coopers]

New buyers are always tricked by this whole thing. The easist solution is to NOT treat eBay as an "Auction House", because it isn't really like that at all.

Treat it as a TENDER - place one offer, for the maximum you wish to pay. Don't nibble-bid, it's not a strategy for success on Ebay, all it does it drives the price up.

[viewmont1071]

The aim of shill bidding is to force the price up, not to win the item.

The aim of shill bidding is to manipulate an artificial reserve............ be assured that if the shiller does not meet or exceed their "reserve" then they will in fact win their own item, then process a mutual cancellation receive the fvf back and then run the item again under ANOTHER different  shill account.

it's either that or retract bids to the low bid below their reserve.and possibly accept a loss...nup not ion the shillers handbook that one

.. it makes much better business sense to try again....

Sometimes they even process a NPB dispute against their shill account ... and relist on their main account   so it does not look dodgy.....

whats a cupla list fees between "friends ?

[janeababe]

If the item is listed for 9 days, then do you bidding on DAY 9, and with your maximum bid. If you can , bid in the last 20 - 10secs. Thats called a snipe bid 🙂

This bidding on an item on day 1, day 2 day 3 etc... is ridiculous really. (good for the seller though 🙂 )
All it does is bump up the price, sometimes to ridiculously high amounts.

I go to regular auctions too, and have seen these *newbies* do the exact same thing  esp when there is multiple stock items for a single price sale... they bid against each other pushing the single price up and up. If they shut up, then the single price would be lower and then everybody is happy 🙂 ...  sometimes, i just shake my head in wonderment!  LOL

[kmsga1]

This is happening to me for a steam mop. More than once.

I put in a bid, then it goes up a little etc....and then I put in my maxium bid. Then the price is put up and goes past my maximum.  Its in the last moments it goes past my maximum bid.

I also feel that the seller could be under different name. I have won a steam mop and so I have one. But I wanted to buy another as a present for someone, I have a limited money to spend, its the way it is.I also would like to know how I can change my bidding and make it anonymous, so I can keep my maximum bid much more private. Because I am up against other private bidders, and my name is the only one being seen, then they already know what my maximum bid is.

I also started look at the ones that no one is bidding on because I don't want to end up being the one raising the price for another unnecessarily.

[a_beautiful_room]

kmsga1 there is so much wrpng with your post it is just hilarious.

Your name appears only to you and the seller. It appears as annonymous to everyone else so no one knows it is you bidding. Your name is not the "only one being seen" and ergo, no-one knows what your maximum price is. This is not revealed until someone bids over it. For example - if you bid $50, then someone else bids $60, the bidding will show at $51, with your previous high bid at $50. But it will be completely annonymous! No-one knows that is your bid, as your username will appear as (for example) k***g like everyone else's does to you.

MOST good buyers snipe bid, which is bidding at the last minute. Why reveal your hand when the auction still has lots of time to run. Either join a snipe program, or be prepared to lose often as new buyers nibble against you.

No point looking at items where no-one is bidding. There is obviously an average price that these things go for - just enter what you are comfortable with as close to the end as you can, or into your sniper program which will bid on your behalf so you don't have to be at your computer - and many of them provide this service for free - at a price which you will win one at.

If you are worried that it is the seller raising the price then bid at the end and don't give them the opportunity to bid against you by bidding early.

I reckon it's just that you don't know how to bid and that is why you are coming unstuck. No offence meant, but there is a smarter way to do it 🙂

[thesoulyearns]

Depending on the item and its availability, increased interest can add a higher cost to the same item from auction to auction. A rare CD may sell for $50 one day and then sell for $100 the next time it shows up due to its rarity. Might not necessarily be shill bidding but genuine interest.

I probably pay more for things than most people because I just want the item. eBay is great for a bargain but when it's $5-10 or so and the item is a bit rare, there's not much point waiting for it to show up cheaper as it may not happen for months. If it's on eBay alot, you can just search for Lowest Price First and bid/BIN on the cheapest copy. Sniping is a good way to get in at the very last second but it doesn't leave room for a change of mind later. Watch the item and get a feel for the price but give yourself enough time to go higher if need be. Placing a bid with one or two days to go lets you see if anyone else is going to bid.

It's also good to look at the ratio between the page views and the bids. If something has alot of page views but no bids with one day to go, chances are you'll be fine with a regular bid. If something has alot of bids, be prepared for an all out bidding war. Also check the Completed Listings to get a feel for how much it's worth.

[bsal6160]

Its called SHILL BIDDING and i have no doubt that 99% of the sellers on here do it simply to jack up the price.

[crypsynight]

Its called SHILL BIDDING and i have no doubt that 99% of the sellers on here do it simply to jack up the price.

I must be misreading what you just posted.

Surely you dont think that 99% of ebay sellers participate in shill bidding????

[lilys_playhouse]

As a seller I really take offence to this comment.

Perhaps if buyers learnt a little more about policies and procedures before listing in forums incorrect information would not be thrown around.

Perhaps http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/policies/seller-shill-bidding.html this may shed some light.

It is not worth it for genuine sellers to risk doing shill bidding due to the penalties if caught.

[traxed]

I have found an increase in "private listing bidders".

Most items are  bid on by these "private people" right up to just under my maximium bid. This has happened on a number of items that I have bid on lately. Call me suspicious, but!