What is that about?

[jsyl8789]

An entry for a bid says private bidder - identity protected. What's that about and can anybody do it.

[kopenhagen5]

It is the seller that sets the auction to be a private auction.

Usually used for collectables and sensitive personal products.

But IMO, many are suspicious of possible shill bidding, myself included and don't bid on those auctions.

[horizon1907]

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@kopenhagen5 wrote:

It is the seller that sets the auction to be a private auction.

Usually used for collectables and sensitive personal products.

But IMO, many are suspicious of possible shill bidding, myself included and don't bid on those auctions.

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Hahahaha It may be completely OK, but I think the same way Kopes. I avoid them also. 

[jsyl8789]

It's not a special auction, just vitamins like I've bid on before. Is there any way to tell though if it's suspiciuos.

[lyndal1838]

It is only suspicious if you want it to be.

Vitains could be considered a sensitive item.

If a listing is set to Private it also means that the item title and price will not show in feedback....a lot of members would prefer it if the whole world cannot see what medications/vitains they take, just as they don't like everyone knowint the size of their underwear, or that they collect expensive items like coins.

If you are suspicious of shill bidding all you need to do is set the maximum price you are prepared to pay and enter it as neear as possible to the end of the auction so the seller does not have time to try and force you to increase your bid.

If you know the price you are prepared to pay and stick to that then you can't be ripped off.

BTW, Private Austions are very common among Chinese sellers...who knows why.

[rings*2012]

Hi, I just got outbid by a Private Bidder and when I looked at all the bidders they were all the same and I think it is wrong as I feel it is the seller doing it to up the bids on their item. I was bidding on a pet item so it was nothing secret so why is it happening and Ebay ahould not let this happen if the seller has a reserve price then so be it but to make you pay more.

[lyndal1838]

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@rings*2012 wrote:

Hi, I just got outbid by a Private Bidder and when I looked at all the bidders they were all the same and I think it is wrong as I feel it is the seller doing it to up the bids on their item. I was bidding on a pet item so it was nothing secret so why is it happening and Ebay ahould not let this happen if the seller has a reserve price then so be it but to make you pay more.

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On a Private listing ALL the bidders are shown as Private.  Only you and the seller can see your full ID.  You can check this for yourself by logging out of your account and looking at a listing on which you have placed a bid.  Your full ID will not be shown.

Sellers on ebay Australia cannot have reserve prices unless it is a vehicle or real estate.

Ebay cannot stop sellers using private listings....if you don't like them then there is nothing making you bid on those items.

[digital*ghost]

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@rings*2012 wrote:

Hi, I just got outbid by a Private Bidder and when I looked at all the bidders they were all the same and I think it is wrong as I feel it is the seller doing it to up the bids on their item. I was bidding on a pet item so it was nothing secret so why is it happening and Ebay ahould not let this happen if the seller has a reserve price then so be it but to make you pay more.

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There can be many, varied reasons why a seller will set an auction to private, not all of those reasons mean something shady is going on, though.

For some sellers, it's purely about keeping auction sale prices as private as possible so that they don't influence future auctions (there'll be a public record of it for up to 3 months via the item number only, but no links on the seller's FB page etc for people to click on an go "oh, it only went for $5 that day..." or what have you). 

Personally, I don't care one way or the other is an auction is private. I bid my absolute maximum as late in the duration as possible, thus minimising any attempts to shill my bid (or eliminating the potential all together), and ensuring I will never pay more than I am prepared to. 

[jsyl8789]

I asked the seller and he says he doesn't know anything about it.

[lyndal1838]

What did you ask the seller about?

Are you saying he doesn't know anything about the Private status of his listings?

Maybe he ticked a box without realising.