Hi folks

Fairly new to ebay buying and have looked through a number of help and support pages and posts for advice on the following scenario but have found nothing concrete so far.

My question is like this....

Over the past week or so I have been looking at folding solar panels from several different ebay stores. (I'm not sure it is appropritate to name them at this time but searching for folding solar panel listings in NSW Australia) should give anyone who is curious about it a clue.)  I have noticed that the initial listing prices are always extremely low (under $1.00).  The bidders identities are hidden for all of these auctions.

As the bidding on each item starts (and I have bid on a few myself to check this) the bids placed are trumped by an automatic bid placed on the day following the listing.  I cannot see the identity of the bidder, but using the "show automatid bids" option shows me the date and time stamp confirming it is the same original bidder. Would a geniune bidder place a first automatic bid (always the day after the lisitng) for a price almost as much as the "buy it now" equivalent?

The bids keep rising until the item is eventually sold for almost the same price as the "Buy it now" prices on the vendors' regular store.

It certainly looks as if the sellers are placing their own bids (shills) the day after their listings to protect themselves from having their products sold at too low a price.  I am led to think the unreasonably low starting price also saves them money in listing fees.

I have tried using the "report this item" but the ebay reporting system seems to be pretty limited at best.  There doesn't seem to be a way to actually explain the problem and the pre-selected options are not always a perfect match.  Ebay doesn't seem to want to get back to anyone with the results of any investigation although they are very quick to start pestering me to fill out a survey asking if my problem was resolved.

My gut tells me to stay away from these suspicious auctions but there really doesn't seem to be any way to prove illegal bidding in this situation.   It is just curious that the same pattern keeps repeating on these auctions time after time.

What do the other members here think?