How eBay sellers fix auctions

[mikesilvia]

This is a good article to read, especially since most STC members use Ebay to buy and sell their cards! Is Ebay doing enough? I don't think so!

CUSTOMERS of the internet auction site eBay are being defrauded by unscrupulous dealers who secretly bid up the price of items on sale to boost profits.

An investigation by The Sunday Times has indicated that the practice of artificially driving up prices — known as shill bidding — is widespread across the site.

NI_MPU('middle');Last week one of the UK’s biggest eBay sellers admitted in a taped conversation with an undercover reporter that he was prepared to use business associates to bid on his goods for him.

Our inquiries found evidence that a number of businesses — ranging from overseas property agencies to car dealerships — have placed bids on their own items using fake identities.

The cases raise questions about whether eBay, the world’s biggest auction site, is doing enough to protect consumers.

Shill bidding is against eBay rules and is illegal under the 2006 Fraud Act. However, the resulting higher prices on the site boost the value of eBay’s share of the sales.

Last November eBay changed its rules to conceal bidders’ identity — making it even more difficult for customers to see whether sellers are bidding on their own lots. Since its launch seven years ago, eBay’s UK website has attracted more than 15m customers. It sells more than 10m items at any given time.

[hagansp]

definitly a good read

[randallcards]

good read, e-bays new crap not showing bidders is just an easy way for sellers to keep doing it!

[doniceage]

My question to you is this to all that posted.

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SHILLBID!!

As I find it amazingly that people that say it is wrong do it.

Hiding the bidders is nothing new. As the whole customer service by EBAY stinks. Shillbidding stinks but again it goes back to the one problem BID ONLY WHAT YOUR WILLING TO PAY. Let the dealer end up buying their own item (SIMPLE AS THAT).

DON

[randallcards]

My question to you is this to all that posted.



As I find it amazingly that people that say it is wrong do it.

Hiding the bidders is nothing new. As the whole customer service by EBAY stinks. Shillbidding stinks but again it goes back to the one problem BID ONLY WHAT YOUR WILLING TO PAY. Let the dealer end up buying their own item (SIMPLE AS THAT).

DON

that is true Don, theirs absolutly nothing on E-Bay that you couldnt live without!

[Will]

As long as ebay is making the money they dont really care.

[mikesilvia]

As long as ebay is making the money they dont really care.

To go a step further, the higher the price of the ending bid the more money Ebay makes. Ebay makes a percentage of the final sale price right? So, by stopping shill bidding aren't they in fact hurting their profits?

[Will]

To go a step further, the higher the price of the ending bid the more money Ebay makes. Ebay makes a percentage of the final sale price right? So, by stopping shill bidding aren't they in fact hurting their profits?

Indeed they would be. They dont do enough to stop it on a bigger level. I think theyll pop someone every now and then to make it look good but overall its not a major prob they wanna deal with. It hurts the bottom line.

[mikesilvia]

Indeed they would be. They dont do enough to stop it on a bigger level. I think theyll pop someone every now and then to make it look good but overall its not a major prob they wanna deal with. It hurts the bottom line.

Sounds like the Reggie Bush fining. Make it look like your serious, but you really are not.

Mike

[Will]

In regards to college players, I think there should be a fine on them but not the college and future teams. Especially if the team etc etc didnt know what was going on. I think its crap future players at a college have to suffer for a star players mistake and ignorance. Not bush but players that got popped in the past.