How can I report a seller bidding on his own item?

jeff88_5
Community Member

I am bidding on an item and a user juste took the bid from 20$ to 60$ by bidding 13 times in a row without being outbid by anyone.  Looks like the seller opened another account just to avoid selling at a lower price and let buyers get the item at a low price...

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How can I report a seller bidding on his own item?

The correct process would be to use the report link on the right side of the listing directly above the item number and select the options shown in this image.

 

However it could just be that someone else wants the item.

 

Other people are allowed to bid against you.

 

You can read about Shill Bidding here.

 

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/seller-shill-bidding.html

 

shill.jpg

 

 

 

 






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How can I report a seller bidding on his own item?

Nope.

Sounds like the second bidder is using 'nibble bidding' to beat the high bidder.

Here is an example:

The opening price is $5.

Bidder A decides the item is worth $100 and bids $100.

The item opens to him at $5, the lowest bid that meets the opening/asking price. His maximum bid is hidden.

Bidder B decides the item is worth $18 to her and bids $18.

The item is still with Bidder A, but the bid has risen to $20, one increment above the $18 bid.

Bidder C decides the item is worth $50 but instead of bidding that, he decides he will get is as cheaply as possible.

He bids $22. Bidder A still has it at $24.

He bids $26. Bidder A still has it at $28.

He bids $30. Bidder A still has it at $32.

He bids $35. Bidder A still has it at $36.

He gets mad and bids $50. Bidder A still has it at $52.

Bidder C loses his cool and frantically bids $58- more than he intended. Bidder A still has it at $60.

 

Notice that Bidder A only bid once. And bid his maximum.

If Bidder B comes back and bids more than $100 she will win at $102, one increment higher than the previous hidden high bid.

If Bidder D comes along and bids $98, Bidder A will pay his maximum of $100, but will not stress about it, because that was the price he found acceptable.

 

New buyers often fall into the 'nibble bidding' trap because they don't understand that the high bidder placed that bid hours ago and will not be back until the auction is over.

That eBay some time ago decided to mask identities makes this even harder to see.

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