Is this a case shill bidding?

[sergus0]

When interested in an item, I check out the current bids.  Most of the time, the bidders userids (example only) are like this:  x***t (48)  as we all know, so you don't know who it is, but you can see how many times this same pseudo name is bidding on the item.  And the 48 stands for the amount of items the bidder has won in the past.

I bought a few items off a seller and lost out on a couple.  I noticed the same 'name'  bidding on almost every item for sale from this seller.  This bidder won many items but their item count (the 48) never moves.  I did some digging, and since September, this pseudo name remains the same with the same number count (bidding only on this one seller's items), no matter how many items this bidder won with the same seller. 

I also read that a seller has to pay fees once their item has sold.  This same bidder has won 18 items in December alone.  Some items sold for very low amounts as the items start at .99 and this same bidder is fond of jacking up the price by $10 if there is one other bidder (who just put in one bid, no maximum).

I hope I explained this clearly.  If this is shilling and I think it is, it isn't a nice feeling.

[maximus7001 · Accepted solution]

The (48) is their feedback. Your feedback is (274). But what you describe does sound like shill bidding. You could call ebay and report it but they really don't care, or at least it does seem that they do not.

[sergus0]

Yes, the number stands for feedback, you are right.  Always nice to get someone else's opinion first before taking any action.  Thanks.

[reallynicestamps]

Some items sold for very low amounts as the items start at .99

The seller is pretty dumb to follow that bit of stupid advice from eBay.

and this same bidder is fond of jacking up the price by $10 if there is one other bidder (who just put in one bid, no maximum).

Is the bidder retracting once the underbidder's maximum bid is revealed?

That's shilling.

The shill bidder does not want to win. He wants you to win at your highest possible price.

Is the bidder winning? He is not a shill, just a loyal customer who knows his prices.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'sergus', 

<<the same 'name'  bidding on almost every item. . . won many items but their item count (the 48) never moves.

. . . this pseudo name remains the same with the same number count (bidding only on this one seller's items),

no matter how many items this bidder won with the same seller.>>

That's a good indication you've found a shiller.  There is an 'anti-shilling' policy on ebay, but even when the shiller 

is so laughably obvious that an orangutan could spot it,  ebay will never do anything.  After all, the higher the shill 

the more money ebay makes.  

That "report" button is there to make people feel better.  The only way ebay will ever do anything is if a situation is 

going to cost them money, cause them embarrassment, or get them into legal trouble.  

The main reason sellers shill their auctions is that they believe they can entice you with the hope of a low-priced item, 

but they are not willing to let it go for less than a certain amount.  They want you to pay their decided price, not yours.

Well, unless the item is hotter than Hades in July, that is.  

Otherwise shillers have a certain price in mind, and even without all those 'free listing' promos, they will lose far less 

money buy winning their own auctions, cancelling to get their fees back, and relisting.  . . .  again and again and again.

Some sellers think they are masking their skullduggery by making their auctions 'private'.  These are the ones where 

all the bidders appear as 'private listing - bidders' identities protected'.

Since even ebay does not think it is a good idea to list this way, you can bet your last buck that this is a shiller.  Only 

items like prescription-related items, 'adult' section things, foundation garments, really expensive items, and so on

need to be 'private':  http://pages.ebay.ca/help/sell/private.html#when

It takes more time to watch and assess these auctions to determine if they are being shilled, but as you say, feedback 

score is a good place to start, and compare to sellers of similar items who simply list with 'buy it now'.

If you are the kind of person who enjoys a jolly good laugh, here is the ebay policy about shilling:

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

Note where it says, "We thoroughly investigate every report we receive".   Anyone who does much bidding and buying 

soon comes to know that is just about the biggest joke on the site.  

Ebay is riddled with shill bidders.  If ebay were to ever get tough on shillers and ban them, there would be very few 

sellers left.  So like everything else in life, you will have to use your own brains.  

If you truly want to make a play for an item, decide on your maximum price (item + shipping) you can comfortably pay 

and bid as late as possible.  'Sniping' in the last few seconds of an auction is where the most fun is.

In the event that you believe an auction is being shilled, don't bid.  Because even if you won the auction, owning the 

item would not give you that 'nice feeling' you mentioned.  

So find a more honest seller.  For that matter, find a 'buy it now'.  It might cost a bit more, but at least you are dealing with

an honest person, - haha, or at least an honest price.  Plus you get the item you want at a cost you can afford, and you 

don't have to wait a week to find out if you won it or not, and you'll be super happy when you new purchase arrives.  

Happy shopping. 

[marnotom!]

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@sergus0 wrote:

I also read that a seller has to pay fees once their item has sold.  This same bidder has won 18 items in December alone.  Some items sold for very low amounts as the items start at .99 and this same bidder is fond of jacking up the price by $10 if there is one other bidder (who just put in one bid, no maximum).

---

A smart shiller isn't going to stick the seller with unnecessary fees to pay at auction's end.

[sylviebee]

Do the items won by the "mystery" bidder re-appear in new auctions?

That would indicate that the buyer doesn't pay and those transactions get cancelled.

If so, you might be on to something.

[sergus0]

I did the 'report this item' thing on 3 of the seller's listings.  I wish Ebay had a small comments box on the reporting - at least to let them know the shilling id.  Checked the seller's listings again, and this same id is still bidding.  And the id count is still the same number since September 2015.  And the seller sent me two emails asking why I didn't leave feedback.  I didn't answer back.

[sergus0]

In some cases, the seller uses the same pictures - he sells jewelry so he could have a number of the same items...  I did write down the original item numbers and if the shilling id won or just bid.  I didn't have the time to take it a step further.  But like a lot of people said, Ebay won't do anything.

[marnotom!]

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@sergus0 wrote:

In some cases, the seller uses the same pictures - he sells jewelry so he could have a number of the same items...  I did write down the original item numbers and if the shilling id won or just bid.  I didn't have the time to take it a step further.  But like a lot of people said, Ebay won't do anything.

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Have a look at one of the completed auctions where the suspicious bidder has won.  Is there a note from eBay that the seller has relisted the item?

Given what you've told us so far, I'm not sure what you're expecting eBay to do or what sort of investigation it could do with the evidence that you've presented.  You admit yourself that the seller could well have a number of the same items.

[sergus0]

No, no notes saying that the item has been relisted.  I don't now how it works for sellers, I am a buyer only.  But the mystery bidder has won a ton of items, and the count is 37 (actual number).  Been 37 since September.  Now, this is from the same buyer all this time.  Only way the mystery bidder's count doesn't go up is if there is never any feedback given to him/her.  Or it is a shilling userid used.  If there is another explanation, please let me know.  I am out of ideas.

[sergus0]

oops, I meant "Now this is from the same SELLER all this time.' Same seller, same mystery bidder.

[dmil8030]

Hello 'sergus', 

<< If there is another explanation, please let me know. >>

Okay, --  how 'bout you are investing far too much energy into what is essentially a non-issue.

Yes, you probably have a shiller.  As I clearly explained earlier, shilling is rampant on ebay.

You will not hear that from the sellers on the boards nor those who don't really buy much.  You are obviously unhappy 

with this particular seller so move on to someone else.  There are loads of honest sellers offering items at honest prices.

Buy from one of them.  You will feel fifty-thousand times better about the item when it arrives.

Otherwise, if it is just a bit of 'sport arguing' you want, well, . . . knock yourself out.  

[marnotom!]

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@sergus0 wrote:

No, no notes saying that the item has been relisted.  I don't now how it works for sellers, I am a buyer only.  But the mystery bidder has won a ton of items, and the count is 37 (actual number).  Been 37 since September.  Now, this is from the same buyer all this time.  Only way the mystery bidder's count doesn't go up is if there is never any feedback given to him/her.  Or it is a shilling userid used.  If there is another explanation, please let me know.  I am out of ideas.

---

What I am wondering is what you expect eBay to do with the information that you provide.  What sort of investigation can it perform?  This bidder appears to be winning some of the seller's auctions, and the seller does not appear to be relisting the items, which means that if shilling is going on, the seller is actually paying quite a bit out of their own pocket for the privilege.

If there is shilling going on, it's not a particularly smart way of going about it from a financial standpoint.

If you do want to buy more from this seller, who knows what other problems you may wind up getting into if he's not that smart?

As for the bidder's feedback rating, does the seller habitually leave feedback for others?  If he does, this buyer--as a regular purchaser from this seller--may have requested that the seller not leave feedback as extra protection against others tracing his purchases.