Author Topic: eBay Seller Hiding Bidder ID's  (Read 2136 times)

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Offline CherryBombs

  • Posts: 136
eBay Seller Hiding Bidder ID's
« on: August 06, 2019, 04:39:28 PM »
I wanted to get some input about eBay sellers who choose to hide the bidders ID's... I used to just snipe with my high bid at the end but, now I completely avoid their auctions altogether. It was never an issue for me but, when I see a seller that has listed perviously in the format which somewhat displays who's bidding or has listed at a BIN and it doesn't sell and it's resisted at auction and it's changed to private, I have no confidence that shill bidding won't occur...
eBay ID: vintage-trading-cards

Offline BustedFinger

  • Just a simple collector. No books, no websites, no arguments!
  • Posts: 1495
  • I wonder where this text will appear?
Re: eBay Seller Hiding Bidder ID's
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2019, 09:25:43 AM »
If you are sniping an auction, it really shouldn't matter what anyone else bids (shill or legitimate) as long as your snipe bid amount is the maximum amount that you are comfortable with paying for the item.

Giving "The Hobby" the finger since 1999!

Offline Paul_Maul

  • Posts: 3333
Re: eBay Seller Hiding Bidder ID's
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2019, 10:23:58 AM »
It depends how you look at it. I may be comfortable paying $20, but I shouldn’t have to pay that much unless another legitimate bidder is willing to pay $19. The seller has the right to set minimum bid and/or a reserve. Once those parameters are set, shilling is not acceptable.

Offline ToadallyDude

  • Posts: 514
Re: eBay Seller Hiding Bidder ID's
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2019, 02:24:56 PM »
I agree.  It matters a lot whether the last bid is a legitimate opponent or the seller shilling.  If they're going to shill like that, they should just set the price at that amount from the start.  The true spirit of an auction is putting it out there at a starting price and letting the chips fall where they may between legitimate bidders.  Even "reserve prices" are outside the true spirit of auctions.  The reserve should just be the starting price in that case.  Now, someone might say, then, that yielding isn't in the true spirit either.  But it is, in that it's not cheating the system.  Once a seller posts an item, they've entered into a defined action that has an 'expectation' around it.  Shilling cheats that expectation.  Whereas yielding doesn't enter into any action.  So there's nothing to go back on or change course.  It's a non-action.  And with all the shilling & cheating going on out there, it also evens the playing field a bit, too.

Offline CherryBombs

  • Posts: 136
Re: eBay Seller Hiding Bidder ID's
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2019, 01:50:14 AM »
I agree.  It matters a lot whether the last bid is a legitimate opponent or the seller shilling.  If they're going to shill like that, they should just set the price at that amount from the start.  The true spirit of an auction is putting it out there at a starting price and letting the chips fall where they may between legitimate bidders.  Even "reserve prices" are outside the true spirit of auctions.  The reserve should just be the starting price in that case.  Now, someone might say, then, that yielding isn't in the true spirit either.  But it is, in that it's not cheating the system.  Once a seller posts an item, they've entered into a defined action that has an 'expectation' around it.  Shilling cheats that expectation.  Whereas yielding doesn't enter into any action.  So there's nothing to go back on or change course.  It's a non-action.  And with all the shilling & cheating going on out there, it also evens the playing field a bit, too.

Very well put and thanks for your concise reply !
eBay ID: vintage-trading-cards

 

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