posted on September 29, 2000 04:41:22 PM
I would really appreciate your input into this situation guys. Here goes...
I am currently running an auction on ebay for an item that I sell frequently. It usually goes for the opening bid of $44.00, perhaps a few dollars more. This one is now up to $61.00, and the retail on it is only $53.95! The auction closes in about 13 hours. The high bidder has "shades" and is shown as registered a few days ago, and his bidder name has a mention to drugs in it. His email addy is also a college one (edu.net), altho I don't know what difference that would make. I did a search by bidder on the name and he is apparently bidding on 3 other auctions, all by the same seller, video game carts, toys, and a video gaming system. My items do NOT fall into this category at ALL.
Now two things strike me here. That he may be possibly shill bidding for a buddy and the bid on my item is to "throw off the scent" so to speak. I have written ebay timesensitive about it and am considering canceling his bid on my item.
What do you think about this and what would you do? Thanks guys (and Gals!)!
(edited to remove searchable brand names and for spelling)
[ edited by sword013 on Sep 29, 2000 04:43 PM ]
posted on September 29, 2000 04:52:12 PM
Be objective. I had "shades" on my ID and did not feel stigmatized. Be quick and thorough with your communications. If you have any concern, run his contact info after the sale closes. Press for quick payment so you can relist fast if he reneges. Don't stereotype - he may end up being a steady, reliable customer. LOL
posted on September 29, 2000 04:56:21 PM
There is also the possibility that he plays games and does other things too! I am not new to ebay but saw an item I liked the other day and bid more than retail. Won it too. I didn't think they sold them retail anymore, duh! I hate when these senior moments happen.
posted on September 29, 2000 04:58:26 PM
Look at the other bidders on your auction. Then compare them to the bidders on the other auctions your high bidder has bid on. Is there another person who has bid on all four? That would possibly indicate bid shielding.
If that's not the case, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. I recently listed an item which sold for approximately double what similar items were selling for on eBay (and elsewhere on the web), received a money order yesterday and mailed the item this morning. The inflated price doesn't necessarily mean your bidder isn't sincere, though I can see why you'd be concerned.
Edited to change "shilling" to "bid shielding."
[ edited by RainyBear on Sep 29, 2000 04:59 PM ]
posted on September 29, 2000 05:03:03 PM
kleavitt-
Thanks for the opinion, but this item is not something a am concerned with relisting fast, as I have a steady supply. Also, in the year since I have been selling steadily, I have only one repeat customer. The items I sell rarely draw former customers back, as they are mostly the "impulse buy" type of thing.
rarriffle-
"I didn't think they sold them retail anymore"
This item hardly qualifies as rare, and they are still made in quantity, altho it is a little different than the normal widget!
posted on September 29, 2000 05:07:51 PM
RainyBear-
I did just that and they do not appear on the other auctions that this person has bid on. My concern is that his account was created solely for the purpose to shill his buddies stuff. The other bidders on my item do not have shades and do have positive feedback. One even emailed me about being outbid on this, asking if I had more of the item in question! How I handled that one I'm not gonna say, wink,wink. :^)
posted on September 29, 2000 06:13:27 PM
You didn't hear (see) what I said. I think he may be bidding on my stuff to divert suspicion. Or possible may complete the deal with me to keep the account alive for as long as possible.
I did hear back from ebay (wonder of wonders!) and they have forwarded the info to investigations, but said canceling the bid was up to me, of course. 11 hours and counting, no decision yet on my part. Any one else?
Sword013(Joe)
[ edited by sword013 on Sep 29, 2000 06:14 PM ]
posted on September 29, 2000 06:23:48 PM
Why not let it ride and hope for the best? If he wins, tell him you'll give him a discount for using paypal or paying within a certain time frame. If he's legit he'll probably take it. If he's not, file for FVF and move on. As to the bidder who wants to know if you have more, tell him yes and you'll email him when you list another one. What do you have to lose by not canceling his bid? Good luck!
posted on September 29, 2000 06:31:32 PM
Thanks for the ideas london4.
My notification email is very clear on when payments are due, but I do not as a rule discount for Paypal payment or for on time mail payment. Besides, Paypal already gives 1% back on buyers payments to the buyer, and the margin on this item is only around 38%. Even if his high bid holds and he does pay me, it will only be around 45%. It is difficult to get retail like margins and sell at any volume on these, I have found.
posted on September 29, 2000 06:43:22 PM
I'd let it ride.
He's a newbie? Common, IME, for them to "overbid" and get caught up in the eBay excitement (I sure as heck did when I was new!). The bidding on the other guy's stuff? Hey, maybe he just wants to buy it all from the same guy to save on shipping? That's common enough too. Items are way different from yours? LOL, if that's reason to be suspicious, then you'd all think I was some sort of scammer for sure, when I go from bidding on a Barbie one day, vintage lingerie the next, video games for my kid on another day, and a CD-rom for my husband a week later!
Sheri [email protected]
posted on September 29, 2000 07:09:51 PM
What is it with some sellers who feel they have to delve into the buying habits and motivations of their bidders? I'm often awed by the amount of spare time some sellers have.
Sorry, I'm cranky tonight. Still, I'm curious how you created the shill scenario?? I mean, is your item so completely diverse as to be an instant giveaway that the guy isn't legit? Like maybe he's bid on toys, games and, what, a bronze bust or Encyclopedia Brittanica?
I don't see the problem here. Except, of course, your apparent unwillingness to accept your good fortune at face value.
If he is a newbie, why the "shades"? he must have changed his name for some reason. I don't think I am being paranoid here, as I have made many succesful transactions to people with "shades", and usually let the bid ride; I have made no cancelations on bids from bidders like this yet. It's just all of the other factors that make me wonder.
To buy it all from the same seller is something I haven't thought about, and does make sense, but everything he has bid on is rather in the (forgive me) juvenile category, as I stated before. My item is radically different than the other items he has bid on; the sore thumb, if you will. I have nothing against folks bidding on a variety of things, and your example would not raise my suspicions at all. It's just the way my situation on this auction looks has made me a bit uneasy.
posted on September 29, 2000 07:17:14 PM
Don't think so much! You'll drive yourself crazy!
The bidders list means nothing. Take a look at mine going back a month. I've bid on model cars, stamps, historic items related to the company I work for, cufflinks, a shop manual for my daughter's car and some postcards. There is no common thread to my items except that I like them all!
I've had many successful bidders with .edu mailing addresses. College kids have money and many people using .edu email addys are teachers! In fact I had a major university buy some old fraternal ribbons from me for their collection.... guess what their email addy was?
I never prejudge bidders... in fact I never even "investigate" them until they become late payers!
Tom in NJ "I won't rest until all the junk in America has been shipped to a good home"
posted on September 29, 2000 07:27:30 PM
fountainhouse-
I very rarely do a check up on a buyer. I let my instinct be my guide, and this time, the little voice said look. And quite frankly, I do not have the time to look into everyone's personal bidding history that bids on my items.
"Sorry, I'm cranky tonight. Still, I'm curious how you created the shill scenario?? I mean, is your item so completely diverse as to be an instant giveaway that the guy isn't legit? Like maybe he's bid on toys, games and, what, a bronze bust or Encyclopedia Brittanica?"
I have so far avoided stating just what the item is in order to stay within AW's CG's, but I will say this; it is an article to do with the sport of fencing, which I find no relation to video games and toys. I may be wrong here, and will be the first to admit to it, but at this moment, I don't see a correlation.
"I don't see the problem here. Except, of course, your apparent unwillingness to accept your good fortune at face value."
I have sold nearly 40 of this particular item over the past 9 months and as I said earlier, they never go for more than the opening bid price or maybe a few dollars more. It certainly may be a case of someone wanting it so bad that they are willing to pay more than the retail price, but I am still listening to that little voice, and it says something is wrong here. It hasn't ever failed me yet!
posted on September 29, 2000 07:36:19 PM
Model_Citizen-
"I've had many successful bidders with .edu mailing addresses. College kids have money and many people using .edu email addys are teachers! In fact I had a major university buy some old fraternal ribbons from me for their collection.... guess what their email addy was?"
You are absolutley right, of course. I have made sales to bidders with an .edu address before and all went well.
"I never prejudge bidders... in fact I never even "investigate" them until they become late payers!"
I don't either. It's just that this time something "rang the bell".
I think I will let it ride and see how it plays out. Thanks everyone for your opinions and I look forward to more. Keep em coming!
posted on September 29, 2000 08:49:06 PM
All newbies automatically have shades for the first 30 days -- is he that new?
Violetta
(Not known by this nickname anywhere but here.)
posted on September 29, 2000 08:55:11 PM
Let the auction run, take the money, and say thank you very much!
If he turns out to be a deadbeat, or gives you trouble, THEN go running to ebay!!
posted on September 29, 2000 09:10:43 PM
Remember anyone that works for a University can use the universities computer service. I have a niece who's husband is an auditor for a major University and his home computer address is edu.net. They give it as a free service to employees.
posted on September 29, 2000 09:31:05 PM
Let it ride. I have had several auctions go for 2x what they were worth. I have even sold one item in particular for over 2x what you can go to your local Walmart and buy it. Some people just have more money than sense. Maybe he just does not like to get outbid! If he's a deadbeat, offer to the 2nd highest bidder or file a NPB.
posted on September 29, 2000 10:00:09 PM
My husband was the first in our family to join ebay. He only buys minitures for wargamming. He completed 6 auctions before I started looking at ebay. Before I decided to register with ebay I asked him to bid on several rubber stamps for me. The sellers he dealt with probably thought his buying habits were strange. Fortunately no one ever cancelled his bids.
I don't think you should try to read too much into someones buying habits. If I saw a bidder buying cook books, men's clothing, pottery and barbie dolls, I'd assume they had a family with different interests.
posted on September 29, 2000 10:31:14 PM
Having "shades" isn't necessarily a sign of something nefarious...maybe he didn't like his original name & changed it.
As to why he might be bidding on several of your items at the same time..have you considered he might be a college fencing coach & picking them up for his class.
Or perhaps he teaches fencing locally & is buying them for students?
I used to fence (I only do it verbally now) but we didn't have a fencing supply store in our town. This was pre-internet days, but several of us often went in together when we needed supplies to order them...maybe that's why he's bidding on more than one.
posted on September 29, 2000 10:41:06 PM
Since this topic is here, I will make use of it. I have a high bidder on a Dutch auction who has a -1 feedback. One positive and 2 negative. The latest neg states he tried to pay for items with an unauthorized credit card and Billpoint caught it.
I have emailed him and asked him about it, telling him I would like to hear his side of it by Sunday or I will have to cancel his bids.
posted on September 30, 2000 04:35:49 PM
Sword - you are squandering your time worrying about the bid. If he bails out on you - neg him - and go to the next customer who was so worried about not getting the item..
