posted on January 18, 2002 05:26:05 PM new
I sell widgets on ebay, my buddy sells widgets on ebay. We belong to an association of widget ebay sellers outside of ebay. We have a special Widget banner for our auctions and special widget search letters that represent our association. OKAY---If I sell widgets on ebay, and I like by buddys widgets and I bid on his auctions and he bids on mine-- and we are both a memeber of the same association---IS THIS AN ETHICS QUESTION or is SHILLING? if the general public is bidding also? my point is that people who belong to these clubs or organizations should not be allowed to bid on each others merchandise---it is a conflict of interest
posted on January 18, 2002 06:00:48 PM new
>my point is that people who belong to these clubs or organizations should not be allowed to bid on each others merchandise---it is a conflict of interest<
That would be a disaster. Hundreds of Wargamers belong to the National Boardgamers Association. They buy and sell thousands of games on Ebay each year. I would lose most of my business if my fellow wargamers could not buy my games.
I sell hardly any games to people who only knit, or play croquet, or do paint-by-number kits. I sell mostly to wargamers.
posted on January 18, 2002 07:41:30 PM new
artdoggy: Are the widgets that you and your buddy are selling identical? Is there a limited supply of these widgets?
posted on January 18, 2002 07:47:24 PM new
Yes if they are the same widgets and at some point you each sell the identical item it very well could be looked at as shill bidding by e-bay.
posted on January 18, 2002 08:11:14 PM new
If it is not shill bidding, don't you think it will be cheaper for your group to just set up free BBS where you can post for sale ads? Why pay eBay selling fees just to sell amongst yourselves? I will tell you why -- to artificially raise the price of your widgets with the help of your club members, and the eBay crowd.
Members of a club "know" each other right? why not sell to each other directly? Why unnecessarily make eBay richer? This means their motive is to raise the selling price. In my book that is shill bidding.
[ edited by springmoon on Jan 18, 2002 08:21 PM ]
posted on January 18, 2002 08:30:55 PM new
Does it really matter what anyone on this board thinks? The fact that you asked the question indicates that some people may see it as shilling. If one of those persons happens to be in Safeharbor, you and your fellow widget sellers will be out in the cold. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck.....
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on January 18, 2002 09:52:45 PM new
It is only shill bidding;
1) if you bid with the intention of establishing a high price and without the intention of actually buying the item if after establishing the high price.
2) Bid with the intention of making an unknown person pay more then he otherwise would without the intention of buying if you in fact out bid that person.
posted on January 18, 2002 09:57:05 PM new
there is nothing wrong with members of the same organisation bidding on each other 's item if their intent is to own the item.
there are many resellers on ebay,some may think it is worth hoarding to resell later,some may want it as a gift for some one else.
ebay is a flea market,not christian science reading room or confucius temple.
if they are showing solidarity by bidding on each other 's item,lets hope they dont get stuck with them.
posted on January 18, 2002 10:29:13 PM new
Wouldn't out-and-out shill bidders be more secretive about it? How do you know who is in these organizations that bid on each other's auctions? Do they boast of membership in the organization on their About Me page or in their auction descriptions. I don't get the concern. If eBay deems them shill bidders then it is shilling bidding. It's there ball and they make they rules and make judgement calls on iffy situations. Write Safe Harbor if you have concerns and let us know what they tell you.
