"Gene" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:18:26 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

Today I watched auctions and bid on auctions for mill accessories.

a) I bid $1250, the winner bid $1275
b) I bid $10, the winner bid $10.50
c) I bid $20, the winner bid $52
d) I bid $100, the winner bid $107
e) I bid $255, the winner bid $260
f) I bid $30, the winner bid $31
g) I bid $10, the winner bid $36
h) I bid $10, the winner bid $11
i) I bid $66, the looser bid $47.98, causing me to pay $48.99

In all 9 auctions, I was the first to bid, or bid several multiples of
the existing high bid.

Most watched auctions end without any bids.

So why in all cases does another bidder appear if I bid?

Could it be the seller has another identity to shill up the price?

Personally, I feel that the rate of shill bidding has increased
dramatically since eBay hid the identities of bidders. That action
rendered the bidder search function unusable and made it impossible
for bidders to talk to each other.

My experience with eBay has led me to conclude that they don't really
care what sort of shenanigans are going on, if they get their fees.
--

I think posting the identities of bidders was leading to bogus second chance
offers. What's currently driving me nuts is the default "best match" search
which I constantly have to change back to ending soonest. That and the
"featured garbage" results which come before "closest distance", so if I'm
looking for strength training equipment located nearby, I have to scroll
through every piece of crap rubber band and abdominizer some scam artist is
selling.