I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.

I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
at all.

"Maxwell Lol" wrote in message
...
I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.

I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
at all.

ummmm.....in August 2007, eBay changed their system so that you don't see
bidder's actual IDs. Instead, eBay masks the user ID with the anonymous IDs
you saw. Sellers can see the actual IDs, and the winning ID is shown at the
end of the auction. The idea according to eBay is that it enhanced user
privacy. You can read more about it here.
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200708241544222.html
This was a change to the original implementation of Safeguarding Member IDs
that was implemented January 2007 that replaced user IDs with Bidder1,
Bidder2, etc.

In short, I don't think any nefarious was going on. You likely just got
outbid.

todd

I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.

I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
at all.
Maxwell

eBay implemented a hidden bidding system. You don't see bidders names.

todd wrote:
: "Maxwell Lol" wrote in message
: ...
:I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
: bidding on eBay.
:
: I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.
:
: Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
: 5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
: '***' in the middle.
:
: I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
: to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.
:
: I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
: at all.

: ummmm.....in August 2007, eBay changed their system so that you don't see
: bidder's actual IDs. Instead, eBay masks the user ID with the anonymous IDs
: you saw. Sellers can see the actual IDs, and the winning ID is shown at the
: end of the auction. The idea according to eBay is that it enhanced user
: privacy. You can read more about it here.
: http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200708241544222.html
: This was a change to the original implementation of Safeguarding Member IDs
: that was implemented January 2007 that replaced user IDs with Bidder1,
: Bidder2, etc.

: In short, I don't think any nefarious was going on. You likely just got
: outbid.

: todd


The basic stategy with ebay auctions is to wait to the last seconds to
bid. Constantly bidding to become top bidder only drives up the price.
I use auction snipping software to do my bidding, put in the amount you
want to bid and go on my way. If I win great, if not then it wasn't worth
it then.

Maxwell Lol wrote:
....
Besides the fact is was in all likelihood the obfuscated bidder ID as
others noted, what possible relation does it have to do w/ r.w???

--

On Apr 23, 9:53*am, dpb wrote:
Maxwell Lol wrote:

...
Besides the fact is was in all likelihood the obfuscated bidder ID as
others noted, what possible relation does it have to do w/ r.w???

Isn't it hard to talk with that hook, line and sinker in your
mouth?

R

"RicodJour" wrote in message
...
On Apr 23, 9:53 am, dpb wrote:
Maxwell Lol wrote:

...
Besides the fact is was in all likelihood the obfuscated bidder ID as
others noted, what possible relation does it have to do w/ r.w???

Isn't it hard to talk with that hook, line and sinker in your
mouth?


And especially when being reeled in at the same time. ;~)

Maxwell Lol writes:

I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

never mind. This is a new eBay thing to hide people's identities.
(Smack forehead) Duh!

On Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:37:19 -0500, wrote:

The basic stategy with ebay auctions is to wait to the last seconds to
bid. Constantly bidding to become top bidder only drives up the price.
I use auction snipping software to do my bidding, put in the amount you
want to bid and go on my way. If I win great, if not then it wasn't worth
it then.

That's my philosophy, also. It seems like the eBay universe is
populated by people who either don't understand "proxy bidding" or who
are driven by the idea of "WIN AT ANY COST". Never did understand how
paying more for something than you thought it was worth could be
considered "winning". Entering a proxy bid during the final seconds is
the only way to protect yourself from the "I've simply got to WIN"
folks.

But eBay likes it that way since their take is a percentage of the
final bid and it's to their advantage for the sale price to be as high
as possible.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

On Apr 23, 2:22*pm, Tom Veatch wrote:

But eBay likes it that way since their take is a percentage of the
final bid and it's to their advantage for the sale price to be as high
as possible.

Which is also the reason eBay is pushing this FREE SHIPPING BS to
Sellers. It's just a way for them to extend their Final Value Fee to
include the shipping cost.

R

On Apr 23, 8:36*am, wrote:
I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. *I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.

I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
at all.
Maxwell

eBay implemented a hidden bidding system. You don't see bidders names.

Well that is true to a point.

Within a specific auction, one can tell if the bidder is the SAME
bidder doing the bidding.

If you see the same "hidden" name reoccurring without other competing
bids countering it, shilling is likely occurring.

TMT

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
...
On Apr 23, 8:36 am, wrote:
I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.

I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
at all.
Maxwell

eBay implemented a hidden bidding system. You don't see bidders names.

Well that is true to a point.

Within a specific auction, one can tell if the bidder is the SAME
bidder doing the bidding.

If you see the same "hidden" name reoccurring without other competing
bids countering it, shilling is likely occurring.

======
For that to happen, the high bidder has to be bidding against himself, which
doesn't happen on ebay. What you might be seeing is the high bidder actually
entered a bid higher than the bid shown. Just as the seller's reserve is
"secret", ebay simply entered his bid as the next increment above the old
high bid but doesn't disclose the actual bid amount. As new bids come in,
ebay will bid the next higher increment on his behalf up to the amount
actually bid. And so on until he is no longer the high bid. This should, but
doesn't actually, favor simply entering a single bid at the highest price
you're willing to pay. It doesn't actually work for the very reason that
snipes exist and, indeed, why there is so much angst about perceived
improprieties: The folks shopping on ebay are almost to a one all lowballers
and cheapskates. It has been many years since I bought anything on ebay. The
local used equipment market is better represented in craigslist.

On Apr 26, 2:01*am, "MikeWhy" wrote:
"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message

...
On Apr 23, 8:36 am, wrote:



I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.

I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
at all.
Maxwell

eBay implemented a hidden bidding system. You don't see bidders names.

Well that is true to a point.

Within a specific auction, one can tell if the bidder is the SAME
bidder doing the bidding.

If you see the same "hidden" name reoccurring without other competing
bids countering it, shilling is likely occurring.

======
For that to happen, the high bidder has to be bidding against himself, which
doesn't happen on ebay. What you might be seeing is the high bidder actually
entered a bid higher than the bid shown. Just as the seller's reserve is
"secret", ebay simply entered his bid as the next increment above the old
high bid but doesn't disclose the actual bid amount. As new bids come in,
ebay will bid the next higher increment on his behalf up to the amount
actually bid. And so on until he is no longer the high bid. This should, but
doesn't actually, favor simply entering a single bid at the highest price
you're willing to pay. It doesn't actually work for the very reason that
snipes exist and, indeed, why there is so much angst about perceived
improprieties: The folks shopping on ebay are almost to a one all lowballers
and cheapskates. It has been many years since I bought anything on ebay. The
local used equipment market is better represented in craigslist.

I understand what you are saying but I have seen where a person
bidding will go up WITHOUT other bids coming in...in other words he IS
bidding his bid up against himself...the definition of a shill.

TMT

On Apr 26, 2:01*am, "MikeWhy" wrote:
"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message

...
On Apr 23, 8:36 am, wrote:



I just wanted people to know that I recently ran across some shill
bidding on eBay.

I wanted a half-dozen old 1940's half dollars.

Well, every time I bid, someone with the name e**r, i***i, d***d,
5***s, etc. I saw several dozen names all 5 characters long with
'***' in the middle.

I reported it to eBay (which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT) because you have
to search and search to find out how to report shill bidding.

I reported about 6 cases. I don't expect this to make any difference
at all.
Maxwell

eBay implemented a hidden bidding system. You don't see bidders names.

Well that is true to a point.

Within a specific auction, one can tell if the bidder is the SAME
bidder doing the bidding.

If you see the same "hidden" name reoccurring without other competing
bids countering it, shilling is likely occurring.

======
For that to happen, the high bidder has to be bidding against himself, which
doesn't happen on ebay. What you might be seeing is the high bidder actually
entered a bid higher than the bid shown. Just as the seller's reserve is
"secret", ebay simply entered his bid as the next increment above the old
high bid but doesn't disclose the actual bid amount. As new bids come in,
ebay will bid the next higher increment on his behalf up to the amount
actually bid. And so on until he is no longer the high bid. This should, but
doesn't actually, favor simply entering a single bid at the highest price
you're willing to pay. It doesn't actually work for the very reason that
snipes exist and, indeed, why there is so much angst about perceived
improprieties: The folks shopping on ebay are almost to a one all lowballers
and cheapskates. It has been many years since I bought anything on ebay. The
local used equipment market is better represented in craigslist.

As to craigslist, it may or may not be better depending on where you
are located.

Also with Ebay since it is an auction venue, one can find and bid on
auctions that end at a specific time. This levels the playing field
for those of us who don't cruise Craigslist 24/7 and have the majority
of good deals taken out from under us.

TMT

On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:44:43 -0700 (PDT), Too_Many_Tools
wrote:

I understand what you are saying but I have seen where a person
bidding will go up WITHOUT other bids coming in...in other words he IS
bidding his bid up against himself...the definition of a shill.

No it's not indicative of shill bidding.

Bidder X, an independent non shilling bidder just decided to increase
their bid. If no one else bids against them and the current price
(one step above the next highest bid from another bidder) is $10 you
might see multiple bids of say $10 from buyer X, any other bidder then
has to beat buyer X's top bid which might be $10,000 or more. Get a
bid nibbler bidding against a much higher (and hidden) bid and the bid
count will go through the roof.


--