Re: Shill Bidding and Second Chance Offers

["Jim Blair" <carnuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

A: I had one Jerk a couple years ago bid my stuff up and right after he won 
the first item, he emailed me and told me to F off and that he wasn't paying 
for it. I reported him to Ebay and they cancelled all the bids he made.


From: John McEwen <moparrr@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Shill Bidding and Second Chance Offers
To: mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Message-id: <p06110400bdbd11d0b9a3@[68.148.161.107]>

Hi Dean:

Thanks for your comments.  I didn't post names etc. because on some
lists of which I am a member, even doing what I have done so far is
forbidden.  They are desperately worried that they will be sued -
given the militaristic legal situation in the US.  I also didn't want
to charge Larry with directly fiddling with the auction.  By not
broadcasting his name or the exact circumstances, I felt that only a
few people would be bothered to search for the specifics.

What I don't understand is someone placing such a high bid on a lot,
then refusing to honor the bid immediately after the sale.  It has
all the earmarks of a buddy helping a buddy - especially when they
both appear to be in the same business.

I've sniped for years with mixed results.  At one time, I was
virtually certain of success especially after I perfected the art of
placing a bid with 3 seconds to go.  However, in my other hobby -
which is the collecting of medals and orders of Austria - I've been
getting seriously whacked by a flurry of snipers.  Of course, I'm
bidding in their backyard on Austrian eBay.   I've tried a new
approach which is to place a substantial bid with  a bit of time to
go - enough so that the last minute bidders can see the level early
or be pushed aside by repeated "You have been outbid" notices.  It
chases off a few and reduces the auction fever.  It also throws off
the snipers who often must re-think their bids.  As most of them use
telephone modems, they don't have time to make more than one bid
before the auction ends - especially if I follow up my first, "clear
the air" bid with a raise at about one minute to go.  I win some and
I lose some - but I'm happier at what I win and am more consistent
now.

Yes, I dealt with Larry and have heard all sorts of good reports.  I
emailed him earlier in the sale when the lot had sat for 4 or 5 days
without a bid.  I asked him if he had a Buy it Now Price and
suggested that he could revise the lot and I would pay the BIN.  I
didn't get an answer after a day, so I made my own bid.  You saw the
results.  It could also have been a buddy "helping out" without being
asked - but it seems very unlikely at such a high level of bidding.
The final issue for me is that I don't need the hood ornament which
is where the value of the lot really lies.

I considered your suggestion regarding paying the $63 bid and will
probably consider it - however, I can't do so through eBay.  There is
no system for counter-offers in the Second Chance setup.  Larry seems
to want to deal strictly through eBay so I have little choice.  I
could email him and offer him something for the medallions and tell
him to keep the hood ornament.  That might be the sensible thing to
do.

In any event, thanks for your continuing support.  Are you still on
track for Edmonton in the next two weeks or so?


John