question for experienced ebay sellers
 

Good morning net54-

I've got a question for those who sell a lot on ebay. I'm a 25 year ebay
member whose activity is 99% buying, and I don't use the venue much
for reasons many of us have discussed in great detail. Here's the scenario
I need some advice about...

Okay, I am looking at a very high grade, scarce comic that is running in
true auction format. Seller has a 4 figure 100% positive feedback rating.
Problem is the bidders' identities are protected in EVERY one of his auctions.
When I inquired- I fear shill bidding in these auctions- he said the "private
listing" option is always checked when he lists new items, he's not doing it
with purpose. I don't sell so I don't know how to verify this.

Question 1- do any of you experience this situation as sellers on ebay?

Question 2- if this seller is legitimate in his answer, can he change the
current auction so that bidder feedback ratings are known?

Please stay on topic if you reply. To anticipate a couple responses, there
aren't any other copies of the comic in this condition that I could buy
instead. Next, I haven't bid and am naturally cautious- that's why I'm
reaching out to you. I prefer PMs, as conversations tend to stay on point
that way. Looking for specific best information on this issue. Thanks!

Trent King

Just bid what you are comfortable bidding and don't worry about something beyond your control.

The seller could have hit the "private listings" option by accident. I know I have activated options I did not want on eBay. I usually spend the time to figure out how to turn them off. Maybe this seller don't care about private listings thing or feedback like 99.9% of people. Maybe they turned it on for a reason but really why care?

Best of luck getting it at a reasonable price for what it is.

eBay question
 

bnorth- the fact that I posed the question, indicates that I do care. With specific regard to my question for experienced sellers, can you advise if it’s easy to activate “private listing” as an option? Or does a seller have to make an effort to do so? I’m also aware eBay doesn’t make it easy for anyone but themselves on the site. Is is possible that auctions that reach a specific financial threshold, now convert to “private listing” of bidders? In fairness to the Seller he responded promptly, I’m just seeking specific advice from current sellers. Trent King

We have both been on eBay a very long time. I have noticed eBay will just activate an option sometimes. I have had it done many times over the years. So maybe he done it and maybe he didn't there is no way to tell. I have been an active seller the whole time I have been on eBay. I don't sell much but regularly sell a few items. I probably have 20 or so things listed now.

If you care that much just avoid the listing. There are many reasons to have private listings and being a scumbag isn't always the reason. Best of luck on whaterver you decide is best for you.

I've never used a "Private Bidder" listing. I just listed a bunch of items for auction yesterday and I just went to look at my last listing which was still open, and it took me awhile to even find the "Private Bidder" option. It was hidden behind another tab.

I have seen many legitimate sellers use that option sporadically. Say if they listed something adult oriented, like a vintage Playboy or Penthouse magazine, and then turned it off for like Sports Cards, Comic Books, etc....

It would be easy to forget you had it on, and for it to carry over into subsequent listings.

Would be impossible for me to know your guys intentions, without knowing his history of listing. Was this unusual for his M.O., or has he been doing it for years? If all his listings for an extended period of time are "Private", I'd have a hard time believing he had no idea all along.

Personally, I'd be wary of "Private Bidder Auctions" on Ebay...though to look at it another way...aren't basically all Auction house auctions Private Bidder Auctions? I just looked at the bid history of a random auction on the Lelands site and they're all Private ID's.

eBay question
 

Dave- thank you for the insight, especially on the steps needed to get to the Private Listings tab. The specific seller has extensive comic sales history, so his current auctions aren’t an anomaly. To your final point, I’ve seen so much absurd or suspicious behavior on eBay that I suppose I’m prepared to expect the worst. I ended up sending him a second message, asking him to disable private listings. I can’t think of a valid reason on eBay to hide the bidder Feedback- the idea that sellers activate to protect bidder privacy is absurd, their privacy is protected from the start. Thanks again, Trent

His response would bother me more than the private listings itself. It's not very credible.

Funny, I just discovered I had a bunch of listings marked "No Returns Accepted".

I know damn well well Ebay forces returns one way or another, and #2, they've never really been a problem for what I sell, so I had no reason to have that turned on.

The problem for me is, when you have "No Returns Accepted" clicked on, it negates your "Top Rated Seller" fee discount (admittedly paltry, but something at least) that I just spent the last 8-10 months or so working to get back after being fairly inactive for a bit.

Turns out a bunch of stuff that I already sold, and now, several items that have bids on them, and I'm unable to change the specs for....made that Top Rated Seller logo absolutely meaningless to me. :rolleyes:

ebay question
 

Dave- Once again, thanks. I have decided I won't bid unless he unlocks the
feedback ratings of the bidders involved, prior to the auction's end. I like to
see the patterns of the bidders and to sniff around for shill bidding...

If anyone else can comment specifically on the ebay mechanics involved with
initiating private listings, I'd listen:)

Trent King

It looks to me like it takes effort to set it up. And obviously he could just uncheck the option.

How to create a private listing
You can create private listings using the advanced listing tool. Here's how:

Select Edit all options from the Pricing section of the listing form.
Select the settings icon at the top of the Pricing popup.
Set Private listing to on.
When you choose this option, buyers will remain anonymous when they bid on or buy an item.

I just checked one of my active listings, and it looks like he won't be able to change that setting once there are bids on it.

Whether he ever intended on doing so is another matter entirely.

ebay question
 

Dave- interesting. I can't wait to read his reply now- assuming he replies.

Trent King

Yes but eBay could have just changed their settings without them knowing and they just don't care enough to change it back. Plus once a listing has a bid you can't change anything.

eBay does weird stuff for no reason. About 2 weeks ago I sold an item. Somehow eBay changed the shipping method from USPS to UPS and was nice enough to give me a discount so shipping was only $9. Bad part is eBay only charged the buyer $5 for the only shipping option I now had.

The seller is the only one who really knows the answer. Anything else is just an assumption and we know what they say about those.:D

As between the scenarios he's doing it on purpose and he's just the victim of some ebay glitch, I'm voting for the former.

If it was a betting situation I would agree with you as that is the odds on best bet. Just saying from a ton of personal experience sometimes eBay does some weird stuff. Plus since we are already guessing he is a horrible shill bidding piece of trash for no reason at all I figured someone should take the other side when making up stories.

ebay question
 

bnorth- at the beginning of this post I practically begged people to stay on
point. You have bent over backward to stray from it. I caught your crappy little
insinuation that I consider this seller to be a "horrible shill bidding piece of
trash". You are a) wrong and b) OFF POINT. Take a lesson from Dave Bergin
here. He stayed on point and offered useful input. On the other hand, you
decided your attitude needed to be the center of attention. That's... wrong. I
have received your input and moved on, and I suggest you do the same

Meanwhile- back on point- I'd welcome anyone else who can keep it between
the lines and add to the conversation.

Trent King

LOL, no you practically begged someone to give you the answer YOU wanted to read. I will say thank you as your posts always make me LMAO.:)

ebay question
 

The ebay seller did not answer my follow up question, auctions end this
evening. He's selling a double digit number of high quality slabbed comics,
all with Bidder IDs "private". Red flag city. It's a shame, great books there.

Trent King

bnorth- still waiting for the "valid list of reasons" someone would go out of
the way to make live auction bids "private". Since I can't come up with a single
one, feel free to PM me the list. It will make me "LMAO". Good Lord...

long-time seller ?
 

He may have set it it to that 14 years ago , when there was , in his mind , a positive reason. And just forgot , because HE as the seller CAN SEE ALL THAT.
.****** Or he may also sell "adult " photos and those successful bidders almost always do not want their E-Bay ID visible . Ask any veteran divorce attorney about the value of a background check when it comes to child visitation arrangements when the mother wants moooooore child support.
. Or so I've overheard out in the lobby smoke breaks at intermissions.
I would not give the situation a second thought nowadays . Bid and buy it. E-Bay has you covered nowadays. They really do.

ebay question
 

MikeGarcia-

Thank you for replying. Even if someone was buying "adult" items, however,
their identity is in no way- at all- at risk to onlookers. Other members see
only a feedback rating, nothing more. For an interested bidder in a true
auction, however, that ID can tell him something about that bidder. How
many times has that bidder placed a bid on the item? Are they a "nickel and
dime" bidder, or someone who is making a real play to win? Their identity is
still not at risk, it's merely information for someone like me to gauge my
chances of winning the auction.

Regarding ebay having me covered, we will have to agree to disagree. Ebay
cares only about ebay. The company wouldn't be my concern in any case;
instead, my concern would be about bidding patterns and my odds of
winning.

Finally, the comic in question hammered at over $1k and I didn't bid.

Trent King

Private listings are an intentional setting; not a default, ever. He knew exactly what he was doing. Best practice as a bidder is to assume a shill and pop for a subscription to a sniping service, then snipe at the number you would be happy to pay. I use Auction Stealer. Drops in my max bid too late for a shiller to react.

One more bit of wisdom courtesy of our Peerless Leader (Leon) when I was mulling over an expensive Zeenut purchase: don't let a hundred bucks keep you from getting something you really want.

ebay question
 

Hey Adam-

Thank you for stating so bluntly, what I suspected. My ebay usage has
plummeted to the extent I thought there was a teeny, tiny chance those
clowns were hiding feedback ratings (!) in the name of some indefinable
"safety" to protect an already safe identity. Now I know that's not the case.

Trent King

My pleasure; I aim to disappoint at least one person every day. :D