Another shill? You tell me.

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

I completely understand the point you are making about the drawbacks of buying from consignors on eBay. The flipside, though, is that there are so many sketchy eBay sellers looking to rip buyers off through reprints, bait and switch, not shipping items, etc. that it has allowed the major consignors on eBay to flourish because people feel more comfotable buying from them.

I am not dismissing the problem of shilling with the consignor auctions, but there is just so much fraud or attempted fraud on eBay that people like PWCC and Probstein attract a sizable following for their auctions. At least when you buy from people like PWCC or Probstein, you know you are going to get what you paid for and what was advertised.

Exactly. There are many periods where I'll find myself only bidding with PWCC and Rick and maybe a few other sellers of quality cards. Does this make me a shill? Of course not. I just like to buy stuff I know is legit and will definitely arrive. If I have to trample on some owner's shill bid with a snipe to get what I want, so be it. As long as a friend or fake account can lob in a shill bid, there will always be shilling. If one doesn't want to bid on a given auction, one doesn't have to. Personally I find it very easy to ask myself what my max is and snipe accordingly, then just let the chips fall.