Proposed Change to Lessen Manipulative Bidding/Conversation with PWCC/Input Wanted

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

I've been on ebay since 1999 and don't think I've ever had a bid retraction. There's no other reason to have multiple retractions other than to be schilling. Hopefully eBay will build functionality that would allow sellers to block bidders with x number of retractions which I think would put a nice dent into nefarious auctions.

[tombocombo]

Allow only three bids! Annoying and unnecessary to bid thirty times at $1.00 or $2.00. Actually pull out, even when very interested.

[CMIZ5290]

Please, nobody take this the wrong way....But I wonder, how many threads have we had pertaining PWCC and Probstein, and yet we are right where we started from many years ago?

[FirstYearCards]

Why do people worry about other bidders? Put your bid in and accept the price, nobody put a gun to your head. If you don't want your bid shilled, snipe.

Surely everyone can put their own value on a card, if not... Get what you deserve?

I've bought/sold and retained hundreds of cards for my collection/resale. I've never regretted a purchase because I don't bid more than I value the card. Pretty simple.

[griffon512]

Originally Posted by FirstYearCards

Why do people worry about other bidders? Put your bid in and accept the price, nobody put a gun to your head. If you don't want your bid shilled, snipe.

Surely everyone can put their own value on a card, if not... Get what you deserve?

I've bought/sold and retained hundreds of cards for my collection/resale. I've never regretted a purchase because I don't bid more than I value the card. Pretty simple.

why do people worry about other bidders? because they impact the price you ultimately may have to pay to win the card.

does that mean there is a vast conspiracy of manipulation that is causing prices to skyrocket in a small segment of the card market? no.

is there likely some form of manipulation (e.g., bid retractions) that is having some artificial impact on raising prices? yes.

is there the possibility of making incremental positive changes (e.g., blocking bidders with high bid retractions) that would alleviate manipulation and have little, if any, downside to hobbyists? yes.

will this solve all the problems affecting price manipulation in the hobby? no.

does that mean hobbyists shouldn't care about implementing incremental positive changes? no.

would brent/pwcc be addressing the issue of bid retractions if he/they didn't feel it was negatively affecting the market? no.

is his/pwcc's view on this issue meaningful in the context of him/they having a better view of auction pricing dynamics than possibly anyone on this board? yes.