Ebay as the shill bidder

[stlcardinalsfan]

Why in the world would you agree to a second chance offer at that price when there was no idea below you? You are not bound to buy the item

[SMPEP]

My options are - pass on the item (and it gets offered to the guy below me for $330) or accept the $410 offer.

If I want the item, I have no other option but to pay $410.

Even though in a fair auction I get it at $335.

[vintagerookies51]

"eBay makes me pay $410 for the item."

No they don't, they give you the unfair option to. Not anything illegal

[SMPEP]

If I want the item, how do their actions differ from shill bidding?

[SMPEP]

And yes, I considered passing on the offer for this very reason. But the seller didn't do anything wrong. They didn't set the price. Ebay did. And Ebay set a price that is in essence the same as the shill bid price. Not the price of a fair auction.

They CHOOSE to do something that is illegal. Neither the seller nor I had a choice to decide the price.

[D. Bergin]

You could have just declined the offer and asked the seller to put it up for bid again, and that you would be involved in the bidding, but are uncomfortable with the bid price as it is set right now.

If it was just between you and the other guy up at $410, there's no guarantee there wouldn't have been somebody in there between $330 and $410 that were blocked out by the higher bidding, or had a lower snipe rejected.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

You could have just declined the offer and asked the seller to put it up for bid again, and that you would be involved in the bidding, but are uncomfortable with the bid price as it is set right now.

If it was just between you and the other guy up at $410, there's no guarantee there wouldn't have been somebody in there between $330 and $410 that were blocked out by the higher bidding, or had a lower snipe rejected.

+1. Exactly. Just because there was a non paying bidder doesn't mean you would have automatically won it at your bid. Even though the winning bidder never paid, there is a good chance that it will hit $400 again on the relist.

[pawpawdiv9]

Simply, if the seller has it re-listed, and you place the 355 in hopes you win it this time at that price.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by SMPEP

My options are - pass on the item (and it gets offered to the guy below me for $330) or accept the $410 offer.

If I want the item, I have no other option but to pay $410.

Even though in a fair auction I get it at $335.

Maybe..maybe not....there might have been some snipes at $380-400, that failed to go off just because of what the auction was at. Non paying bidders ruin it for everyone.