PWCC – Announcing Formal Policy Concerning eBay Bidder & Buyer Integrity

[sushihotwings]

I applaud the efforts made by Brent and Betsy. The one change I am somewhat concerned about in regards to discouraging legitimate bidders would be the "string bidder policy". I often use smaller bid increments for various reasons. As long as the bidder has no bid retractions (which I don't), I am not sure why I should be told how many times or how often I can bid and in what increment. I would rather not have my maximum bid amount hanging out there regardless of how confidential it is. Bidding smaller increments allows me to get a sense of what the winning bid might need to be in making a strategy for my top bid or a last second snipe. Most of the time so called "string bidding" doesn't result in matching the top bid, but actually puts you as top bidder at the smallest possible increment. As long as you pay for all your auctions without retractions, it seems unnecessary to regulate this part of the process and could result in discouraging legitimate bidders like myself resulting in lower auction prices and fewer participants.

[Tabe]

These are nice steps but the bid retraction policy should be changed. 25 bid retractions in 6 months? That's an INSANE number. No legit bidder would have 25 retractions lifetime let alone in 6 months. I think a number more like 3, or even 5, is more appropriate.

[Snapolit1]

Ive had three retractions in my life. Not patting myself on the back . . . I'm sure it's similar to most of you. 25 in 6 months? Serious game playing. If someone retracts bids on 2 or 3 PWCC items in the same auction -- that were consigned by the same person - they should be barred permanently.

[PhillipAbbott79]

If this policing can't be done live, as it happens, what happens when it occurs at the last seconds of an auction, before action can be taken and the auction closes, leaving one of two scenarios:

The person who won the auction should be banned
The person is legitimate won the auction but the under bidder should have been banned

Will there be a price correction to reflect the policy?

How will we know that this person is actually banned? I came across a forum that had a blocked list based on botched transactions and they published a list of reasons. Is this something that can be done?

[buymycards]

Good job with getting eBay on board with these policy changes. We have been waiting for this for years, and the changes will benefit both sellers and buyers.

People on this forum have been complaining for years that the eBay sellers aren't responding to information in regard to bid retractions and shill bidding, and now we have a chance to make you aware of problems by providing our input.

Thank you very much! Rick

[Peter_Spaeth]

I agree with Chris and Steve that 25 is way too many to tolerate. My lifetime total, I am pretty sure, is zero. Any measure is a step in the right direction, but I don't understand why it can't have more teeth right away.

[Exhibitman]

25 retractions is ridiculous: one or two is realistic. People make mistakes. People don't make them 24 times in six months...Especially in light of the string bidding policy, which mistakenly targets a legitimate activity. I don't know if anyone at PWCC actually bids on items, but eBay (and especially the mobile app) offers one-touch incremental bidding. When I am on the road or it is close to the end of an auction I will often just hit the button repeatedly rather than trying to type in a number. I don't see how you separate the one-touch legit bidders from those fishing for a top bid. Now, if you blocked all bidders with 2 or more retractions in six months, you'd deter the retractors from playing a fishing game while allowing legit bidding activity with the one-touch platforms.

[MULLINS5]

Originally Posted by sushihotwings

I applaud the efforts made by Brent and Betsy. The one change I am somewhat concerned about in regards to discouraging legitimate bidders would be the "string bidder policy". I often use smaller bid increments for various reasons. As long as the bidder has no bid retractions (which I don't), I am not sure why I should be told how many times or how often I can bid and in what increment. I would rather not have my maximum bid amount hanging out there regardless of how confidential it is. Bidding smaller increments allows me to get a sense of what the winning bid might need to be in making a strategy for my top bid or a last second snipe. Most of the time so called "string bidding" doesn't result in matching the top bid, but actually puts you as top bidder at the smallest possible increment. As long as you pay for all your auctions without retractions, it seems unnecessary to regulate this part of the process and could result in discouraging legitimate bidders like myself resulting in lower auction prices and fewer participants.

Agree 100%.

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

I also don't understand the problem with "string bidding". If I bid $1 a 100 times and become high bidder and pay for the item is that bad?

[jcc6252]

Originally Posted by ajjohnsonsoxfan

I also don't understand the problem with "string bidding". If I bid $1 a 100 times and become high bidder and pay for the item is that bad?

+1

I won't change that tactic for various reasons. It will be interesting to see if I get cited. Regardless, I applaud PWCC for their actions.

[sushihotwings]

Originally Posted by ajjohnsonsoxfan

I also don't understand the problem with "string bidding". If I bid $1 a 100 times and become high bidder and pay for the item is that bad?

I think smaller bid increments are healthy making the market more liquid in a way. Bidders can better anticipate where the auction might end and this can help prevent wild price fluctuations at the close. We are not bidding in a vacuum and having more bids and bidders in small increments can smooth out that process. I think eliminating the bid retractors will take care of the malicious bidders and messing with bid increments is an unnecessary and potentially deleterious step.

[Exhibitman]

Really. As long as you pay up in the end, who cares how you bid?

[JollyElm]

I've been bidding on ebay for seemingly 100 years and the only retraction I've ever had was a buy-it-now on a card that I didn't realize was OPC and not Topps. I immediately contacted the seller and he cancelled the bid. So, I don't even think that qualifies as a retraction. My point is, I wholeheartedly agree with everyone else that 25 retractions is just way beyond the pale. 25????????? Absolutely ridiculous.

[EvilKing00]

Happy to hear what pwcc is doing!

[spaidly]

This is great news.