Update on PWCC Bid Monitoring Program

[Brent Huigens]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

Michael Jordan cards are usually a good place to find some shady bidders. I didn't even look through half the 473 Michael Jordan auctions that PWCC is running currently, and the number of auctions in which the high bidder and/or underbidder has double digit retractions is just overwhelming.

The following auctions are just a sample of the bidding going on with Michael Jordan cards, and this is why posters are at least skeptical of how serious the attempt is to stamp out the problem. It's not like there are one or two auctions (or 20) out of thousands is which a questionable bidder is flying under the radar.

Edd*e Sm*th




Here is a Jordan Star card in which the high bidder has 15 retractions in the past six months (and feedback of over 50,000):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/142348167708...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Here is another Jordan Star card in which the high bidder has 26 bid retractions in the past six months (and feedback of over 40,000):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/352029920968...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Here is a Jordan auction in which the top three bidders have 7,8 and 21 bid retractions in the past six months:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-UD-MJ-M...4AAOSw~CFY8Sk4

Jordan auction for a 1986 Fleer sticker in which the high bidder has 14 bid retractions in the past six months:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-Fleer-S...MAAOSwj25Y8COL

Another Jordan auction in which the bidder with 26 retractions from above is also winning:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-Fleer-B...4AAOSww3tY7~6i

Another Jordan Star auction in which the underbidder and second underbidder have 15 and 14 retractions, respectively:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...p2047675.l2565

A 1998 Jordan Flair Showcase card in which the high bidder has 11 bid retractions in the past six months:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1998-Flair-S...wAAOSwGy5Y8SiC

Jordan Star card auction in which the underbidder is the previously mentioned account with 15 retraction in the past six months:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...p2047675.l2565

Another Jordan auction in which the high bidder is the previously listed account with 26 bid retractions:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...p2047675.l2565

Another Jordan auction in which the account with 26 retractions is the high bidder. Not to be outdone, the underbidder has 27 retractions:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...p2047675.l2565

Jordan auction in which the top two bidders have eight and 21 retractions:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-UD-MJ-M...EAAOSwj25Y8SlP

Jordan card on which the underbidder has 14 retractions in the past six months:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-UD-Lege...QAAOSwB-1Y8Sm9

Another Jordan auction being won by the bidder with 26 retractions:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...p2047675.l2565

Jordan card in which the earlier mentioned accounts with 14 and 15 retractions are the current top two bidders:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Star-Ga...QAAOSwGy5Y8B-A

Jordan card being won by the account with 15 bid retractions:

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...p2047675.l2565

Another Jordan auction being won by our old friend with 26 retractions:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1993-Ultra-S...kAAOSw3utY8SVB

Mr. 26 retractions is the underbidder on this Jordan card:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-Topps-C...8AAOSwCWFY8Sc2

The account with 15 retractions is again winning this Jordan auction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-86-Star...i:401307987090

Our man with 26 retractions is on top again in this Jordan auction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-Fleer-B...cAAOSwc49Y8CIe

The 26-retraction account again leads the way on this Jordan card:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1993-Ultra-S...8AAOSwTM5Y8SVZ

Jordan auction in which the underbidder has 27 retractions:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2008-Exquisi...UAAOSw~CFY8SvG

Another Jordan Star card in which the account with 26 retractions is on top:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-Star-MJ...cAAOSwnF9Y7~6N

Yet again, the 26 retractions account is the high bidder:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-Star-MJ...AAAOSw03lY7~9H

This Jordan auction has an underbidder with 21 bid retraction in the past six months:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-UD-MJ-M...oAAOSwmgJY8SlQ

Jordan card in which the top two bidders have 13 and 21 retractions:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-UD-MJ-M...i:401308459405

Thank you most sincerely for sending this to us. We placed blocks on 12 user IDs following this message (many of the problematic bidders from the multiple listings were the same user ID).

As always, until eBay allows us to filter bidders by defects like bid retraction history, assistance from the community in identifying bidders in violation of our policy is greatly appreciated.

Betsy Huigens
PWCC Auctions, LLC

[irv]

Originally Posted by Brent Huigens

Thank you most sincerely for sending this to us. We placed blocks on 12 user IDs following this message (many of the problematic bidders from the multiple listings were the same user ID).

As always, until eBay allows us to filter bidders by defects like bid retraction history, assistance from the community in identifying bidders in violation of our policy is greatly appreciated.

Betsy Huigens
PWCC Auctions, LLC

What I don't understand is, how can a regular collector get this info quite easily but it takes you, a big seller on E-Bay, to rely on feedback in order to do the right thing?

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by irv

What I don't understand is, how can a regular collector get this info quite easily but it takes you, a big seller on E-Bay, to rely on feedback in order to do the right thing?

Probably because they have a massive number of listings going at the same time. I usually have only 300 or so auctions going at once and it would be impossible for me to monitor every single bidder for their retraction history. The only time I ever look at a bidders history is when they have actually retracted a bid. It would be very easy for ebay to allow sellers to block serial bid retractors but ebay doesn't want that to happen.

[irv]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Probably because they have a massive number of listings going at the same time. I usually have only 300 or so auctions going at once and it would be impossible for me to monitor every single bidder for their retraction history. The only time I ever look at a bidders history is when they have actually retracted a bid. It would be very easy for ebay to allow sellers to block serial bid retractors but ebay doesn't want that to happen.

Fair enough, and understood.

[PhillipAbbott79]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Probably because they have a massive number of listings going at the same time. I usually have only 300 or so auctions going at once and it would be impossible for me to monitor every single bidder for their retraction history. The only time I ever look at a bidders history is when they have actually retracted a bid. It would be very easy for ebay to allow sellers to block serial bid retractors but ebay doesn't want that to happen.

Even if it was your full time job to do so? You can get any kid off the internet for 9 bucks an hour to police this stuff. You could outsource it to India, for 3 dollars an hour if you are that hard up for cash.

It is a zero skill job. I know for a fact I could find someone for 3.00 an hour within 1 day time.

[irv]

Originally Posted by PhillipAbbott79

Even if it was your full time job to do so? You can get any kid off the internet for 9 bucks an hour to police this stuff. You could outsource it to India, for 3 dollars an hour if you are that hard up for cash.

It is a zero skill job. I know for a fact I could find someone for 3.00 an hour within 1 day time.

Kinda of what I was wondering/thinking?
I mean, have a hired person check bids regularly, ban/give the boot to those with over 10 or 25 retractions, or whatever the new number is, and be done with them.
Once weeded out, it wouldn't be that hard of a job, as far as I know, to keep up with, imo.

[swarmee]

If I was them and wanted to put an end to this, I would sort by "number of bids" after two days into the auction. All 25 of those bump bids to get the item on the "HOT LIST" would be eliminated, and the consignors (err, um, bidders) of those items would be blacklisted from consigning with me. And then I'd check their retraction history. And then I'd go out of business due to lack of consignors and blocked bidders. So I can see why they're slow-rolling this as long as they can.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by PhillipAbbott79

Even if it was your full time job to do so? You can get any kid off the internet for 9 bucks an hour to police this stuff. You could outsource it to India, for 3 dollars an hour if you are that hard up for cash.

It is a zero skill job. I know for a fact I could find someone for 3.00 an hour within 1 day time.

I would think it would be easier and cheaper in the long run for PWCC to have someone design a program to monitor their bidders. People have made apps that let you know who unfriends/unfollows you on facebook, it can't be much harder to program than that.

[Brent Huigens]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

I would think it would be easier and cheaper in the long run for PWCC to have someone design a program to monitor their bidders. People have made apps that let you know who unfriends/unfollows you on facebook, it can't be much harder to program than that.

Great suggestion - it is actually something we are having our software developer explore through the eBay API. Although it is easier said than done because of the kind of data that eBay makes available through their API, we are optimistic that something automated can be put in place.

Betsy Huigens
PWCC Auctions, LLC

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Probably because they have a massive number of listings going at the same time. I usually have only 300 or so auctions going at once and it would be impossible for me to monitor every single bidder for their retraction history. The only time I ever look at a bidders history is when they have actually retracted a bid. It would be very easy for ebay to allow sellers to block serial bid retractors but ebay doesn't want that to happen.

From my understanding from Betsys posts is they have someone to do this job. Maybe they are just really bad at it.

[irv]

Originally Posted by bnorth

From my understanding from Betsys posts is they have someone to do this job. Maybe they are just really bad at it.

I wonder why she/they/them are not responding? They have been on line for a while now?
Copied at 8:44 est.

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[Brent Huigens]

Originally Posted by bnorth

From my understanding from Betsys posts is they have someone to do this job. Maybe they are just really bad at it.

Based on feedback from this thread, we will continue to increase the time we dedicate to checking bidders, and will continue to focus our efforts more on modern basketball. Thanks!

Betsy Huigens
PWCC Auctions, LLC

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by Brent Huigens

Thank you most sincerely for sending this to us. We placed blocks on 12 user IDs following this message (many of the problematic bidders from the multiple listings were the same user ID).

As always, until eBay allows us to filter bidders by defects like bid retraction history, assistance from the community in identifying bidders in violation of our policy is greatly appreciated.

Betsy Huigens
PWCC Auctions, LLC

Thank you.