What do you do if you suspect eBay shilling

[Mountaineer1999]

I feel like I always pay more than what I am able to sell the same item for , I think 90% of the sellers shill

[drcy]

It's a practice used to artificially and illegally raise prices. No excuses should be made for it.

[Marchillo]

Originally Posted by drcy

It's a practice used to artificially and illegally raise prices. No excuses should be made for it.

The biggest problem is eBay doesn't care. I saw one seller who had 20-30 items that were being shilled by 3 different accounts. I sent them screen shots of all the evidence. The seller isn't a 100k feedback seller more like a 5k feedback seller and as far as I'm aware nothing was done. They still sell and I never got a response from eBay. As others stated before if you don't like it buy elsewhere. I just try to stay away from those that do it. In today's case I didn't realize it until the auctions were over.

[gabrinus]

As soon as you get the cards put them up on ebay and use the same guys to shill for you.......Jerry

[CMIZ5290]

If you are holding your breath for Ebay to do something.........Times up, your dead.....

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Marchillo

The biggest problem is eBay doesn't care. I saw one seller who had 20-30 items that were being shilled by 3 different accounts. I sent them screen shots of all the evidence. The seller isn't a 100k feedback seller more like a 5k feedback seller and as far as I'm aware nothing was done. They still sell and I never got a response from eBay. As others stated before if you don't like it buy elsewhere. I just try to stay away from those that do it. In today's case I didn't realize it until the auctions were over.

As a very informed authority who has looked at ebay happenings told me, just remember, Ebay doesn't make money preventing or stopping shilling.
To me, whenever a question in life seems so obvious, yet the answer doesn't make sense, it can usually be answered with this symbol, $$.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by drcy

It's a practice used to artificially and illegally raise prices. No excuses should be made for it.

but zero proof....(its really hard to prove)...thus anyone can back out of a future sale if they 'suspect' shilling..i can see that used as a fake excuse for people to back out of lots of legit auctions..

you can just stop buying ever again from that seller or from auctions that use any of the user bids with ids you dont like.....most auctions you never get to see the user ids..at least ebay you can......can also never bid when there are hidden ids on ebay as well..

[CTDean]

I hardly ever consider a 0 feedback bidder a shill bidder for the seller. I see them as someone trying to give the "shill bid" impression to drive away other bidders. As a seller on ebay for 17 years, I deal with it from time to time. Worst case for a seller is a 0 feedback bidder, that is also a bid retractor.

[Marchillo]

I appreciate all the perspectives here. I did in fact only bid what I was comfortable with. The first two cards went for a few dollars less than I thought and the third a tad more. Since it was combined shipping I was fine paying a little extra. It wasn't about the total amount of the transaction as it was very small it's more the idea of it happening.

The idea of so many doing it really sucks but there are plenty of deals to be had. I know this type of post has been done before but I learned about this type of activity when I first joined. It seemed like a good opportunity to share what I saw today so maybe others become more conscious of this and bid based on what they are comfortable paying versus emotional.

I paid for the items and think I'll be happy when they arrive.