crooked?

[amertrac]

I BID ON THIS WRENCH AND OWNED IT UP TO 13 SECONDS TILL THE AUCTION WAS OVER BY A PRIVATE BIDDER.i  I CONTACTED THE SELLER AND SAID THAT THE PRIVATE BIDDER WAS HIM TO COVER THE ITEM AND I DID NOT CARE . I ASKED HOW MUCH HE WANTED FOR THE WRENCH, HE TOLD MA THAT THE BIDDER WAS FROM AUSTRALIA AND HE HAD SAID THAT HE WILL NOT SHIP THERE AS THE AD SAID. HE SUPPOSEDLY WAS TOLD BY E-BAY THAT HE HAD TO PUT IT UP FOR AUCTION ((I THOUGHT WHEN THE TOPPE BIDDER BACKS OUT IT WHENT TO THE NEXT HIGHER BIDDER) WELL ANYWAY HE PUT IT UP AND I BID  RHE SECOND BIDDER WAS PRIVATE //////// I CONTACTED HIM AGAIN AND TOLD HIM
I DID NOT WANT TO PLAY MONEY GAMES WITH HIM AND IF I EVER GET A CHANCE TO GIVE HIM FEEDBACK I WILL

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300799843610&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

[mikeswrenches]

Bob,

It's probably best you didn't get it.  He also charges too much for shipping.  Should be a max of around 5 bucks and if it's under 13 ozs. should go first class for even less.  Also, he didn't have to relist it.   ebafia can't make you do anything.  Best you stay away from this guy.

Mike

[Papaw]

    Bob- I think the seller or a buddy has entered a high bid to try to push bids up. Stay away!


Member Id: a***w ( private )       US $18.50   
Oct-20-12 14:29:34 PDT
   
   Member Id: r***k ( 1237Feedback score is 1000 to 4,999)       US $18.00   
Oct-21-12 06:01:38 PDT
   
   a***w ( private )       US $17.49   
Oct-20-12 14:29:34 PDT
   
   Member Id: r***e ( 55Feedback score is 50 to 99)       US $16.99   
Oct-20-12 15:22:16 PDT
   
   a***w ( private )       US $16.49   
Oct-20-12 14:29:34 PDT
   
   Member Id: r***e ( 55Feedback score is 50 to 99)       US $15.99   
Oct-20-12 15:20:49 PDT
   
   a***w ( private )       US $15.49   
Oct-20-12 14:29:34 PDT
   
   Member Id: r***e ( 55Feedback score is 50 to 99)       US $14.99   
Oct-20-12 14:02:42 PDT
   
   r***e ( 55 )       US $14.99   
Oct-20-12 14:02:42 PDT
   
   Starting Price      US $14.99   
Oct-20-12 12:35:24 PDT

[keykeeper]

Marietta, Oh is less than an hour from me. Want me to drive up there and tune this cheat up for ya, Bob?? LOL.

Thieves abound on ebay, whether it be by misrepresentation of item, or using a shill bidder to drive the price up.

I'd walk away, as earlier suggested. Anyone with "private" feedback is up to something. Why else would you want it kept secret.

[wvtools]

Bob,

It's probably best you didn't get it.  He also charges too much for shipping.  Should be a max of around 5 bucks and if it's under 13 ozs. should go first class for even less.  Also, he didn't have to relist it.   ebafia can't make you do anything.  Best you stay away from this guy.

Mike

I think his shipping charges are OK, but the price for that wrench is kind of high.  The one I sold Bob earlier this year at auction (while not as nice as that one) only brought 13.50.

Most people do not realize that Ebay now charges fees on the shipping amount too.  Sellers have had to raise their shipping costs to cover those fees.

I have often wondered up people whose stuff always goes high on Ebay, and whether they had shill bidders.  My auctions often go for the minimum bid.

[keykeeper]

John,

Yes, they use shill bidders.

I actually tipped off a guy once to a seller he was dealing with on a regular basis, in a roundabout way. One bidder (the shill) would run JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING this seller had up that week, usually about 40-45 auctions. He would only end up winning a couple items each time. However, of the items that one buyer  (the mark) was bidding on, the sellers shill would run up EVERY auction at the last minute, week after week. I figured out what was happening was more than bidding wars driving up the price. I was telling a friend about it, who also bid on items from the seller. He knew the guy that got bid up to big bucks each time. Amazingly, the "mark" quit bidding, and let the shill win a BUNCH of items for a while.

The seller went from selling items worth about $40 for $180-$200 each week, to doing good to get his opening bid price. His shill bidder quit winning altogether. I think he was "paying" the shill in the items he won each time, which was usually just a couple items each listing period. The seller is still active on eBay, but he doesn't get near the record-breaking bids he used to when that certain bidder quit bidding!

Of course, that was back when you could see who was bidding. Now they block that so you aren't sure who they are. eBay has ruined a fine marketplace with all their antics over the last 7-8 years. They call it "buyer protection" policy....I call it BS. Their whole marketplace is more or less geared now to "powersellers" who are drop shipping thousands of cheap items per week, not the casual seller.