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Unusual Ebay Activity


Cryptos

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I don't know if anyone else has noticed this but there is an eBay member who seems to bid on practically every pen auction I look at. Their identity is given as 9***9 (1962) - as of today, the number in the bracket obviosuly changes with time. The thing is, whoever it is, they are often the first bidder at the lowest price (most of the time) and most of the time put no more bids in. They are also sitting on 140 bid retractions in the last 6 months.

 

As I am not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to eBay perhaps someone here could shed a little light on why a bidder would do this. I mean, is it only a vast low priced fishing trip, or what?

 

Confused.

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I mean, is it only a vast low priced fishing trip, or what?

 

It's probably that. Or they may be using this method as an alternative to a watch list (which is limited in the number of auctions you can watch).

 

Also, placing an early low bid removes the buy-it-now option (if present). You may want to do that if you're interested in an item but only if you can get it at a low price.

 

I think placing a bid also limits the changes that a seller can make to a listing, such as the start price. That may be useful in some cases.

http://i.imgur.com/utQ9Ep9.jpg

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Bidders have been anonymous for several years now. 9***9 as well as the other permutations of 1234567890***1234567890 (how many are there, one hundred?) are assigned simultaneously to many thousands of bidders constantly throughout eBay.

 

Fred

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"Also, placing an early low bid removes the buy-it-now option (if present)."

 

That's true. I do it regularly if for no other reason to give me time to research the item and keep it for sale. Obviously if I am the highest bidder I buy (I have never retracted a bid) and have snagged some great pens. Recently a Waterman Expert and A Parker Senior Duofold. But most of the time I am out bid very quickly.

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Id be interested to hear how many positive stories come out of ebay. When watch collecting it was a big no no for me and I have never had the confidence to buy anything from it. Collecting quality pens is I would assume even more difficult in separating the fakes from the genuine models and when you see such actions as the above it merely further strengthens my belief that it is full of unscrupulous characters - am I wrong?

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I am positive for the most part. I avoid makes like Montblanc (were there are many fakes)but buy plenty of others especially old Parkers, Waterman and Sheaffers. I find nearly all of these sellers honest and fair. Sure people are out to make a few dollars and good-luck to them. A lot of sellers don't even know what they have got and will answer questions and post extra photo's. Without Ebay I would stand little chance of getting 50 year old pens here in Australia. I have bought a few cheap dodgy pens but on reflection I blame myself. I just took delivery of a Hero (waited 6 weeks for it), I thougt it would be a waste of money but no, it turns out to be a great writer and I am very impressed. I am definitely positive towards Ebay.

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Considering that the bidder often only bids the lowest amount, say $9.99, on pens that are quite obviously going to sell for considerably more, and then doesn't bid again... hmmm, makes me wonder.

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Shill bidder or someone who thinks they are going to get lucky with an auction few have seen and be the only bidder. The retractions make it sound like a shill.

Looking for a cap for a Sheaffer Touchdown Sentinel Deluxe Fat version

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I don't doubt that shill bidding goes on, but why would someone be doing it for multiple sellers (if that's what's happening)?

 

Sounds more like someone is just throwing low bids around in the hope that one or two in a 100 will result in a bargain. The bid retractions may be where he takes a closer look at a listing and realises he'll have to pay $50 in shipping if he wins.

http://i.imgur.com/utQ9Ep9.jpg

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That may indeed be the case. However, the activity in itself has drawn attention. At least it has drawn mine.

Report the user to eBay and ask that the bidding activity be reviewed. eBay has access to all sorts of data you can not see.

San Francisco International Pen Show - The next “Funnest Pen Show” is on schedule for August 23-24-25, 2024.  Watch the show website for registration details. 
 

My PM box is usually full. Just email me: my last name at the google mail address.

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I've seen something else recently, and even found it on one of my own listings. I suspect that there are people out there who are just up on eBay to be the fly in the ointment. I see a lot of bidders that come in and place multiple, incremental bids until they are the top bidder, and then, they usually stop bidding. It's my guess that all they are doing is forcing the price up, with no real connection to the seller, nor any interest in buying. Cyber pranksters.

It makes me wonder if the bid retractions come when they find that they may actually win the bid and have to pay. For these reasons, I'm also one who places a marker with a low bid, and then comes back. The marker also triggers the email alerts on items as a reminder.

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Id be interested to hear how many positive stories come out of ebay. When watch collecting it was a big no no for me and I have never had the confidence to buy anything from it. Collecting quality pens is I would assume even more difficult in separating the fakes from the genuine models and when you see such actions as the above it merely further strengthens my belief that it is full of unscrupulous characters - am I wrong?

 

I buy most of my pens via eBay and with a very few exceptions my experiences have been positive. I've gotten some great deals, met some interesting sellers, and on a few awesome occasions found pens I wasn't aware of previously but really wanted for my collection.

 

Now, is it possible that I've been cheated, or that I'm basically a naive idiot? Sure. ;) But I've rarely had any occasion to question the pens (or pen-related products) that I've bought. And in those rare instances where I did have a serious problem with a seller or his product, eBay/PayPal has always resolved it and refunded my money. (On that basis alone I could claim that I've had more trouble with sellers here in the FPN Classifieds than I have with eBay sellers.)

MrThoth

Scribe, Master of Mystic Lore, Young Curmudgeon

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I have purchased a lot of things on ebay. Most of the transactions have gone well. I usually use established pen sellers like Engeika, Regina Martini, and Cool-Japan. I have seen some of the shenanigans mentioned above. I think shill bidding goes on. I have read elsewhere that ebay has to incentive to stop shill bidding. The item ends up being sold at a higher price and they get paid more.

 

My own approach is that when I see someone has bid up an item incrementally, then beats my best offer by a few dollars, wins the item and then retracts; and then the seller offers the item to me at the inflated price, I decline and no longer bid with that seller.

"One can not waste time worrying about small minds . . . If we were normal, we'd still be using free ball point pens." —Bo Bo Olson

 

"I already own more ink than a rational person can use in a lifetime." —Waski_the_Squirrel

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to list all my pens down here.

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Id be interested to hear how many positive stories come out of ebay. When watch collecting it was a big no no for me and I have never had the confidence to buy anything from it. Collecting quality pens is I would assume even more difficult in separating the fakes from the genuine models and when you see such actions as the above it merely further strengthens my belief that it is full of unscrupulous characters - am I wrong?

 

 

Generally - Yes.

http://www.aysedasi.co.uk

 

 

 

 

She turned me into a newt.......

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Generally - Yes.

What he said!

I have purchased probably 30 pens on Ebay & been happy with all purchases. In fact having purchased an equal number from retailers (that have NOT all been pleasing) there is nothing perfect in the world BUT Ebay has as many good sellers as problem ones. You may have to do your homework a bit more & be patient BUT it affords many opportunities to find pens no longer in production & often @ excellent prices.

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Another thing about eBay is that sellers can no longer give buyers negative feedback. So in cases where there is a bidder who is driving up the bid activity (whether intentionally or not), you may have a completely innocent seller who cannot take any recourse against the bad bidder (aside from blocking the bidder). (I would venture a guess to say that most sellers are innocent. Most.)

 

I have only ever had one negative experience on eBay and that was from purchasing a purse where the seller had accepted a refund and I had sent the item back, but the seller then did not refund the money and I had to open a case.

 

I've purchased probably close to 30 pens off eBay over the last 2 or 3 years and have not had an issue with any of my purchases.

Current Wishlist:

Visconti, Visconti, and...more Visconti! (And some ST Duponts too). (Ok fine, getting on the Omas and Montblanc trains now too. Toot toot.) (And maybe on the Montegrappa one too, but only for the Miyas.)

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I am another eBay purchaser with a lot of positive experiences. There are some very knowledgeable sellers there, and you can buy from them with complete confidence. There are a lot more sellers who know next to nothing about fountain pens, and whose descriptions are not accurate. Only buy from those sellers if they accept returns and if their feedback is at least 99% positive.

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Like any other marketplace, there are good sellers and bad sellers, good buyers and bad buyers on eBay. For pens and related goods, I usually stick with known "good" sellers recommended here on FPN, or at least to those that have excellent feedback. Pretty much the same with other things I buy on eBay - always check the feedback ratings of the seller and read some of the feedback as well - perhaps especially the negative feedback, if any - and make a - hopefully - informed decision from there. I have been lucky and, except for one transaction where the pen was not what I expected (more due to my ignorance, I think, than to any deceptive intent on the sellers part,) I have had positive experiences on eBay.

 

I am wondering about 9***9's 140 bid retractions though; wouldn't this - or shouldn't this - raise a red flag for the "moderators" at eBay? (Someone's watching the shop, aren't they?) I thought bid retractions were only allowed in very specific situations, and yet this guy or gal has managed to persuade eBay that they have a legitimate reason to cancel their bid 140 times, in 6 months?!? Whoever it is seems to spend way more time on eBay, wasting their time - and possibly that of the sellers and other buyers - low bidding on pens they apparently don't really want, than I can ever imagine spending.

 

Holly

 

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