Shill Bidding on eBay: Case Study #2

[Philip.Cohen]

Yes, Bazza, it’s disappeared already. You see, eBay always removes all evidence of untoward activity immediately after someone else reports it, and they are forced by circumstances to (not, actually) acknowledge that something untoward was going on.

So, you will have to tell us what you thought was NOT going on, that you presumed that we would have thought was going on ...

Oh, Bazza, don’t you ever get tired of trying to defend the indefensible; eBay really is quite unloved these days—and deservedly so; although I suppose employees have to simply accept that and keep slogging on regardless.

Edited

[Bazza]

Even eBay must have finally realised that there was something not in order.

Yes, Bazza, it’s disappeared already. You see, eBay always removes all evidence of untoward activity immediately after someone else reports it, and they are forced by circumstances to (not, actually) acknowledge that something untoward was going on.

You see, this is exactly how some people get confused when presented with incorrect information. I understand that a lot of people here dislike ebay intensely. But why try to belittle anyone who has something good to say about ebay? It's not that hard to debate without insults. Why become offensive when someone questions your motive? Just because you say it's true, does not mean I am bound to believe you. And so I ask questions.

The listing in question has NOT been removed. Perhaps now Philip, you can tell us what's wrong with it?

390143190077

[Philip.Cohen]

Ah Huh, Bazza has decided to do an audit on a single auction in my “beckertime” spreadsheet.

Bazza, have I anywhere said that there was anything wrong with this auction?

Your problem is that you do not read everything, or you don’t understand some of the words that you have read. Like your view of eBay, you apparently cannot see the forest for the trees. Try reading the “notes to the spreadsheet” and there you will find the qualifications for a seller’s inclusion in the spreadsheet.

Regardless, if you had any grasp of what I have said you would know that the basis of my comments depends on the analysis of multiple auctions for “patterns of bidding”. Patterns of bidding cannot be discerned from a single auction.

Could I suggest then that you sort the spreadsheet “Sellers x Auction” and then have a look at the other auctions by this seller and see if you can see any patterns of bidding emerging in that group of auctions. You can then sort “Bidders x Seller” to note how the regular bidders common to this seller only (suffixed “*”) never win an auction; you can then sort by “Sort Bidders” and wade though the bidders to see where those regular bidders that are also bidding elsewhere (suffixed “**”) are bidding; and then you may care to make a judgment as to whether these bidders are simply watch buyers with more than two arms, genuine collectors of Rolexes, shills of the seller or other own-auction-activity dilutors.

The spreadsheet is simply a list of facts; what you deduce from those facts is up to you.

Please Bazza, don’t nit pick through my criticisms of eBay; whether or not you are an employee of eBay, if you would like to obtain an appreciation of this (in my opinion) amoral, unethical, devious, totally unscrupulous organisation then I suggest you put aside an evening and read all my auctionbytes posts on same. But read them carefully, no skipping over bits.

As a matter of interest Bazza, see if you can spot what’s wrong with these two auctions:
http://offer.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=320462996710
http://offer.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=330394338449

Ultimately, if you can see no problems with the eBay auction system, in particular with eBay’s most devious masking of bidding IDs, and you believe eBay to be an honest broker between buyers and sellers, then I wonder why you are commenting here at all; I would have thought that you would be much more comfortable in the arms of the “pinks” on that other forum.

Edited

[Philip.Cohen]

Recently I received a compliment from a citizen of the “Land of the Free”. Part of his comments I found well put and worthy of passing on:

“In a rational world, one where premises and evidence lead scientifically to their logical conclusions, a large corporation would swiftly and efficaciously address the loopholes and swindles you have rightly criticised. Our North American world worships at the altar of unrestricted self-interest, a usually benign and often comical characteristic in individuals, but unchecked, it grows to grotesque proportions and policies in corporations. President Theodore Roosevelt apparently recognised this unpleasant aspect of our system and encouraged the first anti-trust and monopolies legislation. Sadly, the baby boomers’ legal landscape is where suitors seek a favorable verdict, justice and equity taking a very back seat, leading to corporations and bad neighbors soliciting their attorneys for what they can do rather than what they ought do; it is unsurprising that eBay keeps silent and obfuscates like it does.”