Opinion

An eBay ride

You've listed something on eBay and it sits there without a bid day after day, and we know what's going to happen. In the last minute, even the last few seconds now that sniper software is common, a flash of bids will occur and it is very likely that the price will be well below your expectations. It's happened to me on most of the occasions I've sold something on eBay, and so low has been the price that it has not been worth my while driving to the post office to send it to the buyer.

The temptation, as you will know, is to conscript a friend or family member, maybe even your husband or wife, to lodge a bid in an effort to provoke some action. It is, I've just discovered, illegal to do so. The term for this is shill bidding, and last week I read about the prosecution in England of a man who used a second eBay account to bid on goods listed under his first account. Geez, he protested in court, he only did it because the price was too low! It was the first such prosecution in the UK, and it appears that has not been any such prosecutions in Australia.

The risk of having a friend bid is that the friend may win the auction, but apart from the eBay fee that's not a problem. Neither goods nor money changes hands and you and the friend can give each other glowing feedback. A better solution is to have the friend, or you with your second account, retract the winning shill bid before the end of the auction, leaving the next bid as the winning bid! A further injustice here, I believe, is that only the shill bidder's winning bid is removed, not the shill bidder's previous bids that forced the genuine bidder up.

I suspect that I've been taken for a ride in quite a few of my buying and selling eBay experiences, but I'm never too sure how. What's been your experience?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 23/04/2010 5:49:00 PM | Comments (28)

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I'm an ebay buyer quite often. Not really a seller though. I would just recomend Jeff that your have your starting price at a reasonable level where it is worth while going to the Post office to send it. If it doesn't sell you haven't lost anything really. If it does sell, well you've made yourself a few bucks.

Posted by Nafe, 27/04/2010 10:19:29 AM, on The Herald

I have never used e-bay for anything, I don't understand it, therefore I don't trust it. I do however, know of many people who buy and sell goods online. The majority seem to swear by it. I have never liked bidding for things, the prices always seem a bit false to me. I at times have to bargain/haggle for things over here, it can be a bit of a hoot, for some, but I really don't know what I am doing. The old timers like to haggle for goods, I don't. They see me coming.

Posted by suzhousid, 27/04/2010 10:24:20 AM, on The Herald

My experiences on eBay have always been very good. I've used it to offload tickets, buy last minute tickets or buy second hand software. I've always use Paypal when buying because that way I can dispute transactions if there's a problem. A few of my mates have been rorted by buyers using Paypal by claiming the goods never arrive and lodging a dispute, which is why I always use Registered Post and ensure I charge the buyer accordingly. Also Jeff, did you know you can set a reserve on eBay? That might help making it worthwhile to sell the item. If it doesn't sell, you don't lose any money and if it does sell, you ensure it's a price that is worth it to you.

Posted by Direct, 27/04/2010 10:33:14 AM, on The Herald

I have expressed my intense dislike of ebay in another of your blogs, Jeff. I think I said "Ebay is a haven for scoundrels; I'd much rather shop in that stinking, filthy marketplace in the back streets of Patong". This then led to the my description of an unfortunate series of events in Thailand. I will spare you a rehash. Suffice to say, any thinking adult cannot believe that ebay is an open and fair marketplace. It is actively manipulated by buyers and sellers alike. I am no longer sympathetic when people tell me their 'it never turned up', or 'they buyer never paid me' stories. Strong avoid.

Posted by Abundance, 27/04/2010 11:28:57 AM, on The Herald

A couple of years ago I bought on eBay a set of panniers described by the seller as in perfect condition. When they arrived I found that one had a hole, which had formed where the pannier was rubbing on a supporting rack. The hole meant the panniers were no longer water proof, or even water resistant, and the seller refused to acknowledge my messages and emails. So I lodged a negative in feedback, and no sooner had I done this than the seller lodged a negative in my feedback! He had nothing to complain about as I'd met my side of the bargain by paying him. I was annoyed that I'd lost my 100% positive feedback and complained bitterly to eBay that their system was flawed. I pointed out to them, too, that one eBay store I'd encountered actually warned that if a buyer lodged a negative feedback the store would do the same to the buyer! EBay later changed the rules so that there could be no tit-for-tat negative, and my 100% was restored, but I cannot believe that eBay had tolerated this mockery for years.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 27/04/2010 11:39:54 AM

Exactly, Jeff. What other shops or markets in the real world let you attach (either as either a buyer or seller) a highly public and permanent NEGATIVE comment, simply because you want to be spiteful? None. Vexatious in the extreme. I reckon there might be some genetic predisposition to electronic marketplaces and communities, and some people just get hooked. Look at Facebook. How can adults publish their entire lives on Facebook, and then compain that someone steals their identity, or robs their house? It just beggars belief.

Posted by Abundance, 27/04/2010 11:45:16 AM, on The Herald

I have been using ebay for a number of years and have made upwards of 1000 purchases. I have only had a couple of dramas when an item had not arrived. In one case the seller quickly made a refund through paypal and the other time whilst the seller claimed he had sent the item 'weeks ago' it turned up three days later, postmarked after I complained. The part I hate is being sniped when I think I am getting a bargain.

Posted by thinkitthrough, 27/04/2010 11:52:06 AM, on The Herald

Sniping is worse for the seller. Sniping software is about denying the seller the price of a contested auction, yet eBay seems to tolerate it.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 27/04/2010 11:57:45 AM

I have used eBay on and off for years and I can honestly say that I have not had a bad experience to date. I think eBay comes with the same 'Caveat Emptor' as any market place. I have heard of people physically going to a market to buy something and on seeing *Bling X* displayed for sale, have purchased and gotten home to find *Crap Y* in the box. Any marketplace is a haven for scoundrels and rogues and some thought and resistance to the impulse buy go a long way to abate the feeling of being ripped off later on. As for the sniping, I don't get to worked up about it... it's like anything else I wish to purchase, I bid what I am willing to pay for it and if someone beats that price with 3 seconds remaining, they were still willing to pay more than me.

Posted by crusty, 27/04/2010 12:10:37 PM, on The Herald

I have never sold anything on Ebay although there is a bit of stuff I'd like to put on there.I have brought a fair bit of stuff over the last few years and most sellers I've dealt with have been honest and trustworthy.One bad experience I had though was a mirror I purchased for my car never arrived,I contacted Ebay and they said they would sort it out but still no mirror,oh well at least it wasn't expensive.The thing I dislike most is a last minute bid beating me as I don't have the cheat software.

Posted by Phoney Clown, 27/04/2010 12:40:01 PM, on The Herald

My daughter purchased "once" on Ebay. Her company account was hacked by someone in the UK $1000. Through quick action by Newcastle Perm no further funds were withdrawn. Luckily her Company account was insured.

Posted by old boy, 27/04/2010 1:20:33 PM, on The Herald

As already stated, "Caveat Emptor", Buyer Beware: There are a few things you can do to protect yourself. A. Get a Pay Pal account - owned by Ebay, use it to make purchases - the purchase is guaranteed and action can be taken by them if proved the seller is at fault. B Check the 'postitive feedback' of potential seller. Resist the impulse to purchase from lst or low figure transactions C. Open a separate account with your own bank with a max. of $500 for exclusive EBay transactions and never give out details of main operating account to anybody. D. Know the retail price of what you are purchasing and always take into account the postage costs. There are a lot of bargains on ebay if you think and open eyes before you purchase.

Posted by MizJasper, 27/04/2010 1:55:13 PM, on The Herald

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