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vathek Posts: 966 |
posted 03-18-2004 12:34 PM
  
I'm noticing more 'private auctions' on ebay, and wonder how everyone feels about them? IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 03-18-2004 02:50 PM
I have been buying on ebay for a good while, and am used to seeing who my competition is, so I don't particularly care for the practice as it helps me guage my bids. However, I recognize that there are buyers out there who want to remein anonymous, or don't want to be seen bidding against friends, so there is not automatically anything nefarious (or pornographic) about these sales. I have a friend who occasionally sells on ebay and tried a private sale hoping to attract the more publicity shy buyeers. He had no better luck (and maybe some protests), and abandoned such effort. IP: Logged |
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secondcourse Posts: 12 |
posted 03-18-2004 03:59 PM
While I would not disagree at all with the previous opinion, I do think there is a darker side to some private auctions. It is the perfect cover for the seller who wants to have his friends (or himself with other user IDs) place shill bids right and left and get away with it. I would never bid on a private auction no matter how much I wanted the item. IP: Logged |
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Paul Lemieux Posts: 1792 |
posted 03-19-2004 12:50 AM
As a bidder I don't like private auctions because I want to see who else is bidding. Also I would not want to be bidding against "user ID protected" in case it was some kind of scam. As a seller I don't use them because I don't see any advantage in doing so. Bidders who do not want others to see them bidding on anything usually snipe anyway. I guess the only time I could understand a seller using a private auction is if he was offering an item that might be embarrassing to bid on. IP: Logged |
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nihontochicken Posts: 289 |
posted 03-30-2004 07:36 PM
I won't caste any unwarranted doubts on the Ebay silver market. I have personally seen few "private auctions" there, but imagine where they exist, they may well be honest. However, I will comment on the Ebay Japanese sword market. There is an apparent unending supply of outright fakes being currently made in China and advertised as original, antique Japanese blades. Almost all of these auctions, by numerous sellers, are "private". Besides the potential for shill bidding, I believe an even bigger reason is to keep the bidders from contacting each other, and to keep outraged third parties, such as my fellow members on Japanese sword public boards, from contacting bidders and informing them that they being ripped off. It is a grotesquely horrible scam, which Ebay refuses to shut down, because apparently Ebay does not want to become involved in issues of authenticity, and just desires to simply turn profits by abetting the sellers, regardless of their veracity. I won't get into it again here as to how little help you will get as a buyer from Ebay should you get taken by a seller (read "none", rant, rant, rave!). Again, I know of no silver seller who is similarly dishonest as these sword guys, but the concept of a "private auction" leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and I'm very hesitant to bid in one. IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 03-31-2004 01:07 PM
There may be a few "private auctions" that are actually legit, but my sense is that most are just covers for shill bidding operations and preventing people from alerting foolish or greedy bidders who have been duped into bidding on fake items. I can't see any legitimate and honest reason why an auction would not be an open one. I would never bid on a "private auction" on Ebay no matter how desperate I was to own an item. IP: Logged |
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vathek Posts: 966 |
posted 03-31-2004 02:40 PM
Nihontochicken hit the nail on the head for me in the comment about not being able to contact the other bidders about the genuineness of the article. The same thing is happening with violin bows made in China with famous names on them. IP: Logged |
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