SHILL BIDDING: THE REALITY

Re Rob Munday’s comments about Shill Bidding on eBay in last month’s Letters pages:

1. Firstly Shill bidding cannot happen on eBay now. A few years ago I am sure it was possible - but not now. Over two years ago now, eBay banned cash payments and 99% of transactions are now being completed via paypal. As eBay have full access to Paypal (they own it!) they can see who buys and how they pay.They can also work out the percentage of bidding from one seller on another and put that against amount won.And most importantly compare one bidders patterns against other sellers. So it is impossible to ‘shill bid’ as everything is fully trackable! Shill bidding is ONLY accused by people who either don’t know, or aren’t inteligent enough to understand the system!

2. Rob Munday makes the ludicrous point that ‘Shill bidders are actually winning back the records themselves and repeating the process so they can try to fool the idiots among us that these records really are worth these inflated amounts.’

OK – so EVERY item that sells on eBay costs around 7% in fees. So if it doesnt sell the seller still gets charged the 7% fee – UNLESS he reports the other seller (which he isn’t going to do if he is shill bidding!).

So perhaps Rob Munday can explain how shill bidders and getting charged 7% fees and getting better prices? So for example ‘Dodgy Dave’ might list an LP three times that he wants £1200 for. Yet he lists its TWICE and it only makes £1000. The third time – he gets his £1200.In the mean time he has had to pay £210 in eBay fees, losing himself £10. So yet again Rob Munday’s points make no sense – because when an item sells (even when someone doesnt pay) eBay fees still apply

3. People on eBay do NOT sell LPs to China. Not EVER. Japan yes – but China no. It’s full of scams and avoided like the plague.

4. There are many MANY collectors around the world that would pay £800+ for an EX+ Led Zeppelin Turquoise! It is certainly worth way WAY more than £350-£400! £400 would only buy you a VG+ one (at best!).

5. Many sellers on ebay are VAT registered and you have to account for EVERY sale! You can’t get away with shill bidding or inventing/ deleted transactions! Thats ridiculous!

Six or seven years ago when eBay didn’t own Paypal, accepted cash, and many transactions were done by cheque, -I am certain ‘dodgy practices’ happened (as they were untraceable!). But eBay have long ago dealt with the problem and now 99% of transactions are electronically trackable! So it isn’t even something that is up for negotiation – FACT! eBay now can read everyone’s eBay messages, can read ALL Paypal transactions, can access EVERY transaction – so shill bidding CAN’T happen! Anyone trying shill bidding now would be picked up in days or weeks (at the most)! Shill bidding is a thing of past.

Perhaps Rob Munday needs to understand that people get high prices because their items are as described, well described, well packed, and people get what they pay for! This is a rarity these days – so people pay more for it! Simple as that!

by Gray
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