posted on October 16, 2000 05:03:42 AM new
Not to beat a dead thread, but......
I have a friend who is very new to ebay. I have been helping him with his listings, etc. He recently had approx. 15 auctions running, most of them pretty high dollar items, all with reserves. At the EOA on a Rolex watch the high bidder had just registered that same day and of course had 0 feedback. This looked fishy to me so I did a bidder search on him/her. This bozo had bid on about 50 items that day, most in the 5 to 10K price range. All rolex watches and big diamonds. This activity surely could fit into the "deadbeat contest" M.O. There is however one twist....The bidder had the nads to email my friend saying that he/she had fed exed a cashiers check, and if he/she provided the tracking # would he be so kind as to ship the watch now? DOOHH!!
posted on October 16, 2000 05:12:18 AM new
Hi geminspector,
It amazes me that the poster on this forum are so quick to label something a troll.
I personally know a group of joy-bidders in my bowling league who bid-up tens-of-thousands each week! They brag about how much they have rung-up the prior week, and laugh about how the sellers are reluctant to report them because they keep promising to send the money.
Part of their game is to e-mail the seller with promises to keep their ID alive as long as possible.
When they get NARU, they just get another ID and start over with a new round.
Let's face it. Ebay bids ARE NOT binding.
It is just going to get worse until Ebay requires user verification AND bills peoples credit cards for their bids.
posted on October 16, 2000 05:37:58 AM new
The problem is that Ebay does not care.
If an auction has to be relisted because of a deadbeat, they get to collect the listing fees again. Plus any little extras. (feature, bold, etc.) So there is no motivation for them to stop it.
I would love to see a comparison of how much of Ebay's revenue is from Listing Fees vs. Sales. (FVF) It might explain a lot of what they do and why they do it.
If they changed the FVF to a Buyer's Premium and collected it via credit card from the buyers at the end of the auction, it would stop nearly all of the collection problems for sellers. As soon as the charge is made, the buyers would be eager to get their item.
Of course this would never happen. That would be too much like a real auction.
posted on October 16, 2000 06:24:51 AM new
First it was high schoolers engaging in bidding contests, now it's bowlers?
Let's see, I think the ladies group at my church mentioned having this same type of contest. I imagine the Senior Citizens group would be great at this too.
Then Parents Without Partners could join in, and Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. Weight Watchers could also spring up new groups all over the country for Bidding Contests...
posted on October 16, 2000 06:43:03 AM new
I know for a fact that D.A.M. (Mothers Against Dyslexia) were engaged in a bidding contest. Fortunately they always enter bids lower than the current bids and have no affect on the auction.
posted on October 16, 2000 06:51:36 AM new
Hi raygomez,
Your post made me a little sad. Reading about high school kids doing this - well kids will be kids. But "adults?" I have this sad vision of people with no lives getting chuckles out of this activity.
On the other hand, your post opened my eyes, and no one with less than +10 feedback will ever get so much as a day's extension on payment from me again.
I usually think people are doing the best they can - color me naive.
posted on October 16, 2000 07:37:46 AM new
I don't know about organized groups, but I know more than one person who has gone on a bender and bid-up all sorts of things.
Of course, they did not even remember placing the bids (in a blackout), and claimed that someone hacked their password!
My personal view is that many of these non-paying bidders are drunks!
I do, however, agree with the statement that until bids are truly binding that this will continue to be a problem.
I know for a fact that D.A.M. (Mothers Against Dyslexia) were engaged in a bidding contest. Fortunately they always enter bids lower than the current bids and have no affect on the auction.
Great post! Are you really jerry12? (just kidding...)
posted on October 16, 2000 12:59:49 PM new
Here is my contribution to the deadbeat bidderlist. Gentlemen bid and won on two matted and framed print. Sent him the cost of shipping. Then I get a reply from him saying - before he sends me the money he wants me to rip the paper off the back of the picture, take it out of the frame and see if there is an impressed seal. If it turns out to be an original print with the seal he will send me the money if not...
I promptly replied to him that if I did that and found the seal I am sure he would want the two paintings for $200 considering they would be worth $20,000 with the seal. I wasn't going to do it - I was selling them as is and he knew that when he purchased them.
Well now he is huffy and isn't going to send me the money and is threatening to leave negative feedback.
posted on October 16, 2000 02:41:07 PM new
I would disagree with those who say that bids are NOT binding. In some states, they definetly are binding, and to prove that point, on non paying bidders, I have pulled numerous User Id searches, and sent that along with a copy of the auction to the local Sherrif (after an appropriate telephone call)of the deadbeat's area. Just imagine their thrill and surprize, when the local Sherrif or Constable knocks on their door to collect payment due. I have had an 80% success rate, using this tactic on deadbeats from SW & Southern states. Only had one real bummer, when the bidder turned out to be the Sherrif's brother-in-law, and then I received a very `not mentionable in mixed company' email, that was worth the price of the auction by itself.
posted on October 16, 2000 04:58:26 PM new
WEll I would disput the fact that ebay needs to do something to keep sellers and buyer honest there are laws in most state about auctions and even some areas of collectables and how they can be sold.
But in this mornings paper here business section Ebay Law Suit is on Ebay being sued buy 9 Buyer who won bids on autographed baseballs and other Sports memorabila that turned out to be faked.
Courts choose Not to agree with Ebays statement that it is only a venue seems that in california and many other states there are laws about auction and sports memorabila
Judge is decided to let the law suit against ebay continue it is up to ebay in the case of sports memoribila and other categories to to see that autographed materal is authentic.
you should be able to read this story at www.timesunion.com it was in todays business section.
if this law suit makes it through would seem we can look forword to many changes at ebay yahoo and other online auction sites and a lot more binding bidding and listing
WWW.dman-n-company.com
