Ebay is in the news again ...

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/biz-tech/phoney-bidding-rampant-on-ebay-20090714-djsr.html

Of course nothing we don't know already.

Apparently the next investigation is to see if bears really do sh*t in the woods....  

Welcome to like 3 years ago. We all knew this was happening pretty regularly when you could actually see the bidders bidding.

It was as obvious as it can be as it was and then when they put in the system to "protect bidders privacy!"(:lol:) that it was a thinly veiled attempt at helping increase fee intake by not only taking away the only tool most people had to detect shilling, but also almost outright encouraging sellers to do it, again all under the typical Ebay facade of "We care about what you think!!!!111one!!1". Just like every other pile of bullshit they've laid on it's users over the years.

I did find it comical in the article about how Ebay claims that have a double super secret shill bidding counter detectors in place that they can't go into detail about.  Sure they do.

The sad part is that there are still people out there drinking the Ebay Kool-Aid who actually believe the shit Ebay forks out to them.

lawrenson wrote:Hi,

to be fair, I think they were terrified of losing any fees because of sellers contacting buyers directly.

Still makes it a sh*t policy tho.

Cheers,
Malc

That is certainly a good possibility as well, but based on Ebay's history of not caring about anything until someone on the outside notifies them(see copyright thread as an example of this behavior), I would not be the least bit surprised if they saw this as a "benefit" as well.  

The fact that they say that they have some secret anti-shill bidding counter measures in place but won't reveal anything about them seems to make that point even further.

BREAKING NEWS!!

Apparently the Pope IS Catholic....



Just sums up ebay that already they are trying to make excuses for it... Clearly it allows for shill bidding, I'm just guessing that it doesn't impact me so much due to my limitations and what I'm actually after buying.

However, as ever ebay sucks a big one for the buyers and looks after the seller cos thats where their money comes from... The one item I sold recently ended up costing my around a tenner due to 'selling' fee, 'placement' fee, 'paypal' fee etc,etc... Kinda put me off selling anymore (not that I did much anyway.)

I'd rather deal direct with you guys here, as its easier, less hassle, better goods and better prices!  

. wrote:Reuters 07.14.2009.US687745 - eBay CEO Rushed To Hospital - Mr John Donahoe, CEO of the popular internet auction site, eBay, was rushed to a private Maryland hospital last night after collapsing at an awards ceremony in Baltimore. In a press conference this morning, senior medical staff said that Mr Donahoe had undergone extensive testing late last night, and that they had found a fragment of brain imbedded in Mr Donahoe's skull. Sources close to the Donahoe family say that the procedure to remove the offending fragment will be quick and painless, and that Mr Donahoe should make a swift recovery. eBay shares rose sharply over night, but returned to normal following the good news.

   

simple answer #
By Peter H. Coffin Posted Friday 10th July 2009 21:48 GMT

As a buyer, bid what you'd be happy paying, then ignore it. You'll either win and get something at your price, or you won't. Either way, you get an outcome that make you happy. Making a game of it only helps ebay.

For me, that post pretty much covers the way to use ebay. I know its hard to get the rare items though, so costs will spiral and it allows for shill bids.



I find it more and more amusing that so many items (especially console games) go for many times more than you can buy them for from the likes of high street stores or their online branches, just cos someone gets caught up in the auction fever!