HUGE max bids, i.e., $200,000... for $50 item

Oh ! How did this bit come out? maybe?

Snipe cancelled, can't find the auction, and don't remember who the seller was. Only thing I can remember is they had a feedback of 2000+ (not much help)

Guess it really IS to late...

I saw a pair of speakers for auction. It said the speakers were $25, but the shipping was $10,000. I emailed the seller and he said that someone wanted to just buy them, but also wanted feedback. this was the seller's way of making sure this guy got them! I thought it was kind of silly!

sunny

Silly?... yes
Against eBay policy?... yes

>> Click Here <<

Hi Puppy!

Not sure why the artificially high S&H would be ruled improper by ebay? What the seller was ATTEMPTING to do is auction his item to ONE SPECIFIC buyer THROUGH the ebay system. Ebay would still receive fees. I thought the high S&H would chase away any unintended bidders until the targeted buyer could execute a BIN.

NOW, if the S&H was ACTUALLY part of the item value, and shifting the item value into the S&H is to avoid paying a higher final value fee -- well, YES, I can see that being a gross TOS violation & ebay being upset about that!

Now, if a buyer & seller want to do a transaction, but KEEP it ON ebay without getting entangled with other bidders, what is the proper way to do it?

Jabbergah                                                    

eBay says you may add REASONABLE shipping costs.

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What the seller was ATTEMPTING to do is

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The seller was attempting to help the buyer get positive feedback. I doubt the transaction really happened. They obviously know each other well. Why else would a seller not want to get the most he could for an item?

There are ways around the high shipping though and still only deal with one buyer. i.e. Discription of 'Mystery Item for $25' would keep me away.

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The seller was attempting to help the buyer get positive feedback. I doubt the transaction really happened. They obviously know each other well. Why else would a seller not want to get the most he could for an item?

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I wanted to edit that, but it's to late, so...

The buyer and seller (perhaps the same person with two ID's) were attempting to help each other get artificial positive feedback. I doubt the transaction really happened. They obviously know each other well. Why else would a seller not want to get the most he could for an item? If I were a REAL seller, I would notify buyer item would be avaliable and set my opening bid at the agreed upon price. I would let the auction run and hope for a higher bid.

I asked Sunny about the seller. She said he had lots of positive feedback. The whole transaction was to sell to this one buyer at a price and give him feedback, she was told. If he bought it off of Ebay from the seller, he would not receive the feedback he needed. In this case, he, the buyer would have to pay other than paypal or it would cost boocoo bucks for paypal!



[This message was edited by Mrs.M on January 12, 2004 at 08:46 AM.]

LOL ! Sunny ! See what you started !

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the buyer would have to pay other than Ebay or it would cost boocoo bucks for paypal!

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Sorry, I'm still suffering from lack of sleep. Are you saying I can't use PayPal except on eBay without paying a fee?

No, but if he had to add the 10000 dollars to it the paypal cut would be a biggie! (the seller was a dealer that accepted visa thru paypal)I'm saying the buyer must have sent the seller a snail mail MO. ( I corrected that last post...sorry)

Sorry, still sounds fishy to me...

If the speakers cost $25, I think the auction was bogus and never happened. There was no $10,000 and thus no big cut for PayPal.

If the speakers cost $10,000 it was eBay and/or PayPal that didn't get their cut from the seller. That's why you are only allowed to charge 'reasonable' shipping.

(no problem on the edit, my post stands as is PayPal or not)



[This message was edited by Puppy Raiser on January 12, 2004 at 09:01 AM.]

So, what were they up to IYO?

Of course there was no 10000. It was put there he said to keep others from bidding. The deal more than likely was off the path, but I do think it was to sell this guy only the speakers and give him feedback. ( I can't spell or type this AM!!)
Hey, Sunny, take a break and get in here ! Lol!

Still not convinced. Maybe I should give my award to myself?

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So, what were they up to

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As I said earlier:
The buyer and seller (perhaps the same person with two ID's) were attempting to help each other get artificial positive feedback. I doubt the transaction really happened. They obviously know each other well. Why else would a seller not want to get the most he could for an item? If I were a REAL seller, I would notify buyer item would be avaliable and set my opening bid at the agreed upon price. I would let the auction run and hope for a higher bid.

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And can't you just do a BIN auction, and email the auction number to the buyer before it goes into the public listings?

Personally, I like the "Mystery Item" option.

HI ALL

In my humble opinion its a dangerous practice.
I once seen a ten dollar item go for over a thousand $.Someone puts a proxy bid for $1000 a newbie comes along and keeps getting defeated on their bidding....not understanding proxy bidding they continue to bid and be outbid thinking that there is an error. Voila ......$1100 later.....I followed the feedback for this interesting auction and it appears that the auction was honoured....unless they agreed to both leave positive feedback that is.

Thats my little piece of sagacity