Ebay: Ever suspect you been scammed?

[Mr.HaHa]

I don't have a problem with the sniping etc, I think it's fair game. What I don't like is all the retail sales. It's become so commercial that it's hard to find certain items for sale by a private seller. The board is littered with retail items with the minimum bid starting at the the sellers preferred price.

agreed

everything is listed as a BIN (basically msrp) with BO. gets pretty annoying when there are so few auctions out there.

i recall looking for a tamrac camera bag on ebay and there were only 2 auctions out of maybe 20 that were legit auctions. the rest were listed as BIN's.
ugh.

 

[Leroy]

Not for anything, but you're as bad as the shillers..

Dude, it's the name of the game on eBay for items I collect that are extremely rare and I've got 5 other collectors in my area trying for the same items. I'm not going to be a nice guy and sit back and let the item get away from my grasp. I resent being referred to as a shiller, that’s pretty low in the auction business. I pay fair money for an item that’s worth it for me, and yes I do have a chance of being outbid because they are using the same software program. The software is not free to use and is paid monthly.

Oh, I see another train wreck coming.

But I have to agree - I wish they would ban - tools like auction sniper.
It is not fair to be outbid at the last second. If you want something bid for it... not lurk in the alleys at the last minute..

Jerry, if we were going in a group buy for particular zoos and palys, and I'm sure you know who I refer to, and I was using my ebay name on what is wanted, wouldn't the group want it at the asking bid or a max of certain dollar figure discussed and we won.
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For what it’s worth in today’s society the use of a tool to gain a step up above the next person is to work smart not hard because the person next to you trying for the same position is not going to care about you as they succeed.
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I received a PM from Peter letting me know what happened to him and to beware of the particular ebay seller. He has a bad reputation on RC as well. I offered to help Peter financially and share the auctions and S&H knowing that Peter has good taste in zoos and palys as well as other corals in his tank. I know he’ll quarantine the items to protect from unwanted pests. He’s a reefer friend and a neighbor here in Lowell.

 

[cobraz]

"For what it’s worth in today’s society the use of a tool to gain a step up above the next person is to work smart not hard because the person next to you trying for the same position is not going to care about you as they succeed.".....by Leroy


So what you are saying is - if you can cheat, cut someone off, get around the system.. that's ok.

You're right people have no morals... and will do whatever it takes to succeed.... and if that's the case count me out !
I still believe in what's fair and human decency.

 

[Leroy]

No that's not that kind of person. You know me and I'm sure you don't judge me as that kind of person either. I have a deep respect for family and friends and would never do anything of any kind to gain an upper step to hurt anyone that I know. Please don't judge me in as being heartless. All I did is use a software tool to add to my collection of rare matchcovers from the 1930's that I'll never see available again. I'm just saying to bid on corals for a decent price rather than an outrages price. The seller gets the asking price and more if a reasonable final bid. If I loose then there will be another chance and congrats to the winner.
I'd never hurt anyone and have been taken advantage due to my good nature in the work environment because I'm not out to cut throat or play politics in work. I enjoy the hobbies I have and the people I have been associated with it and will do my best to share what knowledge I have gained, assist in any way I can or if it is saving money for a group then I'll do the best I can. I also believe in fair human decency.

 

[cobraz]

No that's not that kind of person. You know me and I'm sure you don't judge me as that kind of person either. I have a deep respect for family and friends and would never do anything of any kind to gain an upper step to hurt anyone that I know. Please don't judge me in as being heartless. All I did is use a software tool to add to my collection of rare matchcovers from the 1930's that I'll never see available again. I'm just saying to bid on corals for a decent price rather than an outrages price. The seller gets the asking price and more if a reasonable final bid. If I loose then there will be another chance and congrats to the winner.
I'd never hurt anyone and have been taken advantage due to my good nature in the work environment because I'm not out to cut throat or play politics in work. I enjoy the hobbies I have and the people I have been associated with it and will do my best to share what knowledge I have gained, assist in any way I can or if it is saving money for a group then I'll do the best I can. I also believe in fair human decency.

I was not talking about you...!!!

What I am saying is - using these tools IMO is unfair way of winning an auction. Ebay and other sites were invented as an auction just if you were sitting there and if these tools were allowed - then Ebay would have a tool you could use.

 

[smithcreek]

"For what it’s worth in today’s society the use of a tool to gain a step up above the next person is to work smart not hard because the person next to you trying for the same position is not going to care about you as they succeed.".....by Leroy


So what you are saying is - if you can cheat, cut someone off, get around the system.. that's ok.

You're right people have no morals... and will do whatever it takes to succeed.... and if that's the case count me out !
I still believe in what's fair and human decency.

Are you talking about sniping still? It's just such an awfully strong opinion for such an unimportant topic.

I've never used sniping software, but I'm sure it helps solve one annoying issue on eBay, the Obsessed Bidder. You know, the indecisive twit who can't decide if they really want to buy the item or not and slowly over the course of 4 days creep up to your highest bid. Everyone has a maximum bid they are willing to make, if sniping software lets you keep your max bid a secret until the last second I'm all for it.

 

[cobraz]

I guess what I was trying to say - was using a tool that is not offered by a company that establishes an edge - may not be fair.

Microsoft Xbox Live - for example has just issued a statement on their Live site that if they catch players upping their scores or enhancing there game play using cheat codes and hacking their scores... not sure how they do that. Microsoft will reset their scores and ban them from game play under that account.

The above speaks to a social society that constantly looks on ways to beat the system, some believe it's not hurting others and others do not care as long as the final out come is achieved. This is more than what this thread was started with but as always it evolves.

 

[RockSalt]

I guess what I was trying to say - was using a tool that is not offered by a company that establishes an edge - may not be fair.

Microsoft Xbox Live - for example has just issued a statement on their Live site that if they catch players upping their scores or enhancing there game play using cheat codes and hacking their scores... not sure how they do that. Microsoft will reset their scores and ban them from game play under that account.

The above speaks to a social society that constantly looks on ways to beat the system, some believe it's not hurting others and others do not care as long as the final out come is achieved. This is more than what this thread was started with but as always it evolves.

Well, it's pretty hard to back up with your foot in your mouth, but I think he's doing a fairly good job, folks.

Anyway, I thought this thread was about jacking up the bid and about questioning zoafrags integrity.

For what it's worth, I'd buy from Zoafrags again, but I had a good experience.

 

[SteveDola]

never really considered it unfair or cheating to snipe an auction. Infact I consider it the smart way to shop auctions. A bot program to do my bidding for me is even more ingenius. people can cry all they want but its just sour grapes. If I draw the line at a price and someone or something out bids me then its my own fault for not bidding more.

 

[Leroy]

Oh, good for a minute there I thought I was on your crap list.

Ebay has their own little ways to keep you informed of what people have their interests in by keeping you informed with "Bid Assist" or sending an "IM" and bidding on your cell phone. They're aware of programs available and for them it's an advantage for them to make money any way they can. Would not be good practice for them to make bidders aware it's available.

I respect your opinion in the use of the software tool. I may be of help to you if you'd like to win an auction without the use of the tool and it's all fair in the bidding.

 

[Cardiak]

"For what it’s worth in today’s society the use of a tool to gain a step up above the next person is to work smart not hard because the person next to you trying for the same position is not going to care about you as they succeed.".....by Leroy


So what you are saying is - if you can cheat, cut someone off, get around the system.. that's ok.

You're right people have no morals... and will do whatever it takes to succeed.... and if that's the case count me out !
I still believe in what's fair and human decency.

I'm sure that’s what the British were saying as the Americans killed their generals and wouldn't line up in rows to fight them head on during the revolutionary war... That mind set of playing a fair game gets you no where in life.

Anyways I've never understood why people even place a bid before the last 1-2 minutes, it makes absolutely no sense.. and this is why most people feel they have to have bid on their own items under different accounts to up the value to what they think is fair since eBay is using a flawed auction process which discourages placing any bids until the last seconds.

If they fixed eBay and made the timer hidden people would have to constantly bid because they would never know when an auction would end and that would be the end for last second bots...

 

[DawnOctopus]

Are you guys by chance talking about seller ID - TongaDirect? I bought a few of his 9.99 corals a few months ago. I don't know if there was shill bidding going on, but he sure didn't leave me any feedback

 

[reefsmurf]

I used to like using ebay, now I avoid it for the most part...

1) The crazy User Interface to put up an auction stinks, and has not changed much from when they first started.
2) ALOT of fraud
3) Too much listing/final/paypal fees, with close to zero protection (despite their claims)

As for sniping, that is fair game. It doesn't give you a huge competitive advantage, other than not needing to be near a terminal when the auction ends.

If sniper user A wants to pay at most $50 for an item, and you want to pay at most $51 and put in the bid at the last minute (or last hour or whatever), the sniper system is still going to lose out. It only removes the need for you to be at the computer and in fact it helps you, because it keeps the bidding lower. The only thing it changes is that you shoud think about what the maximum you are willing to bid is and be comfortable with that.

 

[Alex]

I bid on ebay quite a bit. I don't really care about the snipers because I have already put in the maximum amount I am willing to pay. If some one snipes me so be it. I bid the value I was willing to pay. If you're really doing this then it makes sniping useless.

More on topic a lot of times I wonder if that bidder who bid me up is related to the seller. It would be very easy to do. Just have someone bid from a different ID and a different IP. Maybe even have them win a couple of your auction so it makes it look authentic if someone looks up their history. I guess these are the risks you take.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Got a laptop a few years ago. It wouldn't even turn on AND the CD drive was missing. Several calls to the seller and still I got no response. I had to escalate the issue via through Ebay claims and got my $ back.

I did get 1 email from the seller stating that he had been evicted from his home, and as such had no computer to answer emails. He also mentioned he was going through a bad divorce.....as if these things were supposed to make me take pity on him and eat the cost of the "laptop paperweight".

Another time I got "coupons" for $100.00 each that I supposedly could mail into a third party for airfare for 2 to Vegas. The third party never answered my emails and I lost the $200.00

Bye bye Ebay for me...

 

[RayD]

It's nothing more than an online flea market now.

 

[pvh]

I think Cardiak has a point. If Ebay keep the time hidden it would be better for the auction.

There are always two points of view to every issue. Each side is right in their way. More like Yin Yang. Without one the other wouldn't exist.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Also, the cost to sell things has increased, right?

 

[DawnOctopus]

Also, the cost to sell things has increased, right?

YES, AND the feedback system has changed, too. I used to sell stuff every week, but now I don't think that it's worth the effort.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Ebay

Yeah, it's too bad...in the early days it was fun to buy and sell there. By the way, it was really nice to meet you at the last meeting.

YES, AND the feedback system has changed, too. I used to sell stuff every week, but now I don't think that it's worth the effort.