What's going on here?

[danmclovin]

Does anyone have any ideas what's going on with the following ebay sales for the VW polybag?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/X15-LEGO-40079-MINI-VW-CAMPER-VAN-New-Sealed-Polybag-/251338920492?pt=UK_Construction_Toys_Kits&hash=item3a84f7922c

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/X10-LEGO-40079-MINI-VW-CAMPER-VAN-New-Sealed-Polybag-/251338919707

 

Same seller & same winning bidder, but why are the prices so high?

 

Have these accounts been hacked?

 

Cheers!

[zak001]

Based on the similar bid-history pattern for each, it's either maliciousness directed at the seller, or another dealer using straw bidders to try to artificially pump the item's sales history. Neither of those transactions is going to finalize.

[nessieslc]

What is a straw bidder?

[El Guapo]

Funny cause you need to have 2 bidders willing to go that high in order to get that price. I just write stuff like that off as an anomaly and forget it. There were a bunch of Barrel Escape minifigs a few weeks ago that sold for $31 each. (Sweet, part that set out for a cool $150!) Not sure what some people do/think when they are on Ebay!

[zak001]

What is a straw bidder?

 

A virtual bidder that doesn't actually exist. Similar to a shill bidder (a bidder colluding with, or an alternate identity for, the runner of the auction) who serves as false competition for a legitimate bidder in order to drive the price up. In this case, though, you probably have multiple straw bidders - once the price reaches a certain level there are no legitimate bidders, just shell accounts bidding to create a false price history for the item, intended to gull buyers checking the price history of an item into believing an unreasonably-priced (but cheaper) listing is a better deal.

 

Looking at the bid history: there is no way someone with 23k feedback is legitimately bidding 55.55 and 66.66 for a currently-available polybag, for example.

[nolanfan34]

The way the auction is written, I thought it looks like the first is for 15 of the polys, and the second is for 10 of them.

[danmclovin]

The way the auction is written, I thought it looks like the first is for 15 of the polys, and the second is for 10 of them.

I think you're probably right .. missed that myself tho the seller didn't make that clear in the description!

[zak001]

D'oh. That makes much more sense. I'll be over here tearing up my junior detective's badge.

[JoshTX]

D'oh. That makes much more sense. I'll be over here tearing up my junior detective's badge.

 

It's cool. Even if the auction was legit anyway, you provided a good description of a shill or straw bidder that served to educate the forum anyway.

[Diabolos80]

I bid against a straw bidder once. When the bogus bid won because I didnt bid up again, the seller messaged me. "I've had a problem before with the winning bidder, so I don't want to sell to him. I'll sell to you for your last bid."

No, thanks. I caught onto your ruse two bids ago Enjoy relisting, oh and that final value fee.

[Bsusanka]

That was a good explanation of straw bidding. I was going to ask about that myself.

[stephen_rockefeller]

Shill bidding = illegal in most jurisdictions and some have actually served or are serving federal prison sentences for shill bidding on eBay. Technically per ebay rules a friend or family member or anyone you know is prohibited from bidding on your auction.

[Bsusanka]

I had no idea it was that serious.. Not that I would ever do it. Do they look at it at theft?

[Bsusanka]

As theft I meant

[stephen_rockefeller]

And Nolan is right......it clearly states in the descriptions that one auction is for 15 polys (X15) and the other is for 10 (X10)

[stephen_rockefeller]

I had no idea it was that serious.. Not that I would ever do it. Do they look at it at theft?

More as collusion I believe.