Shill bid or coincidence?

[cammb]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Please help me to understand. How would a seller know that a bid was placed on his item unless he was monitoring the auction at the time? Does he receive an email or other instant notification that there's been a bid? Can he or his shill automate a bid to be placed for $x as soon as there's been a bid by someone else?

I realize that the timing of the OP's transaction seems suspicious, but if there's a seller out there with multiple auction items what are the chances he is watching this item so closely 22 hours before the end? If he is going to shill is the idea that the victim will still be online and be motivated to bid again? Why not wait an hour or two--is the theory that the victim will be offline by then and may not think to go back and check? I suppose it's just as strange for a legitimate bidder to be looking in at the auction at that same time-- are users who put something on the watch list notified as soon as bids are placed on that item, so as to alert them as to status?

Just wondering.

Ebay does notify you when there is a bid. The problem I have is there was no interest in this COMMON card until I bid. The out bid came 3MINUTES LATER. It seemed very strange as to when I was outbid.

[Tyruscobb]

I don't believe in coincidences. This frequently happens to me on eBay. I'll enter the first bid for an item that was listed a few days earlier, and within 5 to 10 minutes later receive an email notifying me that a higher bid was just entered.

As an occasional seller, I know that sellers receive emails when there is bidding activity. In my instances, I suspect the seller received my bid and then logged into his/her shill account or contacted a buddy to shill bid the item.

I just laugh and walk away. If I suspect shilling I won't enter another bid on the item, and create notes not to bid on this seller's item again.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by cammb

Ebay does notify you when there is a bid. The problem I have is there was no interest in this COMMON card until I bid. The out bid came 3MINUTES LATER. It seemed very strange as to when I was outbid.

eBay does not notify the seller when a bid is placed.

[cammb]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

eBay does not notify the seller when a bid is placed.

Ebay sure does notify a seller when a bid is placed. I get notifications all the time.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by cammb

Ebay sure does notify a seller when a bid is placed. I get notifications all the time.

Absolutely correct. Not sure about emails but the eBay app on your phone will notify you of bids if you want it to.