http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chrysler-Crossfire-SRT-6-convertible/380938969951?_trksid=p3984.c100052.m2206&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140131104706%26meid%3D8062317955209291248%26pid%3D100052%26prg%3D20140131104706%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D111389126004

 

Anyone else notice the bid history? Looks like he may have a friend jacking the price up

 

Yes, I noticed that . . . it's called "shill bidding". There were a lot of zero feedback and low feedback bidders on his previous listing for the car. I suspect you're exactly right.

 

60,000 miles, currently $13,600 bid and reserve not met.
I'll pass.

 

Being a practical guy, I am after a supercharged Jaguar to use as my daily driver and art hauler.

On one recent weekend I noticed four eBay auctions I suspected as being fraudulent of these uncommon cars. Within a week the cars were back up with various explanations.

One in particular I am after was a classified ad. the seller had a significant deposit required within a couple of days which seemed like a nice protection. On a Thursday night after ten at night, a "buyer" pushes the "buy it now" button. When the seller finally gets in touch with him he is told the deposit will be there within two "business" days starting Monday. This effectively knocks the seller out of the market for the weekend and records the above market asking price as a sale and referable comparable for the buyers of similar cars.

Come midweek the "buyer", who is on the opposite coast delays things by referring to time zone problems and shipping arrangement difficulties. Finally, he asks the "seller" to finance the sale and all along has never sent the deposit. It was a scam all along.

There are two S-Types out of Texas currently being auctioned with what appears to be the same thing going on. I am outbid on both but suspect I am the only real bidder. There was a "shill" in my last attempt to buy from that Texas seller, I suspect. He had made many bids with that same seller and had three retractions in six months.

My own TVR auction was derailed by two scammers quickly running up the price of my car squeezing out real bidders and making the other similar TVR that was being sold seem a bargain in comparison. My auction with its inflated sales price was recorded as a sale until after a long fight when I finally got it nullified.

The most lasting impact of these scams is that those seeking an objective value from what is represented to be a completed sale will be mislead.

Well, I feel better now.

The seller could be a scammer and/or the bidders and/or neither. The holidays seem to bring them out. My auction was between Christmas and New Years. That said, I think the top three bidders presently are serious potential buyers.

I just thought the seller did a great job of presenting his car. There are so many lazy sellers that undersell what they are offering.

 

Natural suspicious of many things eBay, I spent some time with this one and may have found an explanation for some of the weirdness.

On 6/29 at 3:57 the top is is #949's at $1001.
At 3:04 of the same date #51 bids $8,809.
At 5:03 #79 starts bidding. Only after each bid is submitted does it trigger the automatic bids
that will keep coming in small amounts until #79 gives up or "wins".
At 5:05 #79 has the top bid of $9,001 for a few minutes and then the action gets more widely split.

 

SOLD!
14,500
Nice car.
Congratulations to both sides of the transaction.

 

I hesitate to bid against zero feedback bidders. Many times (if not a shill) they are kids home from school (holidays, summers) and hoping that they can finance through the seller or borrow money from their parents.

 

As a bidder I would set my own price regardless of the other bidders but agree a zero feedback bidder is one to question.

 

More than once I have written the seller to tell him it is my policy to not bid against Zero or negative feedback bidders, and it may or may not work out for him/her. If it does NOT work out write me and let me know (This is probably totally against EBay's policy - but ....oh well.).


EMFORCE