How should I handle this eBay RV shilling?

[jgradyc]

I found an RV I like on eBay. I've traveled to the location, checked it out, and I would like to buy it. However, it appears that someone is shilling the auction to run up the bid. Two weeks ago, this vehicle "sold" on eBay, yet it's now relisted. The "buyer" has very low feedback and has placed over 100 bids on items in the last 30 days with nearly 100% being on this sellers items. The same buyer is currently bidding on 4 items, a motorhome, a 5th wheel RV, a 5th wheel toyhauler RV, and a motorcycle. I checked and found a similar pattern of what appears to be shilling in other items for sale by this seller. "Buyers" with very low feedback with up to 100% of their bids on items from this one seller.

None of this reflects on the RV. I've owned RVs and spent an hour checking this one out. It's a decent vehicle and fits my RV criteria.

I realize shilling is unethical and against eBay rules. That said, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I know shilling goes on all the time on eBay. I've seen it before on car auctions. Before I reacted, I asked a few of my friends and I've gotten a wide range of responses on what I should do, ranging from reporting it to confronting the seller to calling the seller and making a fair offer for the vehicle. I respect the opinions of TGO. What do you think I should do? Of course, I could also just report it and walk away. There are a zillion RVs for sale. I don't need to buy this one. 

 

Edited October 12, 2016 by jgradyc

[GlockSpock]

Show it to Ebay.

[Omega]

Report it to eBay, I am sure it is a seller that is doing it.  Unfortunately that may mean you don't get this particular RV, but as you said, there are many out there and personally I would rather deal with someone who is honest about the sale.  I just bought a 17' hybrid, and purchased it even though it had a few minor items wrong with it, but the buyer didn't seem to know about most of them.  He did point out a few, and those are now fixed, but I still feel I got a good deal.  When I sell something, I'll research it to make sure I am pricing it so nobody gets a raw deal, me or the buyer.  I will tell the buyer all I know about my item up to and including anything wrong with it, price to fix it or a work around for it.

[hipower]

55 minutes ago, Omega said:

Report it to eBay, I am sure it is a seller that is doing it.  Unfortunately that may mean you don't get this particular RV, but as you said, there are many out there and personally I would rather deal with someone who is honest about the sale.  I just bought a 17' hybrid, and purchased it even though it had a few minor items wrong with it, but the buyer didn't seem to know about most of them.  He did point out a few, and those are now fixed, but I still feel I got a good deal.  When I sell something, I'll research it to make sure I am pricing it so nobody gets a raw deal, me or the buyer.  I will tell the buyer all I know about my item up to and including anything wrong with it, price to fix it or a work around for it.

Well said, Omega. That's what we all should aspire to be and do. Unfortunately...not everyone succeeds or even tries.

But back to the op's question, report it. I had an experience with a seller several years ago that had me contacting E-Bay and sending copies of my emails. I received an apology and a full refund from the seller.

[Hozzie]

Report it to ebay and find another RV.  Dealing with clearly unscrupulous people will always come back to haunt you.  

[TrickyNicky]

I would do pretty much everything you mentioned on the OP. 

 

Make de a reasonable offer, if he takes it great, if he counters on the premise that the auction price is climbing tell him your suspicions in a courteous but straight forward manner and let him know you're offer stands. 

From there if he is immovable, send eBay a letter with your suspicions and findings, then go find another RV to plunk coin on. 

[jgradyc]

After thinking about it for a day, I've reported the seller to eBay. I'm curious to see whether eBay will take any action.

[DaveTN]

From eBay:

Quote

 

Reporting shill bidding

Learn more about reporting listing violations. If you think you see shill bidding taking place on a listing, report it to us. Be sure to provide the member's user ID and the item number. We thoroughly investigate every report we receive. Often what appears to be shill bidding isn't a violation. If there is evidence of shill bidding, we will take action, which may include listing cancellation or referral to law enforcement. However, our User Privacy Notice prevents us from disclosing the details of our investigation to other members, including the person who reported the issue.

 

 

If they run the bid up; they run the risk of getting stuck with fees. I think most of the time its just people that don't know not to run the bid up; hit it hard at the end.

[Oh Shoot]

49 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

From eBay:

 

If they run the bid up; they run the risk of getting stuck with fees. I think most of the time its just people that don't know not to run the bid up; hit it hard at the end.

Traditionally on eBay, much big money shilling happened on auctions where there is a reserve, so the shill accounts quit just under that figure. Listing fees are cheap to free anymore, the FVFs have increased big time to make the nut of eBay's revenue.

The other way to get out of fees is to simply claim you didn't get paid, so can auction it again, which sounds like the possible ploy jgrady mentions. But of course this has a pretty limited lifespan, as doing it more than once on big buck item gets noticed by eBay's ever increasingly sophisticated database reporting.

- OS

Edited October 12, 2016 by Oh Shoot

[Handsome Rob]

Post the guy's phone number & how much you offered him.

I'm sure that 5 or 6 of us would be willing to call & offer a few hundred under what you offered

I don't know what the reverse of shilling is.....but that. 

[Handsome Rob]

Also:

Who the hell sells an RV on eBay?

[MP5_Rizzo]

1 hour ago, robtattoo said:

Also:

Who the hell sells an RV on eBay?

3,128  currently listed.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/RVs-Campers-/50054/i.html

[jgradyc]

I reported it Tuesday, but I'm still seeing shilling today (Thursday). According to the eBay website, the first time is a warning, followed by removing the item, followed by suspension of the seller's account. 

Edited October 13, 2016 by jgradyc

[TNWNGR]

5 hours ago, robtattoo said:

Also:

Who the hell sells an RV on eBay?

You can even buy...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l2632.R2.TR12.TRC2.A0.H1.Xaircr.TRS0&_nkw=aircraft&_sacat=6038&_oac=1

[MP5_Rizzo]

19 minutes ago, TNWNGR said:

You can even buy...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l2632.R2.TR12.TRC2.A0.H1.Xaircr.TRS0&_nkw=aircraft&_sacat=6038&_oac=1

I did not need to see this.  This is a sweet Jenny and the plane is ok too!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Bird-Jenny-Biplane-Aircraft-Airplane-JN4D-Jenny-/282217793536?forcerrptr=true&hash=item41b57dc800:g:X-MAAOSwCGVX95I3&item=282217793536

Edited October 14, 2016 by MP5_Rizzo
Fixed it

[Wingshooter]

12 minutes ago, MP5_Rizzo said:

I did not need to see this.  This is a sweet Jenny and the plane is ok too!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Bird-Jenny-Biplane-Aircraft-Airplane-JN4D-Jenny-/282217793536?forcerrptr=true&hash=item41b57dc800:g:X-MAAOSwCGVX95I3&item=282217793536

Look at the Q and A on the listing. Lol. Says we can't afford her  

[bvarnell]

4 hours ago, Wingshooter said:

Look at the Q and A on the listing. Lol. Says we can't afford her  

Yes, but we only have to go to Ft. Payne, AL to confirm the running gear.

After all, we're unable to check out her wheels in the photo.

[gregintenn]

Ebay is geared toward the buyer. I'd either offer what I'd give for the RV and let the chips fall where they may, or wait until the auction is almost over and place my max bid with a few seconds to go, or report it and walk away. Most likely I'd choose the third option, unless it was just what I wanted and hard to come by.