Re: How redicoulous can Ebay Get?

[Bruce.Baker@juge.com (Bruce Baker)]

>days until the price for this game was outrageous - like $40. I got caught
>up in the feeding frenzy and didn't want to be outbid - I didn't stop to
>think I could probably find the game in a thrift store for under a buck
>(which a few months later I did) So I came to my senses and let the person
>outbid me one last time - the price was like $41 now. The other person won
>the auction but a day after the auction the seller emailed me saying the
>high bidder backed out and that I was obligated to buy the game at my
>highest bid (which was $40). Frustrated, I looked up the high bidders
>email address and the person had the same nickname the seller was using
>only it was at a different email address. It turned out this person was
>using a second account to bid on his own item to jack the price up. Having
>learned my lesson, I now wait until the last two minutes of an auction to
>bid as to avoid being ripped off (but I only bid on Ebay as a last resort,
>the prices are TOO outrageous for some things)
>
I saw this more obviously over on the yahoo site.  People bid for their own
stuff.  But folks if after you bid, you decide it's crazy, don't pay for it.
I'd complain to ebay administration.  They are trying to run a fair site.  If
people commonly abuse it, the people who run ebay will lose because people will
stop bidding.  Then then lose their fees.   So complain loudly about people you
suspect.  My brother got booted for soemthing much less than what you are
alledging.  Ebay is trying to run a fair game.
 
I bid on some of the hardware that you mention.  But when the prices went above
what I was willing to pay, I'm out.  In fact you can just bid once, what you
are willing to pay.  It will adjust you bid down to just over the last bid if
someone else does not bid.  I refuse to get into a bidding war.  I'll just wait
for the next item.   I just bought a Beta VCR and I'm very happy with it.
 
Bruce