Strange e-bay bidders

KnittingNat · 03-30-2008, 08:03 AM

Has anyone but me noticed that lately almost every item on e-bay has bids from buyers with almost identical name like 1***5 or with different letters, but it's always with the asterisks in the middle? They bid and make the prices higher

!

auburnchick · 03-30-2008, 02:31 PM

Hmmm...this sounds like a scam thing. I don't bid much on Ebay unless I want something very specific. I'm sure Ebay will do something about it if it continues to happen.

mwhite · 03-30-2008, 03:08 PM

Actually, Ebay does this and an explanation is at the top of the bid history page:

To help keep the eBay community safe, enhance bidder privacy, and protect our members from fraudulent emails, eBay has changed how User IDs display on the bid history page. Only you and the seller of the item can view your User ID, all other members will see anonymous user IDs, such as x***y.

KnittingNat · 03-30-2008, 03:10 PM

Thanks, mwhite! I didn't notice this before. And i thought dirty thoughts already!

mwhite · 03-30-2008, 03:27 PM

You're welcome.... I wondered about it, too and our son, who has an ebay store, told me what it was. And yes, I'll have to put in a plug

for him, sells boat parts and accessories:

www.stores.ebay.com/whitesmarine

snowbear · 03-30-2008, 03:56 PM

I knew \I should have listened to my high school math teacher. Read all the instructions, before jumping to a conclusion. Thansk for the info

Sewing Angel · 03-30-2008, 05:14 PM

Another thing is why oh why do people bid things up so high? I have been bidding on some mineral makeup and they bid it up higher than what the company sells it for!! I am so annoyed. Sorry I just had to get that out.
Angel

mwhite · 03-30-2008, 05:36 PM

I know the feeling. Another tip my son gave me.... If you want it, watch it and bid only what you're willing to pay with shipping. Also, unless the price has gotten out of your range- bid ONLY that last minute, putting in and confirming your maximum above the last bid. I've won two items in the last week doing this. Both times, there were 2 other bidders that had bid back and forth and gotten the price up.

Sewing Angel · 03-30-2008, 06:15 PM

I do all of the things you suggested, but the real problem is they just bid too high. It seems there are a lot of new buyers on there and they get crazy with the bidding. There are plenty of items listed, but they bid on the ones that already have bids on them.
Angel

Alyce · 03-30-2008, 07:02 PM

That's what I have always done. I used to buy a lot of china on e-bay. Now of course I buy yarn and needles. Sometimes I will enter my max. bid and then I don't have to keep watching. I can just wait and see if I get an e-mail saying I had won

or not

.