I wanted an item in my area thats been on for a few days with no bids so I emailed the seller and registered my interest. Suddenly theres a bid, someone with only 1 feedback. I check them out and all the transactions they've ever done has been with t...

[MrsKittylette]

I really do want the item though!

If i tell her that its obvious shes bumping up the price then I probably wont get it, and it will be embarresing if I do because it a 'pick up only'

What to do?

pmsl - she thinks she's being really sneaky but totally unknown to her there is a whole thread devoted to her stupidity here.

Bet she has put a pretty big shill bid on it - they aren't cheap new.

Totally agree with Fimbo - we should all watch it and get her hopes up...doesn't ebay bring out the best in us all

pity she did not activate the visitor counter. Then we can see how many mnetters have had a peek!

am watching it

Should one of us email her expessing an interest in her table that's also for sale and see if a bid suddenly goes in on that too? Oh I am evil, bu I would love to watch it!

Was watching this too out of interest as it is the most pathetic attempt at shill bidding I've seen in a long while

However another bidder has now pushed the price up and if you look at the highest bid they made you'll see that the highest bid is still the stupid shill bidder but it is now clear to see that the "reserve price" the seller has clumsily tried to achieve is £30.

It looks to me as though the other bidder was deliberately testing the limit of the shill bid. Bidding 9.99, 14.99, 19.99 ...which isn't the sensible way of bidding if you are actually trying to win it (better to bid 10.01 etc). So fess up, was it a mumsnetter?

She emailed me and said she wanted £70 for it,

so i suspect 'she' has bid more than £30

I told her I knew what she was doing tho

tell her you are aware what she is doing and will report them

This is why i cannot see the attraction of Ebay over walking into a shop and buying something.

Very strange you lot are.

Its cheaper EricL.

I cant afford a £100 kennel, so i was looking for a local bargain on ebay.

Il be happy to go to a shop if you give me £100

what actually would happen if you reported it to ebay?

i emailed her stating i was about to bid for a firend in her area when i noticed the current bidder and suspected she was shill bidding. the reply was this......

'I have 100% feeback as you can see and do not only sell goods on ebay. I have a bunch of regular customers who buy from me knowing my good reputation and actually watch for my advertisements - however, should you feel it necessary to doubt my honesty then that would be your call'

not sure what to make of it.

she is shill bidding.. look at the similar names

lol@ regular customer, so why hasn't he brought anything from her for over a year

very resourceful, bonkerz.

She is lying IMO. Her Andy has never left her feedback - ever, nor left feedback for any other person. Seems a bit odd that he would buy at least 7 items from her but not from ANY OTHER SELLER and not leave feedback despite being such a repeat customer. At feedback of 36, she is hardly a power seller. Nor in a specialised area that would have people watching her items. She sells dining tables and pet supplies??

Looking at the people who left her feedback, she has no other repeat customer save for one who bought 3 items in one day, but that could be genuine because of postage discounts - hardly considered a repeat customer.

I clearly have too much time on my hands.

but will ebay take action? If so, what?

Thanks DontCallMeHun, I missed it before. It must be hard to prove though.

love the bit in her relpy about her regular customers who watch out for her adverts as she has such a good reputation - not exactly amazing to get 100% feedback with 36 transactions I'd have thought, it's not bad but it's nothing outstanding...anyway - what regular customers?

That said, she;s been caught out - what else could she say?

eBay rarely seem to do anything these days about bending the rules and conning people(unless you are selling used cloth nappies - a very serious eBay crime you know )

I contacted ebay as she sent me quite a nasty email after the last one and the item has been removed due to shill bidding!!!! OP maybe now would be a good time to offer to buy again!

I reported it yesterday got a reply from ebay today