Are All Ebay Highest Bids Legit Or Phoney?

[Boogaloo]

Just seen a very scratchy Bobby Kline go for £1100 and recently JT Parker sell for over $5500. Might be just my cynical mind playing overtime (and pardon to the genuine bidders who actually won these tunes) but are all the tunes that fetch astronomical prices on ebay legit? Got no evidence to say otherwise but thought it worth a mench.

[Boogaloo]

Quickest soul source reply ever.

Just as I'd finished typing the posting I remembered a few years ago I bid on something thinking it was in dollars when it was actually listed in pounds stirling and had to contact the seller to explain that I couldn't afford it. Perhaps there are more numptys like me around.

[Julianb]

Keep your eye on the sellers feedback to see if it's a genuine sale.

[dthedrug]

HI ALL well an operation as big as EBay is impossible to POLICE, in-fact they make that clear right from the start, that the EBay community is responsible for how the sight runs, which is on trust, amazing when you think how well it does run itself,

I am sure there is some bidding up on certain items that are in the auction? just the same as there is at a public auction, however some sellers use a starting price to secure the item, however, many items have starting prices that are more like ending prices, this is done from being greedy and hoping to mug someone, or by thinking they have golddust, good sellers get the good deals, however as I do not sell stuff I would like to get a fair price for a item, so would I get someone to put a bid on to cover it? what do think? DAVE

[Guest JJMMWGDuPree]

There have been cases of people bidding on their own item, I don't understand it myself but the theory goes that if you see a starting price of £100 you might just move on, whereas if you see it advertised with an opening bid of 99p you might be tempted to bid against the other bidder and wind up paying the £100 or more. I don't see it myself but apparently even in real life auctions the auctioneer will accept bids from the wall if he thinks he can push you up in the excitement.

The downside of this for the bidder is if no one falls for it they still have to pay for the auction, and for their 'win'.

[Benji]

but the theory goes that if you see a starting price of £100 you might just move on, whereas if you see it advertised with an opening bid of 99p you might be tempted to bid against the other bidder and wind up paying the £100 or more.

What you describe is part of the "game theory".believe it or not, it's proven.

[Mace]

What you describe is part of the "game theory".believe it or not, it's proven.

Very much so.

I've often seen 45s with low starting bid prices go for way more than similar condition 45s listed a few hours apart with higher starting prices...sometimes the higher starting priced ones don't even attract any bids.

[boba]

I think the ultimate conclusion of all this is that nobody here should ever bid on ebay, but should continue to put rare records on ebay.

[Sjclement]

Don't forget the auction items that go for more than the buy it nows

[Marc Forrest]

wasnt someone recently on here indicatings something fishy about the JT Parker auction (winner not paying etc) ?

Bobby Kline at 1100 doesnt surprise me though...has been a steady seller between 750 and 1000 for teh last couple of years (sadly).

[boba]

Don't forget the auction items that go for more than the buy it nows

I don't think this is strange. i don't do searches on all the items I want to bid on every day until they end. Lots of people also BIN list rare records way too cheap.

[Dave Pinch]

bobby kline has sold for $2000 a couple of times recently on ebay thats more than £1100 by by reckoning...maybe its not mega rare but its always sounded $1ooo,ooo to me

[Prophonics 2029]

I was out bid on that guys auctions and on quiet a bit recently, demand for rare soul hasn't dropped, a prize iteam worth 1000 is worth 1100.

[Benji]

I don't think real high bids are not legit or phoney. Maybe sometimes buyer chickens out because he struggles to actually raise the cash.

But what about low-priced items, say up to $50? I somehow have a feeling that phoney or fake bids just to raise final end price are more likely in this price range? Especially UK/Euro sellers.

[Sebastian]

99% or more of all my buyers on eBay follows through with their purchases.

It might take a while and a reminder or two to get the payment from about 3%-5% of the buyers, but bidders who chicken out or that I never hear from are few and far between.

Hope I haven't jinxed it now though...

Edited July 12, 2012 by Sebastian