Ebay Bid Retraction Issues

[riff raff]

A member of another pipe forum recently recognized an ongoing issue with Ebay. It seems someone has found a way to exploit the bid retraction process and is doing so on a number of higher end auctions, effecting some of the bigger players (Treasurepipes, Great Estates, Pipestud). A number of recent auctions have 20-30 retracted bids

I'll do a summary, but you can read the entire thread here:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/ebay-bid-retractions

This effected me on my recent Charatan purchase thru Treasurepipes. When I won, I noticed the auction had a 20+ number of bid retractions. This was via my phone app. I didn't think anything of it (Well, I wondered what those folks knew that I didnt) until the PipesMag thread popped up. I checked my auction and bid screen using my laptop but was surprised to find no bid retractions listed. It seems the retracted bids are only visible using the phone app, which took us a while to figure it out.

The OP of the PipesMag thread thinks someone has exploited a programming issue/vulnerability with the phone app, which now makes sense. It appears the perpetrator has been using this to fish for max bids.

My purchase wasn't really changed as I don't bid until the final seconds and the final price was under my maximum. There are some bid screen examples in the thread.

Several of us have contacted Ebay to inform them of this issue.

 

[Dutch]

Thanks for posting this Al. This guy 0***C has been on my radar for quite awhile as I have noticed he has been my primary competition in several pipe auctions. Now it seems that it wasn't coincidental and a bidder with deep pockets and a lot of time on their hands.

 

[riff raff]

The really weird thing is, he never seems to win any auctions. (at least the ones I've watched). Last second snipers can seem to take him out

 

[RDPipes]

Well, maybe this will stop more people from bidding high too early in the game and jacking prices to stupid levels. The person bidding to find out the high bid and retracting them isn't gaining much because the smart ones don't put there substantial bid in till the last moments of the auction. I see no harm no foul as far as that goes. Heck if ya want to be foolish enough to put your high bid in early in the game then I think it's your own fault, plain and simple.

 

[riff raff]

Heck if ya want to be foolish enough to put your high bid in early in the game then I think it's your own fault, plain and simple.

Yep, they won't catch me!

 

[puros_bran]

I'll say it.. It's a guy fishing for top bid but it ain't no bidder. Put two and two together brother.. He doesn't win because he retracts any high bid that would win, but your bid up maximum bid stands.

And it's deeper than the pipe world.. I used to get that crap all the time when I bid the bay. The gimmick for doing it back then was "second chance offer,the high bidder was unable to complete the transaction". No thanks.

 

[Dutch]

The really weird thing is, he never seems to win any auctions. (at least the ones I've watched).  Last second snipers can seem to take him out

Al, I do specifically remember him winning one of Marco's pipes with a high bid. Knowing that Marco would never be involved in a shill of any sort, I'm not sure what to make of it.

Marco never relisted that pipe, so the guy must have made at least one legitimate purchase.

Come to think of it though, since we can't see the entire bidders identity, the guy could have been legit and just had a similar ebay identity, I dunno.

 

[joshoowah]

The really weird thing is, he never seems to win any auctions. (at least the ones I've watched).  Last second snipers can seem to take him out

Al, I do specifically remember him winning one of Marco's pipes with a high bid. Knowing that Marco would never be involved in a shill of any sort, I'm not sure what to make of it.

Marco never relisted that pipe, so the guy must have made at least one legitimate purchase.

Come to think of it though, since we can't see the entire bidders identity, the guy could have been legit and just had a similar ebay identity, I dunno.

The same guy upbidded a couple of Macbook Pros to well beyond 10 grand (they were worth 1k at most). I suspect the person will not pay for them, seeing as it happened 4 times, but it happened nonetheless.

 

[riff raff]

I guess those might be the same person, but only Ebay would know for sure? I mean how many bidder combo's can be made with only two characters and two asterisk : X**X?

 

[joshoowah]

I guess those might be the same person, but only Ebay would know for sure?  I mean how many bidder combo's can be made with only two characters and two asterisk :  X**X?

To be honest, I doubt it is all the same guy, but the majority of them are people with 0 feedback.

 

[eklektos44]

Proxy bidding has been a problem on eBay for as long as I've been using it. As increased prices means increased profits for eBay they have been somewhat recalcitrant in eliminating it. Just the nature of the beast. :suspect:

 

[fishfly]

 I'll say it.. It's a guy fishing for top bid but it ain't no bidder.   Put two and two together brother.. He doesn't win because he retracts any high bid that would win, but your bid up maximum bid stands.  

If I understand what you're suggesting, the following might occur:

my current bid = $10 (maximum is $40)
this guy bids $30
My current bid goes to $31 (since my maximum is $40)
this guy retracts his $30 bid
My current bid remains at $31.

Is that they way it works?

 

[Brewdude]

Interesting stuff. Sure glad I don't play on the bay!


Cheers,

RR

 

[riff raff]

This is getting nuts. This tired GBD went to $191. Our phantom bidder bumped it from $33 to $87 than a few more times. Some fool with a 146390 Ebay rating paid $191. I bet it goes unpaid and shows up again, this is a $50 pipe, at best (two pictures, none of the rondell, its a mess)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Smoking-Pipe-Estate-Purchase-GBD-Lucite-Stem-London-England-/191563874962

Why couldn't this bumper been up to his shenanigans when I had a nice GBD 9438 on Ebay....????

 

[RDPipes]

This is getting nuts. This tired GBD went to $191. Our phantom bidder bumped it from $33 to $87 than a few more times. Some fool with a 146390 Ebay rating paid $191. I bet it goes unpaid and shows up again, this is a $50 pipe, at best (two pictures, none of the rondell, its a mess)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Smoking-Pipe-Estate-Purchase-GBD-Lucite-Stem-London-England-/191563874962

Why couldn't this bumper been up to his shenanigans when I had a nice GBD 9438 on Ebay....????

Looks like two different shills to me. The higher bidder must have put an early bid in of $200 thinking no one would come close to it but, thought it insure him of getting it. I reckon he was right.....he got it.
Looks like the Rondel is there to me, I see brass looking in from the other side through the clear stem.
Could be wrong but, I reckon we'll never know for sure.

 

[eklektos44]

But that's the bestest gbd ever made..yup. Yea, pretty nuts. :shock:

 

[juanmedusa]

Fascinating topic. I read through that linked thread too. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

[riff raff]

Fascinating topic. I read through that linked thread too. Thanks for bringing this up.

Sure, and it definitely continues.