schill bidding

[jojac]

Re: schill bidding

Nobody does anything about it because the people who could do something are making money from it. We're the only ones taking a hit so why would they care.

[jojac]

Re: schill bidding

What would be the point of changing the bidder name? If you never plan on winning anything why would you care about the name? It is strange and frustrating, but shilling goes on all the time and nothing ever seems to get done about it.

The reason I feel he keeps changing his bidders name is because he doesn't want anyone to catch on to the fact that he's shill bidding.
If this week he bids you up on an auction item under the bidders name say "BOB" and then he changes his name to "Eric" after the auction closes then he can bid you up again two weeks from now on a separate auction item and you'll never know you're being run up by the same guy.
The Red Sox posted some new items for bid this past Friday and of course he changed his bidders name again and ran someone up.

[Mark17]

Re: schill bidding

The situation you describe is a bummer. From a "what can I do about it" perspective the answer is simple: Only bid what you're willing to pay, and tell yourself that if you win the item, it will probably be at your max bid, so bid accordingly.

But, I know that's easy to say... There are a lot of times on ebay where I put a bid out there that's a little higher than I really want to pay, just to be sure to win. But in doing so I'm counting on getting it for less.

I think it would be hard for anyone to police that situation, because there's no way to know whether a bidder actually wants to win an item or is just playing a game with it. Is there some way you can bid an odd amount, so when he tries to nudge you up, he actually becomes the high bidder? Get that to happen a couple times and he'll stop doing it.

[jojac]

Re: schill bidding

This guy has a knack for matching bids dollar for dollar. Another thing I noticed he likes to do is that he'll jump in on a auction item with days left when the bidding stalls. He'll max people out at that point and quit. He bids like a shill that has an interest in the items presented and that's what get me because this isn't a private auction its a MLB auction.
I bid an odd number as suggested when he got me and he matched my bid and quit.

[10thMan]

Re: schill bidding

"Changing" bidder name & bidding with different names are two different things. Shill bidding happens, are you saying the different names are the same person? MLB is any different than the rest of the world, specially when it comes to money.

[Mark17]

Re: schill bidding

What are the rules about retracting a bid? Can you trap him that way - you bid, he matches, you retract at the last minute?

I realize auction companies don't like bid retractions but maybe if you could find an example where you could claim a legitimate reason...

Just a thought.

[10thMan]

Re: schill bidding

MLB *is not any different. Here's one for you. I see Stadium employees grab HR balls on a regular basis, not sure, but I think they have them authenticated. I'd be willing to bet they keep the "actual" baseball & the other one goes to market.

[jojac]

Re: schill bidding

I pretty much just bid on the things that mean something to me so then its hard to even think about retracting your bid. You know how it is with this stuff, if that item finally comes up that you really wanted then you'll fight for it because it may be your only chance. Theres no forecast that I know of with MLB that lets you know what might be coming down the line so you tend to jump at opportunities.
Yes, its the same guy using different names. Seems like he changes between auction postings. So like I said before, he'll bid you up under one bidder name and then when the auction ends he'll change his bidder name and start bidding people up again. I don't think people realize they're being bid up by the same guy using a different name that he recently changed.

[sportsnbikes]

Re: schill bidding

I can understand shill bidding from an auction house or ebay: the point is to drive up the price on an item you own.

But I'm mystified why someone would shill bid on MLB or NFL auctions. Nobody out there owns this stuff, except the teams. Are we implying the teams are shill bidding? Or that some jackass is just out there bidding people up because he has nothing better to do?

Ken

Would it be plausible to think that the people who run these stores for the teams work on a commission as well? I wouldn't put anything past anyone.

[jojac]

Re: schill bidding

Would it be plausible to think that the people who run these stores for the teams work on a commission as well? I wouldn't put anything past anyone.

I think in this case what you're saying is very possible. This doesn't seem like an idiot just messing with people. Maybe I'm wrong but this seems like someone who has something at stake in the item up for bid.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

Re: schill bidding

Ive also found Reds auctions to be a little fishy. Those items have crazy bidding action at end time and items will ballon 2-3 times the prior amount. Its just a little strange if you ask me when items are going for insane prices. The Brewers charge $400 for a Jean Segura bat and when the Reds had one(broken in two full pieces) up for action it hit $450 before I backed out. It had nice use, but two pieces over even the Brewers crazy price is insane.

Then again they sold a Choo bat in the same auction for over $1,250 so maybe Reds fans are just not very bright bidders.

[Mark17]

Re: schill bidding

Would it be plausible to think that the people who run these stores for the teams work on a commission as well? I wouldn't put anything past anyone.

If it was an "inside job" they would have access to bidding data, and it sure would be easy to shill bid...

[jojac]

Re: schill bidding

If it was an "inside job" they would have access to bidding data, and it sure would be easy to shill bid...

Then that could explain the knack for matching bids.
I bid a jersey at $1201.00, he ran me up some until he matched me at that price and he quits.
Shortly after on a separate item some one bid $1250 for a jersey, he matched their price and quit.
If an item stalls in bidding he bids up the current high bidder and either matches the current bid or he'll bid $1,199 if the max bid is $1200. Always quits when he max's someone out, never to bid on that item again and then changes his name between the close and start of each auction.
I sometimes wonder if his bidding isn't set to the bottom dollar a seller would expect for their item.

[sportsnbikes]

Re: schill bidding

This hobby is pretty sad sometimes. The greed and selfishness involved is disheartening at best. I still love the hobby but it doesn't come without it's frustrations, that's for sure.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

Re: schill bidding

If its true that the majority of money did go to charities then theres still the incentive to get as much $$$ as possible in an auction setting for an item due to the tax break on contributions. The more they make then the more they can donate and the more they can write off. That's a great deal for them because then they look good donating your money that you've spent on an item and their money stays in their pocket. MLB, ebay and auction house are all doing this for no other reason then to make money......they're all businesses.

This makes no sense logically. If the organization donates 100% of the proceeds of the auction, what is being written off? The donated amount comes in and goes out. The "write off" is against "profits" that were immediately donated.

Best way I can explain it:

Team A makes $45mm net of expenses and decides to donate their jerseys, etc to a charity. The auctioned items sell for $500k. The team then gives the $500k to the charity.

Team B makes $45mm net of expenses and also decides to donate their jerseys, etc to a charity. The auctioned items sell for $300k. The team then gives the $300k to the charity.

Both Team A and Team B made $45mm in taxable net revenue after the auction. The assumed shilling would serve no purpose for the teams in question, from a taxable event standpoint. The teams don't get to write off the donated cash AND the value of the bats. They only get the write off the amount that was donated, which also counts as additional revenue from outside sources.

Yes, Team A donated $200k more than Team B, but Team A also has to show that as $200k extra in revenue, which then got donated. The net result for both teams is $0.