ebay head-scratcher

**O'Searcaigh** · 30th August 12, 08:39 AM

Yes, this looks ridiculous -- both the items and the bidding price -- but sometimes it works the other way. I have seen things miss described/listed that had the seller really known what they had they would not have listed it so low or let it go so cheaply and some lucky person gets a really great find. eBay is, after all and for the most part, an online garage sale. Some great bargains to be found and a lot of ....... :-) Caveat emptor!!!

**Meggers** · 30th August 12, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by Chas

From my own 5 year experience as an eBay vendor, I can say that shill bidding is very, very rare on eBay. Most will scoff and dis-believe, but it is the truth. eBay has very sophisticated algorithms, which are constantly checking for any connection between bidder and seller. If both happen to be in the same small village the bot will assume that there is collusion and block the seller.

We lost a week's revenue once because a bidder's address was 22 Highbury - and so was ours. Except that their Highbury is in London and our Highbury is in Thetford - 80 miles away. Our whole shop and sales and inventory disappeared off the internet as if it had never been there. We received a bland email stating that eBay believed that we were involved in shill bidding and would be shut out for 7 days. They would not tolerate any communication. Stupidly, I tried to reason with them and received an email telling me that the 7 days was increased to 10 days. It took a full 21 days before the store was up and running and selling again. And we did nothing wrong!

The vendor in question has an eBay store and has achieved their 'Top-rated seller' award. He currently has 1496 sales ongoing. This is a business for him. Why would he risk his livelihood? The possible profit would just not be enough.

Once bidders get their teeth into an auction, there is often no stopping them. I once had a woman drive 490 miles from Inverness to pick up a pair of stickers, that said 'Quinny' for her child's pushchair. The cost of the stickers to us - 15 pence per roll of 100. Then she had to drive home again.

Ebay has spent millions making itself a trustworthy place to buy and sell - the odd rotten apple is soon weeded out.

Regards

Chas

hmm. So do you think this listing is legit? That it's actually what it says it is and worth that amount of money? I ask out of pure curiosity. Not trying to challenge your post.

**auld argonian** · 30th August 12, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Tobus

That's what I'm thinking, although the 1930s would be too early for Brigadoon. It's possible that this is indeed from the 1930s (or some other decade, but still 'vintage'), yet is not Scottish at all. It looks like a costume.

Perhaps from some pageant where someone was pretending to be Harry Lauder? We tend to forget about him now but he was all the rage back in the day.

Best

AA

**Big Mikey** · 30th August 12, 10:05 AM

I believe that the waist measurement was probably done on one side as the "kilt" was laid out thus being 30". The sleeve length at
23 1/2" seems a bit short for an adult. As well the glengarrie looks to be made of the same material as the jacket, velvet? All in all not anything close to a legitimate adults outfit.

**Chas** · 30th August 12, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by Meggers

hmm. So do you think this listing is legit? That it's actually what it says it is and worth that amount of money? I ask out of pure curiosity. Not trying to challenge your post.

Please point to the line where I say, that item it is worth that amount of money!

Of course, the listing is legit. It is not the vendor's fault that there are idiots willing to bid. Please go back to the listing and then to his store. Read some of the other descriptions on the other one thousand, four hundred and ninety five other sales he currently has running - they are all bad. But people are bidding on them and buying them. That is not his fault. He started the bidding off at 99 cents and it could have finished on 99 cents - but it hasn't.

The vendor does not know how to describe things accurately, so he takes pictures - lots of pictures. And on the strength of those the bidders have decided that the goods are worth that amount of money. That is the nature of an auction.

Regards

Chas

**Cygnus** · 30th August 12, 11:21 AM

I figured the waist measurement was taken that way - it just seemed an odd way to post it.

And all it takes is two people who think it's the real thing to get the price that high.

**Meggers** · 30th August 12, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Chas

Please point to the line where I say, that item it is worth that amount of money!

Of course, the listing is legit. It is not the vendor's fault that there are idiots willing to bid. Please go back to the listing and then to his store. Read some of the other descriptions on the other one thousand, four hundred and ninety five other sales he currently has running - they are all bad. But people are bidding on them and buying them. That is not his fault. He started the bidding off at 99 cents and it could have finished on 99 cents - but it hasn't.

The vendor does not know how to describe things accurately, so he takes pictures - lots of pictures. And on the strength of those the bidders have decided that the goods are worth that amount of money. That is the nature of an auction.

Regards

Chas

I feel the need to slowly back away after reading the response.

**New World Czech** · 30th August 12, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Meggers

I feel the need to slowly back away after reading the response.

You are funny Meggers. I'm sure Chas didn't mean to bite your head off he just wanted you to understand the point he was making.
Although you could have a tasty head.