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So what's the point of/reason for ebay "private listings"?

Anyone who sells on ebay use "private listings"? I've accidentally bid in some of these and they are never vintage or high dollar cards, and they always end up "funny". I know an obvious reason for these, but what is the legitimate reason to keep bidders from seeing feedback scores and profiles of the other bidders? Is there one?

I actively collect Kirby Puckett. I have collections of Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith, Roberto Clemente, Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver, Errict Rhett and Evan Longoria.

Comments

  • jay0791jay0791 Posts: 3,505 ✭✭✭✭

    what you don't know can't hurt you

    Collecting PSA... FB,BK,HK,and BB HOF RC sets
    1948-76 Topps FB Sets
    FB & BB HOF Player sets
    1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
  • coinpalicecoinpalice Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭✭✭

    one reason is they are trying to cover up their shill bidding

  • I'd also be interested in learning any reasons (other than shill bidding) as to why people use "private listings." I bid on a couple items recently where all the seller's auctions are "private." In looking at his sold items, at least half of them only had one bid, so it didn't appear there was much shilling going on. (All of his items are under $100.) Nonetheless, I don't know what the purpose is of being "private." On the two auctions I bid on, there were 3 and 4 bidders, respectively. So maybe he was laying low and he did shill me on those!

  • According to eBay, the reason for private listings is to protect the buyer who may want to remain anonymous for high-dollar items, and products where privacy may be required, like pharmaceuticals... Makes sense from that perspective, but as is always the case with Bay, they completely fail to recognize that people abuse the system.

    DesertIceSports.Com

  • @KnightRider said:
    I'd also be interested in learning any reasons (other than shill bidding) as to why people use "private listings." I bid on a couple items recently where all the seller's auctions are "private." In looking at his sold items, at least half of them only had one bid, so it didn't appear there was much shilling going on. (All of his items are under $100.) Nonetheless, I don't know what the purpose is of being "private." On the two auctions I bid on, there were 3 and 4 bidders, respectively. So maybe he was laying low and he did shill me on those!

    Sounds similar to the last seller I encountered. Has "buy it now"'s and auctions, all lower value stuff(under $100). This seller has a half dozen or so negative feedbacks and with every one, he has left incredibly rude/juvenile responses to the buyer like "this guy probably hits puppies" and "you're illiterate, get hooked on phonics". I didn't check the seller's profile until after the auction was over or I probably wouldn't have bid period.

    I was just curious if there was something I was missing as to why a seller would block feedback/profiles, but it doesn't look like there is any reason other than shilling. I've bid on cards that sell for under $20 in these "private" auctions before and have no idea why someone wastes their time selling like that.

    I actively collect Kirby Puckett. I have collections of Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith, Roberto Clemente, Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver, Errict Rhett and Evan Longoria.

  • billwaltonsbeardbillwaltonsbeard Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭✭
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