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Am I a jerk for doing this
Dodgerfanjohn
Posts: 489 ✭✭✭
On occasion I'll ser several eBay auctions from the same seller where I want multiple items. So I put them in my watch list to snipe.
On occasion, someone will bid up the items early and their max bid can be discerned by their bidding pattern. And on occasion these max bids will be ridiculously high for what the item is. So I get a bit miffed and will run across all the auctions they are bidding on and run up each one to just below what their max bid is. And I gain sense of fulfillment in making certain the donkey bidder pays the maximum.
An I terrible, or justified in ensuring that stupid bidders are fleeced?
On occasion, someone will bid up the items early and their max bid can be discerned by their bidding pattern. And on occasion these max bids will be ridiculously high for what the item is. So I get a bit miffed and will run across all the auctions they are bidding on and run up each one to just below what their max bid is. And I gain sense of fulfillment in making certain the donkey bidder pays the maximum.
An I terrible, or justified in ensuring that stupid bidders are fleeced?
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Dodgers collection scans | Brett Butler registry | 1978 Dodgers - straight 9s, homie
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
As a buyer, that sucks.
<< <i>On occasion I'll ser several eBay auctions from the same seller where I want multiple items. So I put them in my watch list to snipe.
On occasion, someone will bid up the items early and their max bid can be discerned by their bidding pattern. And on occasion these max bids will be ridiculously high for what the item is. So I get a bit miffed and will run across all the auctions they are bidding on and run up each one to just below what their max bid is. And I gain sense of fulfillment in making certain the donkey bidder pays the maximum.
An I terrible, or justified in ensuring that stupid bidders are fleeced? >>
Whatever floats your boat. Not my cup of tea, though.
What some people will do and what many admit to doing never ceases to amaze me...
".....run up each one to just below what their max bid is."
-----
...and you know what their max bid is how exactly??
~
"America suffers today from too much pluribus and not enough unum.".....Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
edit: by the way, if you have to ask if you're a jerk for doing something, chances are you already know you are.
Mark
T206 Set - 300/524
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On the other hand, if the guy catches you amping up the bids on him, he might cancel one bid and there you are stuck with a high price.
But whatever does it for ya.
<< <i>An I terrible, or justified in ensuring that stupid bidders are fleeced? >>
God, I admire you.
Love, Mr. Poon.
<< <i>An I terrible, or justified in ensuring that stupid bidders are fleeced? >>
You are showing an interesting part of your personality. Part of you thinks this person should be punished and for whatever reason you think you should be the one to do it.
<< <i>I will run across all the auctions they are bidding on and run up each one to just below what their max bid is. And I gain sense of fulfillment in making certain the donkey bidder pays the maximum.
>>
This sounds like the plot to nearly every episode of Storage Wars.
I'm just curious.
How old are you?
Word to wise, I wouldn't respond and pray this thread is on page 5 by tomorrow.
Mark
T206 Set - 300/524
<< <i>John,
Word to wise, I wouldn't respond and pray this thread is on page 5 by tomorrow.
Mark >>
Mark,
You just bumped it to the top of page 1...wait, now I did the same thing...
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
+1
I could understand being a little upset, but just move on to the next one. I mean honestly. For the vast majority of us we are bidding on things that are not 1/1. They are things that will come back up again for sale or auction, maybe you just have to be a little patient and wait.
Collecting:
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successful deals with Keevan, Grote15, 1954, mbogoman
So are you a jerk? YES
I know you can't change your CU Forum name, but can you change the logo? It's embarrassing to us other Dodger fans!
<< <i>IN >>
Thread has gotten shorter overnight.
<< <i>I would concentrate more on how to encourage and help people. You may find life much more enjoyable. >>
+1
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In a Word................Yes!
Neil
Maude
<< <i>how could you be sure that you know what their high bid is? If you go nickle by nickle its a stupid waste of time, not just bad karma. If you bid and are willing to beat them and pay, thats on you. >>
<< <i>".....run up each one to just below what their max bid is."
-----
...and you know what their max bid is how exactly??
~ >>
<< <i>Sounds like (a) a lot of work for something you're not interested in, (b) a surefire way to wreck your karma, and (c) pretty petty. Just because not everyone snipes like you, doesn't mean you should go out of your way to make them pay more for an item.
>>
They get outbid on a couple items at the exact same amount. I can bid up to just under that amount on a 3rd or 4th item to test if they flat bid across all items. Then just bid on all their items.
<< <i>I can't agree with that logic, sounds quite petty to me. >>
YES! Totally petty. But because of technology, it takes only a couple minutes. I'd never do this IRL mostly because it would be a total PITA to bother with.
<< <i>Do unto others, bro. >>
Whats that got to do with anything in this discussion?
<< <i>I understand the logic of bidding in that way, you blanket the competition with say, a $100 bid on a $10 item. It can be frustrating on some level as a buyer. I would be too hesitant to get caught over bidding and be stuck with it at $101. So I bid what I am willing to pay and let the buy have it.
On the other hand, if the guy catches you amping up the bids on him, he might cancel one bid and there you are stuck with a high price.
But whatever does it for ya. >>
Thanks for pointing that out. Thus far, its all been on sub $10 items as I didn't want to even take a small risk of getting caught with something. I forgot about bid retractions, so I'll keep it to the small stuff.
<< <i>
<< <i>An I terrible, or justified in ensuring that stupid bidders are fleeced? >>
You are showing an interesting part of your personality. Part of you thinks this person should be punished and for whatever reason you think you should be the one to do it. >>
Eh, you presume to much. Its much more about indulging my schadenfreude than anything else.
>>
This sounds like the plot to nearly every episode of Storage Wars. >>
I didn't think of that! Theres a reason Dave Hester was my favorite character! Although I'll admit that he has much more reason to do it than I do. If his opposition loses money on an auction, since they have to pay cash, thats less cash they have for future auctions. Although its probably all bs since the show is staged.
<< <i>Hiya John
I'm just curious.
How old are you? >>
I'm 40. I fail to see what that has to do with anything since the biggest dirtbags that have come out of this hobby have been well into adulthood.
<< <i>Ignorant >>
Really? How so?
<< <i>Look up the work "Loser" in the dictionary and your picture will be there. >>
I did, and its not. Kinda disappointing. I thought I was famous for a moment.
<< <i>John,
Word to wise, I wouldn't respond and pray this thread is on page 5 by tomorrow.
Mark >>
Internet reputation is largely a lol concept.
<< <i>I agree with others that this is very petty and not helpful! But I must say that from other previous comments and threads, that I am not suprised by your choice of options! You seem to think that you have been granted the "Grand Pricer Oscar" and that your opinion of what an item should sell for is absolute. Unless a buyer has really deep pockets, we all are outbid at times. We are not happy about it, but somebody wanted that item more or placed a higher value on it. That's it, wait for the next one. >>
LOL I wish this was true. But its not. The shennanigans that go on ebay in the form of shill bidding are preposterous.
Theres also a saying on this board that people have more money than sense. I disagree. I think some(lots?) of people have more access to credit than sense.
If I can make someone pay a few dollars more for failing to do due dilligence? Well that makes me feel warm and tingly.
And if you are implying that I am a self centered %$^%$...I'll fully agree with you any day. I have my opinions and am not shy about expressing them.
<< <i>
I know you can't change your CU Forum name, but can you change the logo? It's embarrassing to us other Dodger fans! >>
That doesn't really have anything to do with anything.
<< <i>Now, the question is, do you bid on your own auctions (even if you consign them)??? >>
No. I rarely sell stuff anyway.
I'll post my ebay ID tommorow if it helps anyone. I don't see why it would though.
If anything, I think the shadiness does lie within many of the sellers/dealers that post or lurk here. I even posted a thread in another forum about how much useful information there is on CU forums, but much of the drama is caused by super defensive statements by dealers.
In fact, the last thing I sold was in September 2011...an Adrian Peterson Mcfarlane bronze level fig...heres the feedback "Great seller. Honost!"
<< <i>Actually, it's getting pretty funny how he hasn't responded to the posts. inadvertantly, a good thread. LOL >>
Oh, this posting was definitely not inadvertant. It was all for the lulz and most definitely has delivered on that. The outrage is off the charts hillarious. And if you don't think this was lulzworthy, you don't know lulz.
<< <i>I think that a couple of bid retractions will eventually change this malice practice by the OP.....careful son. >>
Yeah, again, didn't think of the bid retractions. Mostly probably because I never ever bid retract. I'll make sure I keep this to small potatoes.
<< <i>I would concentrate more on how to encourage and help people. You may find life much more enjoyable. >>
I dunno, this is kinda encouragement. Like helping people to their bottom more quickly.
<< <i>
<< <i>I would concentrate more on how to encourage and help people. You may find life much more enjoyable. >>
+1 >>
+2
Retired - Eddie Mathews Master Registry Set (96.36%) Rank 1
<< <i>
I'll post my ebay ID tommorow if it helps anyone. I don't see why it would though.
>>
So we can Block you, why not just Post it now!
Neil
--
If I can make someone pay a few dollars more for failing to do due dilligence? Well that makes me feel warm and tingly.
---
This is where I think the problem lies. You are taking issue with their bid being "too high" in your eyes, based on usual sales/VCP I suppose. And then you are deeming stupidity or laziness the cause of this "too high" bid. But what if the item in question is something the person wants badly enough to just slap down a big bid (relative to usual sales)? What if it's a card they have missed a bunch of times and has personal nostalgic value or is needed to complete a set or they think it is undergraded-- there are many reasons why someone will seemingly overpay, other than sloth or stupidity.
If you desire these items in question, and are just salty because someone bid more than you are willing or able to, then to seek out items they want but you don't and make them spend a handful of dollars more, well that's bush league. Unsporting. Now competing and putting in bids and pushing yourself to bid higher than you normally would on ITEMS YOU WANT when you have competitors enter the fray, that IMO is fine.
Given the amounts you say are in question here, if your competitors are content to pay their max bid and are happy bidding the relatively high amounts they are, then I seriously doubt they even care you have cost them a few dollars here and there. For example, when I see something I want badly and put in a relatively large bid or snipe because I just want it (for any one of a number of reasons) and don't care if I pay a new VCP high, if I win I just move on, and am happy to have won it at my price. I don't ever check to see who bid under me or if someone cost me some money. And many collectors think that way. Their focus is solely on the cards and their collection and winning auctions at their price. In such instances they won't ever know what you did let alone get twisted about it.
If we're talking items that are 10 dollars here, then if someone with deep or even just above-average pockets really, really wanted something that usually sells for say 7 dollars, they could slap down a $20 bid or snipe not out of stupidity or sloth but just because that money is peanuts to them and they simply want the item. That's not a lack of due diligence, in that case it's about someone with means not seeing cost and value in the same perspective.
I get the Storage Wars analogy, but in that scenario the competitors are in a confined time/space with truly finite cash funds, and money once spent on a lot at the site means less to spend on any subsequent lot. On ebay we are talking about continuous time, so a rival bidder will get his next paycheck and replenish his funds in say two weeks from any given auction. So the Dave Hester strategy won't deplete rival funds the way it can in a contained time where funds are defined strictly as cash on hand in that moment.
<< <i>
<< <i>
I'll post my ebay ID tommorow if it helps anyone. I don't see why it would though.
>>
So we can Block you, why not just Post it now!
Neil >>
It's sternroolz.
Why would you as a seller block me?
I pay on time always, and occasionally I boost the final value of an auction.
But I guess it wouldn't be the first time someone acts irrationally.
<< <i>Bored at work so what the heck...
--
If I can make someone pay a few dollars more for failing to do due dilligence? Well that makes me feel warm and tingly.
---
This is where I think the problem lies. You are taking issue with their bid being "too high" in your eyes, based on usual sales/VCP I suppose. And then you are deeming stupidity or laziness the cause of this "too high" bid. But what if the item in question is something the person wants badly enough to just slap down a big bid (relative to usual sales)? What if it's a card they have missed a bunch of times and has personal nostalgic value or is needed to complete a set or they think it is undergraded-- there are many reasons why someone will seemingly overpay, other than sloth or stupidity.
If you desire these items in question, and are just salty because someone bid more than you are willing or able to, then to seek out items they want but you don't and make them spend a handful of dollars more, well that's bush league. Unsporting. Now competing and putting in bids and pushing yourself to bid higher than you normally would on ITEMS YOU WANT when you have competitors enter the fray, that IMO is fine.
Given the amounts you say are in question here, if your competitors are content to pay their max bid and are happy bidding the relatively high amounts they are, then I seriously doubt they even care you have cost them a few dollars here and there. For example, when I see something I want badly and put in a relatively large bid or snipe because I just want it (for any one of a number of reasons) and don't care if I pay a new VCP high, if I win I just move on, and am happy to have won it at my price. I don't ever check to see who bid under me or if someone cost me some money. And many collectors think that way. Their focus is solely on the cards and their collection and winning auctions at their price. In such instances they won't ever know what you did let alone get twisted about it.
If we're talking items that are 10 dollars here, then if someone with deep or even just above-average pockets really, really wanted something that usually sells for say 7 dollars, they could slap down a $20 bid or snipe not out of stupidity or sloth but just because that money is peanuts to them and they simply want the item. That's not a lack of due diligence, in that case it's about someone with means not seeing cost and value in the same perspective.
I get the Storage Wars analogy, but in that scenario the competitors are in a confined time/space with truly finite cash funds, and money once spent on a lot at the site means less to spend on any subsequent lot. On ebay we are talking about continuous time, so a rival bidder will get his next paycheck and replenish his funds in say two weeks from any given auction. So the Dave Hester strategy won't deplete rival funds the way it can in a contained time where funds are defined strictly as cash on hand in that moment. >>
Ugh, aside of "Did not read", aren't you the guy who was vehemently complaining about other people complaining about shilling?
FWIW, I'm pretty sure I'm doing nothing immoral or unethical. OTOH, shilling is at minimum unethical, and probably immoral as well.
I am staunchly opposed to shilling; that said, I don't think we need 4000 threads about it.
Above I posted nothing regarding shilling; I responded to the initial post of the thread.
<< <i>Word to wise, I wouldn't respond and pray this thread is on page 5 by tomorrow.
Mark >>
Internet reputation is largely a lol concept. >>
Sorry, I don't agree with this. There used to be a time where a man's handshake was as good as gold. Your reputation and word meant more than anything you could own. Whether it's in person or over the internet, makes no difference to me. I am 41 but I was raised to understand how important your name, word and reputation was. I guess I am just old school. I will make sure my two girls follow the same code of honor as well.
Mark
T206 Set - 300/524
<< <i>
<< <i>Word to wise, I wouldn't respond and pray this thread is on page 5 by tomorrow.
Mark >>
Internet reputation is largely a lol concept. >>
Sorry, I don't agree with this. There used to be a time where a man's handshake was as good as gold. Your reputation and word meant more than anything you could own. Whether it's in person or over the internet, makes no difference to me. I am 41 but I was raised to understand how important your name, word and reputation was. I guess I am just old school. I will make sure my two girls follow the same code of honor as well.
Mark >>
Don't see how that applies here.
People know I screw around on auction bids to the extent I've expressed and nothing more. And even if there was more to it....again internet rep is lol.
<< <i>It's sternroolz. Why would you as a seller block me? I pay on time always, and occasionally I boost the final value of an auction. But I guess it wouldn't be the first time someone acts irrationally. >>
I hate to say it, but he might have a point here.
<< <i>
<< <i>It's sternroolz. Why would you as a seller block me? I pay on time always, and occasionally I boost the final value of an auction. But I guess it wouldn't be the first time someone acts irrationally. >>
I hate to say it, but he might have a point here. >>
No kidding. Whatever you might think about what this practice says about the guy, why on earth would a SELLER want to block him?
-CDs Nuts, 1/20/14
*1956 Topps baseball- 97.4% complete, 7.24 GPA
*Clemente basic set: 85.0% complete, 7.89 GPA
<< <i>Its much more about indulging my schadenfreude than anything else. >>
"Sadism" is the more appropriate word here, not "schadenfreude."
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
You may or may not be a jerk, but if you pay your bills, keep your lawn clean, and don't play your Tito Puente records too loud, we can coexist just fine. Just please don't bid on the next PSA 7 1971 Topps Dick Allen cuz that's probably me going over the top.