Low feedback bidders

JTB · March 5, 2010 11:21PM

I've never blocked low-feedback bidders because I didn't think they were that much riskier than bidders with higher feedback. This week I've got some high-dollar items up for bid and two of them have (different) low-feedback bidders with three days left to go who have driven the price up quite a bit. Now I'm starting to wonder if other bidders will think these low-feedback bidders are shills and shy away from bidding. I had never thought about blocking low-feedback bidders for this reason. Does anyone else think they cause other bidders to stay away?

JTB

72skywalker · March 5, 2010 11:25PM

I don't even look at who else is bidding on an item that I want. I have had a bunch that do jump the price up quite a bit. If everyone blocked low feedback bidders they will never get their feedback up high. I look at it this way. Why would I want to throw someone out of a store that I own just because I have never seen them before. This is basically what you are doing if you block low feedback bidders. You are just throwing away a possible sale.

Brick · March 5, 2010 11:32PM

I would think the more expensive the product the more it could be a problem. In the old days before bidders were hidden if I had a concern about the seller I would check who was bidding. If I saw reliable bidders collecting the same sets I was I figured they thought the auction was ok and I would bid.

WalterSobchak · March 6, 2010 1:59AM

To the best of my knowledge, you can't block low-feedback bidders.

You can list in your item description something like "you must have (X) or higher feedback to bid". and then report the listing to EBay as an 'unwelcome bidder' if someone with
(< X) feedback wins..... but as far as I know you can't stop them from bidding.

Or are you referring to cancelling bids of specific user ID's who have already placed bids, and then blocking them?

JTB · March 6, 2010 2:14AM

<< <i>To the best of my knowledge, you can't block low-feedback bidders. >>

I was thinking that the block buyers option in TurboLister would allow me to do that. I just checked and saw that you could only block buyers with a total score of -1,-2, or -3. I thought I could block people with <10, for example.

Here's my concern: I have an item that should go for at least $2000, possibly higher. With three days left, somebody with a feedback score of 1 places 10 bids to ultimately outbid someone who bid $1000. It looks suspiciously like a shiller trying to find out the other bidder's top bid. If I was a bidder, I might lose interest because of this pattern. Especially since another bidder with a feedback score of 4 did the same thing on a different auction of mine. I'm worried that serious bidders will see the low feedback bidders and stay away. I don't mind selling to the low feedback bidders, but I'm worried that they are running off the people who would take the price higher.

JTB

WalterSobchak · March 6, 2010 2:33AM

<< <i>Here's my concern: I have an item that should go for at least $2000, possibly higher. With three days left, somebody with a feedback score of 1 places 10 bids to ultimately outbid someone who bid $1000. It looks suspiciously like a shiller trying to find out the other bidder's top bid. If I was a bidder, I might lose interest because of this pattern. Especially since another bidder with a feedback score of 4 did the same thing on a different auction of mine. I'm worried that serious bidders will see the low feedback bidders and stay away. I don't mind selling to the low feedback bidders, but I'm worried that they are running off the people who would take the price higher. >>

If you have a good seller history, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. If it was the same LFB on both auctions, it might be more of a concern- but even then I don't think serious buyers are going to let that scare them away unless an EBay/Toolhaus check showed that you had a history of shenanigans.

You could stop these auctions and re-list with the "you must have X feedback to bid" stipulation in the item description, but if I were in your shoes I would just let it play out.

Brick · March 6, 2010 3:24AM

Agree with WalterS. A combination of low feedback bidder and low feedback seller would be a bad combination for instilling confidence in your auction. If you are well established there is not so much to worry about.

MULLINS5 · March 6, 2010 3:31AM

I had my account suspended for 2 weeks last year due to a low FB bidder bidding on more than one of my auctions then someone else reported me for shilling.

Now, do I think low FB buyers should be allowed to bid? Absolutely! How else will they earn their FB? But if you're selling sports cards (mainly graded) it's probably better to block them anyway...some collectors get really sour when they lose out on a deal and are quick to cry shilling or any other excuse in the book to blaim someone other than themselves for losing out on a deal.

And with the paypal system you have scammers on the other end, as the buyer. All a buyer has to do is send a fake/lower graded card back (after cracking it out of the case) and get full refund, then submit the cracked version to PSA or another company and voila!

The examples are endless, but again, I'd just block the low feedbacker's

Patrick

MULLINS5 · March 6, 2010 3:34AM

Also, you can have low feedback bidders contact you first for permission to bid on any of your items..good filter IMO, but BAD when the low FB bidder tries to snipe an item in the last seconds, only to find out they are blocked. If you end up blocking low FB bidders please put in the description that they are blocked and to contact you first!

Blackborder · March 6, 2010 3:47AM

I require bidders from Canada to solve a simple math problem first before I let them bid. Quebec bidders are not eligible to bid at all of course.

MULLINS5 · March 6, 2010 3:50AM

<< <i>I require bidders from Canada to solve a simple math problem first before I let them bid. Quebec bidders are not eligible to bid at all of course. >>

lol, seriously though, I sell a lot of items to Canada (hockey) and have never had a problem (other than a current three week wait on some cards, I'll give it a few more days before I open a paypal dispute to be on the safe side)

Low feedback bidders

Comments