Well if that user with retractions is the highest bidder on this bike and also other listings the seller is selling there's every chance its an account controlled by the seller himself.
Now this might be worth keeping an eye on....
- Thread starter indalo
- Start date
Hi. You may have arrived late into this!
There was a bid, since retracted, which had no relationship with this latest bid. This retracted bid was clearly the seller as the bidder had only bid on the sellers items and had bid on 5 different items making a total of 7 bids against the 5 items. All 5 items were from the same seller.
The present bid is from a bidder who has retracted his bids on 12 different items in the past. It's unusual for a bidder to retract once never mind 12 times.
I can't link the previous shill bid with this latest bid?
Does this clarify or maybe muddy the water even more?
Regards
Vectra
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
I wondered why I couldn't make the link. I agree with you even on the evidence I can see. Everything looks suspicious. When you look at the type of items that the O***s(444) normally bids on (jumpers and cardigans) and then starts bidding on a bloke's electric bike, and that very high proportion of retracted bids. It just doesn't look right.
Someone really should report this as suspicious activity or shill bidding. I mean if its as it looks, its basically fraud and cheating people out of their money eh. You guys on here are so sharp to spot that and on up on this stuff. It would have gone right over my head. You never miss a trick
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
I don't believe that there's anything in the rules that says that the seller's friends can't bid on their items even if it's under the instruction of the seller.Someone really should report this as suspicious activity or shill bidding. I mean if its as it looks, its basically fraud and cheating people out of their money eh. You guys on here are so sharp to spot that and on up on this stuff. It would have gone right over my head. You never miss a trick
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
I am still a little confused and hope someone can help.
I can see O+++S (444) was the top bidder and I can also see that he usually bids on wallets and jumpers, the kind of things the seller usually sells.
The jump to electric bikes is unusual both for the seller and O+++S(444) I can also see that O+++(444) has made 13 bid retractions in the last 6 months.
What I cannot see is if any of these bid retractions were carried out on any of the sellers previous items.
Is it possible that the seller has just been unlucky in attracting this waster to his electric bike?
Steve
I can see O+++S (444) was the top bidder and I can also see that he usually bids on wallets and jumpers, the kind of things the seller usually sells.
The jump to electric bikes is unusual both for the seller and O+++S(444) I can also see that O+++(444) has made 13 bid retractions in the last 6 months.
What I cannot see is if any of these bid retractions were carried out on any of the sellers previous items.
Is it possible that the seller has just been unlucky in attracting this waster to his electric bike?
Steve
It's possible Steve, but the thing which would seem to make it unlikely is that the bidder is the highest bidder on multiple items from the bike seller. That combined with the high number of bid retractions (which are normally rare on eBay) raises some suspicions over that bidders account I think. Also as someone else pointed out, the fact its not got a reserve set or taking offers, and the guy is recently made redundant, all would seem to suggest he's got something setup to ensure the bike doesn't go cheap.
I think if it is a friend who is doing he bidding on the sellers behalf, it would be difficult for eBay to link this type of shill bidding to the seller?
But surely with that many bid retractions eBay should just consider closing the buyers account and removing all the bids he made from the bike.
Assuming someone doesn't report it and the suspected shill bidder wins, it will be interesting to see whether he retracts it again! I noticed earlier someone else has retracted a bid on the bike.
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Steve. Hi. You have arrived late on into this however I'll try to recap.
The situation as of this moment is that a previous highest bid was retracted. You can't see any evidence of this now. This bidder had a history of only bidding on items from the bike seller and had bid on 5 different items from the bike seller......hardly coincidence hence the conclusion that the seller had bid on his own item.
Then, along comes a different highest bidder. We cannot link this bidder to the bike seller. This bidder has a claim to fame as a consequence of his habit of making bids on items and then retracting the bids. Twelve times in total. In 6 years use of Ebay I have never retracted nor experienced a bid retraction. It's very unusual and hence the suspicion about the motives. I understand that bidding has now moved on and that the present highest bid appears to be real.
The two suspicious bidders, however are still about!
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How did we know the past highest bidder had a history of only bidding on the bike sellers items.
I do not know where to look to find that type of information out.
For him to retract his bid I assume he would have needed permission from the seller?
As it stands now I would not be surprised for o+++S(444) to start bidding again.
Steve
I do not know where to look to find that type of information out.
For him to retract his bid I assume he would have needed permission from the seller?
As it stands now I would not be surprised for o+++S(444) to start bidding again.
Steve
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
You would have had to check him out before he retracted. Now he's gone. You don't need permission to retract a bid.
Agh. Caught out. I thought I was too clever for you guys!
I actually, as you have surely determined, was very interested in the bike hence the reason I started to follow this sale. I'm still following it purely now out of interest. I'm not bidding, no seriously I'm not, for the following reasons :
The bike may be near new however there is no way of telling as to how the battery has been treated since "new". I would guess that any purchaser might have to factor in the cost of a new battery which for the BionX system is astronomical. I can buy a new Valencia for £1220.00 with full warranty. I still think that the present bidding, from the history of "bids", is questionable even though the two highest bids can't be linked to the seller.
Factoring in the new battery cost I would say that the present price at £525.00 is approx' £50 or so away from the max'. Anything above £600.00 is a pure gamble and I don't gamble.
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
You don't have to worry about the cost of a replacement battery. It's just a very expensive case with a pack of the normal Konion cells that you'll find in any battery. Here's a picture:
Endless-sphere.com • View topic - Just got a Bionx kit for 50$ with a "dead" motor-suggestions
I initiated this thread and I've found the resulting forensic discussion of the bidding process interesting. All I would like to add at this juncture is my opinion which is: If this bike sells for anywhere near the current highest bid, it will be an absolute gift.
My reasons for saying that are:
1) Trek bikes are very well built.
2) Bionx motors are very good.
3) Even the cheapest, lowest-powered Bionx kit is loadsa money.
4) The Trek dealer nearest me can't/won't reduce the price of any Trek electric bike to anywhere near the £1200 suggested in an earlier posting.
5) My bike's battery dates back to 2007 and is still in excellent health so I think too much emphasis is being placed on the battery condition of this bike.
6) Although Vectra doesn't fancy a gamble if it goes over £600, I reckon it's got to be worth a punt even at £950. I'd hesitate if it went over £1000 though.
7) If you bid and win, arrange personal collection and we'll all go, mob-handed, just to make sure it's genuine.
Indalo
My reasons for saying that are:
1) Trek bikes are very well built.
2) Bionx motors are very good.
3) Even the cheapest, lowest-powered Bionx kit is loadsa money.
4) The Trek dealer nearest me can't/won't reduce the price of any Trek electric bike to anywhere near the £1200 suggested in an earlier posting.
5) My bike's battery dates back to 2007 and is still in excellent health so I think too much emphasis is being placed on the battery condition of this bike.
6) Although Vectra doesn't fancy a gamble if it goes over £600, I reckon it's got to be worth a punt even at £950. I'd hesitate if it went over £1000 though.
7) If you bid and win, arrange personal collection and we'll all go, mob-handed, just to make sure it's genuine.
Indalo
4/5 years battery life that's pretty good going Indalo..did you take special care of it or just treat it normally?
Hi. Try Samways in Derby. Three days ago they had two in at £1220.00 new hence £950.00 for the ebay sale would be a crazy price. That's not to say that £950.00 won't be achieved. Maybe you are the seller? Would that make this a quadruple bluff?I initiated this thread and I've found the resulting forensic discussion of the bidding process interesting. All I would like to add at this juncture is my opinion which is: If this bike sells for anywhere near the current highest bid, it will be an absolute gift.
My reasons for saying that are:
1) Trek bikes are very well built.
2) Bionx motors are very good.
3) Even the cheapest, lowest-powered Bionx kit is loadsa money.
4) The Trek dealer nearest me can't/won't reduce the price of any Trek electric bike to anywhere near the £1200 suggested in an earlier posting.
5) My bike's battery dates back to 2007 and is still in excellent health so I think too much emphasis is being placed on the battery condition of this bike.
6) Although Vectra doesn't fancy a gamble if it goes over £600, I reckon it's got to be worth a punt even at £950. I'd hesitate if it went over £1000 though.
7) If you bid and win, arrange personal collection and we'll all go, mob-handed, just to make sure it's genuine.
Indalo
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