Bloodshot #51

[kjjohanson]

There's one seller who seems to enjoy selling the same copy of Bloodshot #51 with a top-edge crease:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOODSHOT-51-LA ... 337c654056" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOODSHOT-51-LA ... 7675.l2557" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOODSHOT-51-LA ... 7675.l2557" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd suggest that he's just using a stock photo, but there are multiple pics included.

[FormerReader]

There's one seller who seems to enjoy selling the same copy of Bloodshot #51 with a top-edge crease:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOODSHOT-51-LA ... 337c654056" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOODSHOT-51-LA ... 7675.l2557" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOODSHOT-51-LA ... 7675.l2557" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd suggest that he's just using a stock photo, but there are multiple pics included.

He is using shills to try and bid up his sales. Look at kllmockingbird2012's feedback. Then look at rdsx11332012's feedback. All the feedback is from redsoxxxx44442012 ( Feedback Score Of 46) and chella8012 ( Feedback Score Of 206).

[FormerReader]

If you go further into the feedback for them you will see more evidence of what this seller is doing.

[JonesyAZ]

Lame.

[betterthanezra]

This is pathetic...

-Brian

[iggy101us]

Even the feedback comments from "different" buyers are the same.

chella8012's feedback from kllmockingbird2012
Awesome seller! Item As Described and Fast Shipping!! Super Transaction!!!

chella8012's feedback from rdsx11332012
Awesome seller! Item As Described and Fast Shipping!! Super Transaction!!!

[drmirage]

What does this mean?

The buyer is bidding on his/her own items to bring up the sales?

[greg]

What does this mean?

The buyer is bidding on his/her own items to bring up the sales?

Yes.

If you have an item for sale and you think the price is too low, you could create another account and bid on the item.
When the price goes higher, you sit back and hope that someone beats your bid.
If someone else is bidding, you can also enter very small incremental bids to try to inch them even higher.

This is called "shilling" or "shill bidding" and it is not allowed.

We can report this guy.

Find an auction with lots of bids, that includes obvious shill bids from his
two fake accounts (the feedback is 5 for one and 4 for the other).
For example, this Tomb of Dracula #10:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 1128257729" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Click "Report Item".
If the auction has already ended, view the original listing (the link right above the photo of the item).

Then choose: Listing practices > Fraudulent listing activities > Seller is using other accounts to inflate item price

[FormerReader]

What does this mean?

The buyer is bidding on his/her own items to bring up the sales?

Yes.

If you have an item for sale and you think the price is too low, you could create another account and bid on the item.
When the price goes higher, you sit back and hope that someone beats your bid.
If someone else is bidding, you can also enter very small incremental bids to try to inch them even higher.

This is called "shilling" or "shill bidding" and it is not allowed.

We can report this guy.

Find an auction with lots of bids, that includes obvious shill bids from his
two fake accounts (the feedback is 5 for one and 4 for the other).
For example, this Tomb of Dracula #10:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 1128257729" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Click "Report Item".
If the auction has already ended, view the original listing (the link right above the photo of the item).

Then choose: Listing practices > Fraudulent listing activities > Seller is using other accounts to inflate item price

Thanks Greg!

Done. For both items.

[kjjohanson]

I had considered bidding on that the first time I saw, but then I won this auction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bloodshot-comic ... true&rt=nc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was *really* skeptical with the auction though, as the seller had no feedback from sales, the pictures aren't great for determining condition, the auction didn't initially initially contain #51 (the header and description were changed after the auction was live), and there's no pic of the 51. (This is on top of the fact the other auction of his that I bid on, for a run of Dr. Mirage, link below, had gouging-level shipping charges, which he agreed to combine for multiple auctions before I bid on either.) Well, when I got the package, my skepticism was confirmed regarding condition. The 47 had some stains on the cover that it no better than a Fine, and the 48 and 49 had some defects that put them no better than about a Very Fine. The copy of 51, however, was there, and was beautiful. Probably no better than a 9.4, but no worse either. And in the Dr. Mirage auction, the "extra" copy of #1 was a Gold, which I'm just noticing now is showing in the pic. So, $24 for Bloodshot 51NM, 49VF, 48VF, 47F, and a run of Dr. Mirage (minus issue 14), a Gold #1, and all 3 issues of Secrets of the Valiant Universe (I was missing 3, so, bonus).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Valient-Doctor- ... true&rt=nc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[myron]

I had considered bidding on that the first time I saw, but then I won this auction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bloodshot-comic ... true&rt=nc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was *really* skeptical with the auction though, as the seller had no feedback from sales, the pictures aren't great for determining condition, the auction didn't initially initially contain #51 (the header and description were changed after the auction was live), and there's no pic of the 51. (This is on top of the fact the other auction of his that I bid on, for a run of Dr. Mirage, link below, had gouging-level shipping charges, which he agreed to combine for multiple auctions before I bid on either.) Well, when I got the package, my skepticism was confirmed regarding condition. The 47 had some stains on the cover that it no better than a Fine, and the 48 and 49 had some defects that put them no better than about a Very Fine. The copy of 51, however, was there, and was beautiful. Probably no better than a 9.4, but no worse either. And in the Dr. Mirage auction, the "extra" copy of #1 was a Gold, which I'm just noticing now is showing in the pic. So, $24 for Bloodshot 51NM, 49VF, 48VF, 47F, and a run of Dr. Mirage (minus issue 14), a Gold #1, and all 3 issues of Secrets of the Valiant Universe (I was missing 3, so, bonus).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Valient-Doctor- ... true&rt=nc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

sometimes it's truly amazing what you can get when people don't know, realize or care what it is they have

[FormerReader]

It would appear the seller has used one of his shill accounts to bid someone up from $11 to $29.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLOODSHOT-51-LA ... 2243156%26

I guess reporting the listing didn't do much.

[greg]

I think the current high bid belongs to a shill. He may be about to win his own auction... again.

[myron]

I think the current high bid belongs to a shill. He may be about to win his own auction... again.

what a tool...

[greg]

I think the current high bid belongs to a shill. He may be about to win his own auction... again.

what a tool...

He'll probably retract the bid, leaving the actual bidder at his max (by shilling again).

[lorddunlow]

eBay used to be such a great site. It's sad to see a) how commercialized it has become, b) how hard it is to now find the real gems that used to be the majority of items, and c) how hard it is now to win an item honestly for a good price (due to sniping/shill bidding/etc.). The site seriously kept me and my wife fed for a period of a few years when money was tight, and some great finds at Value City that we turned around for a huge profit helped us fund Christmas for my nephews during the same time. It seems to me eBay is now just a place to rip off people in general with very few honest sellers. It's almost like StubHub now. A lot of people buy up all of something to create false scarcity and make a profit just by denying others from getting things legitimately.

I'm still reeling from their charity auction policy that Elveen brought to my attention when he was talking about his CF auctions. It's ludicrous.

Another reason why I love this site - I can get great books from people who I'm pretty sure aren't ripping me off, and who usually need the money.

[et061502]

I was the first bidder on this book and realized that this guy is a shill after the price increased so high from the same bidder over and over again. Thanks everyone for the insight and heads up.