The New eBay Thing

[vintagebrett]

I'm sure you are all aware of the changes that eBay made recently to disguise bidder names when an item goes over the $200 mark. Their basis is this will prevent phishing and other scams. There are arguments that this allows schill bidding to take place.

Where do you guys stand on this? Personally, I was always interested to see who purchased the higher end items. Also, why pick $200 as the cutoff? I haven't purchased anything over that mark in quite a few years but I still get all the scamming emails, etc.

[Mike**Mize]

Maybe this has more to do with what's happening in other catagories. I don't receive any scam e-mails. I also like to see who's bidding. I think this new aspect makes gloves on eBay a little less interesting. A lot of good conversation came out of near miss bids and/or, "I noticed you won that glove. Receive it, yet? How is it?"

[mjkm90]

It's a terrible idea. Despite ebay claims, they could care less about shill bidding. Profits and stock price are the primary concern because they have a monopoly. This WILL result is shill bidding and ebay won't have to deal with the emails from several dilligent ebayers who police for shilling.

[spedrunr]

for me, it makes the the auction less eventful. my curiousity is squelched when the private auctions or "bidder" (bitter?) auctions occur.

interesting that they introduced it as "...to protect the bidders identities...."

i agree with mjkm90, if you don't know who's bidding how can you report possible SCHILL bidding? now they can do it under the cloud of darkness

brilliant

it does show the winner still right?

ed

[MVALZ]

...another vote for 'Hate it'

[softball66]

Private auctions mainly protect the guilty. Shill bidding is already prevalent. More abuses here with this privacy bidders implementation. We had this tacit "look the other way" happening with advertising in a certain publication in the 1990s. You old timers will remember that. FBI busted a lot of its big-time advertisers. EBay doesn't get it. Doesn't want to get it. EBay has become a phenomenon with massive growth and policing it is nearly impossible.
Buy your ticket and takes your chances.

[glove-works]

Glove-Works auctions.

COMING SOON!

[stockbuddy]

I liked seeing newcombers placing bids on the gloves and thus knowing that perhaps the glove hobby is growing. I have always found it fascinating to see the different people who are placing bids on gloves. It seems that the new strategy will not allow for transparency of any kind. Just a thought.

Dave

[Mittman]

Absolutely Hate It.

[mudman]

The old way was much better. I kinda like seeing who is bidding on stuff. In fact I made a few aquaintenences of some good folks back then.

[Hrking4675]

I hate it too. Its cool to see when we are all basically trading gloves on ebay and buying and selling and for that matter, bidding on each others stuff.