A Hmmm moment on Gunbroker

[LVSteve]

I have a (bad?) habit of placing BS bids on strange guns that aren't attracting much interest at auctions. Usually they are guns with offbeat operating systems like rotating barrels or gas delayed blowback. I did it again last night, and was pipped at the post by another bidder. That's fine, my auction strategy is to calculate the total cost I am prepared to incur and bid accordingly.

When I checked the auction I found I had been knocked out by a bidder with no feedback (NR)...and the item was shown as "relisted". There is nothing in the listing to show that the seller won't deal with NR bidders, but the relisting notice intrigued me. Is it a way of getting around a listing charge when you have multiple examples of a gun to sell?

Then the nasty, suspicious part of my mind kicked in. Did the NR bidder suddenly appear because otherwise I was getting the gun too cheap for someone's liking? I have a bid on the relisting, so we shall see what happens with that. Watch this space.

 

[H Richard]

It wouldn't surprise me if your last thought was very accurate. I have long felt several listers have a separate computer and log on that just might post shill bids. I guess I also have that nasty, suspicious mind.

 

[s&wchad]

I have no proof but suspect it was a shill bid, either by the seller or one of his cohorts.

Reserves can turn off potential buyers, so some do this as a way to prevent an item from selling too low. Shady…

 

[Protocall_Design]

I've seen that happen sometimes on eBay. I'm pretty sure it's happening on other auction sites.

 

[deadin]

I was monitoring a GB auction last week when a "low-count" bidder (not quite an NR) showed up for several bids.

What was interesting his rating was "B". As I had never seen one that low before, I went out and checked his feedback. He had at least three or four "no-pays" on his record, so I can understand the "B".

What I don't understand is why he is still being allowed to bid??

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

A little off topic, have any of you been involved in a live auction where
the auctioneer was taking bids from unseen persons? I have witnessed this several times, once against me until I figured out what was going on. I stopped bidding immediately and left the auctioneer holding the bag. He did everything he could to get me or someone else to bid one more time.
I would have bid more if there had been a real person bidding against me.
Auctioneers do this because they get a percentage of the sale.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Then the nasty, suspicious part of my mind kicked in. Did the NR bidder suddenly appear because otherwise I was getting the gun too cheap for someone's liking?

Within the last several months I've seen quite a few Chiefs and Bodyguards get relisted after an NR bidder won the auction. Most have been on reputable sellers' auctions so I don't think they were shills.

It's occurred so frequently that I began documenting the bidders to see if they'd return to the scene of the crime. None have, so far.

I've logged it up to smart Alecs who are too lazy to work so this has become their hobby.

 

[LVSteve]

Within the last several months I've seen quite a few Chiefs and Bodyguards get relisted after an NR bidder won the auction. Most have been on reputable sellers' auctions so I don't think they were shills.

It's occurred so frequently that I began documenting the bidders to see if they'd return to the scene of the crime. None have, so far.

I've logged it up to smart Alecs who are too lazy to work so this has become their hobby.

It does seem that the Internet, and Internet auctions especially, brings out those who wish to cause mischief just because they can.

Mind you, I do recall one gentleman on a milsurp collector site being very proud that he frequently bid up auctions when he felt something in his sphere of interest was going to sell "too cheap". He also said he was left holding the bag on occasion, but didn't mind as it gave him trade fodder. Must be nice to have that kind of money.

 

[BloodyThumb]

It wouldn't surprise me if your last thought was very accurate. I have long felt several listers have a separate computer and log on that just might post shill bids. I guess I also have that nasty, suspicious mind.

Guaranteed. I know of people who do exactly that....

 

[portugeejn]

No shortage of bad actors out there...

 

[Iggy]

A little off topic, have any of you been involved in a live auction where
the auctioneer was taking bids from unseen persons? I have witnessed this several times, once against me until I figured out what was going on. I stopped bidding immediately and left the auctioneer holding the bag. He did everything he could to get me or someone else to bid one more time.
I would have bid more if there had been a real person bidding against me.
Auctioneers do this because they get a percentage of the sale.

I had this happen at a cattle auction.
Auctioneer was taking bids behind me.

I looked to see who was bidding against me and there was no one there.

I left the auctioneer holding the bag for over a $100K.

I have also had the seller of cattle bidding against me.

It don't take long for a feller to become a mite skeptical.

 

[Eddietruett]

Within the last several months I've seen quite a few Chiefs and Bodyguards get relisted after an NR bidder won the auction. Most have been on reputable sellers' auctions so I don't think they were shills.

It's occurred so frequently that I began documenting the bidders to see if they'd return to the scene of the crime. None have, so far.

I've logged it up to smart Alecs who are too lazy to work so this has become their hobby.

Sadly it's been proven that some of the most reputable sellers are regularly using shill bidders. GB does not care as long as they get paid

 

[LVSteve]

I had this happen at a cattle auction.
Auctioneer was taking bids behind me.

I looked to see who was bidding against me and there was no one there.

I left the auctioneer holding the bag for over a $100K.

I have also had the seller of cattle bidding against me.

It don't take long for a feller to become a mite suspicious.

Crazy thing is, by the law in many states, the auctioneer is a god in their domain. They can dream up bidders or refuse to take your bids because of the color of your tie and it's all legal.

 

[llowry61]

I lost interest in auctions way back when I was just out of high school. I drove a catering truck for a local company one summer and the owner had a connection with auctioneers who held auctions throughout the county. We would sell coffee and snacks before the auction started and had to be there quite a bit early to set up.

I saw and heard sellers talking about some of the junk they were going to sell and some of the issues they hoped potential buyers wouldn't spot. The sellers would pat themselves on the back about hiding flaws, misrepresenting items etc. I knew then auction buying was not for me.

Nothing mentioned in this thread would surprise me at all. The auctioneers don't seem to care as long as they got paid. They were known to bring items in to estate sales as well. It is a ruthless business.

 

[Onomea]

A little off topic, have any of you been involved in a live auction where
the auctioneer was taking bids from unseen persons? I have witnessed this several times, once against me until I figured out what was going on. I stopped bidding immediately and left the auctioneer holding the bag. He did everything he could to get me or someone else to bid one more time.
I would have bid more if there had been a real person bidding against me.
Auctioneers do this because they get a percentage of the sale.

I take it this is not about phone in bidders or offsite bidders who can send in their top bid for an item and the auction house proxy bids for them until the offsite bidder's max is reached?

Some years ago, if I recall correctly, back when I was actively collecting, I sent in my top bids to Amoskeag Auction Company a few times. Successfully purchased a Colt OMT from the late 20s, a Wolf and Klar HE 3rd model, some ivory grips, etc., through that process...

I've never attended a live auction, so I don't know what the process of proxy bids looks like to those who are present.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

I take it this is not about phone in bidders or offsite bidders who can send in their top bid for an item and the auction house proxy bids for them until the offsite bidder's max is reached?

Some years ago, if I recall correctly, back when I was actively collecting, I sent in my top bids to Amoskeag Auction Company a few times. Successfully purchased a Colt OMT from the late 20s, a Wolf and Klar HE 3rd model, some ivory grips, etc., through that process...

I've never attended a live auction, so I don't know what the process of proxy bids looks like to those who are present.

Around these parts the auctioneer will announce if they are
taking online/phone bids. In my case the auctioneer was
just making up a bidder.

 

[AC Man]

An observation I have made on Gunbroker is there is one dealer that has at least 20 bids on every single gun or ammo listed. 5 pages worth. Then the next dealer has zero bids on anything?

 

[LVSteve]

An observation I have made on Gunbroker is there is one dealer that has at least 20 bids on every single gun or ammo listed. 5 pages worth. Then the next dealer has zero bids on anything?

Look at the shipping costs or "other conditions", that can sometimes be a clue.

 

[bushmaster1313]

On Gunbroker you can look up the feedback of the putative shill who is the only bidder competing with you for a nice item.
If the putative shill has made repeat purchases from the same seller I would say "Buyer Beware"

Often I think that many of the major sellers are in a club where the motto is: Friends don't let friends get lowballed"

 

[H Richard]

Good items can be acquired from auctions, but you need to know the auctioneer. The names of "Trusted" auctioneers are known to most of us.