Since we're on the subject, and it's Friday, I'd like to throw out a
*radical* notion for discussion.  I will assert that:  It is impossible to
manipulate an auction.

Our ol' pal Mr. Smith said that supply and demand will always equalize.  My
thought here is that if a seller uses bogus accounts to push up the price,
and real buyers bid higher anyway, they were willing to pay the higher price
and outbid the bogus buyers.

"What the market will bear" is still defined by what a real buyer is willing
to part with.  If the seller's bogus buyer drives the price up too high, the
real buyers will balk and walk away.

Donning asbestos suit....
bmc  :)

Ben McCafferty
ben@volkscafe.com

Volks Cafe
1823 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA  95062
831-426-1244
http://www.volkscafe.com

> From: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
> Reply-To: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
> Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 11:28:58 -0800
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Does this bidding look fish y to you?
>
> Looks fine to me. The top 3 bidders have been E*bay members for several
> years. Out of 18 unique bidders, only 3 had zero feedback. Did you think
> your $1100 bid 10 days before the auction ended had even the remotest
> chance of winning a decent Syncro Westy? He said right in the ad that
> the reserve was $10,000.
>
> Mark
>
> 80 Westy Pokey wrote:
>>
>> I put an early bid in on a Syncro on eBay so I was following
>> the auction. Check out:
>>
>> http://cgi6.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?
>> ViewBids&item=1876285309
>>
>> Seems like a high price, and lots of zero feedback bidders
>> pushing it up...
>>
>> Thoughts?
>> Chris