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Bear Paws by RoxanneI was just wondering how you all felt about auctions being a private or a non-private. I myself list mine almost always a non-private. I know that there are gals that always list their auction as a private one. I just feel like has an impersonal feeling.
I thought you might be able to tell me as sellers and as buyers on your opinion.
Thanks,
I'd be interested in hearing about this, too. I know Denise Purrington and Janice Woodward (Booh Bears) always run private auctions, and I think JoAnne Harnden (Hucklebeary Patch) does too.
I have heard that sometimes, bidders feel "followed" by other collectors, who simply follow them to where the bears are, partially to nab them for themselves, but also, it seems, to actively create obstacle or competition so that other people CAN'T nab those bears for themselves.
I have no experience with any of this, personally, in my auctions.
Ideas?
Pandy Potter BearsAs someone else said there are ebayers who follow other bidders. By that I mean they keep an eye on what each other bid on. They also can get a bit competitive, after the same bears. Great for the seller as it can push the price up. I suppose thats why some high price range sellers keep it private to protect their customers from other people sometimes doing that. My bears don't reach that status so I just keep it as it is.
Kim-Bee BearsThe last month or so I have been doing private auctions and have been getting more bids and watchers.... that is all i will do from now on...
LuxembearsI have done both private and non-private. The main reason I tried doing private auctions for a while is because there was one bidder who was regularly bidding on my auctions and I was getting complaint emails that no one else was getting a chance when this particular bidder was winning the majority of my auctions. I had people say they just would no longer even try when they saw this bidder on my auction listings. So, I tried going private for a while.
The good thing about this is that no one else can nose-in on your business...but that also means YOU cannot see who is bidding. I did receive some posotive comments from bidders though. One bidder said he was able to get one of my bears for his wife without her knowing...so he was very glad it was a private auction. Another bidder said she was happy because she wanted to bid on my bears but did not want to offend the other artists she nornally supported on ebay.
I really like non-private bidding just because I like to see for myself who is bidding.
I don't think it made a big difference either way.
Kim-Bee BearsI have done it so people dont harass my bidders.... plus, I think about the gift idea thing too... You can see who is bidding, Judi.... if you are the seller you can, just click on the "bids" of your auction and it will bring it up...
Upstate New YorkI've never done a private auction. But this is (publicly available) from one of my favorite's ME page in Ebay, so I think I'm okay to share it here. (I'm counting on you guys to straighten me out if I'm not!)
About Private Auctions
Ugh!!! I tried Ferguson on a Private Auction and was thoroughly disheartened. I was dismayed at how impersonal it was and I realized I would never see the "faces" of the bidders again should I continue with Private Auctions. It took all the heart out of the adoption process for me. My greatest joy is when someone loves one of my bears enough to place a bid. Bringing sunshine into people's lives and putting smiles on their faces is my highest achievement and the anonymity of the Private Auction was more than I could "bear". I also goes against my dedication to be completely open and honest.
Interesting thread!
LuxembearsKimmy, are you sure? Well, then I am a dunce! 
Bear Paws by RoxanneI once had a buyer say that she liked the non-private, so that she could see that she was not be bidding against a friend! So it makes you wonder on the other hand if it keeps you from getting bids.
Kim-Bee BearsYeah... just go into your acct and click in your selling items and where it says number of bids click on the number and it will bring up amount, time of bid and bidder info... 
Posts: 3,177er - can i say something here?
I have been told by someone who sells loads of stuff on eBay that private auctions are often used so that the seller can get people, friends etc - to bid on their auctions and bump the price up.
I don't know if this is true but since he told me this i never ever bid on anything that is in a private auction. Quite often i've seen items on eBay that i would really like to bid on but am put off because it is a private auction.
Surely, if someone really wanted to bid and win a bear they would bid up to their maximum price? Why do buyers follow each other around, can't they think for themselves or is there some kind of turf war going on out there in beary land?
Can you imagine it girls? Handbags at Dawn - Bearfight at the OK Corral - Bear fiction - Custers Last Bearstand?
Anyway - this is only my personal view and i do not in any way think that you lovely ladies here would stoop so low........
........but private auctions put me right off of bidding on anything
Penny 
I have been told by someone who sells loads of stuff on eBay that private auctions are often used so that the seller can get people, friends etc - to bid on their auctions and bump the price up.
That's called "shill bidding," and it's not only unethical, it's against eBay policy (it's "illegal.") You don't need to run a private auction to shill bid. How would anyone know, Penny, if your mom bid on your bear, unless they also knew her eBay ID? I'm sure you see my point.
You'd be surprised how many reputable artists have had problems with eBay, re: shill bidding happening on their auctions, with their knowledge and consent... even encouragement.
is there some kind of turf war going on out there in beary land?
Yes, I'm told there IS. Odd, no?
Posts: 3,177But why Shelli ?
Surely if you fall in love with a bear, you bid on it to the maximum limit you can afford? If it goes above what you can afford you lose it and save up your pennies (no no not me) and try again next time.
No, what i was told was that sellers get friends to set up eBay accounts just so they can bid on the sellers items and because the auction is private all the other eBayers don't know who's bidding or when and have to bid a higher price to win the item. Apparently this is a very cheap way of not having to use the reserve price thingy and the item gets bid up to the sellers preferred selling price without them having to list the item in a more expensive price band.
I am not saying that all private auctions are done for this reason Shelli - there are loads of private auctions going on all over eBay, but it really rings alarm bells with me so i don't bid.
Penny
Apple Dumpling DesignsI have done both private and non-private. The main reason I tried doing private auctions for a while is because there was one bidder who was regularly bidding on my auctions and I was getting complaint emails that no one else was getting a chance when this particular bidder was winning the majority of my auctions. I had people say they just would no longer even try when they saw this bidder on my auction listings. So, I tried going private for a while.
I wonder how many emails that buyer got from other buyers. :(
I've done both...and really didn't see much of a difference. I've purchased several reborn dolls and bought several from one particular artist in Australia whose work I love. After chatting with her several times I asked her why she did private auctions and her answer was basically to protect her buyers from uninvited solicitation. You know...if you don't win...come look at what I have that is the same or similar kind of thing...and bottom line was not.
I have this same question when it comes to reserves...done both but think to myself...why not just put down what I'd take as a minimum instead of playing the "increase my bid game." There seems to be no right or wrong answer. It's what works for you and your customers.
I certainly would not avoid an auction for something I truly want if it were private. There are no 100% safeguards against any of the things people do on Ebay that are unethical.
I hear you. And think you make perfect sense. If you see a bear (or whatever) that you want, you bid what your high price is, and wait to see where the chips may fall.
Unfortunately, many people don't think our way.
I didn't remotely think you were maligning all private auctions in one fell swoop.
I just wanted to point out, to you and everyone else, that it's not the private auction part, per se, that allows this sneaky practice to take place.
Rather, it's the fact that no one person can possibly "know" who every single bidder actually IS, for every single auction.
It's the "unknown bidder" factor -- whether hidden by private auction format, or by false and misleading eBayID -- that sets up the environment required for shill bidding to take place. You don't need a friend to set up a fake ID; you can do it yourself, with a "second" one that no one else knows. I think you can do that, anyway; I've never tried to set up a second eBay account. That's a risky and tricky proposition, because if they're looking at all, eBay knows, though their records on file, when you're bidding on your own auctions, under a second ID ... but I'm told, by reputable sources, that people are dopey enough that they shill bid in this way, sometimes, too, using their own second eBay ID to place bids on items sold by their original, known, "default" one. <shaking head here...>
Of course, it's easier to shill bid on a private auction, because there's no public record to cover up with fake names, etc.
However, it's still VERY do-able, to shill bid on "regular" auctions, as well. Would you know who "bidder1234" was, if that person placed a bid on my auction? That's my point here.
To the best of my knowledge, no one has shill bid on my pieces. However, I have heard from other artists, that a number of artists have been suspended, or had their ID's cancelled or revoked, for this practice.
You'd be surprised how many reputable artists have had problems with eBay, re: shill bidding happening on their auctions, with their knowledge and consent... even encouragement.
Holy cow, I didn't realize that :doh: pretty crummy....
I use a sniping service myself.... for stuff I really want. Costs just 25 cents per snipe IF you win it. 5 free snipes to start. You DO have to give them your eBay password, so I do use another ID... one that I do NOT sell with (so I have no financial info stored with it)
Bears-a-Bruin!gotobedbears wrote:is there some kind of turf war going on out there in beary land?
Yes, I'm told there IS. Odd, no?
I've heard similar things too. Very odd. Something strange did happen with one of my bears ages ago. There was some kind of bidding war that pushed the price up far higher than usual. I checked the bidding history of the two bidders involved and they seemed to have 'fought' over a number of bears...hmm. It made me wonder 
Upstate New YorkPenny ~
You're not alone; private auctions put me off too. But Shelli is right, you don't have to have a private auction going to get a friend, neighbor, co-workers, whatever ... to bid on your auction and artificially inflate the price.
You'd be surprised how many reputable artists have had problems with eBay, re: shill bidding happening on their auctions, with their knowledge and consent... even encouragement.
Tell me it isn't so! 
Posts: 3,177Yeah the safeguards are there Shantell but only if you can prove that something 'hookey' was going on - and you need to know who's bidding and doing what to who etc etc before you can report any skullduggery to eBay.
I have dealt with many many lovely honest wonderful people on aBay and i have to say that the vast majority of them are 'Kosher' - but some are'nt and you can't always trust what you read in emails.
I'm not knocking anyone - as far as i'm concerned i would bid on the bear artists bears that i know from here anyday because i trust them - but i would'nt bid on Joe Blogg's private auction for all the tea in China - now George Clooney, that would be something different. Boy, i'd trade me granny for George :love:
Penny 
Upstate New YorkPoor granny. 
Apple Dumpling DesignsYeah the safeguards are there Shantell but only if you can prove that something 'hookey' was going on -and you need to know who's bidding and doing what to who etc etc before you can report any skullduggery to eBay.
I know what you mean...I just meant there always seems to be someone out there who has figured out how to manipulate the system or nervy enough to challenge it.
If George Clooney really has artist bears on Ebay, I can venture to say there will be bidding wars...
.......... now George Clooney, that would be something different. Boy, i'd trade me granny for George
Penny :thumbsup:
Posts: 3,177Nah Deb, she smells of pee and biscuits - glad to see the back of 'er
Penny 
Canna Bear PaintI'm glad you asked this question, Roxanne, it's one I've been wondering about myself. Traditionally, I've always thought of private auctions as a tool people would use for selling 'adult' items (not that I ever have) :redface: However, now that I've seen several prominent bear artists always use private auctions, I've wondered if there really was some advantage to using them. I have also heard the talk about bidders wanting their privacy, competing against each other weekly, and so forth. It's a big HMMMMMM for me, still haven't made up my mind if I'll try it.
Shelli is right, shill bidding is unfortunately pretty easy for people to pull off whether the auction is private or not, and I suspect it is, unfortunately for honest sellers, fairly common. I remember a year or so ago when eBay nominated a 'Power Seller of the Month'. The article about him mentioned his three powerselling eBay accounts. People on the eBay message boards quickly discovered that back in his early feedbacks, his IDs had left feedback for each other. Shill bidding. The guy quickly got pulled as 'Power Seller of the Month'. Ooooops!
Cheers,
Kelly
.....The article about him mentioned his three powerselling eBay accounts. People on the eBay message boards quickly discovered that back in his early feedbacks, his IDs had left feedback for each other. Shill bidding. The guy quickly got pulled as 'Power Seller of the Month'. Ooooops!
Cheers,
Kelly
Yikes!!! Man, I'd never bid in my own auctions When I originally set up my accounts.. it was (and I think still IS) perfectly legal to have multiple ID's as long as you don't shill bid like that.
I have one for my bears: lauralynn777
One for my house stuff and other stuff that friends ask me to sell for them: cleo*patra
and then my bidding ID (I'll use this with the sniping service): luvmywhippets
Just so I'm all out in the open and above board there
