Ebay "Private" Bidders

I just made a bid on a Turkey Cover, listing had "0 bids"
The second my bid was taken, I am advised "You have been outbid"
and I find a "private bidder" has a better offer.

Do any members believe there is an advantage of being a "private bidder" ?

The vendor has been previously known to me as a fair trader, now I get the feeling "scam"

How does one become a "private bidder" ?

I would like to know..heck place a bid and your instantly out bid..oh yeah

I don't understand the private bidder or private auction idea at all but I don't like it. I immediately block private bidders and I won't participate in private auctions!

Thanks, that's how I feel. I wasn't sure if it was a "modern" thing where you need to join to remain competitive.

Thank you Doc, very nice to finally understand it. Saved.

Happens all the time, that's how proxy bidding works.

I had just read this thread and yesterday this happened to me. I bid on an item and immediately it said I was outbid and asked if I wanted to bid again. It didn't sit right with me, so I exited out. After exiting, the same amount was listed as before I bid - as if I never entered a bid at all... What's going on? I feel like I was just part of a scam to pay more. I don't like it one bit, definitely not worth it to me. I'll find it somewhere else.

The previous high bidder's maximum bid was higher than yours. As Bobby mentioned above, that's how proxy bidding works:

1. You enter your bid.
2. If the previous high bidder's maximum bid is BELOW yours, you are now the high bidder at one increment above their max bid.
3. If the previous high bidder's maximum bid is ABOVE yours, an automated bid is executed for them at one increment of your bid and you are notified that you have been outbid.

There is nothing nefarious about this. It's the way online bidding works.

Regarding the page showing the original bid even after you exit, my guess is that it is caching or a data delay and that if you had forced a page reload it would have been updated to show the new high bid.

Feedback is useless. I had someone leave negative feedback that they were charged customs fees on a lot I sent them. The E-bay shipping label for international sales has the contents listed and ales price, and this triggered some customs fees for them. I have no idea how customs work in whatever country they lived in. Apparently, they expected me to lie on the form so they could avoid the charges.

Revenuecollector, thanks for explaining. Makes more sense. Still not a fan, but understandable nonetheless.