Test Equipment Auctions

[Gerald & Geraldine Gerald]

Rumour has it an Australian "Test Equipment remarketer" constantly uses
several different usernames on an on-line auction site to bring bids up on
there own equipment.

They also frequently advertise faulty basic items such as oscilloscopes on
an "as-is" basis claiming they dont have the knowledge to test it fully, yet
also sell other very expensive high tech instruments that they claim to have
fully tested and calibrated themselves.

 

[Zakalwe]

"Gerald & Geraldine Geraldson from Geraldton WA" <gggg@ggg.com> wrote in
message news:J7ohb.143887$bo1.4790@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

Rumour has it an Australian "Test Equipment remarketer" constantly uses
several different usernames on an on-line auction site to bring bids up on
there own equipment.

They also frequently advertise faulty basic items such as oscilloscopes on
an "as-is" basis claiming they dont have the knowledge to test it fully,
yet
also sell other very expensive high tech instruments that they claim to
have
fully tested and calibrated themselves.

I would have thought this was common knowledge. Aren't these the same people
who habitually remove power cords & manuals to sell separately? Caveat
Emptor.

Z

 

[Brian Goldsmith]

"Gerald & Geraldine<gggg@ggg.com> wrote in message

Rumour has it an Australian "Test Equipment remarketer" constantly uses
several different usernames on an on-line auction site to bring bids up
on
there own equipment.



***** Whose rumour are you repeating?
Brian Goldsmith.

 

[north_melb_man]

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 14:20:37 GMT, "Brian Goldsmith"
<brian.goldsmith@nospamecho1.com.au> wrote:

"Gerald & Geraldine<gggg@ggg.com> wrote in message

Rumour has it an Australian "Test Equipment remarketer" constantly uses
several different usernames on an on-line auction site to bring bids up
on
there own equipment.



***** Whose rumour are you repeating?
Brian Goldsmith.


Can any one fill us in , according to ebay such a practice is illegal,

its not too hard to get 1-2 dial up isp accounts and assume to bid,
even ebay does look at the source IP address of every bidder to find
if same host PC is bidding using different user names on ebay
Can i guess this is a trader on aussie ebay flogging 2nd hand test
equipment what state in oz ??

Its done in the real world dummy auction bidding at house real estate
auctions, I guess basic vendeor greed also works on ebay too.

 

[Mark Harriss]

And??

If you are bidding don't go above what you are prepared to pay

 

[Eric]

the scum bags, you just can not trust anybody today.

"Gerald & Geraldine Geraldson from Geraldton WA" <gggg@ggg.com> wrote in
message news:J7ohb.143887$bo1.4790@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
: Rumour has it an Australian "Test Equipment remarketer" constantly uses
: several different usernames on an on-line auction site to bring bids up on
: there own equipment.
:
: They also frequently advertise faulty basic items such as oscilloscopes on
: an "as-is" basis claiming they dont have the knowledge to test it fully,
yet
: also sell other very expensive high tech instruments that they claim to
have
: fully tested and calibrated themselves.
:
:
:
:

 

[Phil Allison]

"Mark Harriss" <ningauble@REMOVETHISbigpond.com> wrote in message
news:%rPhb.146213$bo1.91140@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

And??

If you are bidding don't go above what you are prepared to pay

** That is EXACTLY what an auctioneer said to a friend of mine when he
complained he was unable to see any person making the bids against his.
No-body else could see the bidder either.

How mysterious !!!



.......... Phil

 

[Richard Freeman]

"Zakalwe" <Gruntfuttock666@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:O%vhb.144872$bo1.31290@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

"Gerald & Geraldine Geraldson from Geraldton WA" <gggg@ggg.com> wrote in
message news:J7ohb.143887$bo1.4790@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
Rumour has it an Australian "Test Equipment remarketer" constantly uses
several different usernames on an on-line auction site to bring bids up
on
there own equipment.

If it is the mob I suspect You are talking ( the lets say Apple mob) about I
can say that I have managed to bid on and Purchase equipment for well below
what it is commonly worth - a recent example being a Tektronix Logic
analyser - typically selling for around $1K US I managed to get for around
$300 Aud

They also frequently advertise faulty basic items such as oscilloscopes
on
an "as-is" basis claiming they dont have the knowledge to test it fully,
yet
also sell other very expensive high tech instruments that they claim to
have
fully tested and calibrated themselves.

It does seem odd although I suspect the folks running the Auctions are
really wharehousing/Sales types as they often direct you to deal with other
people if you have Technical queries.

I would have thought this was common knowledge. Aren't these the same
people
who habitually remove power cords & manuals to sell separately? Caveat
Emptor.

Dunno about Power cords I usually receive them with equipment that requires
them and often a basic 'quick guide' type manual but the in depth Manulas
are usually not included - and sometimes turn up later for Auction - but
then again the Auction usually does not say that the Manual is included so I
do know what I am bidding on

Regards
Richard Freeman

 

[John Crighton]

On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 19:27:50 +1000, "Phil Allison"
<philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

"Mark Harriss" <ningauble@REMOVETHISbigpond.com> wrote in message
news:%rPhb.146213$bo1.91140@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

And??

If you are bidding don't go above what you are prepared to pay


** That is EXACTLY what an auctioneer said to a friend of mine when he
complained he was unable to see any person making the bids against his.
No-body else could see the bidder either.

How mysterious !!!



......... Phil


Hello Phil and the Group,

Phil, you reminded me of one of my limited auction experiences.

A few years ago, I attended an auction near the fish markets
in Sydney, Wattyl St. I was after a mig welder. I stopped
bidding at $100 and the unit was sold to someone I could
not see in the crowd for $110. The welder was taken to
the back room and I never did see who bought it. Hhmmmm.

Another auction place I went to were selling computers. I hung
around all day for the pieces of junk that I was interested in, to
come up. The crowd had dwindled down to several fellows,
who, by this time were bored and were mostly chatting amongst
themselves.
I started the bidding on some piece of junk at ten dollars then
a bid for 15 came from from nowhere. I could see everyone
there and knew nobody had bid $15. I was so angry. I yelled out
"Who bid on that" and questionioned eveyone in the group.
No one had bid. The auctioneer just kept repeating to me
"Stand closer to the auctioneer" " Stand closer to the auctioneer"
as I protested that nobody bid. That guy had skin thicker than
leather and a poker face to match even when I was calling
him a liar.

So far I have been lucky with the few E-bay items I have
bought but I would be dissappoited if the Macserve crowd
were chucking in false bids on their own items.

I know the Macserve people do charge GST on
postage when postal rates include GST already.
Minor point but annoying. Howard wins twice.

The manuals being sold separately also annoys me
greatly.

Power Cords.
My old HP counter 5325A arrived from Macserve without
its rare as rocking horse poo, old USA rear power connector.
They could have told me, connector not included and God
knows where you will find one.
Three round pins in a row with cente earth pin offset
just like this ( O o O ) Not telling me, annoyed me.

The junky items having a poor fault description as
Gerald pointed out, is a fair critism. Faults could be
spelled out a lot better.

Daniel, one of the workers at Macserve, posts on this
group, perhaps he will put his 2 cents worth into this
auction discussion. He comes across to me as an OK
guy on the few e-mail contacts I have had with him.
Over to you Daniel.

Regards,
John Crighton
Hornsby

 

[Oldus Fartus]

In news:3f88adfd.7622949@News.CIS.DFN.DE,
John Crighton <john_c@tpg.com.au> wrote these words:

||
| Hello Phil and the Group,

Hi John and others. I have worked in the auction game so may be able
to explain what sometimes happens.

| Phil, you reminded me of one of my limited auction experiences.
|
| A few years ago, I attended an auction near the fish markets
| in Sydney, Wattyl St. I was after a mig welder. I stopped
| bidding at $100 and the unit was sold to someone I could
| not see in the crowd for $110. The welder was taken to
| the back room and I never did see who bought it. Hhmmmm.
|

Often the vendor or auctioneer has put either a suggested asking price
OR a reserve on an item, and some of the auctioneers will "pull" bids
out of the air to try and stimulate bidding until the bids match the
suggested value. A good auctioneers will do it in such a way that
nobody in the crowd can pick these phantom bids. In other cases the
auctioneer will bid on the item himself.

Generally a reputable auctioneer will say he "holds a bid for xxx" or
will mention he has an absentee bid, or that the item has failed to
reach the reserve, but most will not indicate that they have bought the
item for themselves..

| Another auction place I went to were selling computers. I hung
| around all day for the pieces of junk that I was interested in, to
| come up. The crowd had dwindled down to several fellows,
| who, by this time were bored and were mostly chatting amongst
| themselves.
| I started the bidding on some piece of junk at ten dollars then
| a bid for 15 came from from nowhere. I could see everyone
| there and knew nobody had bid $15. I was so angry. I yelled out
| "Who bid on that" and questionioned eveyone in the group.
| No one had bid. The auctioneer just kept repeating to me
| "Stand closer to the auctioneer" " Stand closer to the auctioneer"
| as I protested that nobody bid. That guy had skin thicker than
| leather and a poker face to match even when I was calling
| him a liar.
|

And you were probably correct. I prefer to stand at the back where I
can watch the bidders. If you stand right up at the auctioneer, you
can miss attempts to pull bids out of the air.

If you regularly attend the same auctions you may often pick it when
items supposedly sold at previous auctions sometimes reappear an auction
or two later.

| So far I have been lucky with the few E-bay items I have
| bought but I would be dissappoited if the Macserve crowd
| were chucking in false bids on their own items.
|

I have had no dealings with those particular people, but I have suspect
some sellers do exactly that - if you look at previous auctions and see
the same successful bidders appearing regularly then it is reasonable
to assume something may be going on. Inevitably if they bid on their
own gear using a dummy bidder, and reach the point where nobody else
bids, they will get caught out and buy their own gear, and it appears
again later..

| I know the Macserve people do charge GST on
| postage when postal rates include GST already.
| Minor point but annoying. Howard wins twice.
|
| The manuals being sold separately also annoys me
| greatly.
|
| Power Cords.
| My old HP counter 5325A arrived from Macserve without
| its rare as rocking horse poo, old USA rear power connector.
| They could have told me, connector not included and God
| knows where you will find one.
| Three round pins in a row with cente earth pin offset
| just like this ( O o O ) Not telling me, annoyed me.
|
| The junky items having a poor fault description as
| Gerald pointed out, is a fair critism. Faults could be
| spelled out a lot better.
|
| Daniel, one of the workers at Macserve, posts on this
| group, perhaps he will put his 2 cents worth into this
| auction discussion. He comes across to me as an OK
| guy on the few e-mail contacts I have had with him.
| Over to you Daniel.
|
| Regards,
| John Crighton
| Hornsby


--
Cheers
Oldus Fartus

 

[Phil Allison]

"Oldus Fartus" <denisand@netNOSPAMspace.net.au> wrote in message
news:bmalsc$18jt$1@otis.netspace.net.au...

In news:3f88adfd.7622949@News.CIS.DFN.DE,
John Crighton <john_c@tpg.com.au> wrote these words:

||
| Hello Phil and the Group,

Hi John and others. I have worked in the auction game so may be able
to explain what sometimes happens.

| Phil, you reminded me of one of my limited auction experiences.
|
| A few years ago, I attended an auction near the fish markets
| in Sydney, Wattyl St. I was after a mig welder. I stopped
| bidding at $100 and the unit was sold to someone I could
| not see in the crowd for $110. The welder was taken to
| the back room and I never did see who bought it. Hhmmmm.
|

Often the vendor or auctioneer has put either a suggested asking price
OR a reserve on an item, and some of the auctioneers will "pull" bids
out of the air to try and stimulate bidding until the bids match the
suggested value. A good auctioneers will do it in such a way that
nobody in the crowd can pick these phantom bids. In other cases the
auctioneer will bid on the item himself.

** Such a practice is highly illegal - particularly so when bidders are
told the items have no reserve on them.



......... Phil

 

[Oldus Fartus]

In news:3f88dc6a$0$24674$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au,
Phil Allison <philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote these words:

| "Oldus Fartus" <denisand@netNOSPAMspace.net.au> wrote in message
| news:bmalsc$18jt$1@otis.netspace.net.au...
|| In news:3f88adfd.7622949@News.CIS.DFN.DE,
|| John Crighton <john_c@tpg.com.au> wrote these words:
||
||||
||| Hello Phil and the Group,
||
|| Hi John and others. I have worked in the auction game so may be
|| able to explain what sometimes happens.
||
||| Phil, you reminded me of one of my limited auction experiences.
|||
||| A few years ago, I attended an auction near the fish markets
||| in Sydney, Wattyl St. I was after a mig welder. I stopped
||| bidding at $100 and the unit was sold to someone I could
||| not see in the crowd for $110. The welder was taken to
||| the back room and I never did see who bought it. Hhmmmm.
|||
|
|
|| Often the vendor or auctioneer has put either a suggested asking
|| price OR a reserve on an item, and some of the auctioneers will
|| "pull" bids out of the air to try and stimulate bidding until the
|| bids match the suggested value. A good auctioneers will do it in
|| such a way that nobody in the crowd can pick these phantom bids.
|| In other cases the auctioneer will bid on the item himself.
|
|
|
| ** Such a practice is highly illegal - particularly so when
| bidders are told the items have no reserve on them.
|
|
|
| ........ Phil

I agree Phil - but my point is not whether it is legal or illegal, only
that it does go on regularly and in most cases the auctioneer will get
away with it. Vendors do it as well, by setting up dummy bidders to
bid on their items, and that is almost impossible to stop.

There is another way this sometimes happens. A vendor lists an item
for sale, and an absentee bidder puts in a bid of (say) $100. Many
auction houses list absentee bids on the auctioneers sheets, and the
auctioneer will bid accordingly - others have a staff member handle abse
ntee bids.

The auction starts, and $2 is bid, which the auctioneer acknowledges,
and then (depending on bid increment) will call a further bid, on behalf
of the absentee bidder, and the auction continues with a mixture of live
bids, and absentee bid until no more bids are received.. If the
maximum bid from the floor is $50 the auctioneer will acknowledge one
further bid from the absentee bidder, and then knock the lot down.
Many auctioneers will acknowledge they are holding an absentee bid, or
will phrase the acknowledgement of the bid differently to reflect that
it is an absentee bid. He may say "I have $x" for a bid from the
floor, and "I hold $x" for an absentee bid. It is an interesting study
to watch an auctioneer to pick the differences - some use other
terminologies, while others do not indicate any difference at all.

Putting my buyer's cap on though, there is another alternative. I have
bought large amounts of general furniture and secondhand goods regularly
for one employer, and large quantities of secondhand computer gear for
another, and it was part of the game to try and show little interest to
the prospective bidders around me, to minimise the price I paid. As a
relatively large buyer (anything up to $50k per auction) the auctioneer
would watch me, and I would indicate a bid by an almost imperceptible
nod, a double blink, or by extending a finger over my clipboard. The
casual observer standing next to me, or behind me would be unaware that
I had bid at all, and would be excused for thinking the auctioneer had
pulled the bid out of fresh air.

--
Cheers
Oldus Fartus

 

[Phil Allison]

"Oldus Fartus" <

|
| ** Such a practice is highly illegal - particularly so when
| bidders are told the items have no reserve on them.
|
|
|
| ........ Phil

I agree Phil - but my point is not whether it is legal or illegal, only
that it does go on regularly and in most cases the auctioneer will get
away with it.

** A bidder at a ( live) auction is entitled to know who is bidding
against them - if no one is visible to them then they should ask the
auctioneer to point the person out. If the auctioneer fails to do so the
answer is simple - stop bidding.

I know of phantom bidder scams getting so bad the auctioneer pretends
the winning but phantom bid never happened and throws it back to the
previous bidder - and then INSISTS they honour that bid.




.......... Phil

 

[Rod Speed]

"Phil Allison" <philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message news:3f88dc6a$0$24674$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

"Oldus Fartus" <denisand@netNOSPAMspace.net.au> wrote in message
news:bmalsc$18jt$1@otis.netspace.net.au...
In news:3f88adfd.7622949@News.CIS.DFN.DE,
John Crighton <john_c@tpg.com.au> wrote these words:

||
| Hello Phil and the Group,

Hi John and others. I have worked in the auction game so may be able
to explain what sometimes happens.

| Phil, you reminded me of one of my limited auction experiences.
|
| A few years ago, I attended an auction near the fish markets
| in Sydney, Wattyl St. I was after a mig welder. I stopped
| bidding at $100 and the unit was sold to someone I could
| not see in the crowd for $110. The welder was taken to
| the back room and I never did see who bought it. Hhmmmm.
|


Often the vendor or auctioneer has put either a suggested asking price
OR a reserve on an item, and some of the auctioneers will "pull" bids
out of the air to try and stimulate bidding until the bids match the
suggested value. A good auctioneers will do it in such a way that
nobody in the crowd can pick these phantom bids. In other cases the
auctioneer will bid on the item himself.

Such a practice is highly illegal

Wrong.

- particularly so when bidders are told the items have no reserve on them.

That aint a reserve, stupid.

 

[Oldus Fartus]

In news:3f88f264$0$9554$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au,
Phil Allison <philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote these words:

| "Oldus Fartus" <
|||
||| ** Such a practice is highly illegal - particularly so when
||| bidders are told the items have no reserve on them.
|||
|||
|||
||| ........ Phil
||
|| I agree Phil - but my point is not whether it is legal or illegal,
|| only that it does go on regularly and in most cases the auctioneer
|| will get away with it.
|
|
| ** A bidder at a ( live) auction is entitled to know who is bidding
| against them - if no one is visible to them then they should ask the
| auctioneer to point the person out. If the auctioneer fails to do
| so the answer is simple - stop bidding.
|

I am not sure the other bidders are entitled to know *who* is bidding
against them, only that they are entitled to know that there are valid
bidders against them, and once again the auctioneer can ensure this by
stating he has an absentee bid, and then making any absentee bid forms
(less identifying name and address) available at the end of the auction
if anyone requires to see them.

| I know of phantom bidder scams getting so bad the auctioneer
| pretends the winning but phantom bid never happened and throws it
| back to the previous bidder - and then INSISTS they honour that bid.
|

I completely agree. Under those circumstances I would suggest the
auctioneer wraps the bid around his gavel and puts it where the sun
doesn't shine.

--
Cheers
Oldus Fartus

 

[Rod Speed]

Phil Allison <philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:3f88f264$0$9554$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

Oldus Fartus wrote

Such a practice is highly illegal - particularly so when
bidders are told the items have no reserve on them.

I agree Phil

They aint, actually.

- but my point is not whether it is legal or illegal,
only that it does go on regularly and in most
cases the auctioneer will get away with it.

A bidder at a ( live) auction is entitled
to know who is bidding against them

Legally, thats complete and utter drivel.

- if no one is visible to them then they
should ask the auctioneer to point the
person out. If the auctioneer fails to do
so the answer is simple - stop bidding.

I know of phantom bidder scams getting so bad the auctioneer pretends
the winning but phantom bid never happened and throws it back to the
previous bidder - and then INSISTS they honour that bid.

They're legally entitled to do that.

 

[Phil Allison]

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bmatfv$kbpsg$1@ID-69072.news.uni-berlin.de...

Phil Allison <philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:3f88f264$0$9554$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

- but my point is not whether it is legal or illegal,
only that it does go on regularly and in most
cases the auctioneer will get away with it.

A bidder at a ( live) auction is entitled
to know who is bidding against them

Legally, thats complete and utter drivel.

** Robot speak for completely correct.

- if no one is visible to them then they
should ask the auctioneer to point the
person out. If the auctioneer fails to do
so the answer is simple - stop bidding.

I know of phantom bidder scams getting so bad the auctioneer pretends
the winning but phantom bid never happened and throws it back to the
previous bidder - and then INSISTS they honour that bid.


They're legally entitled to do that.

** More Robotic nonsense.



.................. Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bmat6l$kb9l9$1@ID-69072.news.uni-berlin.de...

"Phil Allison"

Such a practice is highly illegal

Wrong.

- particularly so when bidders are told the items have no reserve on
them.

That aint a reserve, stupid.

** The Robot sticks its head up its arse and farts.



........... Phil

 

[Rod Speed]

Some completely unemployable pig ignorant fuckwit claiming to be
Phil Allison <philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:3f88fb9f$0$24515$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
just the pathetic excuse for bullshit it always ends up having to fall back on.

 

[Rod Speed]

Some completely unemployable pig ignorant fuckwit claiming to be
Phil Allison <philallison@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:3f88fc1a$0$4791$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
just the pathetic excuse for bullshit it always ends up having to fall back on.