There's that.
There's sellers who create 50 ID's at the same time...and use them to ramp up the bidding on their own items.
There's sellers who refuse to contact you/sell to you cause they're pissed that they didn't make enough on it. (and put it back up 2 days later with a higher reserve)
There's buyers with the 50 ID trick who post one MASSIVE bid, and nuke the ID the minute the auction ends, "shielding" their far lower bid.
There's feedback bombin...both good and bad (pumpin up yer own or smearing someone elses) also used by the 50-ID folks.
There is, of course, sniping...which entirely defeats the purpose...online bidding is supposed to be convenient...smack down what yer willing to pay, come back later to find out if you've won the auction....now you hafta friggin babysit ?
And of course the all too common phenomenae of paying your money, and never getting anything....it's tailor made for low-end ripoff, it's not worth it to you, the cops, or Ebay to drop the bomp on someone for less than $50.00 value, right ?
A scammer who's good at it, think 5000 bogus "Auctions" with no actual product, in one month, and then split to another location and identity, while it's not worth the time to prosecute the bastard...look what HE is making off the scam.
5000 x $20.00 = $10,000.00 - in one month, and that's based on only 5000 auctions with a 20 dollar profit....it's tailor-made for crooks who know what a "Salami Scheme" (Aka "Rounding") is.
Not to mention the detrimental effect Ebay's style of business has on non-internet sales...the classifieds, for example.
Used to be, "Best Offer" meant best offer UNDER the asking price...now, say someones selling a moped for $250 or Best Offer, right ?
Next you hear "Well, I got someone else offering $270, you willing to beat that?"
What I tell those guys at that point....you sure couldn't say on Disney channel....especially since more than half the time, the other offer is just a lie, as they try to squeeze you for more.
I despise Ebay, and I despise even more what it says about our society when you watch it for a while.
-R