Thread: Gun City Shill bidders

Hi all

I have got fed up with Gun City and it's Shill bidders who are jacking up the priaces of their low-reserve auctions. I have compliled a 16 page document showing evidence of this activty which is in breach of Trademe's Terms and Conditions, The Commerce Commersion rules, the dishonest use of a computer provisions of the Crimes Act. I have forwarded this to TM and have requested this is sorted asap. If this is not stamped out I will forward the evidence to the relevant departments.

Regards
RossiWiz

Whats the evidence out of curiosity?
Just that he wins lots of $1 reserve auctions?

I would have thought it would be a lot of wasted money to pay to list an item, pay a success fee only to then have to relist and try to sell later. Wouldn't that be just giving money to trademe for nothing?

Was under the impression that most shill bidding is to up the price and then loose, or you sometimes see the lead bid removed like in @Smiddy case.

Whats the evidence out of curiosity?
Just that he wins lots of $1 reserve auctions?

I would have thought it would be a lot of wasted money to pay to list an item, pay a success fee only to then have to relist and try to sell later. Wouldn't that be just giving money to trademe for nothing?

Was under the impression that most shill bidding is to up the price and then loose, or you sometimes see the lead bid removed like in @Smiddy case.

This particular bidder is often loosing auctions but not before boosting the bidding up. There are many cases where a $1 auction is started and they bid $1, then hours later come in and bid $30+ even though they were leading the bidding. At present this person is bidding on multiple 5+ gun safes, over four .22 caliber rifles, etc. They currenly have over 24 auctions they are bidding on that were all $1 reserve. On auctions that I have lost with this bidder, the prices have gone up to just below what the retail price is and this bider has been responsible for that raise in bids.

I started a thread on this topic a couple of days ago. TM were not interested and think everything is fine.

Will give it another try, who knows a bit more pressure may work.

Hi there

I'm Dan from Gun City - For the last three years I have run our Website and Trademe team and have recently taken over the Wellington store of our business. I have heard this talk going around and thought it best to actually just put it to bed once and for all.

Categorically, there is no shill bidding - there never has been, and never will be. We run countless $1 reserve auctions on a huge array of products and monitor them. PLENTY go for below cost on items. After this happens once or twice, we will pull the item from $1 reserve. We sell plenty of $1 reserve 2nd hand guns as well, and a good portion of those end up going for below cost too - it's part of the game and it's something we just have to deal with in an effort to clear shelf space and move on products that have 'had too many birthdays'.

I believe I know which TM user you are referring to (S******8) and yes, while I can 100% agree that his buying habits on trademe are strange, he is a 100% legitimate trader, and is a very good customer of ours.
We actually have a big fish bin set up upstairs in our Christchurch branch, for all of his items as he pays and collects them every couple of months. Is he a little idiosyncratic? Definitely. Shill bidder? Absolutely not. And he's not the only one, too.

The reason trademe dont want a bar of it, is because they've also done their homework on this too and know it to be false.

I am more than happy to take any calls/emails from anyone who wants to discuss this further.

Thanks for reading and please, get in touch with me if there is anything else I can answer for you on this.

Dan
04 891 8888
dan@guncity.co.nz

Good one for posting that I happen to know people that just bid randomly on stuff that hasn't met reserve or stuff that is popular to just be part of the bidding I suppose they get some kind of buzz off it

I'm getting pop-corn, Hell I'm buying shares in a popcorn Co. after that post

Great answer cheers mate

Originally Posted by northdude

Good one for posting that I happen to know people that just bid randomly on stuff that hasn't met reserve or stuff that is popular to just be part of the bidding I suppose they get some kind of buzz off it

Originally Posted by Blisters

Great answer cheers mate

No worries!

I know I'm opening myself up to e-bashing/flaming and that's totally fine - I just wanted to offer my 2c on it.

It's very easy for some to type a bit of venom on a forum but I imagine i'll get very few calls about this. If you're in Wellington, come in and see me and we can have a chat in person about it even, I can run you through how it works, show you a little of the backend of tradevine and perhaps that might illustrate some of this a little better.

Cheers all,
Dan

Gun dealer faced arms charges in States - NZ Herald

A little Trade Me exploitation would be rather easy for Gun City they do have form

We all make assumptions, it's a natural defense. We assume many things could be happening when directly effected and one thing I have learnt over the years, is the meaning of the word assume... it generally makes an ASS out of U and ME

Originally Posted by Rossiwiz

Hi all

I have got fed up with Gun City and it's Shill bidders who are jacking up the priaces of their low-reserve auctions. I have compliled a 16 page document showing evidence of this activty which is in breach of Trademe's Terms and Conditions, The Commerce Commersion rules, the dishonest use of a computer provisions of the Crimes Act. I have forwarded this to TM and have requested this is sorted asap. If this is not stamped out I will forward the evidence to the relevant departments.

Regards
RossiWiz

send it to the relevant departments anyway.

That sort of shit does not deserve any leniency.

Hope they get a wicked fine and banned from trademe if proven guilty.

if not guilty then i hope i win a $1 reserve auction.

and I hope trade me spill a hot coffee on their balls and laptop.