Why can I bid on my own item?!

[skargonix]

I listed this item a few days back and wanted to check the bids. When I logged in today, I see I can bid on my own item (!)

If I click "Place bid", I do see the pop-up to enter my bid. I thought this was illegal. What the heck is going on?

[hartungcards]

And it looks like your high bidder at the moment has a big zero feedback score.  Good luck with that too.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @skargonix 

Were you signed onto your account when that happened?

It does seem odd if you were … but perhaps the block occurs at a later step.

[evelyb30]

I've never tried it, but there must be a red Error message lurking. 

[a_c_green]

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@house*of*paws wrote:

Hi @skargonix 

Were you signed onto your account when that happened?

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He was, because the current lead bidder's ID is shown in the pane across the top that is only visible to the seller of that listing.

The rest of the screen is a standard listing format, which would include the Bid buttons, but actually submitting a bid would probably be refused.

[evry1nositswindy]

You better block yourself! 😆

[nuclearomen]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@house*of*paws wrote:

Hi @skargonix 

Were you signed onto your account when that happened?

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He was, because the current lead bidder's ID is shown in the pane across the top that is only visible to the seller of that listing.

The rest of the screen is a standard listing format, which would include the Bid buttons, but actually submitting a bid would probably be refused.

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it's likely once submitted an actual bid ebay would display message "can't bid on your own items" - can't remember exactly what the message says, but it's the same as trying to purchase any your own BIN listings. 

[ebooksdiva]

So.. even it looks like I can buy my own item…and your point is?
Its like that because that is how the page is programmed to look like.

I wouldn’t try to bid on your own item , just like I wouldn’t buy mine.

[buyselljack2016]

@skargonix 

You would not be permitted to purchase.

Here is what you would see.

This was an attempt to add "my" item to "my" cart. 

 

[ckimodog]

@skargonix 

Because you can't bid on your own item.  

[ckimodog]

@evelyb30 

Once I accidentally clicked on my item and it stated I could not bid or buy my own item. My thoughts are because the seller could inflate the price to get more. 

[skargonix]

OK so nobody here can see that this is a bug, a poor decision in the user interface?

eBay should not display the "Place bid" button on the seller's view of the item. Period.

Think critically, people.

Re. the zero-feedback highest bidder, what can I do about that? I would much prefer to sell to the second highest bidder, who has much better feedback.

[buyselljack2016]

Seems most ( and also apparently eBay) do not consider it a "bug" to display your listing to you just as it would be seen by others. You can not bid on, or buy your own item, so ...........................................  a "bug" ?

[monroe67]

"OK so nobody here can see that this is a bug, a poor decision in the user interface?

eBay should not display the "Place bid" button on the seller's view of the item. Period.

Think critically, people."

There have been times when I do revise my own listings once they have gone "active."  
Yes, indeed, I see that "Place Bid" or "Buy It Now" button.  
Maybe my understanding of eBay's processes is different from yours, OP, or other sellers who might post here.  Would you really, sincerely, intentionally try to place a bid on your own auction?  Do you think that's an honest way to run an auction -- raise the price and hope that your good-faith bidders will out bid you?  That's called "shilling" and you should know that that is completely illegal, in both online auctions and in-person auctions.  

eBay would ban you forever if they caught you doing that.  And they would ban any other user IDs you might try to hide behind in the future.  

I would never intentionally click either "Place Bid" on one of my own auctions nor "Buy It Now" on one of my BIN listings.  WHY would I do that?  I list stuff here on eBay to sell to other people.  I don't think any rational eBay seller would try to do that.  

I don't think that's an issue of thinking critically.  It's more an issue of thinking both legally and logically.  

"Re. the zero-feedback highest bidder, what can I do about that? I would much prefer to sell to the second highest bidder, who has much better feedback."

There is virtually nothing you can do about your bidders while the auction is live.  
IF that buyer -- whom you so graciously "doxed" when you posted your screenshot -- 
IF that person is the highest bidder at the moment the auction ends -- and when that person pays through eBay -- what you would have to do then is pack up that computer and ship it out to him. 

[janet9988]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@house*of*paws wrote:

Hi @skargonix 

Were you signed onto your account when that happened?

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He was, because the current lead bidder's ID is shown in the pane across the top that is only visible to the seller of that listing.

The rest of the screen is a standard listing format, which would include the Bid buttons, but actually submitting a bid would probably be refused.

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Apparently ebay now allows sellers to disclose a buyers full ID here on the boards. .