Ebay Multi buyer

[d mowery]

I have a email out to him awaiting a return and gave him my phone number all I can do is sit and wait unless some ebay sleath can wiggle a address or phone , Poss someone has a tight connection with a vender and can get me some info and I will sniff this out , all replys in confidence , The Shadow never fails

[dodc2]

Ebay prices are much lower than wholesale prices. Plus can can cherry pick the title selection. In addition, frieght cost will reduced drastically
from $19-$45 each machine with large quantities on a pallet(s). I always contact the vendor prior to make arrangement for frieght cost and how many machines I want to buy at that time. I won quite a few machines in past 60 days. However, I don't practice what robertk6161 is doing. He's shilling without any knowledge of it. Now none of us can get deals anymore including myself. Most of my machines are for resell and about 20 for personal use. I hope all of you don't that think I'm trying to drive up the prices recently with my purchases. It was and is a business decision and nothing personal. I only sell these machines on the weekend and have a full time day during the week.

[Bilko44]

I have done a bit of research on Robertk6161's eBay exploits.

This is commonly available information to any eBay member.

As of this date, 593 auctions have been bid and 101 won by Robertk6161 since he joined eBay on Jan 4th, 2005.

All auctions bid on and won have been with four sellers:
Pachislot777--49 won
Demos777--34 won
Pachinko Pallace--14 won
Pachislo--4 won

robertk6161 has not bid on any seller's auctions other than these four dealers.

Pachislot777's auctions were won between 2/28 and 3/23
Demos777's auctions were won between 2/4 and 3/8
Pachinko Pallace's auctions were won between 2/4 and 3/17
Pachislo's auctions were won between 2/4 and 3/23

With these facts in mind, several members have advanced theories regarding what is occurring.

I have gleaned from their posts what is the most likely scenario which follows:

Demos777 was contacted by robertk6161 who wanted to buy popular pachislo games in bulk. Robertk6161 wanted to cherry pick the games but did not want to pay a possibly higher fixed price to pick games before they went for auction. Robertk6161 agreed to bid on Demos777's auctions providing that a percentage discount from the final total price and cheaper palletized shipping or rental truck pick up could be provided.

Once this agreement was in place and robertk6161 proved he was a sound buyer, it was easy to negotiate the same deal for Pachislot777 and Pachinko Pallace. There was probably no arrangement with Pachislo as only 4 games were bought over a longer span of time.

What is to be gained for the buyer?

Bulk discounts and greatly reduced shipping costs could save several thousand dollars versus individual shipping.

What is to be gained by the dealers?

Multiple sales to a sound buyer even at a discount makes cash flow easier. If games were palletized by the dealers and then pickup arranged by the buyer, then dealer expenses for boxing and shipping are significantly reduced!

Equally important is the fact that ONE buyer bidding in 593 auctions can significantly increase the prices the other 492 final winners had to pay for the games and tokens that they won. That, in itself, could more than offset any discounts these dealers extended to robertk6161.

It was win win for the dealers and robertk6161. It was a losing proposition for other 492 auction winners.

Please remember, the above scenario is a guess. Only robertk6161 and the dealers know for sure what transpired. It is their business and we are not entitled to know.

Were laws violated? I don't think so. It was a shrewd business transaction and , for sure, money talks!

[luckydog]

the mysterys are being solved!!!!!

but, on reading the last post i feel the only deal dealers made is for reduced shipping.

robertk6161 bids on a lot of machines because he knows he won't win them all, this happens to all of us at on time or another.

if you check my bidding, "luckydog1940" you will see i place some pachislo bids also , but i didn't win many that i bid on.

[minnesotabrad]

I am actually excited that there may be someone with a retail store here in Minnesota! It will be a place I would check out different machines and hopefully play before I buy, and also get some good deals on machines.

[Utopia1dc]

Bilko44-

What you described is similar to what I have said as well and seems very logical. He is probably having them pallet shipped as apposed to picking them up in bulk. CA and NY are too far from MN to make that work (IMO). The biggest problem I have is that it has definately taken some of the fun of this hobby away for me. I enjoyed checking auctions and bidding on some. I didn't win many but it was fun trying to win. Now I don't even bother to look at PP, demos777 and Pachislot777 auctions anymore unless its for a Speed Racer, Spin Luck or something like that (knowing it's going for more than $130 from the git go).

He has ruined that part of the hobby for me!!!

[Bilko44]

Take heart.

His constant bidding won't go on forever. I would imagine his initial inventory has been reached.

Next comes the hard part--selling the games for a profit!

His bidding will taper off until inventory needs replenishing. So his buying and bidding frenzy will wane for a bit, I hope.

[Utopia1dc]

Bilko44-

I suppose you're right...he has to atleast slow down at some point. Right?

[TheCardMan]

He snagged 12 machines yesterday alone!! WOW

[logicprobe]

Each day it looks like he sees how much money he has left.
Then bids on a bunch more the next day.
I suppose we could wait for him to stop... or help him run out of money.

[Utopia1dc]

I suppose we could wait for him to stop... or help him run out of money.

I vote for the latter of the two!

[Bilko44]

I suppose we could wait for him to stop... or help him run out of money.

I vote for the latter of the two!

Just remember, never bid more than you are willing to pay. You might just win something you really didn't want.

Good Luck!

[LaughingJim]

We should report this guy... He obviously works for these people. His job is to drive the prices up above "X" dollars...

It is cheaper to relist and take the losses, then it is to loose a machine to a $10.00 bid. They just agree to relist and pay the $1.50 for listing the auction.

Ebay only allows you to bid on "X" amount of items at once, so he may have other screen names. Both those actions are illegal.

I only say this because there are about seven dealers, and if he was just a die-hard buyer, then he would have a few from each dealer. (Check to see if he has won multiple deals on the same machines.)

I don't think this guy knows that you can buy a truck filled with machines and tokens that are all refurbished for $65.00 each @ 200 machines.

He purchased 101 in 12 months...
Assume... $125.00 & ($75.00 S&H) = $200.00
$200.00 X 101 = $20,200.00
Is that "Michale Jackson's" Ebay ID???

[arbycoffee]

To help him spend his money, If he has bid, bid up to $119.50, and stop, this way he spends his max every time.

[David Wile]

Hey Folks,

Along with "robertk6161," I have noticed three or four other buyers doing the same thing, and, like someone else mentioned, they never seem to be bidding against each other. Like a lot of other folks here, that makes me wonder what is really going on with this bidding - I have a problem accepting this all as coincedence.

Having said that, however, even if there is collusion going on with the buyers or with the buyers and the sellers, I don't think we have found a "smoking gun" that can be taken to E-Bay as yet. Some of the folks have suggested running the bids up on these buyers, but that is probably just be what the vendors want you to do. I thought about the opposite idea of not bidding on any machines from these vendors, but that really does not work when you see one of these bidders get a machine for $85.

It would seem to me that Bilko44's advice, "Just remember, never bid more than you are willing to pay. You might just win something you really didn't want." is quite right. If you never bid more than you are satisfied to pay for a machine, you may not beat the bids of these questionable buyers very often, but you will not be playing into their stratedgy either. And occasionally, you may just pick up a good buy.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[logicprobe]

It sure hasn't slowed down much, if at all.

Another 27 bids on items ending today.

eBay HOG!!!

On SOME machines (more than basic) he's raised his ante to 130's to 140's.

Gee... I wanted some of those yesterday, but was only willing to go 124.99 on some. Darned if he didn't beat me by just a few cents. Oh, well.

The most excellent advice = "Just remember, never bid more than you are willing to pay. You might just win something you really didn't want."

[TheCardMan]

As a lot of these vendors are members of this forum, hopefully they will see this thread and the concerns and provide some validity to these buyers directly.

Most of these vendors have the high respect of many members including myself and I do not think they would jeopardize their names and reputations for assumptions being made here.

We are a support group for these Vendors and should be able to communicate our concerns directly.

[Tulsa]

They are members and I'm sure they have seen it. However, don't expect them to reply. As far as I know, they don't owe us explanations for their business practices. Other than for making for good banter, it's really none of our business. Suffice it to say that I'm sure everything is on the up and up and I'm good with that.

[logicprobe]

Most of these vendors have the high respect of many members including myself and I do not think they would jeopardize their names and reputations for assumptions being made here.

We are a support group for these Vendors and should be able to communicate our concerns directly.

Suffice it to say that I'm sure everything is on the up and up and I'm good with that.

I couldn't agree more.
The whole idea of a conspiracy between this eBay user and these high-class vendors is crazy. There is NO need to accuse dealers of this. If they have done ANYTHING... they have arranged bulk shipping.

He obviously works for these people. His job is to drive the prices up above "X" dollars...

Now that's... :bsflag:

[arbycoffee]

Maybe it is some Cult thing. And on the full Moon of the night, they cut the guts out of a virgin Pachislo. And then not to be haunted by them send the parts to the four corner of the world.

This is very hush, hush, the CIA, FBI, FAA, FCC, even the Farm bureau are watching them. We will soon see it on the cover of Star, when it all breaks the NEWS. There will be people high up in government and banks involved.

Heads will roll

So watch your Star Mag. at all check out counters nation wide.