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Message:: [QUOTE="Cherd, post: 3050626, member: 24754"]With an Ebay type auction format, there is no need for a legitimate buyer to make any more than 1 bid. You bid the maximum that you are willing to pay and that's it. The question, "Why would he have bid $12 if he is willing to bid $80?" is probably pretty simple, because he's not bidding to actually win the item. He is simply bidding to drive up the final price. The most likely scenario is that the account is associated with the seller. Minimum bids can be placed until the highest bidder's bid doesn't increase by a whole increment. At this point they know that they've maxed out the price. This is shill bidding and the downside of this type of activity for buyers is pretty apparent. Then there is the other possibility. It's just some idiot that, out of total disregard for others, decides to play this game for their own entertainment (I wonder what that guy's bid is?). Or maybe they think they are smartly gleaning some valuable information about what they need to bid to win the auction. But again, none of that matters, just place your max bid and be done with it. It's extremely discourteous to potentially cost other people extra money by playing this game.[/QUOTE]