It's a very good question, to which the short answer it, you don't know. And shill bids have been an issue in the past and have been a topic of conversation. I've never heard it applied to any of Coopersark's auctions, and given his well established status within the pipe community over a number of years, don't see why he would need to stoop to what amounts to fraud.So, if the bidders identities are set to "private", and the bids are automatic, how do you know you aren't bidding against the seller using an alternate account?
I don't eBay much and this is not a commentary on the seller on this auction, just a general question.