Ebay bids hidden

[Hopkirk]

When you click on 'bids' you can see other bids that people have made.

Why is it that sometimes these are all marked as private, while at other times you can see the first and last letters of the bidders IDs?

[jomifl]

Because the seller wants it to be private.

[Hopkirk]

Oh, I see.

I prefer when you can see who they are, because you can tell if someone has given up, or increased their bid.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm not sure why they changed it so the full username was no longer visible.

[follyfancier]

I think they changed from full user names to initials because some bid winners were getting abusive messages or e-mails from the losing bidders and Ebay felt it was safer

[Hopkirk]

I don't want to know who they are, just see if they up their bids or naff off.

[Old_Geezer]

Abusive letters ?!? Nowt so queer as folk as they say.

[gsr600]

you will notice if they submit other bids ,
& also see any new bidders by the hidden id pattern

[Hopkirk]

No GSR, when it is private all bidders look identical.

[wildwood]

That's why I don't trust the auctions for new items. I only use the buy-it-now option for new items.

[hc4361]

Ebay hid bidders ids because other sellers were contacting the underbidders and offering to sell privately to save fees. Sometimes they were scammers.

[hc4361]

If the goods for sale are of a personal nature such as incontinence pads many bidders prefer private bids