How did they manage that...
Ebay should be rolling in it.
These days they've effectively made every auction anonymous, this has made shill bidding rife, as only the really stupid will get spotted by you or I. Member 5 years, items bid on 20, bids with this user 100%, items won 0. Hmmmmm
Ebay don't care as this pushes up the price, and they are on a percentage. In fact they do care, but in the wrong way, they've actively encouraged it by the anonymous step, and say it's very naughty (whilst describing how to do it) in the T&Cs!
I have spotted a couple of really badly executed shill bids and reported them, but the real proof came recently when I bought a lens for my camera.
I won one for £510, when all round it were auctions going to £600. Now who would bid on an auction when the same item (in equally perfect condition) was £100+ cheaper elsewhere? Bids were going in at £599, which is a funny value, that's an I want to loose it value. £601.23 is an I want to win it kind of value.
Not that I should complain, I spotted the one seller who hadn't set up the second account to push things up.