Dubious macbook price on yahoo auctions?

Question

i've seen claimed new macbooks on yahoo auctions, and their starting bids are like a quarter of retail prices. do you think there's something fishy about it? or is it that the seller will just jack up the price when contacted?

Answer 1

The sellers will probably have a reserve on them to protect his investment, or he could be using a low starting point to get more bidders.

Another possibility is a shiller, a friend of his who will artificially raise the price by bidding against everyone so the dealer will make a profit on the auction.  Shillers are illegal on public auction sites.