Can someone please tell me about Private Listings?

[gregggyf]

Good Evening,

For an auction that ended I clicked on the link that lead to information pertaining to the bidders and I saw the following:

private listing - bidders' identities protected

Can someone please tell me how does one initiate a private listing and in general why would someone want to operate in this mode.

If it is for identity protection?... in a general ebay auction a bidders id is already unknown.

Thank you for your assistance.

[shrevecity]

Its can be a way to hide shill bidding, but many sellers still do it because it blacks the item number an all from feedback or they are still just carried over from the days when you could cintact bidders of listings.