Can I buy my own item?

In Auction #880, the seller placed a bid - just curious, is this allowed? It seemed odd.

In the auction world, this is called a "shill" bid. It is most definitely unethical, because it allows the seller to control the minimum selling price, while not paying the auctioneer an appropriate fee for setting a reserve. It also robs legitimate bidders of winning the auction at a bargain price. The seller, in this case, upped the bidding almost $100. The whole scheme defeats the purpose of an auction, from the buyer's point of view.

Best wishes,
Jason Glass