Selling a bike - eBay strategy?

[Freddyfruitba...]

Have reluctantly decided to part ways with my VStrom, and think I'm going to put it on eBay. Would be interested to hear the thoughts of others who have had success with this as to the following:

Is it better to start off an auction with a 99p start and a reserve of, say, £xxx (to attract interest); or to have no reserve but a start price of the same £xxx? Or not use an auction listing at all, and to do a classified ad instead?

Secondly, if an ebay auction for a bike is 'won'- ie, by someone bidding according to the eBay rules, then providing the listing as been 100% honest about the bike's condition, do 'winners' usually cough up for the winning bid without quibbling, or do they try to use that as the basis for negotiation, as if it was an Autotrader ad or similar?

Or do BCFers think there are better ways of flogging bikes?

(I'm pretty experienced at flogging tat on eBay, just not motor vehicles!)
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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[MarJay]

I wrote a guide for doing this years ago, but I can't seem to find it online.

Basically, you set the starting price as the absolute minimum you would accept for the bike. Be realistic.

You start the auction on a Thursday night, and make it a 10-dayer. This way you have two weekends for people to come and view the bike.

You put in the Auction that you won't accept western union bank transfers or foreign sales. You want a £200 deposit via paypal at auction end, and you want the rest in cash. You mention there are two weekends to come and look at the bike, so if they bid they buy. Mention that you will allow test rides if people give you the cash upfront and have the necessary insurance.

You put in the listing an honest description of the bike including any and all issues.

Put in large high quality photos from the 8 compass points around the bike. Photos of the clocks inc. mileage and photos of the paperwork but with the reg and addresses covered up. Blank out the reg other than the year on the pics. If you like you can also take a couple of pics to show the condition of the tyres etc.

Assuming you're realistic with the price, it should sell.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[DrDonnyBrago]

I've had better success with scumtree. I always get more than similar vehicles go for by ebay auction. It's also free so worth a first punt.

Do need to deal with gutter trash scum and scammers though. Anybody that texts/messages and asks you to email them is a scammer. You will get phone calls a few minutes after posting your ad from Indian call centres fishing for accident claims info to sell on. They say they are from the MIB, good fun to ask them which building they are in, or what your own surname is.

[Tamsin]

Post it up on the sales pages here too...

[Freddyfruitba...]

Thanks MarJay, that's very helpful - all sounds good.

[stinkwheel]

Yes, auction. Classifieds means you have to deal with idiots making derisory offers by email then taking the hump when you sell it to someone else. Make sure you unclick the offers button on the auction too then check it's remained unclicked when the auction goes live.

Lots of good quality photos, in good light, from every angle. You get 12 with the auction. Use them.

You can't be too detailed in the description.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[MarJay]

[G]

Another one that always avoids reserves.
I may ask how much the reserve is. If they won't answer - then I'll not waste my time. I might aim for that one to find the reserve was set at unrealistically high and miss other good deals in the mean time.

[WD Forte]

I don't get the "don't use Gumtree!" attitude some have

I've flogged some of my own vehicles and a few 125s on Gumtree for my lads and it was pretty painless.

I dont use my personal phone
I dont read or respond to texts as they're usually from twats/chavs etc
Serious buyers will call, a quick chat usualy tells you if they're idiots or not.

I let folk haggle me down a bit and insist on cash only
I've met some decent folk and we all parted happy.

I have had few "will u swap,can you deliver m8? got the munny but......"
stories and politely decline any offer or deal I'm not happy with

Record time and mileage of sale so if the buyer gets up to mischief
your ass is covered.
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bikers smell of wee

[G]

[kgm]

[Ste]

No potential buyers are going to be phoning you as you can't put phone numbers in the description if it's an auction.

People are much more interested in what's wrong with something rather than what's right with it.

High resolution photos are very helpful so make sure to have lots of them, taken in good lighting, etc etc etc

From looking at sold listings, unless there's something very rare / special / unusual about your bike then you'll already know how much it's going to sell for. Whether to do 99p no reserve, to do starting the auction at the minimum price you'll accept or to list as a buy it now is a matter of opinion. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method. I'm another person who dislikes reserve prices.

Prevent foreign people from bidding on your auction by setting buyer requirements. https://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/sell/buyer-requirements.html To block bidders from certain countries, go to My eBay > Account > Site Preferences > Site preferences, scroll to Postage & packaging preferences, click Show. Then next to "Exclude postage locations from your listings" there's an edit button and my advice is to exclude everywhere.

You can always add people to the exemption list should you be contacted by Johnny Foreigner who wants to buy your bike to take it to Eastern Europe.

You will get stupid questions and stupid offers to end the auction early but that's eBay for you.

Also advertise on BCF.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Polarbear]

I am a supporter of the classified add rather than the auction. I just use ebay because it's the largest audience around.

I have only had a few derisory offers, I just bin them. If the offers are close to what I would accept I'll tell them and see if they come back.

I haven't tried the auction route with vehicles since ebay started screwing around with phone numbers so I don't know if they do it with vehicles. When I went for an expensive 12v fridge I couldn't get to go and look at it before bidding and the pissed me off.

If I can't get to see a vehicle, or at least have a good chat with the vendor over the phone I'm not willing to bid.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Freddyfruitba...]

[G]

[Rogerborg]

Get it up on Gumtree as a freebie. Keep a copy of your advert in a text file along with pictures with numbered filenames, to make it easier to keep reposting it every couple of days. You can delete older versions of the ad, but Gumtree really doesn't give a stuff and never takes things down even when reported to them.


I'd only ever list on Ebay as a classified ad, and the bike would go to the first person who actually shows up with the money. No haggling over price by email, and beware "Would you take...?" fishing by folk trying to find out the maximum they'll have to pay.

Don't waste your time trying to put off time wasters. Just ignore them, and focus on attracting serious, careful, legitimate buyers by answering every conceivable question about the bike's history and condition in the advert.

If you do go with an auction, consider that all bidders are potential buyers, and feel free to offer the losing bidders a chance to buy it if the winner doesn't show up sharpish.
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GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Ste]

These people ( https://www.motorists-lawyer.co.uk/content/services/driving-without-insurance.rhtm ) say:

"The fact that you did not know they were uninsured will not be a defence. However, if you gave them permission to drive on the strict condition they were in fact insured, yiu [sic] will be ok."

This page ( https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=79030 ) says the same.

[kgm]

Worth noting that cause and permit offences also apply to license and MOT. I'd check and record all three before allowing a test ride.

[Kentol750]

Also be wary of the 'can I come and see it first?' scammers who check out your location for a five finger discount at 2am.
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Some bikes.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Ste]

You don't. Well, you could meet them somewhere that isn't the address where you keep the bike but buyers will find that suspicious. If you do that then the thief could rob the bike from you then anyway.

Someone who wins the auction could rob you when they come to pay you and collect the vehicle.

Someone could follow you home and come back to rob your bike that night.

#bikelife could spray you with acid and steal your bike tomorrow morning.

The world is a big nasty place, even more so if you dare to venture out from your safe space.

[Kentol750]

Check them out on eBay. If they're genuine, they'll contact you through proper channels. Or just park it 3 doors down when they arrive.
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Some bikes.

[WD Forte]

[stevo as b4]

I'd always either set a start price or use a classified ad. 99p starts and no reserve IMO does not work with vehicles, but would be useful for stuff like furniture or electricals etc.

Bearing in mind what Ste said, I'd always sell from home and take the risk. You don't have to let them see inside your garage, garden or shed, and you don't have to let them meet your dog or see your CCTV alarm system if its concealed.

As I buyer I'd be too sus to meet them at Asda or a motorway services etc. Nothing legitimate is ever sold at a services IMO. If I was turning up with a wedge of cash and a won bid, I'd expect to be treated with respect and maybe invited indoors to count the money and do paper work etc to re-assure me about the seller and their honesty.

Remember I could turn up to buy, pocket full of cash and you could rob me or have your mates jump me take my money and keep the bike as an alternative scenario.

Lastly as said keep details of bidders who contact you saying can they have second chance if the buyer does not turn up. Usually these are genuine people who might miss out due to not being able to watch the auction at the end time.

I've bought two cars (one of my Rovers which was a stunner) and a bike buy emailing the seller before the end and saying please let me know if the buyer doesn't turn up or messes you around. You probably at best with EBay have a 50% chance of the winning bidder being genuine, and honest by commuting themselves at the end of the auction. Second chance winner's are valuable to have IMO.