the_tool_man

What irks me is the recent trend for Craigslist sellers to essentially stage an auction. They put $1 as the price to get around Craigslist's rule about having to list a price. And the ad says make offer. Really? If I wanted to bid on it, I'd be looking on Ebay. Of course, I do that, too. But that's beside the point. The EXPECTATION on Craigslist and the RULES of Craigslist are buy, sell or barter. It's irritating, for sure.

turky lurkey

+1

Just yesterday I saw one of those $1 bikes that I was interested in and I seriously considered calling the seller and saying i'll take it since it's only one dollar.

On the other hand I can think of four bikes I've purchased that have been listed in a similar manner (two of them came as a package). I think sometimes sellers actually get the opposite response they are hoping for with those ads, I think many potential buyers are likely to ignore them rather than make a low offer. One of them was a late 90's/maybe 2000 specialized hardrock that needed an overhaul, I sent an email saying I'd give $15.00 for it. The seller, ignored my email as if he was insulted but I noticed after a week the bike was still there so I emailed again and asked him how much he wanted for it and he said $20.00 (obviously he hadn't gotten the response he hoped for). I bought it, but there is a good chance he would have gotten more for it if he had posted a reasonable price to begin with. The other bikes I purchased were in a similar manner.

While we are talking about Craigslist gripes, my biggest pet peeve is when people don't delete the ads after they sell the item. Especially if I call and they tell me it sold but still don't delete it, because then they can't have the excuse of forgetting. To me that's just blatant laziness and selfishness. It affects the market as the bikes that sold quickly due to being a good deal are essentially competing with the bikes that are still up for sale. It also affects my emotions when I get excited about a bike and find out later I can't have it.

FastJake

I flag those ads because they're stupid and against C/L policy. If it really bothers you send a message to the seller telling them to put a price up.

If I'm interested in a bike (or any item for that matter) presented in this way my first question is, "how much do you want for it?"

oddjob2

My sole frustration is the continual regular top reposting by the 3-4 boneheads in the Detroit market, often with bikes on the market for well over a year. I would estimate these neanderthals take up 75-80% of daily postings. No one wants a used $85 Huffy/Roadmaster/Free Spirit/Next, a well used Brooks B-17 for $85, only $7 less than new, or a rusty kiddie bike with a missing peddle for $35. How about and $800 Schwinn Voyageur or a Kabuki (yellow not chrome) for $450? I'd rather not have the haystack to find a bargain needle.

Frenchosa

American pickers is one of my favorite TV shows... I live in Japan for 11 months of the year and when I am home in the States I always love watching it. I am amazed at the knowledge they know about random old crap. They can go into a barn filled with crap and only find a few items that are resell-able to them. They also know the people who want to buy their stuff.

A good bike flippers should be able to clean, inspect, fix and make a good advertisement and sales pitch. People who just take stuff out of their garage usually don't.

romperrr 

Good exchange here. IFTW, what bothers me is the flipper's poor grammar. Make the ad feel slimy.

a77impala

Flippers dream, yesterday Austin Texas CL, Trek 1400 road bike, $40.00. It had been listed for 37 minutes, was deleted by seller, someone got a deal.
He also had a Trek 820 for $60.00, deleted at same time.

The 1400 had a very small frame, would have been perfect for my daughter, would not have flipped it!

turky lurkey

Right now there is a trek 1000 on my local C.L. for $25.00, no picture but the ad says it has new tires. It was posted a couple hours ago so I'm not sure if it's been sold yet or not but he ad is still up. I have too many bikes right now and no room to put it in my apartment. Kinda makes me feel sick when I see stuff like that and I am not in a position to buy another bike.

Edit: I couldn't resist, I just called the seller and left a voice mail, if she calls me back and still has the bike I am going to buy it.

MRT2

Update. Bike still there. Flipper has now dropped the price to $225.
Trek 7000 American made!!!!

oddjob2

You might let him know Lowe's has $5 off on Valspar paint for his door. I've seen better single wides.

MRT2

I am tempted to just offer him $60 and see what he says.

DavidW56

I love the term "schmuck tax"! Thinking of adding it as a line item. I will say, though, that I have had very, very few bike flipping experiences that would require such a tax.

howsteepisit

+1, I was thinking you should offer the seller 90 with the explicit statement to help him cut his losses, you are willing to pay 90 for a bike thats probably worth 75, cause you are a nice guy and feel sorry for the flipper getting in over his head.

Edit: For a couple of hundred you could offer to teach them about door painting, market based economics, market equilibration and gamesmanship.

Indytona675

I am not a fan of flippers. Mainly because of being very hard to find an average rider for cheap. Took months to find a around town bomber. All the ok deals are gone so quick and im just shopping to a basic bike for sister in law to ride with her kids. I don't have the time to hit all the goodwills and garage sales. I bought my schwinn the day the add came up. $100 for a varsity. To much I know. Around me they are listed from $150 and needing tires to $250 ready to go. This on was in great shapes I bought it.
Anyone thinking of getting into a bike for cheap are stuck with wore out Wal-Mart crap. They won't be happy With it.
There is one flipper here that has a lot of bikes at fair our close to prices. But yeah +1000 on setting the same add for months.

oddjob2

The Indy Goodwill store has good bikes online from time to time, very cheap.

Vonruden

The harder you work, the luckier you get.

Thumpic

You should read your post again....slowly and objectively.......you contradict yourself at every turn........

Enjoy your bargain Schwinn that you got on the same day the ad dropped....at $150 less than it should have been (your estimate).........

the_tool_man

I really like that. Thanks.