molten

Too many Ebay customers don't want to pay the listed price of bike-related items for sale.
"Free shipping" is an old give.
"Make an offer" only drags the buyer/customer to offer way less, than the listed price.
Rather than old-school negotiate.
As modern society doesn't care that Ebay sellers have to pay a commission, to the selling price.

The bicycle-item market be likely the CHEAPEST-MINDED BUYING AUDIENCE, on the internet.

cb400bill

Why can't you spell Ebay?

molten

I was hoping the * would twinkle someone's eyes.

KBentley57

I'm not saying you're overcharging, but many people tend to over estimate the value of their used goods. If it's not rare, and costs less than a few hundred new, you're probably not going to sell it for more than 50% of it's current lowest new value. Just my experience.

StanSeven

I agree. On the whole eBay sellers are way over market. I don't know if they don't understand what's realistic, think their offering is do much better than average, or just hope to sell at an inflated price. But I rarely look there at bike stuff snymore.

OP, I don't see it as cud toners bring cheap. Rather it's sellers not bring realistic. Brand new bikes at the end of the model year sell from 20-30% off list. At the sometime you'll find sellers listing 2 year old used bikes for as much.

gregf83 

I thought ebay was primarily an auction site with the highest bidder winning. Doesn't get much simpler than that.

jefnvk

Just to play Devil's Advocate: why would I ever want to pay more than someone is willing to sell it for, and how do I know what their bottom line is if I don't ask?

And yeah, what greg said. I stay off eBay these days for most things, because it has become nothing but a Chinese seller driven BIN flea market. Cant even search for most things without turning up 10,000s of ninety-nine cents plastic accessories.

DrIsotope

Having just celebrated my 17th anniversary as a seller on eBay, I can say with certainty: Not. Even. Close.

Some used bike components can fetch upward of 50 cents on the dollar. The usual you can expect on used (or even just out of box) R/C parts is 20¢ on the dollar. And you'll still get low-ballers. But the absolute worst... Honda people. If the auction said "buy one get one free," they'd try to low-ball... or ask for a second free one.

Bike folks are just jaded by the availability of cheap parts direct from Asia. They want everything that cheap. But all the bike stuff I've moved through eBay, I get only the couple of ordinary lowball bids, and end up selling at or near my asking price.

Gresp15C

That was their origin. Several years ago they announced to the business community that they intended to shift the focus of their business towards being more of a mainstream e-commerce service, to compete with the likes of Amazon. They continue to offer the auction service, but I'm led to understand that it's not their main bag any more.

techsensei

I like eBay. As a seller, I've had very few people ask me for a lower price, but I research what I offer and I list realistically. As a buyer, I have in mind what I want to pay; if an item's starting bid or buy-it-now price isn't close to what I'm prepared to pay, I just skip over the listing.

CliffordK

Complaining about E-Bay buyers that are frugal?
Who buys from E-Bay when they can pay double full price from the local bike shops?

The Buy-It-Now + "Best Offer" is an odd thing. And, I often find myself tempted to send in an offer on an item that I might nor might not consider buying for the full asking price. However, I'll offer what I think the item is worth to me. No absolute low-balling.

Say an item is $30.
I offer $20.
If the seller comes back at $29, 99% of the time I'm gone.
If the seller comes back at $25, then 50/50 I'll snag it.

Of course, if there are "pending offers", another buyer may still swoop in with either a higher offer or full price.

molten

You say "..are way over the market."
But we know, for years, in the competitive bicycle retail market: that other retailers & general internet are requested to be looked at.
But Ebay be the 2ndary tool, about price, from consumers against sellers/retailers.

molten

In the completion of a positive/successful transaction of both sides, anyone ever come across an Ebay member: giving a pattern as if to be charging a fee, so to give you feedback? Ebay members for some time, are not like years back: back in time, feedback was the norm in doing; just like neighbors always greeting each other. Nowadays, feedback is more like $. If feedback be wanted, one most likely has t get out of his/her way --- to get it.

CliffordK

I give feedback for exceptional service, but not every transaction. And, on extremely rare occasions, for those exceptionally bad transactions.

If a transaction is mediocre, I also ignore the feedback (and certainly don't like a seller that ships second rate merchandise to be pushing for premium feedback).

Bribes for feedback? I had a non-E-Bay transaction once. Seller gave me a quote. Then promised 10% off of the quote. Then demanded that I leave feedback before I got the 10% refund back... I wasn't impressed by that so I did leave feedback... And I never saw my refund.

Nermal

Well, he had pretty much told you he had no integrity, hadn't he?

02Giant 

The only issue I have about ebay sellers are the ones that expect the buyer to leave feedback before the seller does. When I buy I pay immediately, I have upheld my end of the contract.

CliffordK

Feedback from a buyer would indicate that you've received and accepted an item, and you're probably not going to be opening a dispute, returning the item, or otherwise demanding a refund.

E-Bay's policy of no negative feedback from sellers against buyers is just plain odd, but it does protect the buyers somewhat from malicious sellers, of which there are a few, or negative repercussions for leaving truthful feedback.

skidder

What does that mean?

So if you are the buyer, you want Neiman Marcus service at a Wal-Mart price? And if you're the seller, you want a premium price just because you think you're product is the greatest compared to all the similar products posted out there, and you have the best posting (description, photos, etc)?.

jefnvk

Nope. I don't sell, as a buyer, if the seller doesn't leave me feedback, they don't get any. If they leave me feedback, they get it as soon as I've received and verified the product.

Maelochs

EBay shoppers are cheap?

Maybe because EBay is a place for people to buy stuff cheap.

You don't like my offer, don't sell me the goods. You don't want lowball offers ... is it not possible not to activate the "make and offer" option?

You come here complaining because the Buyer doesn't appreciate that you want to make a Bigger profit?

You want to take more of my money and complain because I don't want to give you more of My money? Fine, no problem. You keep the old part, I keep my cash.

Deal is, I Very Much want my money. You do Not want that old part. You are at a disadvantage.

As for the commission you have to pay ... keep the part then.

Pretty much, you are going to make money if you sell the part. You have something Worthless to you---the old part--- and you want to turn "Worthless" into "Profitable" at my expense. So yeah, you are getting money for nothing, basically ... don't cry to me.

I have bought a Ton of bike parts on EBay and have pretty much always had a great experience. So it isn't me ... Maybe you aren't cut out to be a businessperson?

Because really, this post is "I cannot sell my old trash for as much as I wish I could," but you are still selling old trash. Pretty much anyone who is getting money for something which would otherwise be worthless, or even an impediment--taking up space on the shelf--ought to be glad to be making any profit at all.

ShadowGray

With Ebay you're not shopping for things at market price. If I wanted to pay market price I would go to the store where at least I know I have a guaranteed level of customer service. Ebay is for selling used stuff and below-retail price hunting.

Seattle Forrest

I've never done business with ebay. After reading this thread, I can see that's the right decision.

ThermionicScott 

It's up to you, but I've had almost exclusively positive dealings on eBay. Perhaps it helps to know how auctions work.

The OP is one of those folks who would complain if they couldn't think of anything to complain about.

andr0id

Yep, if I want to buy NEW stuff, I will buy it from ProBikeKit or other UK online stores. If you want to sell NEW stuff on eBay, you better be selling it for less. Why less you ask? Because I DON'T KNOW YOU! I know PBK and I know I'll get what I ordered and not a box of rocks.

So I expect your price to be less that PBK and I expect free shipping too.

Now, if you want to sell used stuff, even take-offs that are almost new, they need to cost me even less than that. Why? Because why do I want to buy out of box used stuff for the same price that I can buy NEW STUFF? I expect used stuff to be at least 25% less than new stuff or it's not worth buying used stuff.

KBentley57

Caps give me seizures.