I think I have reached a personal decision, if my messages to a buyer out number their replies back by 4:1 then say have a good day and delete their thread/discussion.

If they don't reply within a day or two then delete and move on.

If they say that the drive out to see it "is a killer", then delete and move on. (I guess it's okay if I deliver it, but not okay if they have to come get it.)

If they can't figure out how far away I am after I tell them how far away I am then delete and move on.

If they say they are car-free, or too broke for gas, and can't figure out a time to meet that works for my work commute schedule, and if they can't figure out how to take the bus to a park-n-ride near me after I tell them the bus number and where to get on and where to get off the bus and provide them with a link to the bus schedules, then delete and move on.

I sometimes find myself wondering how some of them can even find their classroom let alone how they ever even got into college, and I guess when I start thinking that then delete and move on.

Some have been great to work with on a bike deal, good communication, good directions, prompt, and quick to update if something else comes up, and because of those types I still will try to work with a college student when I have an excess bike to sell. But then I come across one like the one I've been dealing with for three days now and I just have to wonder if he is serious or if he is just messing with me, delete and move on.

Just had to vent a bit. Feel free to join in, or offer ways to deal, or tell of your great experiences, or just delete and move on.

Some college students really irk me. First, they feel "entitled" to a discount, as they are a poor college student (email sent from their iphone of course). I usually just tell them I fully understand, as I am a poor, broke retired guy myself, so I can't afford to give discounts.

Oh yeah, and a lot of them really think they are working sooo hard. Had a grad student like that last week. OK, lets see, when I went to grad school, I was also working a full time job (60 hrs a week), and taking a near full load at night in grad school (finished a masters degree in two years). Was I working hard? Not really, There were other students in my program working two jobs, raising a family, taking a full load, some where English was a second language, etc. Now they were the ones working hard.


Now that being said, I have met some super college students as well, that respect nice work, and just want a cool, vintage bike. Sold a bike to a college student last night. Great guy.

One basic method I have on C/L: I don't change my schedule for a C/L buyer (too many no shows). I meet in a common place (store parking lot) that is five minutes from my house. So I tell them to call when they are on the way, and I will meet them (if it has already been established as a mutually convenient time). I've thought about delivering to a nearby college, but without some Paypal deposit in advance, no thanks. It would open up sales for sure (along with headaches).

Oh, the woes of flipping!

Don't be surprised by the sense of entitlement these college kids have....remember, they're the same small kids that were spoiled rotten by their parents during the dot com boom years.....

Chiombi

Ebay. Selling bikes on CL is a huge time suck. Flakes, freaks, time wasters and cheapskates (and that is just the members on this forum!).You get what you pay for or in the case of CL, you pay with your time for the service you don't pay for.

How can you sell on CL anyway? That's where the prices are low. I think it would make more sense to buy on CL and sell on ebay.

That's me....... wait, who you callin' a freaK?

I live on one side of town and go to school on the other, I just toss the bike on the roof, bring them to class and meet at a local park as I'm crossing town.

Been on a roll on CL recently, flipped four bikes for >$500 profit since Friday. Seems there's a shortage of cheap, reliable bikes in this town. Now I'm scrambling to find more.

Kind of like C&V Forum Members.

I completely agree.....you can find the bargains on CL as the sellers are usually too lazy or don't have a clue how to deal with shipping... You sell on ebay so you can reach a world-wide audience and get the most out of what you have. At least that has been my experience.

Cheers,

Joe

zing!!!

The convenience of cash in hand versus potential PayPal buyer disputes locking up or retracting the funds long after the bike or item has been shipped and received. Ebay might generate higher returns, but also has it's own unique set of hassles.

If I didn't have a sense of off center humor spiced with a dose of sarcasm this could have just about ruined my week.

I don't feel entitled to a discount. I'm just a cheapskate.

Consider flipping less and riding more.

Not exactly something to be proud of.


Noun 1. cheapskate - a miserly person
tightwad
miser - a stingy hoarder of money and possessions (often living miserably)

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

I have no problems. I only list bikes at the start of the fall term, and often have more requests than I have bikes. Last several buyers-- all college kids-- have paid asking price, or tried to. I always factor in some bargaining into my price, and if they don't bargain/lowball, they get the "actual" (lower) price.

The students I have met have all been nice. It has been that way for years. I can think of three friends I have that showed up on my porch fifteen years ago while they were students, asking for help building a fixed gear. The presence of a bike co-op and several shops in the vicinity of VCU have largely killed such visits, though.

Funny you should mention that. I am rapidly coming to the same EXACT conclusion. I am slow on the learning process. Case in point were the two pristine, but needing a rehab, Trek 620s I picked up a week ago. On ebay, I have seen ones in much worse condition go for $500 plus shipping. Around here, I would need to dump about $100 into rehabbing each one, and then would most likely get less.

Anymore, I have been selling the nice, but lower end, bikes I have on C/L, and holding on to the higher end stuff for ebay. Case in point is the 1985 Waterford Paramount I have, with full DA. Just no way to sell locally at anything close to full value. Ebay, despite all of the fees and problems will bring me more. So I have set aside some bikes and frames for "future" ebay selling. Ditto some parts. Well, all of a sudden, I have quite a pile of bikes/framesets/components.

So that is my next project.

Oddjob 2 sent me a link to this auction, which was the last straw, $325 for a Fuji S10S, missing lever hoods, old cable housings, etc. DING IN THE TOP TUBE! Huh?:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/261086823338...84.m1423.l2649

Or how about a Trek 800 MTB, unrehabbed, really old tires, etc. $168.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Trek-800-Ant...item3cc9f4e109

Hey now, wait a min---

Meh. I can't really argue with that.

Ha, text, email, send more photo's. You are pretty much right. I'd prefer to deal with thier parents. They are usually the return buyers after the first bike is stolen.

You guys are doing something wrong if your having all these issues. I just consider everyone a flake and the first person with cash gets it. Rarely people even try to negotiate on prices, but theres always a 20 bucks worth of wiggle room on pricing. I might offer a small discount if they dont have a lock or there just nice people. But I have been doing it full time for years, so I might just be immune to getting upset about the little stuff.

Just gotta know whats goes on ebay, what goes to swaps and what goes on CL. Or all three.

You're complaining about $325 for an imperfect S10-S? You must not be reading ebay at all. You ain't seen nothin'. People are paying hundreds for nuts and bolts.

I no longer take inquires into bikes that seriously on CL/Kijiji...I get a lot of questions and not many replies back. The most annoying thing is a phone number. Sorry, if you're not willing to pose a question or ask something, its not worth MY time as a seller. People who want a bike will try, people who just want a deal will not.

75% of my sales are via Facebook groups in my area. Much friendlier folks.

I've been working the Facebook strategy myself, my last two sales went that way. I put a somewhat detailed picture album up on a Trek 613 I rehabbed, with an as found pic, some closeups of disassembly, cleanup and final product. It really helped, and built confidence from the buyer that it was not just slapped together.

Heck the FB link in my sig line.

Tom, I am not complaining about the S10S sale, I am a little (or a lot) jealous. And different to me anyway, this is not a one time outlier, this seller is doing it again, and again, and again. And he is not a BBCenter dreamer. His bikes are selling.

I have a Trek 820 in the garage right now, picked up at a yard sale. Very tempting to just clean it up and put it on ebay.

Sound advice. The trick to CL is to sell somewhere between a swap and Ebay price. You price it to low and the resellers come out of the woodwork.

I rarely negotiate as well. I ask what I consider a reasonable/fair price, and I stick with it. I do not leave to meet the buyer until they call me as they are heading my way. That eliminates 99% of the flakes. I pretty much have stopped meeting at the house (lesson learned). I continually get flaky emails, I use the delete button a lot.