Sidi Genius 5s - What is a reasonable asking price?
 

Last month, I bought a pair of 2008 Genius 5s. They felt OK in the store, but after maybe 150 miles in them, I've decided that they're the wrong size, so I'm going to see if I can sell them on Craigslist to recoup some of the (fairly high) cost.

Can anyone tell me what a reasonable asking price for these is? I'd rate them as in "Excellent" condition, as they're basically brand new, with just a few scuff marks on the soles from fumbling with my pedals. Size is 46.

I'm thinking of asking $140, so I have a bit of room to haggle with the Craigslist lowballers. Is that reasonable?

since they can be found new for less than that, (http://www.excelcycle.com/sidi-geniu...rica-2008.html) I would conclude that $140 is not reasonable. maybe $75, tops.

You may find a sucker but that's more than you can buy them new...

Do you have an eBay account? I've sold several pairs of used road ... and even mtb ... shoes there. Since they hurt your feet, anything you get for them will be more than having them sit in your closet collecting dust. Sidi shoes, even used, get a lot of attention on eBay. I'd suggest putting them up for auction with No Reserve and a very low starting price (I usually start with 99¢). I bet you'd be pleasantly surprised what they go for. Close to $140 would be a stretch, but on eBay, you never know. I've sold used mtb handlebars (read: not exactly babied) for more than they could've been purchased new.

I put a pair on E-Bay and the highest the bid got was $50. Mine have less than 1000 miles on 'em and look basically new. I posted them on Craigslist for $75 and didn't even get an e-mailed question.

I suspect that all I'll be able to get for them is $50. I'm not willing to sell them for that.

Since my trainer bike is set up with different pedals from my regular rides, I use them just for that.

I went ahead and posted them for $140 on Craigslist and I had an offer for $80. I haven't responded to him, but I kind of feel the same way, though; as much as these cost new, it doesn't seem like they ought to lose that much of their value in 150 miles.

Thanks for the replies, guys. :)

Unfortunately shoes aren't quite like other gear. There's a bit of an ick factor buying used that you're just going to have to acknowledge. You may know that they're barely used and that you don't have wart-covered sweaty troll feet, but the buyer doesn't.

The problem is that you're using full retail for a reference point (what you paid). Like others have said, you can find them mail order for around $140 brand new with return possible, so that's the reference point your buyers are looking at. No matter what you think, you'll never get more than what others are willing to pay. In my experience, "like new" used is only worth 1/2 to 1/3 of what it costs new. Again, the new price being used by your potential buyers is $140, NOT what the local store sells them for. In that sense, $80 is a good price, probably. I wouldn't pay more than that.

Another problem you have is that you did a smart thing in buying shoes - you were willing to pay more (full retail) for the benefit of trying them on before buying. That was the price you paid to be sure you got a shoe that fit. Unfortunately, you made a mistake and bought the wrong size anyway.

By the way, have you asked the shop if they have a satisfaction guarantee? Some shops do that.

I wasn't aware that they could be had that cheap. The lowest I'd seen was more like $160 to $180, from mail order places in the UK, which are a serious gamble when buying something like shoes.

You appear to be living testimony to the fact that buying from your LBS can be just as serious a gamble. :)

I would take the $80 offer, for all the reasons others have posted.

I've seen them for as low as $140. I bought a pair this winter ('08 Genius 5's, which I later returned) from Performance and it was about that price after the two or three discounts that happened to be in place that particular weekend. But still, the prices you'e talking about make the same point. 35-50% of $160-180 is still in the range of the offer you received. Again, I'm just speaking for myself, but whenever I buy something used, even in excellent or "like new" condition, I wouldn't pay more than 50% of the best retail price I could find because (a) they're used (b) have no warranty and (c) no return / refund possible. I never consider a deal really great unless it's closer to 30% of best retail available. I'm not saying all this to make you feel bad, but it's just the way it is and you can't change that market fact no matter how much you think it isn't right.