etiquette of selling bikes

[burn it to keep warm]

So I have a deal all worked out and change my schedule to drive 4 hours to go pick up a bike off a private seller tomorrow. I phone him to reconfirm the time I'm supposed to be there to get the bike and hand over the cash and he tells me someone paypaled him the money and the bike is sold. Whats the proper ettiquette? is it just whoever can get you your cash the fastest even if you've made a deal?

[Bryce]

I guess it varies from seller to seller. Personally, if someone gives me a firm committment that they'll buy something from me, I consider it sold. But of course I've totally gotten burned by that (ie buyer commits, I turn away other buyers, original buyer bails) so I can understand why some sellers would be tempted to just take the first cash that lands in their hands.

[sAFETY]

For every one person that says they'll buy the bike and actually follows through, there are 10 idiots that make promises and then never show up or bail out at the last second.

Sucks to be the one in ten that is a good buyer, but the seller has to look out for himself and if someone shows hime the money, it's gotta sell.

Then again, if he agrees to hang on to it until you can pick it up, then a deal's a deal.

[M@M]

If you said you were going out to buy the bike, and not look at it, then I'd say you got the run around. I can understand the first come first served thing but, as bryce said, we've all been burned by holding it.
Did you talk to the guy on the phone? Alot of people do not think that email means you're serious. It's unfortunate you got screwed over.

[freakonaleash]

For me it always works out this way. Whoever gets me the money first gets the bike. BUT, if someone wants it say in two days, theyll come out, I'll tell the other person that someones looking at it in two days. If its still here, its yours.

[burn it to keep warm]

If you said you were going out to buy the bike, and not look at it, then I'd say you got the run around. I can understand the first come first served thing but, as bryce said, we've all been burned by holding it.
Did you talk to the guy on the phone? Alot of people do not think that email means you're serious. It's unfortunate you got screwed over.

We talked on the phone. I totally understand the first cash mentality but what burned me was that I told him I rescheduled a job interview and was driving 4 hrs each way to pay for the bike and bring it back - I wasn't interested in looking at it or trying to get a better price. I only found out it was sold when I called to reconfirm the time I was supposed to be there. Otherwise I would have showed up looking like an idiot. I'm choked.

[Kyle "No Way" Wilcox]

well at least you have his address so we can egg his house!

[Farmer]

For me it always works out this way. Whoever gets me the money first gets the bike. BUT, if someone wants it say in two days, theyll come out, I'll tell the other person that someones looking at it in two days. If its still here, its yours.

thats how it should always be. if someone tells me they are comeing to buy a bike (or anything) I wouldn't sell it untill they had their fair chance at it.

[Uncle Duke]

...Sucks to be the one in ten that is a good buyer, but the seller has to look out for himself and if someone shows hime the money, it's gotta sell.





werd.

[burn it to keep warm]

well at least you have his address so we can egg his house!

YEAH

[Heatmizer]

Sucks he sold it when you made special arrangements - but on the other hand I can't count how many people asked me to hold onto something til "monday when I get paid" or something equally vague, then you never hear back from them.


I sold half a dozen items a few months ago to a total of 4 people. However, I dealt with well over 40 calls and emails from no shows others with no real interest.

[Oldfart]

For every one person that says they'll buy the bike and actually follows through, there are 10 idiots that make promises and then never show up or bail out at the last second.

Sucks to be the one in ten that is a good buyer, but the seller has to look out for himself and if someone shows hime the money, it's gotta sell.

Then again, if he agrees to hang on to it until you can pick it up, then a deal's a deal.


If the seller said it was yours, told you where to be and when to pay and pick up, I think he owes you a call before he agrees to sell to another. Or he can say that if some one pays before you do too bad. What he did wasn't fair in my book. But what can you do.

[biggles604]

If the seller said it was yours, told you where to be and when to pay and pick up, I think he owes you a call before he agrees to sell to another. Or he can say that if some one pays before you do too bad. What he did wasn't fair in my book. But what can you do.

I agree. If he said that you could have it, then he should have called to give the option of backing out when the easier money came along, and it would have been your decision to make. What he did was break a verbal contract with you.
On the plus side, do you really want to ride a bike that has that much dickhead karma?

[Mic]

On the plus side, do you really want to ride a bike that has that much dickhead karma?

:lol:

[Heathen]

We talked on the phone. I totally understand the first cash mentality but what burned me was that I told him I rescheduled a job interview and was driving 4 hrs each way to pay for the bike and bring it back - I wasn't interested in looking at it or trying to get a better price. I only found out it was sold when I called to reconfirm the time I was supposed to be there. Otherwise I would have showed up looking like an idiot. I'm choked.

That is what happens when you deal with 14 year olds.:ohthedrama:

[Uncle Duke]

If the seller said it was yours, told you where to be and when to pay and pick up, I think he owes you a call before he agrees to sell to another. Or he can say that if some one pays before you do too bad. What he did wasn't fair in my book. But what can you do.



thats true actually.

the used bike game is tricky i tells you tricky!!

[Cammm]

i sell my bike first come first serve. cuz onestly i dont care who gets my bike ite weather i get the money. so if some1 pays b4 another person ill take the money. cuz in ur case the bike u wanted to get you might have gone out to where the guy lives and say u dont want it and in that case the guy who wanted the bike would have ben told thaT its sold . since u dont got a bike i got a gian t glory 06 with boxxer wold cup 06 for $3000

[shirk]

i sell my bike first come first serve. cuz onestly i dont care who gets my bike ite weather i get the money. so if some1 pays b4 another person ill take the money. cuz in ur case the bike u wanted to get you might have gone out to where the guy lives and say u dont want it and in that case the guy who wanted the bike would have ben told thaT its sold . since u dont got a bike i got a gian t glory 06 with boxxer wold cup 06 for $3000

wtf
Is this even written in english?

[Loopie]

wtf
Is this even written in english?
he used periods at least.
It's actually better than some of the crap these groms spew out :lol:

[kalisto]

wtf
Is this even written in english?

we'z on teh intrwebz remeber?

[biggles604]

wtf
Is this even written in english?

I think what he is trying to say is "My selling ettiquette is on par with my linguistic and grammatical talents."

[tashi]

i sell my bike first come first serve. cuz onestly i dont care who gets my bike ite weather i get the money. so if some1 pays b4 another person ill take the money. cuz in ur case the bike u wanted to get you might have gone out to where the guy lives and say u dont want it and in that case the guy who wanted the bike would have ben told thaT its sold . since u dont got a bike i got a gian t glory 06 with boxxer wold cup 06 for $3000

Right on! That bike will sell for sure now, nice job!

[apeshape]

First guy to my door with the cash wins although I have been known to hold stuff 24hours if there is a solid reason ie. "I work 'til late tonight but I will swing by with cash in the morning" but I have taken to requesting a deposit made via email money transfer to secure a higher priced item.

[evanius]

By nature I would want to give someone the chance who had made an offer and talked to me on the phone. But like everyone else I have been burned too many times - now, I make clear it is still up for sale til they give me at least a deposit. Its a bit different if they have to travel, I always assume theyre serious if willing to drive a couple hours or more, but I still talk to them on the phone. Its always interesting how a sale materializes - you never know which email will be serious.

I found Craigslist much much worse for people bailing. Once you get past the email stage with bikes/parts its usually done. I spent most of last weekend waiting around for people who never showed. I literally had 8-9 people tell me they were coming for sure at _xx time to pick up an item, then never hear back. I finally said phone calls only, and put a specific message saying only call if you are prepared to come immediately with cash. Not surprisingly, the only call I got resulted in a sale.

[brent_14]

if the seller was smart he would have used the second buyer as a tool to try to get more money for the bike... but without even calling you is pretty rediculas

[Loopie]

if the seller was smart he would have used the second buyer as a tool to try to get more money for the bike
That only works in the movies Kid :)

[brent_14]

That only works in the movies Kid :)

it also works if you posted your ad on pinkbike