I think the situation is a bit more complicated than just presentation. I have for the time being quit selling items because it seems as if people just dont have as much disposable income as they did before the recession. I remember bidding against the Japanese buyers back in 2001. Back then prices were higher on NOS Campy than they are now.
It's a good time to buy, but not sell.......
Keith Kessel Shreveport, La. USA
On Wed, February 18, 2009 1:23 pm, Dale Brown wrote:
>
> <<...Bottom line, selling things can be very frustrating regardless of
> the selling venue (e.g., eBay, CR list, retail bike shop, etc......). >>
>
> Indeed. So true, so true!
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> There are a few "musts" though if you want successful sales/auctions:
> ?
> 1.) Always include, in the most nauseating detail, every possibly aspect
> of goods you are selling. parts, teeth on cogs, make of everything,
> widths, length, yada yada...Of course, idiots will still ask questions
> that are plainly apparent in the auction description, but at least you
> can just tell them that. And it is a matter of record that you DID supply
> every possible piece of info.
>
> 2.) Clean and detail the darn bike/part! Don't put nasty greasy, dirty,
> tatty and grungy stuff in pictures and expect any kind of respect! Geez,
> would you show your house with dirty underwear on the floor of the
> bathroom? Laziness in preparation equals poor results in sales.
>
> 3.) Supply many many very good pictures of every nauseating detail, and
> both sides of same! Don't say 'pictures on request', just get them out
> there first so you don't have to answer more email.
>
> 4.) State your terms of sale, i.e., if you will OR WILL NOT sell parts &
> pieces, change things or whatever.? Be firm up frontand reduce silly
> requests. ?
> Now, if you don't do the above, you are going to be made miserable
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> Dale Brown
> cycles de ORO Bike Shop 1410 Mill Street
> Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 USA
> 336-274-5959
> http://cyclesdeoro.com
> http://www.classicrendezvous.com
> http://www.carolinacup.com
> http://www.greensborovelo.com
> http://www.bikegso.org
> http://nbda.com
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kevin Kruger <ktk1_7_0_2_8@yahoo.com>
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org; crumpy6204@aol.com
> Sent: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 1:42 pm
> Subject: [CR] Selling Woes,,,,,eBay vs. CR List,,,it's all the same to me!
>
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> John,
> While I share your frustrations on eBay selling, I must say that I have
> exp erienced the same frustrations offering items to CR list members prior
> to l isting on eBay. For example, I offered a very nice bike to the list
> recently, received an i nterest from a a couple list members/lurkers, and
> after answering quite a f ew questions, was offered substantially $450
> less for the bike!!!!? Now s ome of his questions were legitimate, but
> others were a bit ridiculous, as my tons of photos were self explanatory
> as to the component group on the bi ke (that is unless you are vision
> impaired).? I even offered to make simp le gearing ratio and wheel/rim
> rebuild changes at no additional cost.? Am going to part this bike out,
> and await the stone throwers bashing me for d oing so. I have also had list
> members tell me they would take an item offered for sa le, only to never
> be heard from again.? Assume I am not the only one to h ave experienced
> this situation.? Granted, you can have the same thing hap pen to you on
> eBay, but in my personal case, the deadbeat buyer ratio is hi gher on the
> list versus eBay. As for eBay watchers, they have nothing to do with the
> saleability of your item,,,,trust me on that.? You can have a ton of eBay
> watchers, who simpl y are interested in seeing what your item sells or
> doesn't sell for = I'm always prepared for the bottom feeders who were
> watching the item, only to make a low ball offer outside of the eBay
> system (as recently experienced with a pair of AKRONT rims).? I also have
> a NOS Cinelli 1R stem bolt for sale on eBay currently for a starting price
> of $8.99 with FREE shipping, an d eleven (11) people are watching the
> auction = now why would you watch s uch a cheap item if you were truly
> interested in it and not simply place a bid?!?!?!? If an item fails to
> sell the first time around, that is not an indicator of it being priced
> too high, as many times it sells for much mor e on a relist. Bottom line,
> selling things can be very frustrating regardless of the selli ng venue
> (e.g., eBay, CR list, retail bike shop, etc......).
> For what it's worth, or not worth!
> Kevin Kruger = Grantville, PA
> =0A=0A=0A
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