Experience with selling a bike on Ebay?

j368
Profile picture for user j368
Posts
442
Joined
7/13/2014
Location
Tulsa, OK US
j368
Did a search, but the thread was several years old. I'm thinking about listing a bike on Ebay, and wanted to see what others experience has been. I've bought a lot of things on Ebay without any issues, and have sold some things, but that's been several years ago. Any tips, thoughts etc? Did PayPal hold your money very long?
|
redrider_714
Profile picture for user redrider_714
Posts
335
Joined
10/1/2008
Location
Westville, IN US
Fantasy
2268th
redrider_714 11/5/2018 6:49am
11/5/2018 6:49am Edited Date/Time 11/5/2018 6:50am
Sold one a few years ago but didn’t ship. Buyer and I met halfway at a truck stop parking lot. Both the buyer and I had other people with us, I fired the bike up in the bed of my truck and allowed the buyer to climb up and check it out and start for himself. I never unstrapped the bike or let him ride it around the parking lot. Once he was satisfied we exchanged money and bike and went our separate ways.

My advice would be take someone with you and meet some place very public. I believe some police stations will let you meet in their parking lots. I would never let someone ride the bike or unstrap the bike before I get the money.
blockhead17 11/5/2018 6:52am
11/5/2018 6:52am
I sold a few and always had a good experience, except once.. The guy came out and then wanted to negotiate the price with me, he had outbid other people and then was offering me less than it sold for. I just really listed it and sold it the second time.
1
1
DoubleA
Profile picture for user DoubleA
Posts
406
Joined
11/17/2017
Location
GB
DoubleA 11/5/2018 6:55am
11/5/2018 6:55am
If someone wants to come look at the bike meet them somewhere other than your home to make sure they don't come back a couple days later and try steal it. In the UK most MX shops will make room for your bike if you need a place to meet with a potential buyer just to add security to both you and the buyer.
quadzrulebro 11/5/2018 6:55am
11/5/2018 6:55am
Facebook Marketplace is my new go to. It is free, plus it gives you a chance to see who you’re meeting with. Helps eliminate some of the riff raff.
2

The Shop

See All »
fourfourone
Profile picture for user fourfourone
Posts
2960
Joined
10/14/2017
Location
86oh, CT US
fourfourone 11/5/2018 8:39am
11/5/2018 8:39am
I would avoid ebay. The tend to side with buyers. If said person buys the bike he could pick it apart to try to get more money off the selling price. Ive sold 3 bikes on facebook. Just be smart about it.
1
barnett468
Profile picture for user barnett468
Posts
1250
Joined
7/19/2018
Location
Wildomar, CA US
barnett468 11/5/2018 8:42am
11/5/2018 8:42am Edited Date/Time 11/5/2018 8:43am
I sell a lot vehicles on Ebay. Do not drive it somewhere to meet them. The selling fee is around $75.00.

You can also put it on craigslist and offerup.

.

usafwx
Profile picture for user usafwx
Posts
1377
Joined
7/19/2012
Location
Trussville, AL US
usafwx 11/5/2018 8:46am
11/5/2018 8:46am
I sold my 2016 SX150 a few years ago on ebay. Guy was from MD, I was in NJ, we met halfway and exchanged money that way. He just sent me a paypal deposit. I ended the auction early (no ebay fees incured). Easy peasy. Though its not ideal I totally get it. Our sport is anemic right now and the market is hard sometimes to sell a bike. I had to sell my damn 19 YZ250F to Ridenow (Stealnow) for $5800 with 6 hours on it after it sat on CL for over a month priced at $6400. Good luck man! I wouldn't hesitate, the more places its listed / exposure the better. I'd do CL, FB Marketplace, Cycletrader and Ebay.
FeetUp
Profile picture for user FeetUp
Posts
432
Joined
12/4/2007
Location
Santa Maria, CA US
FeetUp 11/5/2018 8:59am
11/5/2018 8:59am
Sold one on eBay about 5 years ago to a guy out of state. He sent the deposit right away, I called him and he sent a cashiers check to me a few days later. I waited a couple weeks for the check to clear, then called him back and he scheduled a trucking company to come pick it up. The trucking company loaded it up and secured it in the truck. I called the guy about a week later, he said it arrived safely and that it was BETTER than it showed on eBay. I never heard from him again. WOOOO HOOOOOOO If I were that guy I NEVER would have done what he did, too many scammers. I've bought several bikes and cars on eBay, but NEVER sight unseen.
MaxPower
Profile picture for user MaxPower
Posts
2646
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
NJ US
MaxPower 11/5/2018 9:23am
11/5/2018 9:23am
do not take more than a deposit on PayPal. PayPal is the devil.

It's way too for the buyer to complain about a non existent condition to Paypal and they can snatch every bit of your money and you cant do a single thing about it
2
KennyT
Profile picture for user KennyT
Posts
4181
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Vista, CA US
Fantasy
280th
KennyT 11/5/2018 9:29am
11/5/2018 9:29am Edited Date/Time 11/5/2018 9:29am
I sold 3 very high priced vintage bikes on EBay, even shipped one to Australia. The last one was around 8-9 years ago, before Paypal became unusable on any significant transaction. Buyers have all the power and can freeze the payment or get the charges reveresed. I would not sell via eBay if it involves payment via PayPal. If you can get a wire transfer I would think you are safe. The one nice thing with EBay is you reach buyers across the globe and if you have more than 1 interested buyer you can get a great price.
Anyway my thoughts are Ebay great....Paypal terrible
1
barnett468
Profile picture for user barnett468
Posts
1250
Joined
7/19/2018
Location
Wildomar, CA US
barnett468 11/5/2018 9:31am
11/5/2018 9:31am Edited Date/Time 11/5/2018 9:33am
MaxPower wrote:
do not take more than a deposit on PayPal. PayPal is the devil. It's way too for the buyer to complain about a non existent condition...
do not take more than a deposit on PayPal. PayPal is the devil.

It's way too for the buyer to complain about a non existent condition to Paypal and they can snatch every bit of your money and you cant do a single thing about it
You can completely avoid any negative feedback or other problems from the buyer by only taking a small deposit like $10.00 from them, Then take the balance in cash or cashiers check (hold it until it clears) or wire transfer etc, then cancel the sale in Ebay after the buyer picks the bike up.

1
usafwx
Profile picture for user usafwx
Posts
1377
Joined
7/19/2012
Location
Trussville, AL US
usafwx 11/5/2018 9:59am
11/5/2018 9:59am Edited Date/Time 11/5/2018 10:00am
barnett468 wrote:
You can completely avoid any negative feedback or other problems from the buyer by only taking a small deposit like $10.00 from them, Then take the...
You can completely avoid any negative feedback or other problems from the buyer by only taking a small deposit like $10.00 from them, Then take the balance in cash or cashiers check (hold it until it clears) or wire transfer etc, then cancel the sale in Ebay after the buyer picks the bike up.

Precisely. As a frequent seller on Amazon, Paypal, etc. The buyer is ALWAYS right in a dispute. When I sold my bike via ebay I just took a paypal deposit, ended the auction early with no fees and then did the rest in person.
DanDunes818
Profile picture for user DanDunes818
Posts
6946
Joined
10/11/2008
Location
Portland, OR US
DanDunes818 11/5/2018 10:25am
11/5/2018 10:25am Edited Date/Time 11/5/2018 10:26am
I have run an eBay store for 5 years now and just make sure you write "NO WARRANTY" "No RETURNS" all over the item description area, List anything and everything you or someone else would consider "wrong with it", and do "Local Pick Up" only. If you do it that way, I say go for it.

If you ship and there's any issue in the shipping process or damage in transit, the return shipping and the loss seems to always fall on the seller. I get pissed when shipping damage happens on a $40 shipping cost item and I have to pay return shipping, but with a bike that would hurt way more,. Obviously your shipment would have insurance, but that's a pain in the ass too.
1

Post a reply to: Experience with selling a bike on Ebay?