Selling a bike on FB Marketplace

[paredown]

Just sold a mixte/woman's bike on FB Marketplace. It was a first for me--to list something that people wanted (other ads went up and got no response).

I got 10 or so messages almost immediately--and like Craigslist, there were a couple of annoying "Will you take $75" to which I gave my practised CL response: "Come and see the bike, then make me an offer."

Most annoying--the default response on FB (the little click button) has the prefilled message "Is this available?"--which makes it even more annoying than CL--you can't get mad at sheeple for doing what the overlords at FB thought was a good idea.

And there was one person (and probably a second) who knew what they wanted, didn't quibble on price--and what was new and unlike CL--was willing to Paypal (or Venmo or some others) a deposit right then and there. So that fact that you are an identifiable person, and can be checked out on FB--means that a stranger is willing to gamble a deposit--and that means you don't have to insist on the CL "First person here with the money gets the goods."

So she showed last night, paid the balance in cash--I showed her the quick release (and how to disconnect the cantis so the tire would clear for removal)--and helped load her up.

Not a bad experience at all...

[Davist]

+1 I sold a bike there a couple years ago, no fees (vs ebay) and an overall good experience as well..

[vincenz]

Bikes are in short supply right now so it’s a seller’s market. It’s a great time to sell for a certain price range.

I’ve had way better luck with FB than craigslist these days. I think it helps that people aren’t completely anonymous as on CL, so it facilitates more transactions. I’ve sold way more on FB in the last year than I ever have on CL for bike related things.

[jctonett]

I tend to stay away from CL... a cop friend of mine tells me a lot of stolen bikes get moved there.


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[tbike4]

I have given up on CL. I do sell on FB and it has been pretty good with local sales and shipping frames, no complete bikes shipped. I did sell a complete steel Colnago locally for $1500 2 years ago. Nice guy, no haggling, cash in hand.

[kppolich]

Never a problem with CL or FB Marketplace for selling bike stuff. Agree'd that FB makes it easier to communicate vs. the craigslist email chain. Easier to send pictures and chat on the fly as well. Payment options are pretty slick too, although I have sold many items on craigslist where the buyer paid in Venmo or Paypal instead of the ole' Cash Only motto.

[warren128]

Good timing on this post :)

I just used Facebook for the first time to sell my wife's Terry-style Fuji bike yesterday. It was an easy and smooth transaction. It was a "local pickup only" sale, so I didn't have to hassle with shipping the whole bike.

I got many responses, and there were a couple of people who were willing to pay over my asking price (and a couple of low bidders). If the sale was an auction, who knows how high it would have bid to? What actually happened was I sold the bike to the first person who responded for my full asking price in cash. I was able to check out his FB profile, and he seemed legit and was actually a very nice guy who grew up in our neighborhood.

[Vertical]

I’ll check it out

[gomango]

Alright.

I have a bunch of bikes to sell and I will give FB Marketplace a go this weekend.

Thanks.

[Gpmrntz]

I have three Serotta for sale on FB - in the Serotta Page and another...I'd post them here, but even though I've been a member for years, met in-person several of the mods, I'm still not kosher (yet) to use the classifieds.

I get it, rules are rules.... sigh.

Anyway, I've bought (and sold) bikes and better, i.e. $100+, equipment off of FB and CL. You just have to be savy, as well as patient.

[Whit51]

An advantage of FB Marketplace is the ability to look at a person’s FB profile. Sometime’s they’re scary enough I don’t want to get involved with them.

[charliedid]

I had very good luck buying a bike this week on FB.

First time ever in my life I purchased a used bike from someone not in the bike industry. I liked the idea of being able to see some basic info about the seller etc. One thing I found is that people probably have bikes listed in multiple places and fail to mark a bike SOLD so searching can be a bit hit or miss. Some nice bikes on there if you spend the time. I actually found the bike I purchased within 40 min of it being posted. Seller was more than helpful. Worked part time in a shop and ended up taking it there to ask the service manager a couple questions for me.

I'm a fan for what it's worth.

[charliedid]

I have three Serotta for sale on FB - in the Serotta Page and another...I'd post them here, but even though I've been a member for years, met in-person several of the mods, I'm still not kosher (yet) to use the classifieds.

I get it, rules are rules.... sigh.

Anyway, I've bought (and sold) bikes and better, i.e. $100+, equipment off of FB and CL. You just have to be savy, as well as patient.

An advantage of FB Marketplace is the ability to look at a person’s FB profile. Sometime’s they’re scary enough I don’t want to get involved with them.

Totally agree

[martinez]

definitely like the fact that it's user account based. I tend to get a lot of the default messages: "Is this still available?"
I respond with: "Yes it is. I am free ____ if you'd like to check it out."
*no response*
I follow up: "hey there, were you interested in the item orrrr...????"
They respond with: "No"

:confused::confused::confused:
:mad::mad::mad:
:crap::crap::crap::crap:

[hokoman]

I listed an Isla kids bike and I think it is sold. People are getting pretty aggressive with kids bikes... Mine was listed at $250 shipped and I had a buyer within a day and I just need to dig it out of storage to send him updated pictures.

Yes, great to see a profile and the person.. although scams do happen, less likely on FB.

[charliedid]

I listed an Isla kids bike and I think it is sold. People are getting pretty aggressive with kids bikes... Mine was listed at $250 shipped and I had a buyer within a day and I just need to dig it out of storage to send him updated pictures.

Yes, great to see a profile and the person.. although scams do happen, less likely on FB.

Absolutely ask for additional photos. So many scammers out their poaching photos and posting them. It's still sort of the wild west though.

I am part of a group and one of the members posts "new in the box" items all the time. Like too many of these things to be legit and he is not a retail dealer. He has so much new merch he sometimes mixes up items with the wrong boxes. There is little anyone can do to prove anything or stop it. Weird.

[Jcgill]

I almost exclusively use Facebook market place now. It is so easy to make an add and it is nice to see a persons profile before meeting them.
I agree the is it still available messages are annoying as well as the 10% of your total asking price offers or random trades of xboxes and such nonsense.
I am always amazed at the response you get, I sold a smaller 8 drawer tool box for $140 a few months ago and the guy drove from 2 hours away to get it!

[dannymd]

An advantage of FB Marketplace is the ability to look at a person’s FB profile. Sometime’s they’re scary enough I don’t want to get involved with them.

That’s true, I agree

[dannymd]

I’ll check it out. Thanks for this great tip

[ToonaBP]

In my experience, FB marketplace has been a PITA ....most want something for nothing or cheap and don't really know bikes or wheels or components... the $250-350 bike they buy now, probably won't be ridden, when the virus stuff is over... since getting my Routt RSL, my modified Topstone is not getting ridden and trying to sell locally ....taking an $1100 hit from a 6 month old build. Many offers are less than the wheel cost... and potential buyers say they didn't realize wheels could cost that much... might just keep for a neighborhood bike...or to ride with the incoming grandson....

[MrCannonCam]

In my experience, FB marketplace has been a PITA ....most want something for nothing or cheap and don't really know bikes or wheels or components... the $250-350 bike they buy now, probably won't be ridden, when the virus stuff is over... since getting my Routt RSL, my modified Topstone is not getting ridden and trying to sell locally ....taking an $1100 hit from a 6 month old build. Many offers are less than the wheel cost... and potential buyers say they didn't realize wheels could cost that much... might just keep for a neighborhood bike...or to ride with the incoming grandson....

Selling anything high end outside of places with 'high end' traffic will yield a lot of BS. I see people listing $50k cars on craigslist all the time and can't imagine what kind of garbage responses they get. The fees suck but I've found ebay is still the king on selling higher end bikes.

I've had great experiences on FB marketplace. It eliminates the 'phone tag' that always seemed to happen with craigslist and there's a ton of traffic (not always good but effective in the end). I sold my full suspension MTB there a few days ago and while there were the typical lowballers had probably 15 responses in the first hour and it sold that day for my asking price (about $500 more than I expected to get out of it). Bikes are hot but as a whole it's a platform with a ton of users and traffic and no fees (looking at you ebay)

[mdeth1313]

Been hit or miss for me. I usually post through one of the groups on facebook, but also add the marketplace since it's an option. I sold and shipped 1 bike and sold a ton of other cycling stuff.

Always low ball offers, but one time I put a pair of s-phyre shoes up that were in really good shape and before I could respond to anyone, someone offered me $50 more than I was asking.

[slambers3]

In my experience, FB marketplace has been a PITA ....most want something for nothing or cheap and don't really know bikes or wheels or components... the $250-350 bike they buy now, probably won't be ridden, when the virus stuff is over... since getting my Routt RSL, my modified Topstone is not getting ridden and trying to sell locally ....taking an $1100 hit from a 6 month old build. Many offers are less than the wheel cost... and potential buyers say they didn't realize wheels could cost that much... might just keep for a neighborhood bike...or to ride with the incoming grandson....

Some folks don’t know better, and a lot just prodding to see if you will take a lowball offer. I sold an MTB for a friend recently, $4500 bike listed for $3k. The number of half price offers was absurd, it seemed like every one of these knuckleheads was following the same playbook. Do this often enough and you can identify the tire kickers pretty quickly. Anyhow, when it’s not your stuff, it’s easy to just say “nah” and move along without being emotionally invested or getting frustrated. Bike sold for near asking price btw.
If you’re reasonable, your topstone will sell.

[2000m2]

I sold a Surly Karate Monkey on FB marketplace a few years ago. It was pretty smooth. I usually end up posting whatever I’m trying to sell on CL, FB and Nextdoor in hopes that someone in the neighborhood might be interested. I just did that today with an IF Planet X. I love the idea of the cross/gravel bike but always end up on either my roadbike or mountain.

[Dave B]

The marketplace is the only reason I use FB. Sure I have “friends”on there, but they are mostly people from work, so I just ignore their posts. I only use FB marketplace and craigslist anymore to list and sell.

Sold 6 bikes since the middle of May on there. I dig the fact that most people are local or up to an hour or so away and willing to travel or meet. I do get the automated response (SPAM) from craigslist that says they are driving, would you email them at this address. Fell for the first one and then when 10 other ones popped up within a few minutes I got it.

No issues with FB, but they do get pissy if you make them wait for someone else to look first. Yesterday I sold a bike and let the second guy in line know it had sold. He said he was near where I was and was there anything else I had for sale. I said sure and he came over and ended up leaving with a bike. We were both stoked asI got good money in my hand and he was thrilled with what he bought.

Now I have a new Strava buddy. :rolleyes: Hey, you never know who you will meet.

My wife uses it a lotto sell our stuff we would sell at a garage sale. Her deal is she leaves the item on the porch and the buyer leaves the money. Sounded sketchy, but she has not had one sale go wonky...yet. I tell you, it is a slick way to go about selling. I don’t list items anywhere else any more.

[charliedid]

Some folks don’t know better, and a lot just prodding to see if you will take a lowball offer. I sold an MTB for a friend recently, $4500 bike listed for $3k. The number of half price offers was absurd, it seemed like every one of these knuckleheads was following the same playbook. Do this often enough and you can identify the tire kickers pretty quickly. Anyhow, when it’s not your stuff, it’s easy to just say “nah” and move along without being emotionally invested or getting frustrated. Bike sold for near asking price btw.
If you’re reasonable, your topstone will sell.

What is it these people are "supposed to know" besides you are selling something and they are offering something. Take it or leave it...

same as it ever was.