Slight rant: seller responses
 

# begin rant text

Ok so if you are trying to sell a bike, wouldn't you want to respond to inquiries? Some folks do this promptly and well. Others take the total ghost approach (or worse yet, the dick approach). I've sent messages in pinbike to 5 sellers over the past 5 days, none of which have even read the messages according to the pinbike system.And I've got one local craigslist seller that hasn't responded to an email from 3 days ago.

Luckily on the flipside, one local craigslist seller has been very responsive and helpful. I guess 1 out of 7 is better than nothing.

# end rant text

A lot of responses to Craigslist ads are not serious inquiries (or scams), so if your messages looked like one of those, the sellers may not have responded.

I totally get that, having sold a lot of stuff myself on cl and dealt with a lot of flakes. I always strive to construct professional inquiries, I include my contact info, use proper grammar and check spelling, etc. I'm pretty sure my written inquiries don't raise the flake flag with these sellers.

But hey- maybe they've got other stuff going on. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. But the flake factor should be lower on the seller side than it is on the buyer side. That is, assuming the seller actually wants to sell their item.

i haven't been able to get pinkbike to send me emails notifying me of PMs, so maybe they don't check it as often as you.

I’ve never had any luck with pinkbike either. It could be that I’m not super active on there.

CL is a **** show imho. I’ve been robbed (my fault) and had pleasant experiences. I mostly avoid it these days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I may the exception, but I have had good luck buying and selling on Pinkbike. Most has been MTB stuff, but did did buy a road frame this summer and was a quick simple transaction. I avoid CL at all costs!

A riding buddy of mine just bought a frame off Pinkbike, so I'm assuming some people over there are doing it right

I've had very similar experiences using PinkBike. I finally came to the assumption that sellers on there were using PB as a "one last place to list" after forum, craigslist, OfferUp, and/or Ebay.

my .02

PB is an oddity. I think, as noted above, that it is a place people go to last/infrequently.

I don’t go there often. Once I did buy a frame there.

Once I tried to buy a frame or complete for my step-daughter. Nobody responded until one who had a phone number on it and I then texted them and they texted back “oh i sold that months ago”.

So, I surmise that many go there infrequently and then might list a bike and never get told they have PM’s (like me) and since they log on infrequently they never see the messages. And, if they sold it or gave up they don’t even remember (because PB is such an infrequent thing) to de-list it. While PB does cover all types of cycling, I sense it is more a MTB in Canada thing so if you are outside those two descriptors the problem gets even worse due to not top of mind. But that is only an assumption/ opinion which may be wrong due to my own very light use of PB.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think it’s always frustrating when you project your expectations onto someone else. If you want something right now, ignore those people that don’t get back and put that energy into looking elsewhere. Maybe after a week of spinning your wheels that person gets back to you and sells you exactly what you’re looking for, or maybe you compromise and get something that meets your needs instead immediately. After hunting bikes for nearly 2 decades I can tell you that what you want always comes when you can’t afford it, and once you buy something, you’ll see exactly what you wanted for less than you’d be willing to pay. My advice, live in the moment and ride what you have. Eventually what you want will come!

The last bike I sold on Pink Bike made me feel like a door to door insurance salesman. I had to send multiple emails to multiple final buyers just to get the final payment and then have to contact all those other “I’ll take it” messages. It’s truly a crapshoot!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomato coupe (Post 3018340) A lot of responses to Craigslist ads are not serious inquiries (or scams), so if your messages looked like one of those, the sellers may not have responded.

Sometimes craigslist responses end up in the Spam folder where they go unnoticed. It's happened to me and I lost a purchase opportunity as a result.
I'm sure it can happen on the seller's end as well.

I've also had craigslist buyers stiff me, promising to call to arrange to pick up a free item. I stay home all day and they never call.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud (Post 3018346) I totally get that, having sold a lot of stuff myself on cl and dealt with a lot of flakes. I always strive to construct professional inquiries, I include my contact info, use proper grammar and check spelling, etc. ... But the flake factor should be lower on the seller side than it is on the buyer side.

I do the same when I sell; intelligent, detailed posts with proper grammar etc. When replying to something I want, I add a little, personal detail about the item or why I want it which hopefully the seller will perceive as sincerity. For the most part, I think it works.

Some sellers just don't operate on any kind of cyclist selling/purchasing time frame anxiety. Go figure. :rolleyes:
I too have TRIED to buy on PB. I knew the seller was reading messages. It was right there to see when he had updated the ad. Finally asked him if he actually wanted to sell the bike. I don't recall the answer. It was some BS AFAIK.

i posted a sailboat for sale a few days ago and immediately got a full price offer..........

but the dude wanted me to CALL him..

uhg.. gah... not worth it ill keep the damn boat.

lol. I had a seller CALL ME today because I had my phone in my signature. Very motivated but also professional. He thanked me for including my email sig so I looked authentic.

I may buy his bike.

If somewhere in your communications with the seller there was a "What's the least you'll take?", the mystery may be solved.