Selling a bike on FB Marketplace

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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....

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]

Originally Posted by 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....

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. 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]

Originally Posted by slambers3

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.