How are we finding the used market?

[wafter]

Automatic/unsanctioned relisting? Can't you stop this? If not, that sounds akin to theft by ebay of your stuff.
As for completing deals off-site, won't you be banned for this?
In any case how would you and the potential buyer make contact under the ebay radar?

Tbh I thought I had already opted out of it (I'd repeatedly declined their persistant "offer" to keep re-listing it at 5% less until it sold) - it's probably not even listed as an option during the listing procedure tbh. I'm sure they're legally savvy enough to have all bases covered regarding the viability of any complaint I might have in this regard.

As for completing the listing off site; the contact thing is the challenge and tbh I think it's unlikely to get me permanently banned; although tbh I'd not really care if it did since (just as I've said many times before ) I have zero intention of using their horrible site to sell anything in future, while it would be easy enough to set up a new account to buy with and the feedback I've "earned" over so many years is effectively worthless now anyway.

 

[Mike Ayling]

Do you have Gumtree in your area?

 

[wafter]

Do you have Gumtree in your area?

Yes, although tbh I've never had much success selling on there in the past. Have used FB marketplace with good success recently; struggled to sell the ofo on there though - which is why I went with ebay (much against my better judgement!).

 

[Blue Hills]

while it would be easy enough to set up a new account to buy with a

I don't know about ebay but I think paypal has very sophisticated ways of preventing folk from setting up other accounts to get round issues.
Yes ebay doesn't like communication other than through its messaging systems - makes it tricky buying bikes as you can't see them first.
What I don't quite understand is that I think ebay businesses (and these can I think be one man bands working from home) can and maybe have to publish an address, which would just allow folk to pop round to check over something they had seen listed.

 

[wafter]

I don't know about ebay but I think paypal has very sophisticated ways of preventing folk from setting up other accounts to get round issues.
Yes ebay doesn't like communication other than through its messaging systems - makes it tricky buying bikes as you can't see them first.
What I don't quite understand is that I think ebay businesses (and these can I think be one man bands working from home) can and maybe have to publish an address, which would just allow folk to pop round to check over something they had seen listed.

Crikey - surely ebay haven't gone so far in their censorship as to effectively prevent the viewing of items prior to bidding?

 

[Blue Hills]

Crikey - surely ebay haven't gone so far in their censorship as to effectively prevent the viewing of items prior to bidding?

They did a while ago I think.
I used to look at bikes before bidding but they made this very difficult/all but impossible.
I got involved in a very lengthy online chat with an ebay bod about whether you could see what you were bidding on or not and got a right load of waffle and evasion, which essentially in the end pretty much said you couldn't.
They have very sophisticated systems in place to find folk trying to swap contact details of any sort in questions to the seller etc.
I would now only buy bikes I could collect, not any where there is the expense of delivery - would make any falling out with the seller more fraught I assume.
I suppose one can appreciate their desire to stop folk cutting them out of the deal, but it does make things tricky.
Luckily I have never paid more than £30 for an ebay bike (have bought 3) so that does kind of simplify things. A neighbour of mine bought a fairly pricey carbon bike on delivery - maybe I'm old fashioned but I thought that mad.

 

[wafter]

They did a while ago I think.
I used to look at bikes before bidding but they made this very difficult/all but impossible.
I got involved in a very lengthy online chat with an ebay bod about whether you could see what you were bidding on or not and got a right load of waffle and evasion, which essentially in the end pretty much said you couldn't.
They have very sophisticated systems in place to find folk trying to swap contact details of any sort in questions to the seller etc.
I would now only buy bikes I could collect, not any where there is the expense of delivery - would make any falling out with the seller more fraught I assume.
I suppose one can appreciate their desire to stop folk cutting them out of the deal, but it does make things tricky.
Luckily I have never paid more than £30 for an ebay bike (have bought 3) so that does kind of simplify things. A neighbour of mine bought a fairly pricey carbon bike on delivery - maybe I'm old fashioned but I thought that mad.

Wow - how utterly ridiculous

I can't believe people still use the site if they're pulling crap like this tbh - who in their right mind would buy anything of any value used without viewing it first? Waffle and evasion sounds about right IME; usually with a good dose of arrogance and condescention too.

I've got around the message constraints before (spaces separating characters in phone numbers and email addresses, leaving out the telltail "@"..) I guess their algorithms are getting more sophisticated all the time but it sounds like a worthy challenge if I see something I like!

 

[Illaveago]

I managed to get round the eBay censorship once years ago. It was to a chap in the USA. We weren't allowed to exchange contact details so I Googled the chap's company and managed to get an email to them from there . We exchanged a few emails about shipping and in the end decided that it would be easier for him to arrange them . The item arrived safely and he was over the moon .

 

[Gunk]

Gumtree works well but stuff has to be cheap, I use it for sub £100 bikes.

 

[Blue Hills]

Gumtree works well but stuff has to be cheap, I use it for sub £100 bikes.

why don't folk look for more expensive bikes on there?
I rather like gumtree but I have the idea that there are some dodgy sellers on there.
(not counting the two psychotic camberwell east european women)

 

[bagpuss]

Agree with all the comments regarding selling via the bay .
I think they are no longer interested in supporting private sellers .
When they use statements like item out of stock....whose item is it!!!! theirs?????
Stopped been any fun when VAT got slapped on .

Found cycles jumbles the best place to sell unwanted bike components .Good crack ,meeting like minded folk ,plenty of butties,tea &cake always on offer, Half a day out .Sadly due to the pandemic they have been few and far between.

 

[wafter]

Well... the ofo's just been collected. I left the FB marketplace listing live until the bike had gone, and sod's law I got a message about it last night (at the £20 higher asking price ).

Never mind, one less thing to worry about I guess.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Having sold my 2008 Carrera winter bike peak Covid frenzy for £270 I picked up this Argos special for £50 locally. Seller had done one 300 mile charity ride.

Frame isn't too bad, forks are like iron girders though.

Sold the cheap wheels / tyres / freewheel for £20 and fitted a set of Mavic Open Elite wheels with tyres I bought a couple of years ago for £35. Added a 7 speed cassette for £10 and an ASDA chain for £4.

Just need to buy some mudguards using my £10 Halfords voucher they sent to me after I complained they didn't have a £7.99 chain in stock for click and collect.

Cheap cycling !

 

[further]

I take it you mean from Argos the retailer not Argos the frame builder of Bristol .

 

[Alembicbassman]

I take it you mean from Argos the retailer not Argos the frame builder of Bristol .

Yep the Argos owned by Sainsbury's

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8031820