Is it just me thinking that someone putting an advert up for a well known brand of bike GPS from a well known discount German supermarket in the classifieds for £35 more than they were selling them for (when I bought one several months ago) and blatantly saying where you got them from is taking the piss a bit?

Doesn’t seem on to me, on eBay or whatever fair enough but places like this are different in my mind.

No different to buying a bike on gumtree and sticking it into classifieds for 7 times more……..as happened recently.

And folk were accepting of that,

We’ve done this one before, and those in charge have made it rather clear that those who post for free in the classifieds here are entirely free to try and rip off people in such a way, and comments must not be made about this by other people, some of whom pay to be here and naively think this place is a sort of community…

Might even earn my first ban just by mentioning it…

I wouldn’t buy anything from the classifieds without checking what I could buy a new one for first, so it doesn’t really put me up or down.

Although I also don’t have any problem with people pointing out when something is overpriced either, as alluded to by stoatsbrother.

as stoats says. its been dun.
and the disappointing thing remains to be that the forum overlords seem quite happy to let the shysters run amok in the classifieds and if you dare air some sensible advice for the benefit of the marks newbies, you’ll get a wrist slap.

Up there with the great “remember me” lie for one of those really annoying things that persist here against all sensible reason.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/is-it-bad-form-to-comment-on-classified-adverts

yes the STW lot and Mark – as he spoke on the thread re this- think that that stating that[over priced] on a thread is like interrupting a conversation in a pub

Most users think it about protecting your mate from a dodgy deal in said pub by someone who only turns up every now and again to hawl said products

Owner views remain unchanged
Hove mind suspect amount of clicks /traffic affects view and continue to disagree

This is my basic assessment of the issue and I have tried to be even handed with it

I don’t see a problem, the buyer has a responsibility to have a bit of knowledge, and if they don’t, they can do some research, like simply google what new ones cost from retailers, or on a bike forum.. “is x bike/part 5 years old worth this? They don’t need to reference the advert.

It’s no different than walking into PC world and handing over a grand for a £700 pc, do some market research.

Mark’s official response is here.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/is-it-bad-form-to-comment-on-classified-adverts/page/2#post-7692251

I’m not convinced that “ad spoiling” and “warning people that it’s a high price” are necessarily the same thing, but that’s the reasoning behind the ruling.

My understanding is that it’s ok to point out if you’re thinking of buying (“it’s cheaper new, will you accept (price) instead” sort of thing, but just butting in to be contrary is not.

You have to do your research so that includes casting one’s eye over a seller’s posting history as well as checking availability and prices. There’s some folk on here who seem to get a kick out of making snidey remarks in Classifieds posts when they have no intention of buying.

A seller has to be realistic, work hard and, importantly, ensuring they earn a reputation of trust where folk will want to buy from them again.

You can’t fool all of the people all of the time. 🙂

And you only need to fool a few…

On most forums, sales BS is called. Just look at TGR.

Stopped looking in the STW classifieds at that time. So less traffic from me.

Are they still available at that price? Perhaps its not such a rip off – somethings occasionally go up in value, when supply<demand. Would we be so quick to jump to protect the seller if he is “giving it away” at less than market value?

And you only need to fool a few…

On most forums, sales BS is called. Just look at TGR.

Stopped looking in the STW classifieds at that time. So less traffic from me.

Stoatsbrother – people are very quick to name and shame on here, there’s regularly moans about sellers but we don’t always hear both sides. TGR?

Pike RC is another one along with early Pikes that are mysteriously advertised for the same or abit more than they were widely available for not too long back.

Pike RC is another one along with early Pikes that are mysteriously advertised for the same or abit more than they were widely available for not too long back.

1 1/8″ steerers? No surprise the price is going up. The supply is going down.

Interesting to see what people think of this.

My main gripe isn’t someone selling them for the price they are (which is less than RRP) more the fact they state where they got them in the advert so blatantly advertising they are making decent profit. Just makes them seem arrogant imho

If they didn’t mention that I would have just assumed they purchased at a more normal price

wiggles – odd, so its OK to make a profit so long as you don’t tell anyone, but if you are pretty upfront about it and the buyer has the choice to reject your capitalist greed then its a bad idea. Seems back to front to me.

I’m not saying it is good to lie, I’m just saying unless you told me you bought it cheap then I wouldn’t assume you did.

The OP in the thread seems to assume I bought them at £60, admittedly they were selling at that price a few months ago and my wife and brother now have one as a result.

Since then I haven’t seen them in stock. I went into the supermarket this morning and they had two there for £90. Upon a quick googling they don’t seem to be selling at many places online this cheap (being discontinued?) so I picked them up. As my post says this price will cover my postage costs.

I’ll go and stick them on eBay for more and not be so honest next time then. I’ve bought and sold a lot on the classifieds here as many would hopefully attest too (3 of my current bikes for starters) not tying to rip anyone off.

Ta

So you bought them just to sell them ?

Why not, seems a good price? Caveat emptor and all that

I wouldn’t bother either to make a tenner minus postage and PayPal fees :/

If you paid £90 each and are selling at £95 posted, why bother ? Unless you reckoned that it was a way of passing on a bargain to others, in which case you may have been misjudged on this thread.

But why buy something just to sell it and not make a profit ?

So I’m wrong if I’m ripping people off and I’m wrong if I’m not making any profit…

Good to know where I stand then.

I don’t have an opinion about ripping or not ripping people of. But why buy something just to sell it to someone else for the same price, genuinely interested.

I was more trying to start a debate to see what people think rather than say what I believe is the right answer

Is it classed as trading if bought purely to sell on at a profit?

Yup.

@taxi25 like I said, it seems to be a good price. They’re great little units so I thought someone else might like a good price? I’ll return them and hope the store manager drops the price further I suppose?

This weekend I gave away an adult and a child ticket for a Man City Champions league home match. I got them free, the bloke that I gave them to asked if I wanted anything for them, I said no I don’t like to profit. Spread the love etc. If you are on a low low wage then I don’t have an issue with earning extra money to stop you from struggling. Taking advantage of goodwill though. No thanks.

Classified Rules

The ‘spirit’ of our forum is one where users can turn their old, surplus or unwanted kit into extra cash to enable them to buy new bits to help them get out and continue riding. The Classified Forum is not a place where users can earn a living or supplement their income by buying and selling parts. users who exploit our forum in this way will be considered to be trading.

it seems to be a good price. They’re great little units so I thought someone else might like a good price?

“PSA: (items) available for sale at (place) for a really good price.”

Duly noted, mods please remove my classified post. Ta

in which case you may have been misjudged on this thread

My thoughts exactly. I’ve bought more than one of things at good prices to pass on at cost. Perfectly reasonable behaviour.

I don’t need one btw 😉

Duly noted, mods please remove my classified post. Ta

in which case you may have been misjudged on this thread

I may be overruled but personally I’m inclined to leave it, from the comments here I don’t believe there’s any intentional foul. It’ll sell, or not, and then fall off the classifieds.

I think (hope) the “spirit” here wasn’t to profit but rather to pass on a good deal / availability to other forum members. Which I think is ok. (Though ultimately it’s not my call.)

However, it walks a fine line and it’s not really a precedence that we want to be setting; “he / she did this, why can’t I?” Illicit trading on the classifieds is a big problem, Mark was bang on the money when he spoke of the admin overhead.

Thing is, he sided with the sellers not the buyers…

I’m not so bothered – with the power of google it should be very easy for buyers to check. I’m more perplexed by the fairly steady stream of “for sale” ads you see here and on FB groups for:

– 2nd hand used helmets. There was a belter on bike parts scotland last week. £30 with a crack (but apparently it is not structural, 50% discount on RRP for it being ruined). £30 gets you a better new one from Decathlon, on one etc
– Part / very worn drive chains or components for a fair chunk of the RRP of new
– Done in tyres for the cost of better new tyres

What’s peoples view on people buying kit off here to sell in their eBay store? I don’t think it’s on personally, and certainly doesn’t fit with that quote from the classifieds rules above.

I’m fairly sure that counts as trading – though given it doesn’t cause Mark any hassle it’s not the sort of thing which is likely to be policed.

I did raise it with both the mods and Mark, but never heard anything back. The username is the same as their eBay store so it’s blatant too.