I’ve sold Islabikes on eBay with no reserve and always got at least the amount I hoped for. To some extent they ‘owed me nothing’ as my kids had used them happily for a number of years. However, I’d have still been gutted if they hadn’t got the price I deemed them worth.

A mate bought an On-One 29-er in September and quickly decided he didn’t like it for the type of riding he’s planning to do more of – steeper bike park descents and little jumps. He’s hardly ridden it and isn’t convinced by my argument of ‘no reserve means more interest which in turn means more bids and a better result’.

Has anyone sold a bike on eBay with no reserve and regretted it?

Conversely, has anyone been put off bidding on a bike because of the reserve? Even when it’s perhaps 2/3 of the ‘value’ of the bike.

Reserves tend to put me off. When I’ve sold bikes I go with a classified ad with make an offer option.

Worst ones are ‘buy it now or best offer’ then refuse to accept any offer!
Frame I was interested in was up for £750 worked my way through my three offers and ended up at £725……offer declined :-/

It’s not reserves that put me off, it’s just the fact that in most cases I see where a reserve is on a listing it’s at an unrealistic amount I.e. Real tip end (or above) what the bike or part is worth IMHO

Doubt you’ll get 2/3rds value of new bike. It’ll be one of those unrealistic prices and it won’t sell.
If it’s a popular or common item just put it on for 99p, it’ll sell for what it’s worth. Whether that is the same as what the seller thinks it is worth is a whole other matter.

No reserve. Seller can always back out if the price is too low. Not allowed in the rules but it happens.

As long as no-reserve auctions end at a sensible time (i.e. not 3:12 on Wednesday morning) then I’d prefer to just let them run. I’ve had my auctions finish for next to nothing (99p Deore rear mech) but many for way more than I thought (pink leather three piece suite left in my first house when I bought it went for about £700 and I thought was worthless). You could pull out, sellers have done the “item broke whilst I was packaging it” thing to me when I’ve seemingly won a bargain.

Reserves are pointless, just start the auction at the lowest price you’d be happy to let the item go for, 10 day auction starting on Thursday evening finishing Sunday evening early in the month when people have just got paid should pull in the most punters.

Usually find that auctions with reserves are a pointless waste of time, so never bother bidding on them

Reserves always stop me bidding. Given the amount of ridiculously priced items on eBay I just assume it’ll be set higher than the item’s worth. Either 99p no reserve it (which is likely the best option if you use a decent title and pictures and start it at a good time) or start it at the minimum you’re prepared to accept.

What is the price he is looking for? Under £500 i’d probably just roll with it, over that and there’s a fair difference in what you might want, what you get, and what you recieve net of the fees.

Slightly off topic but nothing annoys me more on eBay then a listing that says no reserve but a start price of say £600. That is a reserve isn’t it! It’s just at the start. ** rant over, drinks coffee **

Thanks for everyone’s thoughts.

Bought for £1,800
Would love to achieve £1,500
Doesn’t want less than £1,000

Will pass on people’s feedback and let him decide what to do.

£1500 for a second hand On-One?
Actually, scrub that, £1000 for a second hand On-One????

Is he on crack?? 😉

Need a spec really as that price seems bonkers.

EIGHTEEN HUNDRED POUNDS?

I’ve got some magic beans for sale, if he’s interested.

I watch a lot of bikes on ebay (& buy very few).

I see a lot of bikes with unrealistic reserves (or starting prices) go round and round, often with no or tiny decreases. Some have been on there for over a year. If that was me i’d want it sold.

I also see a lot of bikes fail to reach the reserve, then get relisted without a reserve and sell for more.

I woundn’t bother with a reserve, but i also wouldn’t expect £1500 for a second hand inbred.

Assume it’s one of the FS ones?

He’d be better of splitting it I think.

It is:

On One Codeine 29er
Size Large
SRAM X1 groupset (30T chainring, 10-42T cassette)
Rockshox Pike RC 140mm fork
Rockshox Monarch Plus 130mm rear shock
Rockshox Reverb 125mm Dropper seatpost

Worst ones are ‘buy it now or best offer’ then refuse to accept any offer!
Frame I was interested in was up for £750 worked my way through my three offers and ended up at £725……offer declined :-/

May have accidentally put the “best offer” bit on, I have done that before.

Also may have sold it off eBay and be rejecting all offers for that reason, as they appear to have tightened up on people ending sales early.

In the case of the OP, I’d go BIN or best offer though.

manvstarmac – Member
Thanks for everyone’s thoughts.

Bought for £1,800

I’d learn to love it for that money 😯 – either that or split it

They were selling them for less than £1,800 in one of their continuos sales. As such don’t think he’ll get £1,500, but if mint somewhere between £1,000-£1,200 I’d guess.

That or split but doubt he’ll make good the same amount e.g. Second hand reverb has to be cheap to sell given lack or warranty that will inevitably be required

chakaping – Member
Worst ones are ‘buy it now or best offer’ then refuse to accept any offer!
Frame I was interested in was up for £750 worked my way through my three offers and ended up at £725……offer declined :-/
May have accidentally put the “best offer” bit on, I have done that before.

Also may have sold it off eBay and be rejecting all offers for that reason, as they appear to have tightened up on people ending sales early.

In the case of the OP, I’d go BIN or best offer though.

POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

What if someone hits the BIN?

only ever sold one bike on ebay.
i valued the bike at that time to be around £750.
i did the BIN and got no real bites…lots of cheeky offers though!!
put it on auction with a reserve and got some bids but the reserve wasnt met so i lowered the reserve and again the same thing…a lot of chancers asking me to end the auction for a quick sale but at a ridiculously low price!!
in the end i removed the bike off ebay for a few weeks and then put it back on auction with no reserve. it ended up selling for £425!! much less than i wanted and even less once ebay had bummed me for their selling fees!!

That or split but doubt he’ll make good the same amount e.g. Second hand reverb has to be cheap to sell given lack or warranty that will inevitably be required

You’d think, but I tend to rent Reverbs, by owning them for a year then selling them for c.£30 less than a good sale price.

He’s not going to get £1500. But £1200 if he splits it might be do-able, a grand if he doesn’t.