Prices in the classifieds

Just spotted a 2005 Orange5 in the classifieds for £900. Bargainlishious

🙄

STW HAS FOR ME BEEN A GODSEND….I have sold and bought loads of here in recent years from loads of people.
I know most of the names have changed now ,but id still be happy to deal with people on here and other related sites..

People do make a hefty profit of here(NOT ALL OF THEM).
There will always be people who want full wack,so DONT BUY FROM THEM. Or sell to THE PROFIT HUNTERS.
As for naming and shaming that goes a bit to far…We all know who they are.

Some forums operate a system whereby you can only use the classifieds if you have a certain number of posts on the other forums. If the functionality is there to implement it, then maybe they should think about it.

However I don't think that there is a simple solution. I've bought stuff that was cheap and in good condition off people with very little previous "form". On the flipside there are people who are near-ubiquitous presences on here but who are prone to jerking people around.

Maybe there should be a "classifieds tips" sticky along the lines of:

– Search a user's history before buying and selling with them.
– Set what price you want but a normal guideline is 50% of RRP.

And anything else the mods want to add.

Having bought an sold a few things on the classifieds here but rarely post in the other forums, I think it's a shame when crazy prices are asked. I use the classifieds as a means to trade with like minded individuals in an atmosphere of trust and bon homie rather than the cut throat money mentality of ebay. I don't think I'm a shop and I don't want to 'make' money from the classifieds. I'd hope that anything I sell sub 'real' value on here comes full circle and I get a few bargains too

I make this point for no other reason than I'd like to live in la-la land where people are good to each other and the notion of what goes around comes around is workable.

Anyhoo, I'm off to the post office…

it'd be a pity if the Classifieds were restricted to serious posters only (say over 100+). i've been a member/mag subscriber since 2003 but don't post much anymore especially since i moved to an open plan office!!!!

i've bought a couple of frames, several pairs of forks and lots of little bits to and fro since then. i've always found the Classifieds great – i know what my limits are and what i would think was reasonable for an item. My only mistake was to buy some classic blue "mavic" stickered SIDS a few years ago forgetting to check disc compatibility. Caveat Emptor indeed and entirely my fault…

I have a similar outlook to Stevio. I don't post too much; I'm not as witty as some on here and don't feel the need to weigh in with my opinion, I'm also not as knowledgable as some on the website. I tend to use the website more for advice etc.

I naively thought the classifieds were about like minded people trading. Although I've noticed this isn't always the case some stuff has been seriously overpriced. I always worked on the assumption that the starting price was 50% of the shop price.

It is sad to find that STW has grown into a bit of a monster in some ways. I liked the community feel of the classifieds from a year or so back.. People helping each other out on a daily basis. I gave some stuff away for free as a result.

To the guy trying to sell the Brompton:

You say you are 'just trying to recoup your costs'.. Yet personally – I accept that – whenever I buy something and then try to sell it on again afterwards (even if I haven't used it), I will always lose some money on it. It's just the way things work…

You just have to take these things on the chin, surely?

have people forgotten how to haggle??

I think it is a tad easy to say if someone uses the classified's in the right or wrong way, I have sold stuff on there too cheap and somethimes too high… I tend to sell bits for a price I think it is worth… but many of us dont always get it right! Likewise buying.. I have picked up a lot of bargains I needed and have had a lot of decent STW'ers help me out, but I have also paid over the odds a few times.. All horses for courses imho… at least the people who use STW for selling only do not frequent the chat forums 🙂

I agree with freeform5spot, if you don't like a price then haggle. I would always start a little higher as I'm not out to be robbed but I'll always entertain offers and will happily reduce a price if I was wrong with my estimate. It's all part of the process.

I have very little idea of the value of stuff so when I tend to check on CRC and go for half of that. Sometimes I will haggle, sometimes I won't.

Buying – I tend to just pay the price without haggling unless it appears really high on an expensive item – I can't be bothered arguing over a fiver.

What I meant by in the OP was that prices were high & so there was a lot less activity, most stuff seems to hang around for ages now

Not so long ago, you'd see numerous posts with 10+ replies – not now
Many posts don't even get a single reply

Stuff like used tyres for £25 each is laughable
Personally, if the asking price is high I'd just ignore it rather than bother haggling

have people forgotten how to haggle??

Dont go there! It then comes under 'don't low-ball me'

To the guy trying to sell the Brompton:

You say you are 'just trying to recoup your costs'.. Yet personally – I accept that – whenever I buy something and then try to sell it on again afterwards (even if I haven't used it), I will always lose some money on it. It's just the way things work…

You just have to take these things on the chin, surely?

Sure, if I discover I have paid over the odds then yes I'll take the loss but I don't think trying to recoup my outlay first off is some sort of outrageous crime. It was 2nd-hand when I bought it and I don't think it would have depreciated any more in the time I've owned it. The bike is in better condition than when I bought it, I've spent time (admittedly I enjoy the tinkering) and money on it and having given it a service it runs much better as a result.
Like everyone on here I'm aware that I will probably lose money but I'd rather not lose much and as I've done before when both buying and selling on STW over the past 5 years I'm prepared to haggle.

In response to uplink's OP I agree stuff doesn't move as quick as it used to but I also think that there is less activity in the classifieds due to people being a lot more careful with their money, you only have to read the tales of redundancy in the chat forum to know that there are a whole lot of people on here with more to worry about than their next piece of bike bling.

Yeah.. fair enough I suppose. It's actually quite a nice looking bike! Hell, I dunno what it's even worth… and a Brompton is on my list of one-of-the-bikes-I-really-must-own-before-I-die. Not sure why though (I think it's just cos they're beautiful-practical looking things)

I realise now that you are only really admiting your honesty in your intent in the wording of the advert. But as a potential buyer of such a bike – saying in the advert that you are only trying to recoup costs – suggests to me that (1) it's possibly over-priced and (2) that you are most likely to be unwilling to negotiate. This may/may not be the case, but it's just how it 'reads'.

Good luck with your bike sale anyway.. 🙂

In response to uplink's OP I agree stuff doesn't move as quick as it used to but I also think that there is less activity in the classifieds due to people being a lot more careful with their money, you only have to read the tales of redundancy in the chat forum to know that there are a whole lot of people on here with more to worry about than their next piece of bike bling.

I understand what you're saying & eluded to the fact in the OP that people are a bit careful with their money right now
But doesn't that reinforce the theory that things are over-priced?

Simplistically – if something isn't selling, the price must be too high ??

Simplistically – if something isn't selling, the price must be too high ??

That's a very simplistic way of looking at things, and imo only really applies to commodities,.

I ofthen look at things and think 'I have better things to do with my money' or 'I have nowhere to put it' or 'the kids will ruin it' – none of these have anything to do with the value or sale price of those things.

RaglanSurf understand where you are coming from but surely one could spent £150 more, get a warranty (probably a free service after a period) and stick your own lights on? then you have a brand new bike and not a 4-5yr old bike. Ive seen many well cared for mountain bikes- they mean alot to their owners but sometimes wouldnt be worth what their owners feel in the market place. I have to agree with the 50% rule but I (personally) have my own value that I want for something as well (like you) so I am torn. 🙂