[JohnC]

I really need to get my old track bike to sell, so I'm considering some actual paid marketing avenues - either eBay or CycleTrader. I'm wondering if anyone here has sold a bike on eBay, and what their experience has been. I've done the CycleTrader thing before, and eBayed some smaller items, but never anything as big as a bike.

Cost is roughly the same, no matter which way I go.

My thoughts:
eBay - larger audience, less targeted, though I know many racers use this as a parts warehouse.

CycleTrader - smaller audience, though more targeted, and reaches both magazine and Internet audiences.

Your thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[jetblast10]

I sold my 2000 Buell S3T on eBay to a guy over a thousand miles away with nothing but pictures. That was before all the fraud was out of control but it can still be done.

As a seller there are a few things I'd offer a potential buyer to help put them at ease.
1. A cellphone number that's always on your hip.
2. Offer as many pictures as a buyer could want, and offer to take a picture of an unusual part at an odd angle and email it to them right away. That will help assure a buyer that you actually have the bike in your garage.
3. Don't accept any sort of unusual offer from anyone outside the continental US. ALL money orders, checks, wire transfers, etc. must be authorized and cleared before you release the bike to anyone.
4. Be flexible, sometimes legitimate buyers have odd requests or circumstances. Do nothing strange and the likelihood of being burnt is minimized.


Good luck with the sale.

 

[dayrock]

Have you also tried advertising it on the Team Promotion and Corner Speed forums. At least you would hit your target audience.

 

[turn_1]

I would go with cycle trader. Tried both. Ebay is excellent for audience, but no one buys anything unless its a steal. Cycletrader has sold a few things for me. The add runs like 12 weeks and you get the mag and internet posts.

 

[SV650s]

I you decide to e-Bay it specify local pick-up ONLY... This way you get to meet the buyer face to face. Eliminates the scam factor.

 

[JohnC]

Hey dayrock, do you have links for those two sites?

 

[dayrock]

This is the corner speed one. Just started a couple months ago. http://cornerspeed.net/forums/ Just create an account and you should be able to post right away.

And this is the Team Promotions one. However, you need to be a member to log into the forum. Its listed under members option on the left. I could post up the details if want. Send me a pm. http://www.teampromotion.com/tpm.php

My rates are pretty cheap. You can send me a set of race tires and we'll call it even if it sells,

And this isn't a bad site either... http://www.clubracer.net/

 

[MetallicCarrot]

Ebay: You start at a price and it goes up from there (sometimes).

Trader: You start at a price and it goes down from there.

That's basically the rule I use when trying to list something with either service. I've had success with both, but I've had to relist with Ebay, not with Auto/Cycletrader. I've found that the Trader has always been local pickup for my transactions, and I've only had one local pickup from an Ebay vehicle sale, and that customer drove 14hrs!

Things to consider...

 

[RSixxy]

How about advertising it also on the JenningsGP site? It would be free on that one at least.

 

[JohnC]

You're a bit behind the times, man. This thread is older than you are.

Anyway, the bike sold. New owner is picking her up tomorrow.

 

[MetallicCarrot]

Well? How did you list it? Ebay, Cycletrader, or other?

 

[JohnC]

Tried the eBay thing, got NO response. 7 or 8 watchers, no bidders. Finally dropped the price to barely broke even, and she went. I think the guy that finally bought her found her on the CCS or maybe WERA board.