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Hi
I'm likely to be selling my bike soon and I want to tap in to the STW Hivemind to avoid being conned/ripped off/generally done over.
Firstly, I will be listing the bike on the STW For Sale board, mentioning it amongst my cycling buddy circles, but may also have to use a popular online auction platform.
Secondly, what do I need to watch out for from potential customers/actual scallies who might have nefarious intent? What do you do when selling your bikes when it comes to reducing the risk of being ripped off etc?
My main thought is to only meet in public areas, with a mate/backup if available, rather than meeting at home, but am I better to meet at home? If the potential customer wants a test ride (fair enough) then I need to have the full asking price or "buy it now" price in my hand, in cash, before they get on the bike. I'd give a receipt for the cash with a description of the bike and it's serial number recorded on it.
Do I go as paranoid as having a go-pro recording the transaction? Do I only take cash or am I better off being paid by PayPal or bank transfer? Are there other bike sales cons that you've heard of or, worse still, been victim of?
Realistically, I know that most people are decent and I hate having to view everyone as a potential thief, but unfortunately that's the reality of things. Any pointers gratefully received.
I sold a bike yesterday via Facebook. Chap turned up at my house and wanted a test ride. He left his car on my drive and his car keys and I took a photo of him and his driving licence before he set off for a 15 minute spin. When he got back to me he wanted the bike and paid the full asking price without any haggling (I had stated in the ad that the for sale price was non negotiable so don't waste my or your time) and did a bank transfer there and then.
I've sold 2 bikes recently, both advertised on gumtree so that only locals would likely respond.
From a purchasers point of view, meeting at a random location spells out a dodgy deal: why are you afraid to meet where you live?
I asked for photo proof of ID before a test ride, and held their car keys for the person arriving by car. Payment either by cash or bank transfer works. With xfer you can see the money in your account almost immediately.
why are you afraid to meet where you live?
Tales of buyers not buying then the bike vanishing in the night i'd imagine
If you get given keys as "insurance" do check they are real (press the buttons).
Otherwise I've always sold on Facebook through one of the local cycling sale pages. Cycling scene isn't that big so it is rare they are a complete random and there isn't at least a tenuous connection to a friend of a friend or a known club. On facebook you can often tell if someones a cyclist of chancer from the profile pic and public details.
I'd do cash or bank transfer.
A couple of times people have wanted to meet somewhere neutral, public. Supermarket near me so normally do it out the front of that. Parking, well lit, public, CCTV.
Remember they will be as nervous about parting with cash and getting a lemon as you are of being ripped off.
Most people are nice. I still remember buying a retro Raleigh off an old guy. Bought it years ago and it was in the shed almost as if it had left the shop save for a load of dust. We got chatting about when he used to race some and the some of the guys he raced against that I knew.
I've recently sold one where we met at the local supermarket and one where they came to my house. First one was through FB and paid cash (top tip - make sure you know how to check for genuine 20 and 50 pound notes), second one was eBay and via Paypal. Neither wanted to ride the bike before taking it.
Oddly, one of the most important things to do is simply to talk to the buyer. A good conversation about bikes and you'll soon find out if they are genuine and you can be sure that a genuine buyer will be trying to do the same with you!
Recently, I bought an expensive truing stand from a local advert and we spent a good hour chatting about lots of things relating to cycling (it turns out that we had a few mutual acquaintances too) and, as it happens, I was wearing a local cycle club branded fleece which I'd never considered before as being a decent mark of someone who is probably who they say they are!
In the end, I paid by bank transfer and, as is typical of such things, my banking app announced that this transaction would take "up to 24 hours to go through" - aaaargh! By this time, an adequate level of trust had been built such that he was happy for me to take the stand and would drop me a message when the money came through, which it did some 3 hours later.
In short, use your nose and follow your instincts! If it doesn't feel right, then walk away. Oh, and if selling at home, make sure you don't give any indication of what other bikes you may have squirrelled away. Show only what you are selling and nothing else.
Thanks everyone for some useful tips and also some encouarging thoughts too!
With Ebay, don't accept paypal if buyer collecting goods as they could open dispute saying goods not received.
I've sold a few of my Dad's old bikes - one a tourer that I dropped off at the buyer's house (as we discussed delivery . collection possibilities I realised that I would be driving within a couple of miles of it that weekend) so he gave me cash on delivery. He'd seen numerous pics of the bike, had all the relevant details and had asked questions that the average scrote probably wouldn't know the answer to so I guess he was happy. And that was done through the CTC website which I guess doesn't attract the same chancers as ebay or FB.
Sold one at Manchester Piccadilly station. A woman came down from Scotland to collect it. Off the train, quick look at the bike, paid cash and back on the next train to Scotland with it!
I'd echo the above about not giving away your home address. Pick a neutral, reasonably busy location. It's as much for your protection as theirs. If I was buying a bike, I'd be nervous about turning up at a random house with £££ of cash in case it was all an elaborate set-up and 3 large lads were there to greet me. And if I'm selling, I don't want the same 3 large lads turning up at my house to persuade me to offer a 100% discount on the bike plus any other items I might have lying around...
Maybe I'm paranoid but it doesn't mean they're not out to get me. 😉
This is a rubbish stealth ad OP. You’ve not even told us what bike it is you’re selling. 😉
If selling through eBay or PinkBike I always insist on collection only and I’ve never had issues with the buyer paying through PayPal and trying to claim back. So PayPal or bank transfer as payment methods. I’ve sold at my house or met at a convenient location midway if applicable.
Reading some of the posts above I’m either spectacularly laid back, very lucky or just not in the least bit paranoid.
I have done on occasion yes. Not through eBay sake though as I believe in paying the fee. YMMV
Funkmasterp, it's a Whyte T130S from 2018 in large, if you're interested! I've got a Cotic Solaris MAX on order and selling the Whyte will help fund it.
Dont forget you get plenty off complete time wasters on here too but hay ho just sold one today via mate in cycle shop guy came around to house friend of a friend and all that it was pleasure to deal with also I have sold quite a few over the years at service stations of the motorway and meet great people if the person is going to travel miles to your house generally they are ok.
Just sold and bought expensive bikes on line. Sold through facebook, was super honest and took a video walkround of the bike pointing out good and not so good bits. Bit of chat and sold for near as dam the asking price. I snooped the guys facebook profile and asked a couple pf nonchalant questions but that told me he was genuine and understood what he was buying. I asked for a token deposit to take it off sale and the balance once i had booked postage etc. Buying was similar, snooped the guy selling, asked a few questions that mr scammer might not know and paid him a deposit to confirm it was mine and the money a couple days later once i had it. Everyone very happy and straightforwad.
With Ebay, don’t accept paypal if buyer collecting goods as they could open dispute saying goods not received.
They’ve changed it in recent days. Seller can’t mark as collected without scanning a barcode or entering a code that the buyer is sent. Buyer shouldn’t give that code until they’ve checked the item and they’re happy - in effect they’ve accepted the item. Closes that loophole nicely.
I'm always cautious about revealing my address in way that links to my online username, especially via forums for selling/buying stuff, and would normally aim to meet away from the house. Lots of bike thefts in my area recently and a lot seem to be someone has taken viewing or two for a bike and then their shed has been done over a day or two later.
Tales of buyers not buying then the bike vanishing in the night i’d imagine
I've had this happen. As a consequence I won't sell from home anymore.
With Ebay, don’t accept paypal if buyer collecting goods as they could open dispute saying goods not received.
Can't you get round that by using PayPal 'send to friends & family'? You don't have the PayPal buyers protection that can cause those issues.
Otherwise bank transfer, with faster payments its usually in there instantly.
As to selling it from home, never had a problem and the others above have stated good examples of protecting yourself.
I've sold two through Facebook recently, you can usually get a reasonable idea if they are the sort of person you want to know where you live before responding. I have a yard so it was somewhere for them to test the bike, I also told both to park in the yard and I closed the gate. I find bank transfer on collection the best way to do it myself.
Luckily with everything I've sold recently everyone has been dead sound, just ignore the time wasters or people you are unsure of.
When buying bike bits over £100 on Facebook marketplace, what is the best way to protect me as a buyer?
Is there any protection for bank transfers if you have messages or as seller with receipt of postage?
Is it right that:
PayPal Friends and family: no protection is stuff goes wrong?
PayPal goods and services: are you covered if the parts don’t arrive? What is the protections?
Any other ways to pay with some kind of protection when getting stuff postage?
Can you pay with a credit card via FB marketplace and not incure fees to either party?
I have had no problems with bank transfers in the past but if something goes wrong, can you get your money back?
Sold a bike recently on FB.
The buyer sent me a deposit via bank transfer along with a picture of his driving licence.
I then delivered the bike to him as he was pretty close and he gave me cash for the rest of the payment.
So the bike is on the market. I've got an ad in the classifieds here, and it is also listed on a popular online auction site. From said site I have thus far generated the following queries in 24 hours:
(1) Would I take an offer of £100 under the asking price. The enquirer has 2 feedback from over 12 months ago.
(2) What is the lowest amount I would take? This enquirer has 3 feedback, so that's an improvement.
(3) Would I take £500 under the asking price, with no need to go through the auction site or the popular payment handling service?
On the plus side I have had a couple of other "regular" enquiries, one is fairly local, so we'll see what occurs with them.