CliffordK

Most of what I buy is not fully functional, or has known deficiencies, so I don't worry about a test ride.

When I bought my Bike Friday, it had a tall mast, so I made sure I could get the seat adjusted right. The seller offered a test ride, but I was tuckered out towing my trailer to the top of the hill... so I just rode it in a circle around the garage.

It could have been a lickity split quick test ride down the hill. But, I realized that I would have left my Colnago parked in his driveway. Not the best of trades, but the seller could be fairly certain that I wouldn't be going anywhere without it.

I suppose not all buyers show up towing a trailer with a Colnago or Litespeed.

Lascauxcaveman 

I always tell people to meet me at work, which is convenient for me and centrally located in town for them. If I get a 'vibe' I just ask to hold the money while they test ride and tell them to take as long as they like. Usually I say something like "If you decide you want to keep it, you don't even have to come back." And this has happened twice

markii

Yeah - I dislike haggling with a buyer when they arrive to purchase - and it is usually for no reason - or they state something I already disclosed in the ad. The items I list are described really well, have good pictures... and are priced at a very good price If someone finds something I missed, I have no problems adjusting the price when they arrive, but that usually doesn't happen. I've altered my selling strategy to remind them before making a trip that I will not be selling the item for less when they arrive - and if they don't like that I just skip over that person and move on to the next person.. or wait a week or so for the next person to inquire - because in the end the item is priced well and will sell.

Inevitably someone will still try to haggle - or still not bring enough money... I still need to work on handling those situations better... I do cave in still at times...

In the end each of us handles things differently - I am sure I lose out on money overall doing it the way I do ( and when I buy as well) - but I'm much happier after a good transaction with less money than more stressful transactions and making a bit more.

eschlwc

glad that works for you. i usually get a vibe as well. and i generally have their real email and phone number.

but i still get anxious when it's out of my sight! i can't help it.

eschlwc

of the 30+ bikes i've purchased on craigs, i've never taken any of them on a test ride.

Chrome Molly

I've had some gems...

Low ballers who act like they are doing you a favor by showing up and wasting your time, after you tell them that low balling will be wasting their time.

A surprising number of idiots who want to pay by check (get off my lawn).

Had one guy respond to a free "curb alert" for non bike related stuff by inspecting, taking the free sign off the item, then driving away (too pricey apparently).

clubman 

This.

ypsetihw

seriously this, I would never agree to price, and if we even discuss it when I'm buying before I see it, I tell them that I will pay a reasonable price if the item is as described. then I haggle when we get there.

when somebody agrees to a price before they even see the bike I know I could have rung them for more lol. and to the point about 20% more, definitely true. I always assume $50 means $40, and when I post, $150/obo means $120. seriously though, like who doesn't haggle? I'm honestly surprised this thread is 4 pages lol.

ypsetihw

lol what happens is that you get pwned by somebody who is a closer, and they win because you cave. they have the money, they just don't give it to you, and you let them.

I always bring enough money for full asking, and I NEVER bring it out of my pocket haha. hell I bring what I want to spend in my pocket, and leave my wallet with the rest in the car. I pull out the $20s and say "would you take" and then start counting. sellers are crazy suckers, especially people who don't have experience in a sales type environment professionally. they ALWAYS take the cash, even if it's lowball. on the rare occasion that I meet a serious cyclist and honest seller, I usually give them full asking and then talk shop for a while, at which point they often smirk in amusement.

rule #5 applies to the business as well, not just riding.

markii

Right - I did cave at one point - and never liked it. I know I am crappy at haggling so why play the game? If I give a heads up I am not accepting less than full price for no reason and yet the buyer tries to haggle for no reason (and again no problem adjusting the price for a good reason)- or the buyer pulls out $20 bills and says "would you take"- I'll just thank them for coming out - walk back inside and get on with my day even if the buyer intended to pay full price. No worries on my end.... I only spent a few minutes showing the item - while the other person wasted their time driving out...

r0ckh0und 

I don't mind playing the barter game............but buyers or sellers who become rude or insulting.......no thanks. Falling into the rude catagory........buyers who just keep pushing when you say no and/or try driving the price down further after you've accepted an offer from them. I also get a lot of "buyers" making offers.......accept them and they walk anyway.

As a buyer of many other things aside from bicycles, if the price is'nt in my wheelhouse and I can't make a deal for it, I will usually compliment the sellers item, thank them and walk away.

Drillium Dude 

What's that saying? "If you've gotta ask, you can't afford it".

I see a few comments along the lines of "maybe that's all the prospective buyer could afford" as a justification of sorts for lowball offers. Oh, well, huh? I'd say it's pretty presumptuous to shop for a Colnago on a Huffy budget

DD

eschlwc

that would be pretty funny if he just took the sign.

Bikerider007

I'm a buyer and have cash, sellers are going to get what I give depending on how bad I "personally" want it. Or don't. So there,

I'm sure if I start selling I will be wanting a million though. Haha.

clubman 

This happened tonight. For two weeks a guy had listed some local bike stuff. The listing was written well, piqued my interest and I so met him in a store parking lot and everything was in his backpack as described. We chatted first, he just got divorced, didn't have a car, needed the money and didn't want to negotiate down. I said fine because his story all held together. He knew his stuff, knew bikes, ex roadie getting long in tooth.

The orange Marinoni frame pump came with steel campy head, a very nice Silca floor pump (extra leather washers and head rubbers) and the new Sidi shoes fit like a glove. Then there was pristine 600 pedals with clips, pro-Park pedal wrench, bar tape, winter gloves, jersey, rain coat, spd mtn pedals, new helmet liner, neoprene boots and more little bits. Shame the Giro helmet was too small, nice Italian colored model.

I paid full pop. No need to beat a guy down when he didn't have lots going for him. Call me a 'weak' for not bartering but cheapness can be a most unattractive quality at the wrong time. I got enough out value of it and chiselling him down $10 wouldn't have been a victory.

francophile 

Yup. Keep what I expect to spend in my left pocket, the max I would spend in my right pocket, and a little spare in my back pocket in case I find it's better than I thought and I don't want to walk back to the car. 50% of the time I'm only spending from the left, 25% I'm pulling from both front pockets, 20% of the time I just walk away, and the other 5% (probably less) I'm pulling at least something from my back pocket.

armstrong101

Anyways - I'll add a few more details.

1. Why no price. I got the full build at a smoking deal (I paid full asking). In cases like this, with a bike I wasn't going to keep, I don't like to immediately flip it. Reason is, I think it's insulting to the seller to see his bike re-listed the next day with a (for example) 250% mark-up. I got the sense the seller felt he was selling a bit too cheap. So I've held the bike about a half year, and have listed it. I'll probably get the entire amount I paid, on just the frameset alone. Hence, I listed it as a "trade", just in case he sees it, so he knows it's not just about the money for me. And it isn't. As I said, my asking is probably at least 50% less than what most other people would ask for it.

2. I've had messages/inquiries about it every single day since it was listed. It will move. As such, anyone who lowballs (like the guy who emailed me), there's no reason for me to spend time dealing with them.

3. His offer of 450 CDN, is like about 300 USD at the current exchange rate. For a top-flight frame from a top manufacturer - that's more like aluminum-frame pricing. Why would I deal with him?

Chrome Molly

Somehow I have visions of this guy's garage filled with free signs. Everybody needs a hobby, I suppose.

OldsCOOL

We are of the same mind. I saw a Motobecane Super Mirage on CL. The guy wanted to meet at a business location. I was pumped, since this was a bike I had as a kid. Turns out the guy was in between homes and needing gas money to get to work. The bike was in excellent condition but grimey, bad grimey. I paid him his asking price no probs and he was very grateful. It was a good day.

repechage

My suggestion would be to have a thicker skin as a seller. Most buyers are amateurs, or think they are semi-pro buyers. Folk don't like to know the truth.
Be polite, but advise your view. If done in a way that allows reconsideration, a deal may be concluded in the future and no one has to lose face over it.

modelmartin

The thing I see at swap meets is some guy late in the day who wants your $20 item but says he spent all his money and only has $17.00 left. I have seen this so many times. Of course same guy still goes down the line of tables buying more items with his last bit of money again and again!!

armstrong101

I'm glad I earn a living that allows me not to have to sell out my integrity over and over again to save $3.

mstateglfr 

I have ended a couple of discussions about potential jobs due to being asked what i want to make. I was invested in both potential jobs thru time and effort, but declined after being offered one (and potentially offered the other) due to the tactic you use.
It works for you, cool, just saying that you are potentially (or have) losing out of qualified potential employees by answeribg a question with a question and playing the upper hand game.
I want to make $800k a year. Hell, i want to make $10mil a year. But thats obviously not in the cards so why even ask.
Employers place a value range on a job category and adjust for experience, so you already have a price in mind so why not be willing to talk?

I have no interest in working for a company who cant twll me what they think their job is worth. I can only imagine how much ridiculousness i would have to deal with in a company like that.

You say that knowing a buyer has cash in their pocket can be used against them because they are committed to buying, yet i havent found that to at all be true.
I bring money to every meet up, yet dont buy if i dont like the product or price. The money is there in case i like it.
In fact, as a seller i would be more willing to drop a price by $15 on a bike i was asking $200 for if the person offered up $185 and had the money ready. Sure, i could counter, but i really dont care about getting an extra $5 compared to selling a bike.

mstateglfr 

But if you dont care that you got 'pwned'(is this '06 still?), did you get 'pwned'?
It could be argued that you did not get 'pwned' if you dont care that you got 'pwned' because in order to be 'pwned' one must actively try to not be 'pwned'.
And did the buyer win, or did both parties win? If i agree to a lower price, have i caved or have i weighed the benefits of selling now compared to holding out for the potential higher sale later and decided its better for me to sell now?

This is all a mindblow, i know, but its like that whole cat in a box thing. Dont open the box and the cat isnt dead.

D1andonlyDman

If it starts to smell decomposed, it's dead even if you don't open the box.