Experiences buying from Craigslist/Ebay?

[Lisa Holman]

Anyone get any amazing deals this way? Any advice for buying from online listings?

[Pedal Wench]

I've bought a bunch of bikes and gear from ebay. I always try to ask a very specific question about a product -- that way I know it's probably a legit seller. Good luck!

[Cataboo]

I've bought 2 bikes off ebay, and a bike frame - one bike & a frame off craigslist. The bf's bought 1 bike off ebay and 2 from craigslist.

Craigslist is easy - you can see the bike and you can test ride it. Depending on your area, sometimes it can be pretty competitive to get the really good deals on nice bikes... At least it is around here. And there's a heck of a lot of people that think their 10 year old schwinn or some such is still worth $200. But the bikes we've bought on craigslist have been great deals.

As for ebay - definitely pay a lot of attention to the seller's measurements. I once bought a frame that I know & wanted in a 49 cm size... It was listed as a 49 cm. The frame arrived and it had a sticker on it that said 52 cm frame. Making it way too large for me, but it fit the bf and he built it up for himself. The seller did reluctantly state that he would take that frame back & refund my money if I really really wanted.

Another bike was significantly upgraded from the original specs - I think I eventually found that the cassette was not ultegra level like was claimed in the ebay listing (not a huge deal, but not something I noticed till I changed the cassette for some reason)... and someone had put 172.5 mm cranks on a 650c 49 cm bike. I hadn't thought to ask them the crank length - and found it bizarre that anyone would think that someone needed 172.5 mm cranks on that small of a bike anyways - I bought smaller cranks to put on it, eventually decided I hated the bike and ebayed it - I didn't lose any money on the whole deal.

My litespeed I got on ebay for an amazing price, was in great shape - at the point I saw it, it kinda had no details other than 49 cm litespeed and some pics. I went into the archives on litespeed, figured out what it was & what the components were on it if it was still stock, and just did the buy it now because what the seller wanted was at a price that I was willing to deal with what I got. I wasn't too clear on the sizing, but if it didn't fit, it just meant the bf was going to get a great price on a litespeed and I was gonna pout. But it worked out and it's my favorite bike ever.

My bf's got his litespeed on ebay. A good price, but not great - except that I guess DHL must have laid the box flat in the truck & packed a bunch of boxes on top of it and the box musta slide back and forth in the truck - so while the bike was absolutely fine, it had screwed up the hub of the wheel. DHL gave him like $800 for a new wheel in the insurance claim... thus making it a great deal.

bikepedia.com is a good resource when you're trying to figure out what a buyer is selling and a price point.

[Cataboo]

bing.com gives cashback on ebay buy it now purchases - I think it's at about 8% now - but that can reduce how much you spend on a bike on ebay.

[eofelis]

I buy things from ebay from time to time. I have never bought from craigslist.

I just bought a "custom" 41cm Gunnar Sport frame with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork on ebay for ~$250. Looks like someone had it made for themself and it didn't work for them for one reason or another. I was thinking of getting a custom Sport made for myself; the frame alone is $1000+. This one I got is the exact size I'd have made. The fit is perfect and the ride quality of this frame is outstanding. (I'll post more on this bike, with pics, later.)

When I saw the auction, I knew what it was and I put a stupidly high max bid to make sure I'd get it. It went for a lot less than I thought it would.

When buying on ebay its a good idea to know exactly what you want so you can recognize it when an auction comes up. I have several saved searches on ebay for items I'm looking for. I get emailed when an auction fitting that description comes up. Like, I have a Gunnar saved search.

[Kiwi Stoker]

We have had good success purchasing parts off eBay. Just make sure if there's not enough info or pictures, ask questions. You soon get a fair idea if the person knows his stuff or is just clearing the junk and the item is as described.

We brought our tandem off Trademe (NZ version of Craiglist). If you know what you are looking for and can confirm the actual product (we drove 1 1/2 hours to look at the tandem) it's well worth it.

I have also sold a bike this way and was happy with the price I got, I just made sure I was honest about the bike and realistic about what I could get for it. It sold first time!

[eofelis]

I just bought a "custom" 41cm Gunnar Sport frame with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork on ebay for ~$250. Looks like someone had it made for themself and it didn't work for them for one reason or another. I was thinking of getting a custom Sport made for myself; the frame alone is $1000+. This one I got is the exact size I'd have made. The fit is perfect and the ride quality of this frame is outstanding. (I'll post more on this bike, with pics, later.)

When I saw the auction, I knew what it was and I put a stupidly high max bid to make sure I'd get it. It went for a lot less than I thought it would.

UPDATE:
Here is the 41cm Gunnar Sport frame I won on ebay. The ride quality of this little bike is outstanding.

[tjf9]

1 craigslist and a few ebay deals. Craigslist was a great deal on a tri bike. I got the impression it was a bad breakup, because the 5'10" guy selling a bike for a 5'3" person also threw in 2 pairs of women's shoes with cleats with the bike. I think he just wanted the stuff gone.

Ebay - my previous and current road bike. Previous road bike was a great deal, but didn't end up fitting quite the way I needed it to. I still rode it for a year and sold it to a friend who loves it. I got many compliments (and offers) on that bike.

Current bike I bought the frame/fork and gruppo (SRAM Rival) on ebay. Rest of the parts at the LBS. I love love love this bike! It was a good deal (but not outstanding). The parts were a great deal though - and from an authorized dealer so I still have warranty on them.

I look for listings with lots and lots of pictures, and I'm not afraid to ask questions. I also like to see some reputation, although the higher the reputation score, the more likely they will put a high reserve on it. The best deals come from folks who don't really know what they have...

[SLash]

I bought my Scott CR1 Pro off of ebay about 3 years ago. At that time I had only bought small items off of ebay and so was very nervous about what I might find when I received the bike from the seller, but it was just too good a deal to pass up. I did check him out and the bike to the extent I could but it still felt like a big gamble. No problems with it though, the bike arrived in the condition and with the components as promised.

[zia]

Bought a bike off Craigslist this summer. My first time, my first road bike. Seller seemed honest and personable. Got the bike home, went for a ride, and noticed the head tube was cracked. In two places. Ugh. This was a known (not to me) issue for this particular model of bike. I was very fortunate to be able to resolve the issue through the manufacturer, despite not being the original owner. (And I'll forever be loyal to Terry Cycles because of it.) Then, discovered that the master cyclometer was mysteriously stuck at 700 miles. The owner of my LBS laughed when I asked him if the bike had 700 miles on it.

The seller was very cooperative, and we ultimately renegotiated the price of the bike. My lessons for next time:

1) Google bike and year for any known problems prior to seeing it.
2) Thoroughly inspect the frame for any defects. (Seems like a no-brainer, but in my delight at finding the bike, I didn't.)
3) Consider the benefits of paying with PayPal. Their dispute resolution service was worth the extra cost (3% surcharge to seller, which I paid), at least to me in this particular instance.

I know of many people who have had positive experiences, and I think my mistakes were entirely due to my own naivety and general bad luck. Lesson learned, and shared.

[Cataboo]

Hrm. You're lucky that all got straightened out.

I have to say, as someone who ocassionally sells on craigslist - that would be a reason for me to not allow someone to pay via paypal. I know as an ebay seller paypal resolution is heavily slanted towards the buyer. "The box was empty when it came" or something like that is a charge that it's really hard as a seller to dispute. And if paypal resolution goes through, it takes the cash from the sellers bank account. Which can be nasty depending on what bills you have going out.

I never thought of disputing an in person craigslist transaction via paypal though.

[zia]

Catriona, I hadn't thought about it from a seller's perspective. Certainly buying on eBay -- where you can't view and test ride -- is a leap of faith, and worthy of a certain level of buyer protection. But not so with Craigslist. If a buyer has regrets, well, that's really their own fault... for the most part.

Paypal ended up being what was most convenient the day I purchased. The asking price was more cash than I ever carry, and banks were closed, so it provided some assurance for the seller that the money was real. It was only later that I appreciated the buyer protection. And, like I said, I think my situation was an outlier.

[Cataboo]

Oh, I'm glad you had some method of recourse with the seller and that it worked out for you. I'd have hoped that an honest seller would have immediately offered you a discount or to take the bike back anyways. I know I've had a few people on craigslist when I was buying something from them and asked about how it worked, who just flat out told me if something was wrong, to bring it back and they'd give me my money back... I've never actually tested their good intentions though.

The last time I sold a bike on craigslist, I took a paypal payment as well - it was more convenient for all of us. They did a direct bank transfer so there was no 3% fee, and it wasn't a problem. In general, I've had really good results with craigslist buying & selling. I did have one guy who bought a bike frame & wheels from me on craiglsist and called up the next day pleading to be able to return them because his gf was furious with him for buying it... And I thought about it, but decided, this is craigslist, I don't know what he's done with the bike in the last 24 hours (carbon fiber fork & seat stays), and didn't take it back. However, if he'd paid by paypal and decided to force me to take it back or whatever - that could have ended badly.


And for the most part, I've had good experiences with buying and selling on ebay - when I've complained to sellers, they've general made it right. But sellers can no longer leave bad feedback for buyers, and buyers can leave bad feedback for sellers - which imbalances the system. I have had people email me after receiving an item saying "This is all sliced up" or something to that extent - and really... I cannot prove that I didn't mail them a sliced up item or that they didn't sliced it up themselves cutting the tape with a knife to open the box. I try to take a picture of the item as I'm packing it up just in case. And generally if someone emails me with a complaint, I'll make it right as a seller just to avoid the ebay resolution process, because I've heard lots of horror stories from friends or internet forum people about the ebay/paypal resolution being strongly buyer biased - which it sort of has to be for paypal/ebay to work, the buyers have to feel safe. But it can end badly if someone decides to work the system (claiming the box was empty when it arrived, whatever...)

[Cataboo]

Selling on craigslist is a pain in the neck. It usually ends up working out fine for me, but it can be an exercise in frustration. If you list the bike again in the spring, you should be fine. Getting rid of bikes or kayaks in the winter can be difficult. Generally if you post in your ad "price is firm" or something to that extent the lowballers will leave you alone. They might still try...

I usually build in like $20-50 into the price of whatever I'm selling for people that want to bargain. If it makes them feel better that they got $20 or $50 off, that's fine.

but i usually end up relisting things several times before i get a serious buyer... if someone seems like a scam, i usually just do the, this is my phone #, call me if you want to come by - nigerian scammers are not goign to call you or show up to meet you. I did once sell a guy in chicago a kayak that he saw me advertising on the local craigslist - he paypaled me, I verified I had the money, and then I shipped the kayak to him. we split the shipping (which was like $260) . he hadn't been able to find that kayak at a discount anywhere locally. so just because someone is contacting you that wans you to ship, it doesn't mean they're a scam - but I had him call me, and I spent a fair amount of time talking kayaks with him to make sure he was a real person

Several times people will say they're goilng to show up and then just not show up - unless they call me, I won't wait more than 30 mins.

[sundial]

I tried selling a bike on Craigslist and started getting spam emails. Then there was a problem with scams in our area.

I have had much better luck selling a bike on eBay and TE.