[Kevin]

Imagine this.
A used bike is for sale on the monkey, ebay or whatever and its a nice deal.
There's this guy who makes a habbit out of buying used bikes and selling m again to a fellow biker just to make a profit, he doesnt even ride the bike most of the time but just puts some pics up on a forum to impress his buddies.
People who want to buy a nice bike for a nice price are usually too late because hes allways on top off things.
He then sells the bike for a higher price just to make some money and kills a good deal for a fellow biker.
How do you feel about this?

 

[sanjuro]

U S A! U S A! U S A!

 

[binary visions]

Moral issue? Sounds like the guy has an effective way to make a few bucks. He's not doing anything wrong. There is no way in hell he is buying enough bikes to have cornered the "good deals" market, so I don't buy that he's doing a significant disservice to those who are in search of a good deal.

Plenty of people make their living off this kind of thing, and I can't find a thing wrong with it. If someone wants something, they need to expect to pay market value for it - if they get sniped on a great deal, too bad for them. This guy goes through the same channels to make purchases as anyone else and if my email got to the seller first, the bike would be in my hands.

Happens in all markets, not just bikes.

 

[JRB]

I hate this guy, Kevin. I'm with you.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Moral issue? Sounds like the guy has an effective way to make a few bucks. He's not doing anything wrong. There is no way in hell he is buying enough bikes to have cornered the "good deals" market, so I don't buy that he's doing a significant disservice to those who are in search of a good deal.

Plenty of people make their living off this kind of thing, and I can't find a thing wrong with it. If someone wants something, they need to expect to pay market value for it - if they get sniped on a great deal, too bad for them. This guy goes through the same channels to make purchases as anyone else and if my email got to the seller first, the bike would be in my hands.

Happens in all markets, not just bikes.

There's really no moral issue here, IMO.

 

[macko]

Do I think it's immoral? No.

Do I think it's lame? Mos' Def. If someone were doing this on Bay with electronics, I say good for them. However, biking is more than that. It's a sub-culture. There should be some pride in this lifestyle and a sense of connectivity to the rest of the community. What this individual is doing is not helping fellow bikers ... I call poser. How say you?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

 

[stinkyboy]

I was kinda pizzed after selling my Kikapu to a local "rider', who I even threw in some extras on the deal, put the parted out bike on ebay a couple days later. It's a risk he was willing to take, and he lost money on the frame/fork/headset, so I felt better...

 

[Kevin]

I hate this guy, Kevin. I'm with you.

Thanks man, I really appriciate your support. :heart:


Anyways, calling it a moral issue might be a bit much but Im a drama queen, so there.
Call me old fashion, but I like helping a fellow biker out.
The fact that other people are doing it as well doesnt make it right for me.
If Id sell my bike, and theres a 17 year old kid who really wants it bad, but cant afford it. Id rather give him a little discount before I sell it to a guy whos just gonna sell it to the next guy to make a profit.

Just my 2cents though...

 

[Kevin]

I was kinda pizzed after selling my Kikapu to a local "rider', who I even threw in some extras on the deal, put the parted out bike on ebay a couple days later. It's a risk he was willing to take, and he lost money on the frame/fork/headset, so I felt better...

Thats what Im talking about, come one people, even stinky gets it...

 

[JRB]

<snip>
Call me old fashion, but I like helping a fellow biker out.
The fact that other people are doing it as well doesnt make it right for me.
If Id sell my bike, and theres a 17 year old kid who really wants it bad, but cant afford it. Id rather give him a little discount before I sell it to a guy whos just gonna sell it to the next guy to make a profit.

Just my 2cents though...

I agree - I am going to sell a fork, since I have an extra and have decided it will be the 03 Z1 FR SL I got from Westy. I have seen them bring $200 here, and they don't appear to be in as good a shape, but I only paid $175 for it, so that is what I will ask. It's just the way I am.

 

[sanjuro]

Thanks man, I really appriciate your support. :heart:


Anyways, calling it a moral issue might be a bit much but Im a drama queen, so there.
Call me old fashion, but I like helping a fellow biker out.
The fact that other people are doing it as well doesnt make it right for me.
If Id sell my bike, and theres a 17 year old kid who really wants it bad, but cant afford it. Id rather give him a little discount before I sell it to a guy whos just gonna sell it to the next guy to make a profit.

Just my 2cents though...

You have the option to sell it to anyone you want. Question is, if the right buyer is important to you, are you willing to go the extra mile find him?

"Looking for Buyer: has to be deserving rider who does not have a lot of money and will not re-sell bike or any parts from said bicycle. Please produce 2 forms of ID and a letter from your local DJ crew when you pick up the sale item"

 

[Kevin]

That really isnt the issue here.
Im talking about the other guy, the guy who's steeling a good deal away from someone who really wants to ride a nice bike and puts all of his hard earned money into buying it.
I understand that the seller isnt "to blame" for this because you dont allways know about the person your selling it too.

 

[Transcend]

That's business. If you don't like it, go to Russia.

He isn't "stealing a deal", he's beating you them to the punch.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

how do you think 99.999% of business transactions are made? products go from the distributor to the dealer, who in turn jacks up the price and sells it to you for a hefty profit. such is business.


ever notice how much cheaper cost prices are than MSRP prices? and at cost distributors are STILL making enough money to succeed, let alone how much dealers are making off the increased prices they sell it to you for.

 

[jimmydean]

If I am selling something, I guess I don't care where it goes. Some of the things I have sold, I was attached to. My Bullit and my Endless were both hard sells because of the work that went into them.

If I need something sold quick and get lowballed only to have someone make a buck reselling, oh well.

 

[stinkyboy]

how do you think 99.999% of business transactions are made? products go from the distributor to the dealer, who in turn jacks up the price and sells it to you for a hefty profit. such is business.


ever notice how much cheaper cost prices are than MSRP prices? and at cost distributors are STILL making enough money to succeed, let alone how much dealers are making off the increased prices they sell it to you for.

True dat.

Now I know how the one night stands I told I'd call feel...

 

[partsbara]

kev... KILL HIM ... problem solved

 

[black noise]

IMO it's not very nice to do that. You are in essence taking the good deal away from someone who wants to ride the bike and then forcing him to pay more.

Biking is a community, and if someone really wants and deserves a bike they should be able to get it without "entrepeneurs" fighting him for it.

 

[SkaredShtles]

There sure is alot of naivet&#233; in this thread.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

IMO it's not very nice to do that. You are in essence taking the good deal away from someone who wants to ride the bike and then forcing him to pay more.

Biking is a community, and if someone really wants and deserves a bike they should be able to get it without "entrepeneurs" fighting him for it.

Hey, bro,

I think you should give me your bike. Will you pay shipping?

 

[Transcend]

Hey, bro,

I think you should give me your bike. Will you pay shipping?

Beaten like a red headed stepchild. ARGH.

 

[splat]

There sure is alot of naiveté in this thread.

There are lots of Deals to be had , Just takes Patience, being aware and a little bit of luck don't hurt. There are people who make a decent honest living doing exactly this, I see nothing wrong with it.

 

[Kevin]

kev... KILL HIM ... problem solved

Naah, its not a personal thing or anything.
I do know this guy who does this crap but as long as he isnt ripping a deal from under my nose Ill let him live..... for now. :devil:


I am by no means naive (sp?) or something like that, I think Im the complete opposite really and its not a jelousy thing either. Most people would kill for my collection of bike, MX and snowboard gear.
I understand that there is a difference in opinion on this matter but Im glad to see theres at least some semi humans left in the world who agree with me.
The rest of you will go to hell and have to answer to Satan.
Except for you Parts, youll go to hell anyways. :teacher:

 

[Transcend]

The rest of you will go to hell and have to answer to Satan.

You're wrong, Satan answers to ME. :redhot:

 

[black noise]

Hey, bro,

I think you should give me your bike. Will you pay shipping?

Why would I do that??? I love my bike and I ride it all the time.

You missed my point. I'd only get rid of a bike if I never rode it and someone would get more use and happiness out of it than me. That's why I'm disagreeing with this guy's strategy, because he's hogging bikes and profiting off of people who could ACTUALLY USE THEM. Keep in mind my political views are closer to anarchist/communist than mainstream America.

 

[Transcend]

I'm disagreeing with this guy's strategy, because he's hogging bikes and profiting off of people who could ACTUALLY USE THEM.

RIIIIGHT, he's hogging all the bikes. oh noes!!!1!!!!11

Keep in mind my political views are closer to anarchist/communist than mainstream America.

So much for ever being taken seriously on this board again.

 

[black noise]

RIIIIGHT, he's hogging all the bikes. oh noes!!!1!!!!11

There's no need to make fun of me. You can't deny that he's taking good deals away from people that would actually appreciate them.

So much for ever being taken seriously on this board again.

I guess I'm just a lefty nutcase. Nobody listen to me, my views mean nothing.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> he's hogging bikes and profiting off of people who could ACTUALLY USE THEM. Keep in mind my political views are closer to anarchist/communist than mainstream America.

Guess what? The people buying the bikes from him are probably going to USE THEM. At the end of the series of transactions, however many they may be, is an end consumer who is going to USE THE BIKE.

This does not seem like rocket science.

You know that people in communist systems have $hit for bikes, right?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

There's no need to make fun of me. You can't deny that he's taking good deals away from people that would actually appreciate them.

I guess I'm just a lefty nutcase. Nobody listen to me, my views mean nothing.

I hold with your ideals - I would prefer to give something to a good cause than to get rich on bicycle parts - but it's unrealistic to expect the world to operate like that.

J

 

[SkaredShtles]

There's no need to make fun of me. You can't deny that he's taking good deals away from people that would actually appreciate them.

No - he's taking the *risk* that there is someone out there willing to pay more for the bike than he's paying. That's all. He's betting that he'll get compensated for the risk.

I guess I'm just a lefty nutcase. Nobody listen to me, my views mean nothing.

You'll very likely get no argument on this point.

 

[def]

I've got a buddy that was doing that w/ carbon Treks. He wasn't making much but he also wasn't screwing people over. He owned a small business out of his basement and the bike sales supplemented occasional slow months. I don't see any trouble w/ this.

I've seen the 'used cady salesman' types as well who buy roached stuff cheap and then sell it off 'as new'. These dudes are another story. I've had a few run ins w/ a couple of them, but I needed the money asap so I did my business and sold them my stuff. I think the last guy ended up loosing money off my frame.


Here's my question to the original poster and all the rest: What about the guy who gets a deal on a frame/bike/part, rides it and then sells it for more then he got it for? Even though its still a deal to the buyer, the original seller is making money. Discuss.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I hold with your ideals - I would prefer to give something to a good cause than to get rich on bicycle parts - but it's unrealistic to expect the world to operate like that.

J

If someone really wants to do this there are lots of places that will accept the charity. Just ask Stinkyboy.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
Here's my question to the original poster and all the rest: What about the guy who gets a deal on a frame/bike/part, rides it and then sells it for more then he got it for? Even though its still a deal to the buyer, the original seller is making money. Discuss.

This is one of the smartest things to do in life. Especially with big ticket items like cars and stuff.

 

[Transcend]

There's no need to make fun of me. You can't deny that he's taking good deals away from people that would actually appreciate them.




I guess I'm just a lefty nutcase. Nobody listen to me, my views mean nothing.

I'm not making fun of you, just simply pointing out that he isn't taking away good deals, he is in fact GETTING good deals. He needs to feed himself and his habit as well I am sure.

And also just pointing out that you won't be taken seriously, not knocking on those beliefs. I've studied communism extensively, as well as the current situations in post communist societies in eastern europe. Communism doesn't work. The only way it would work is with PURE communism, which will never happen thanks to good old fashioned human nature.

 

[stinkyboy]

If someone really wants to do this there are lots of places that will accept the charity. Just ask Stinkyboy.

 

[bluebug32]

The thing I like about RM is that most of us share the same passion and are willing to cut deals for one another because we know that, ideally, we'll see our bikes/parts in ride threads for years to come. I think it's great to have a place to do that. Perhaps the only way to keep things that way is to mention your sale to others in threads or put it in your signature. Or you could put it up on the buy/sell and see who gives you the best offer to weed some people out.

Otherwise, I don't think it's morally or ethically wrong to cruise forums and resell stuff (many people make a living doing this on ebay). But you as a seller always have a choice as to who you sell your product to.

 

[Kevin]

Guess what? The people buying the bikes from him are probably going to USE THEM. At the end of the series of transactions, however many they may be, is an end consumer who is going to USE THE BIKE.

Heres my point.
With bikes being expensive enough as it is, we dont need another middle man cracking up prices.

Otherwise, I don't think it's morally or ethically wrong to cruise forums and resell stuff (many people make a living doing this on ebay). But you as a seller always have a choice as to who you sell your product to.

I dont care about "many people", were bikers, we share a passion for riding bikes and I think we should help eachother a bit in stead of cracking up prices, not only on the monkey but to other bikers in general as well.
We cant do that by selling our bikes only to people who are gonna ride it but the people who are buying the bikes just to sell m could stop doing it.

Here's my question to the original poster and all the rest: What about the guy who gets a deal on a frame/bike/part, rides it and then sells it for more then he got it for? Even though its still a deal to the buyer, the original seller is making money. Discuss.

This is a grey area, I cant answer this question because different situations call for different opinions.

 

[Skookum]

There are way more ways to help mt. biking than making sure a person you sell to is not just making a profit.

Go build some trails, promote a race, lead a ride.

This argument is ridiculous, something is only worth what someone will pay for it.

If someone takes the time to jack up prices to sell to a buyer than he deserves the extra money for the time and/or effort to do this.

There is minimal if any honor in selling something cheap to someone. They still had to pay you something, no this argument can only be presented for something that was given away. And even then it's not really a big deal.

And i imagine that most people on this board give deals to freinds or acquaintences and or give away stuff. At least i do, but i don't expect to be patted on the back for it.

What comes around goes around.

 

[DirtyMike]

Imagine this.
A used bike is for sale on the monkey, ebay or whatever and its a nice deal.
There's this guy who makes a habbit out of buying used bikes and selling m again to a fellow biker just to make a profit, he doesnt even ride the bike most of the time but just puts some pics up on a forum to impress his buddies.
People who want to buy a nice bike for a nice price are usually too late because hes allways on top off things.
He then sells the bike for a higher price just to make some money and kills a good deal for a fellow biker.
How do you feel about this?

No offense here Bro, But that is how people make money in Every bussiness there is. there are bike shops on ebay that Strip Bikes out of the box and do the same thing. Its just business, thats how teh world works. How much do you think a whopper costs at BK??? Prolly about a quarter, then its sold for a buck fifty. Is that also immoral??? Its called markup and everyone deos it no matter what the bussiness is. This whole "Biking is a subcultere" thing, well you dont think Bike shop owners are in it for the culture do you? And the Manufactures? same thing they are there to make money, like anyone else. People buy and resell stuff on ebay All day long, everything from Bikes, to collecables, to toys, everything. i just bought a Motorcycle for Way less than its worth, would it be wrong for me to resell it for higher and take the prophet??? Its just the way it goes .


P.S. Thinking that the finall buyer isnt stillg etting a good deal is a VERY Naive thought. You really think they would still buy something from Ebay if they were not geting a good deal?? No, If that were the case they would just go to a bike shop and buy a brand new rig. food for thought there.