2nd hand bike values

[103Alex1]

Seem to remember flecc posting up a useful thread on how to value 2nd hand bikes but can't find it ... would appreciate being pointed in right direction ! No idea what is a reasonable asking price for 2nd hand eBikes.

Time has come to start moving on and always planned to sell my Kalkhoff after having it for a year or so. Thought quite a bit about it and at the moment not likely to be replacing it with another bike / eBike this year. It's unlikely to be used much over next couple of months as I'm away most of the time. Will likely still be sub-1,000 miles by end of the year and decent nick for lightly used bike. Original RRP £2,695 and updated software. Need to work out somewhere to start !

 

[tillson]

flecc's guidelines are here.

I don't know if the battery depreciation / life assumption of 2 years needs to be revised. The formula was developed in 2009 and experience is showing that batteries can last a lot longer. My original Panasonic battery is over 5 years old and done over 15000 miles. I suppose the difficulty is that the warranty is only 2 years, so it's a gamble for the purchaser to buy a battery over that age. Plus the fact, some budget end of the market batteries will give up at 2 years old. There are many variables.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

surely ebay has negated the need to think of value of anything second hand these days. You can use the site to see what previous things have sold for so it'll give you a very good idea of what to expect and also just stick your bike up on there with a 99p starting bid and no reserve and chances are you'll get two people bidding it up to more than you'd ever have dared ask for it.

the fees are pretty high, but there are lots of ways to minimise them.

 

[tillson]

I think that you need to have an independent value in mind before entering into an ebay auction. If you put the bike up for auction at 99p it is down to chance whether there are sufficient buyers looking for a bike similar to the one which you have for sale during the time window of the auction. Of course, you could always set a reserve. But how do you establish a reasonable reserve? Use flecc's formula?

Anyway, I hate eBay and PayPal and try not to use either.

 

[shemozzle999]

the fees are pretty high, but there are lots of ways to minimise them.

Same thing applies to new purchases

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

If you put the bike up for auction at 99p it is down to chance whether there are sufficient buyers looking for a bike similar to the one which you have for sale during the time window of the auction. Of course, you could always set a reserve. But how do you establish a reasonable reserve?

you just get a friend to put a bid in at a decent figure based on previous ebay sales. No point paying ebay more to put a reserve on something, thats just a waste of money.

 

[jerrysimon]

I purchased my Brompton M3L new (subsequently converted to e-assist) for £500 in 2009. It would still sell for that price in its stock form today

Jerry

 

[shemozzle999]

Hmm a UK ebike distributor that condones shilling on eBay - interesting.

 

[flecc]

Tillson's point on the increased battery life is valid, but there is a problem of variability now. While the best are lasting three and even four or more years, there are still two year ones about. However, using three years instead of two in the formula should still make it a useful guide.

I still think such a guide is useful and necessary, judging by the hopelessly unrealistic prices still often being asked at present. At the very least it can stop someone from wasting their time by asking a silly price.

 

[jackhandy]

I was surprised last week to see a 12-month old BH Neo Sport fail to get a single bid at the starting price of £1,000.
Another decent-looking bike didn't even get a bid at 99p!

As for batteries lasting longer, my 8.8ah bottle battery (supplied with an 8fun kit) has been showing symptoms of premature failure since 1 month after the warranty ran out
A cheap kit, I know, but their replacement is £260, so not particularly bottom-end.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

you just get a friend to put a bid in at a decent figure based on previous ebay sales. No point paying ebay more to put a reserve on something, thats just a waste of money.

Not a good idea. If nobody else bids, you'll be landed with a bill for 10% of the value of his bid, or you have to tarnish his reputation by putting him down as a non-paying bidder.

 

[GaRRy]

Not a good idea. If nobody else bids, you'll be landed with a bill for 10% of the value of his bid, or you have to tarnish his reputation by putting him down as a non-paying bidder.

Actually not true. You can cancel the transaction for various reasons that dont effect you or bidder. Still completly against ebay rules and possibly even illegal.




sent by pigeon post

 

[tillson]

you just get a friend to put a bid in at a decent figure based on previous ebay sales. No point paying ebay more to put a reserve on something, thats just a waste of money.

As much as I dislike eBay, this isn't something that I would be comfortable doing.

 

[flecc]

I don't transact through ebay, but since they are daft enough to make their resources available free to me, I look things up there and then go direct to the seller. If I can't reach them direct, I don't use them.

Ditto the hotel choice sites, they show me what's available but I then go direct to the chosen hotel which avoids them having to pay the choice site. Insurance etc, the same.

These intermediate sites are just layers of costs and VAT growth so ultimately act against the consumer's interests.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Hmm a UK ebike distributor that condones shilling on eBay - interesting.

are you suggesting that we should suggest that people don't use common sense?

how is shill bidding up to a price any different to setting a reserve price? The only difference is eBay makes more money!

 

[Tim]

We list a range of electric bikes on our Used Ebikes section, an Agattu C11 Premium listed there would probably sell for a good price.

Used Electric Bikes from 50cycles - secondhand, pre-owned e-bikes for sale

Mainly Kalkhoff but a few Wispers and we've had Giant, Sparta, Smarta and Powabykes on there in the past.

 

[shemozzle999]

are you suggesting that we should suggest that people don't use common sense?

how is shill bidding up to a price any different to setting a reserve price? The only difference is eBay makes more money!

The difference:

BBC News - Warning over eBay bidding trick

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

I wonder if their technology is like the TV license detector van?

how they honestly expect to be able to police such a nonsence policy is beyond me.

I belong to another cycling forum and if anyone is ever worried about something they are selling going cheap, they just post a link and the price they want it bidding up to and some one random bids for that price. This must be going on all over the world with loads of groups of people. Its not in ebays interest to stop this, because it keeps the selling fees high, which makes them more money.

If the person who doesn't want the item "wins" it both parties just agreed to cancel the transaction and everyone moves on. How are ebay ever going to know about that.

 

[EddiePJ]

This one kind of shocked me. BH Emotion Volt Electric Bike | eBay

I was very tempted by it, but my wife said that probably wouldn't have ridden it. I even spoke to the original dealer who gave me full story. The winner bidder got a bargain.

The only thing is that it is a Pixo, not a Volt as advertised.

 

[shemozzle999]

I wonder if their technology is like the TV license detector van?

how they honestly expect to be able to police such a nonsence policy is beyond me.

I belong to another cycling forum and if anyone is ever worried about something they are selling going cheap, they just post a link and the price they want it bidding up to and some one random bids for that price. This must be going on all over the world with loads of groups of people. Its not in ebays interest to stop this, because it keeps the selling fees high, which makes them more money.

If the person who doesn't want the item "wins" it both parties just agreed to cancel the transaction and everyone moves on. How are ebay ever going to know about that.

A bit like a Dealership/Distributor setup ensuring no competition on pricing.