Buying a bike on ebay

[DCLane]

I've picked up a bike from someone's unit more than once; the first was a Raleigh Twenty in amongst a row of classic cars, the other a Peugeot a couple of months ago from their garage round the corner.

 

[templehead]

There is a man who works at the place I volunteer at who collects all sorts of bicycles and motorbikes. He has so many that he rents a "unit" to keep them in. Occasionally he may sell one. It would be entirely above board for him to ask a potential buyer to meet him at the unit.

No doubt, but I imagine his unit has an address...

 

[DCLane]

An example of a probably stolen bike: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286075825059

• No feedback rating
• Improper title; "Peddle bike"
• Blurry photos with limited detail
• No real description
• Decals removed
• Will deliver only

 

[Dogtrousers]

Incidentally this story had a happy ending.

The bike referred to in the OP wasn't that great a deal. It was cheap, local, and roughly what I was after but not in great condition. so I wasn't fussed about passing it up. But a couple of weeks later a bike that was exactly what I was looking for came up, in great condition... which I now own.

That one was paid for via a regular eBay payment and no dodgy vibes from the seller.

 

[fossyant]

I bought one last year. Paypal payment straight after the auction ended and arranged to go to their house 50 miles away to collect the next day. A little googling found the chap was a 'cycling photographer' that covers the Fred Whitton, amongst other things. He couldn't get the QR code to work to confirm I'd taken the bike, but we were both 'trust worthy'. Sold a couple myself from home and all were genuine buyers.

 

[bonzobanana]

Ebay is now stopping or has stopped 'cash on collection' so I guess you have to pay first before collection. Personally I would only sell locally as cash on collection but then I wouldn't use ebay for local sales anyway due to fees. I'd use gumtree or facebook marketplace. I've read of people who have sold locally with an online payment and its been reversed later so personally I'm not keen to go down that route.

 

[slow horse]

I was looking to buy an expensive bike once and was a little nervous, never having gotten anything big on Ebay. One of the photos was of a phone number scribbled on the frame. All that proved was that he wanted to avoid paying a commission, but it didn't make me any less nervous. No sale.

 

[All uphill]

I was looking to buy an expensive bike once and was a little nervous, never having gotten anything big on Ebay. One of the photos was of a phone number scribbled on the frame. All that proved was that he wanted to avoid paying a commission, but it didn't make me any less nervous. No sale.

I'd make the same decision.

If they'll cheat ebay, they'll cheat you.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

When buying anything expensive, I'd much rather do cash on collection. It's an opportunity to checkout the seller and the goods.

Also, there's no harm in asking a seller if they have proof or purchase.

I did this when I bought Carerra Intercity Bike - admittedly not off eBay (faceache market place), because at £50 it sounded too good to be true. Given the dodgy area I picked the bike up from, the suspiciously low price, I honestly thought I was going to have to walk away. The seller showed me the electronic receipt from Halfords on his phone, which also showed the accessories he had purchased with the bike including the USB reachargeable lights it came with.

 

[Gillstay]

I'd make the same decision.

If they'll cheat ebay, they'll cheat you.

I have cheated e bay before as either their system would not work for the odd circumstances the buyer wanted, or because I felt let down by E bay, such as when I sold a large commercial food processor to a lady in London. When the pallet arrived she unpacked it decided she wanted something much smaller and put it in a flimsy box and sent back. It arrived with the box taped around it and the item damaged. E bay then insisted I return her money and of course I lost out on the shipping on a pallet. Hence the only way to even things up was to avoid the fees for a few items. I have never set out to cheat a buyer.