What's a pie cost ?

[jimson]

G'day viewers just thought I would get some thoughts on setting a price for items in the For Sale section on here. Is it best to set a price or ask the person buying to offer a price ? It's  difficult to know what is a fare price on some things & you want to be fare to all concerned. jimson

[cyclegod]

Whenever you are selling online it is best to set a price first, if someone was looking at the same item in person at a swap meet then making an offer is ok, to set the price takes creative accounting figuring what you paid for it vs. current market value vs. realistic expectations involving payment methods postage etc.

[kdx Geoff]

A lot of young blokes want to sell stuff by offer these days, like they're afraid their price won't be high enough and they might under sell it.

[pokey]

Whats it worth to you? Thats your price and you either sell it or you keep it till its not worth that much to you anymore.
If I want to get rid of something its best offer or pay me in beer.

[bigk]

It's not fair to expect people to be both buyer & seller at the same time. I'm of the belief if it doesn't have a price, it isn't for sale. You know in your heart of hearts how much you want for it (everyone does), so set a price & go from there. The general rule I use is you cans always lower the price but rarely raise it.
K

[Butcher]

i generally find that if i want to buy something its "rare as hens teeth" & expensive
When i try to sell same item later on they are like assholes and everyones got one.

[FourstrokeForever]

i generally find that if i want to buy something its "rare as hens teeth" & expensive
When i try to sell same item later on they are like assholes and everyones got one.

It's somewhat nice to know i am not alone.......

[Nathan S]

Offers = keeping it.

It is the single best way to ensure you don't sell the item, but still manage to waste a whole lot of time (your's and other's).
The ONLY time asking for offers works even semi-reliably, is if you have something of decent value that you're willing to let go for way below market price (because mum wants you to pay her back, there's a pit bike you really want, or you need to fund a big night out...).

Put a price on it.

[KTM47]

The common thing now is people asking what a bike or item is worth.  Just another way of trying to get the best price (for the seller). 

Then they get upset when they get low prices stated.  There are heaps of examples on facebook.

Really if you don't know what it is worth do some research or state a price range.

Facebook or the forum are not auction sites.  You can always say no if the price offered is too low (in your opinion).

As Wayne Carini from Chasing Classic Cars says a car or bike is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

[skypig]

It used to be the idea of auction sales like eBay:

Put it on for the minimum you would take, hopeing it gets bided up.
(Hope for the best, plan for the worst)

Now people seem to list things at a starting price way below the "reserve".
Potentially wasting everyone's time.

Too much emotion, not enough reality. Kinda like the current world.

[bigk]

I laugh every time I see something listed on evilbay with a relatively large start price (say $5k for example), the in bold letters, the statement NO RESRVE. I'd say the $5k in this example is the reserve!
K

[Iain Cameron]

The one that gets me upset is when they say "restored these bikes are getting big bucks " well son they get big bucks because someone spent a bucket load of money doing it up and your pile of rust will need two buckets of money so be realistic with what you want . Iain

[skypig]

I laugh every time I see something listed on evilbay with a relatively large start price (say $5k for example), the in bold letters, the statement NO RESRVE. I'd say the $5k in this example is the reserve!
K

At least you know where you stand.
In the above example: listed at $1000, you might think "I'd pay $2000 for that easy, but certainly no more than $3000." Everyone's time is wasted if the (undisclosed) reserve is $5k.
If listed at $5k, no reserve, just walk away if it's too much.

Personally, I don't bid on "reserve not met" items.

[Nathan S]

Or when you "win" the item at a price that's half what you were happy to pay, but reserve isn't met...
 And so you send the seller a message saying "I'm happy to pay more than the highest bid, can you contact me to discuss", and you hear nothing ever again...

Ebay is a really shitty way to do business.

[FourstrokeForever]

I've had good success selling bikes, cars, parts on the bay. I do put as much info as I can think of about the item, unlike some who think that just writing "pics are the description" will attract a fair dinkum buyer.
It's even better when the buyer calls and offers a price, puts a deposit into your bank account so you can remove the said item knowing it is sold and then avoid the wait and see auction and the sometimes ridiculous fees the bay has.
I always start my auctions with what I am prepared to accept and then hope for more.
Works for me.