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Sunday, July 08, 2007

How-To: Selling Online Part 1: Listing

We are not experts. This article is provided for educational purposes only. We do not offer a warranty of any kind (express or implied) on the usefulness, validity or accuracy of the information presented herein. In other words, imitate us at your own risk.

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Introduction

We're going to try something new here on Moto411. With this article we're going to venture into the world of instruction and attempt to accurately convey what it takes to accomplish a non-trivial task. The previous warning should give some indication as to our level of confidence with this venture.

Buying and selling goods online has become a widespread practice for most riders. The cost of seemingly minor repairs or enhancements can rival the cost of a bike itself and many do-it-oneselfers turn to the secondary market to acquire usable, but less expensive components. craigslist, eBay and bike-, area- or event-specific message boards are venues on which buyers and sellers have come to rely for being able to perform these transactions. Auxiliary services like PayPal, BidPay and even the US Postal Service have allowed almost anyone to buy and sell goods in these marketplaces.

In this particular installment we'll cover how to successfully list a particularly fragile, typically expensive and critical component: front forks. Specifically, we'll be attempting to sell a pair of used 2004-2005 GSX-R600/GSX-R750 forks with pinch bolts. They are not perfect, but they are straight with good seals and are perfectly usable. We'll share techniques and how to provide the best service one reasonably can in order to ensure a fair price and a smooth transaction. In Part 2, we'll cover the details of the actual exchange.

Motivation

Motorcycle owners are notoriously cheap (this author included). They tend to expect the best parts and services for the absolute lowest costs. Some would rather spend three hours in negotiations than pay the extra $50 and be done with it.1 Even worse, given enough time, everyone on all sides of a transaction will be conned or defrauded by a predator at some point and will tend become even more conservative in behavior for future transactions.

From a seller's perspective, these can be very hostile marketplaces. This is why it is absolutely critical to establish two things with buyers as they evaluate the goods one has for sale: value and trust.

These two simple words have been perverted by marketers everywhere to basically mean perception of value and illusion of trust, so it makes a good seller's job even more difficult. I tend not to use these words very often for that very reason. In my experience, the best way to establish these concepts isn't by talking, but by doing.

Preparation

The first step in establishing your own value and trustworthiness in the eyes of potential buyers is in how you present your items for sale. This is fairly easy to do and doesn't take that much extra time or money.

Isolation

Before doing anything (if you haven't already), you should (carefully) remove the part to be sold from the bike. This sounds like it should be obvious, but based on some of the listings I've seen, it isn't. This demonstrates to potential buyers that you are competent and knowledgeable (enough) to perform basic mechanical services. The implication is that you're not going to damage the parts during tear-down. It will also make the next step much easier.

Cleanup

Clean the parts to be sold. I can't stress this enough. This also sounds like it should be obvious, but it is amazing how few sellers actually perform this step. Simple soap and water is often sufficient (I like to use 10/1 water and concentrated Dawn in a spray bottle). For dirtier components, DuPont's line of car care products and Protect-All are two of my favorites. WD-40 can also act as a good de-greaser, but it does have its drawbacks (it tends to smoke when heated, so think twice about using it to clean cylinder heads or exhaust components). Avoid using kerosene or brake or chain cleaner unless they are recommended for that application. While these products tend to cut through grease well, they can discolor or damage certain materials like rubbers and plastics. Familiarize yourself with chemicals before using them.

This also has another benefit: you will be more likely to notice any problems with the components before you list them. This indicates to your buyers that you can be trusted not to use dirt and grime to hide additional damage or imperfections. They'll also be happy that they won't have to perform the cleaning (and flaw discovery) themselves when they receive the parts.

Imaging

This is perhaps the most important step in the process. Like food photographers, your job is to make your components look as appetizing as possible. Never put sensitive components (like rotors, wheels, forks, etc.) on concrete. This demonstrates a distinct ignorance of the minute tolerances of these parts. Use a furniture pad as a backdrop. This shows potential buyers that you know and care about proper handling of the items you're trying to sell. If you don't have a furniture pad, you can use a carpet scrap, a welcome mat or even an area of your lawn (though this is the least attractive option).

It's good to provide a single "overview" shot depicting all of what's for sale:

Anticipate questions about the frequent trouble spots of the components and answer those questions with visuals. For example, with forks, one wants to show that they are straight, that they have not be crashed, that the adjusters are in good shape, and they have good seals.

Fork caps are often damaged in a crash; it's important to show that these are in good condition:

Seals are cheap, but replacing them is not; it's important to show that these forks can be used right away:

With pictures, there is such thing as too much of a good thing. Strive for quality, not quantity. Don't bombard viewers of your listing with thirty-two pictures of the fork caps from different angles. If there are imperfections, don't attempt to hide them. Buyers who are unpleasantly surprised are one of the costliest prospects for a seller.

These forks aren't perfect; we will highlight the imperfections so that our buyer knows up-front:

Listing

The text of the listing not nearly as important as the pictures, but it is still useful to set/reaffirm expectations for buyers. There are several key elements I like to provide in my listings. First, I like to be polite and up-beat, but I also like to stay concise. The more words that are on the page mean the fewer of them will actually be read.

Second, I like to list what is actually for sale. This is often in the form of a list:

This listing includes the following:

  • 2004 GSX-R600 forks
  • axle pinch bolts

Try to avoid getting lazy and using the same picture to sell several different subcomponents in different listings. If you're tempted to write something like, "...includes everything pictured except for...," you might wish to reconsider. Buyers aren't always careful to read everything. They might buy your forks, but be upset that the package they received didn't include the pictured triple clamps.

Third, I like to list the makes/models which I know they will fit. I will also pay lip-service to some more "creative" applications, but with the appropriate caveats:

These will fit:

  • 2004-2005 GSX-R600
  • 2004-2005 GSX-R750

These can also be used in a 2003-2007 SV650 front-end conversion, but will require additional components (triple clamps, front wheel, etc.). Please check with a reputable and knowledgeable mechanic before purchasing.

Fourth, I like to highlight any imperfections shown in the pictures.

As shown in the pictures, there are a few marks from mounting and two rock chips on the upper bodies, but otherwise, they are in good shape.

I also like to highlight the good things about the items:

They have fewer than 3,000 miles and are straight with good seals. They have not been crashed.

Your text should be consistent with your pictures. Inconsistencies chip away at trust and call into question your integrity.

Fifth, if you have the means, you may wish to take the time to measure the components to make sure they are within specification:

Run-out is 0.1 mm and is within factory specification.

Finally, I like to provide as many specific terms as I think are relevant. For example, buyers are not often in the same area and require that goods be shipped to them. If you can, provide an estimation of shipping costs. If it is merely an estimation, but if you intend for the buyer to pay actual costs, make this clear. If you require that the buyer use a specific method of payment, or if different types of payments have different terms, then enumerate these. For example, it is appropriate in some venues (but not others) to ask that buyers pay an additional 3% if paying via PayPal (to help cover the fees). If you provide a return or satisfaction policy, try to make clear what those policies are.

Q & A

Expect that potential buyers will ask you questions that are already answered by the listing. Many people do not read listings in their entireties before asking questions. This is why it's important to keep a listing as short as possible. When questions like this come up, politely answer them as best you can. I will often copy-and-paste the text right from the listing and then encourage the buyer to ask additional questions if necessary.

Many venues allow questions to be asked/answered publicly. Take advantage of this wherever possible. This goes to further establish trust and value in that you're reiterating that you are knowledgeable about the components you're selling and have nothing to hide.

When answering questions, do not attempt to establish that a part is definitely within usable requirements without actually performing the measurement and knowing the requirements. Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know," but try to answer the question to the best of your ability.

Conclusion

Hopefully this provides some useful advice on how to successfully establish yourself as a trustworthy and valuable seller of components in your listings. In Part 2, we'll cover how to successfully complete a transaction and what to do if there is a dispute.

1. While, on paper, I agree that the practice of expending US$200+ of time, energy, etc. to save US$50 on a transaction is absurd and doesn't help anyone (buyer or seller), I have found myself doing exactly that at times. There have been very few times that I haven't regretted it. Perhaps this is a commentary unto itself about human nature....

1 comment:

lugnut said...

Shameless plug for another high-level buyer/seller how-to: http://www.r6messagenet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128088