Tired of your old bike and want a new one? Why not sell it to make some money? The second-hand market is currently booming due to ecological and economic concerns and the current « vintage » trend. So how do you go about selling your bike online?
Assessing the value of the bike
When you want to sell your bike online, the first thing to do is to put yourself in the shoes of the future buyer. You must therefore ensure that you sell a bike that is still usable and functional. It is therefore advisable to clean the bike and carry out maintenance to give it a facelift. After this, you can move on to the diagnostic phase, during which you should check the condition of your bike. To do this, check whether the brakes engage properly, the condition of the discs, the condition of the pads, etc. You can find tips and tutorials online for doing these checks. Once this is done, you can then move on to the evaluation phase. One of the challenges of a sale, even if the sale is done online, is determining the price of the property for sale. This is trickier as it is often not possible to assess the intrinsic value, the wear and tear or the popularity rating. On the second-hand market, some models are indeed more in demand than others. Do you know that the price of a new bike drops by 30% in the first year and can reach 50% in the second year? It is advisable to study the price of bikes in the same range, generation or year that are sold online. In addition, you can make an estimate of your bike on the internet. You can find the used bike price online. For example, you can ask for an estimate on argus vélo. Once this is done, you can set a fair price and also allow for a negotiation margin. It’s not a requirement to negotiate, but most buyers will try to get the price down, as a second-hand product is all about discussion.
Take pictures of the bike
Photos are an asset that should not be neglected when taken with care, as they are the showcase of the sale. There are two simple principles for a successful photo: light and framing. The photo should be as true to the product for sale as possible. You need a reference photo that you will put forward. It should give an overall view of your bike. Additional photos will show different angles such as a view of the crankset. They should include details such as any accessories and defects such as scratches, dents, broken parts. If you want the photos to be accurate, you can take them outside with your back to the sun and on a clear day. However, if you still need to take it indoors, you should choose a bright location. For optimal sharpness, use the flash even if it will slightly alter the colours. Finally, it is highly recommended to place the bike in front of a white wall and if you don’t have one at home, you can hang a sheet or place a cardboard behind it. This will give you the best possible picture of your used electric bike or trekking bike.
Writing an ad
First of all, it depends on the website. But in general, you should start with the title. You should enter the common name of the product, e.g. VTC, electric bike, mountain bike. You should not yet specify the brand and model number. This will improve the efficiency of the search engines. The description of the bike should be detailed enough to arouse the interest of future buyers. You can mention the main characteristics of the bike, i.e. colour, type, size, etc. Some websites also ask for additional information such as the size of the bike, frame material, wheel size, tyre condition, crank length, estimated mileage, etc.
Selling on the right site
On the internet, there are many sites dedicated to selling bicycles, with all the models of electric bikes, mountain bikes and mountain bikes that exist. Some of these sites charge a fee, especially if you want to advertise your bike, but you can also find free sites. There are even some where you can not only publish your ad, but also make an estimate of the price of your bike. On the Argus vélo site, for example, you can both publish your ad and also make an estimate of the argus velo price. However, when you choose to post your ad, you must be careful not to come across scam sites or dishonest buyers.