Re: [CR] USA only Ebay sales

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2007)

From: "Jean-Marie" <jmbr@pt.lu>
To: "John Hurley" <JHurley@jdabrams.com>
In-Reply-To: <249DDD9704676C49AE6169AE3D2D9F4E023924FE@Exchange-SVR>
Date: Wed, 5 May 2010 01:49:34 +0200
References: <249DDD9704676C49AE6169AE3D2D9F4E023924FE@Exchange-SVR>
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] USA only Ebay sales


Hello to all,

Living in Europe, I found spare parts in the USA and Australia. ( Small parts recently from list members right here). There was no problem sending the amount and receiving the bike parts.

I've got to say that I use Ebay on very rare occasions. Mostly I communicate on Web Forums - over here in Europe, this works out fine, and sometimes ( I'm not the only person who thinks this way) I think, watching items on Ebay: they're mad. I'm talking about spare parts an prices paid for them, not absolutely high-level bikes or frames... although sometimes even these happen just to be over valued.

Everything has its price, and older parts become rare. But there still is a lot of post-war stuff around, and even pre-war bikes or parts. Many of them "sleep" in barns or cellars ( I recently found 3 entire bikes this way). Most people are absolutely not interested in bikes over here, which is a good and bad thing at the same time.

My small collection grows slowly, maybe also the way I do collect is a bit different from others. I look what comes up, and I work on what seems somehow interesting to me. Of course, if someone is only looking for absolutely rare and highest- level bikes, things are different. I don't, as I do not have the material possibility to do that. One exception: my new bike that's being build right now. But that's off-topic and a strictly personal dream I want to realize before being too old to ride it:-)

All this to say that, yes: Ebay is a possibility. But it is not the only one. Living in Luxembourg, ( a very very small country) I can buy on Ebay, but I cannot sell on Ebay ( if I'd want to). It is a strange situation. The reason is very simple: Ebay-Luxembourg just does not exist. And there is no way to put whatever there to sell: after filling in the information, at the end: access refused / country unknown. Strange but true. It never was a problem. On the bike Forums, I exchange, buy or sell parts I need or don't, even frames. And it allways worked out fine, as one comes to know the people.

Best regards ( and thanks to many people here, again. I do learn a lot just reading and following their links).

Jean-Marie Biwer Basbellain, Luxembourg, Europe

Le 5 mai 10 à 01:17, John Hurley a écrit :
> I'll add my penny's worth.
>
> The vast majority of the on-topic bike goodies we know and love
> originated outside the USA. Cycling, as we know it, is a European
> sport. This being the case, I've been surprised how little I sell
> outside the USA. I expected a much bigger international market, but
> 80
> percent of my sales have been domestic, and only 20 percent
> international. My domestic market is four times bigger than from the
> rest of the world combined.
>
> Before I checked, I would have said my international sales were even
> smaller. Maybe some sellers just feel the real market is in the
> USA, so
> why bother selling foreign? I don't look at it that way myself; I'm
> glad to have the extra 20 percent.
>
> Why isn't the foreign market larger? I suppose either they don't need
> to buy from us because they can get the good stuff locally, or
> Americans
> just spend more freely or have deeper pockets. Probably what is
> happening now is a bike boom echo as Americans collect in later years
> what they valued in their youth.
>
> Risk: At first I couldn't understand eBay shoving all the risk off on
> the seller, but it finally dawned on me (duh) that the party who
> stands
> to make a profit is the logical one to accept a greater share of the
> risk.
>
> As for the income tax, this sounds like bad news for eBay. One more
> reason not to use eBay, and seek alternate outlets. One more step
> toward converting eBay into another Amazon.
>
> John Hurley
> Austin, Texas, USA
> _______________________________________________

jmbr@pt.lu