David, thank you for contributing more detail…I really appreciate it. I have one question, though…logistically, to figure shipping costs, I need to know the size and weight of the box I’ll be shipping. But I can’t get those numbers until the bike and the accessories are packed, right? So I have to trust this enough to break the bike down and pack it before I get paid. And if it falls through at that point, I’ve got a small mess on my hands, don’t I?
On Wednesday, November 27, 2024 at 9:26:47 PM UTC-5 meti...@gmail.com wrote: > Julian, I haven’t yet spoken to the buyer, and I plan to do that before > this goes any further. Today was simply a ZOO with Thanksgiving tomorrow, > so I was juggling his messages with cooking pies, etc. :) I I HAVE searched > for him online and have found him located in the town in which he tells me > he lives. I have an address because of my google search, but he has a very > limited FB presence. His only (three) posts on the Rivendell page where I > found his query all occurred within the past two weeks…one query for a 50cm > Rosco, and another for a Tosco or a Bosco bar. He joined that page only > three weeks ago. > > Also, he asked for an invoice. Is that customary? > > On Wednesday, November 27, 2024 at 9:17:01 PM UTC-5 Julian Westerhout > wrote: > >> Liz, >> >> Have you talked to the buyer via phone yet? Given the oddities you've >> mentioned I'd encourage you to do so -- I think it helps establish bona >> fides -- if something feels off after the phone call then I'd cancel the >> sale. You might also do a search of the buyer's name and address online, as >> well as looking in depth at their FB profile -- again, if something feels >> off I'd cancel the sale. >> >> I've bought and sold a number of bikes at a distance -- and as both a >> buyer and seller I do my best to get a good feel for whom I am dealing >> with. In my experience the phone call is really worthwhile. I have >> cancelled at least one sale and one purchase due to being a bit >> uncomfortable -- no regrets. >> >> Good luck! >> >> Julian Westerhout >> Bloomington, IL >> >> On Wednesday, November 27, 2024 at 8:03:09 PM UTC-6 meti...@gmail.com >> wrote: >> >>> I responded to a FB query for a blue, 52cm Clem Smith Jr. L on the >>> “Rivendell Bicycles BUY/SELL/TRADE” page. I have that very bike, and now >>> that I have a Platypus, I’m willing to sell my Clem. >>> >>> The potential buyer and I have had a flurry of FB messenger exchanges >>> about price, etc, today, and we’ve reached an agreeable price. Now comes >>> the tricky part (for me): >>> >>> My bike shop will disassemble the bike and box it. I know what they’ll >>> charge for that. >>> >>> But I don’t know the best way to have it shipped or how to figure the >>> price for shipping…and if the buyer’s gonna pay the shipping, how does that >>> work? Does he choose the carrier or do I? >>> >>> I’m cautious about all of this…I don’t know how the buyer and I can >>> trust one another…there have been some ever-so-slight oddities in our >>> message exchanges that make me a tad uneasy. I don’t care at all about the >>> oddities IF the buyer pays the bill before I send him the bike—is that the >>> customary order to these transactions? >>> >>> I’m pretty comfortable selling what I think are higher-ticket items when >>> the transaction occurs face to face, but I’m not at all sure of the process >>> online when it also includes third parties like shipping companies. >>> >>> So, I’m asking for direction from this group, please (and the man I’m >>> dealing with doesn’t seem to be a member here). >>> >>> Liz in Cincinnati >>> (And if this deal falls through let it be known that, I’m open to >>> selling my pretty Clem) >>> >>> >>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/d0119f7c-8517-48d7-9976-278e7ee929e6n%40googlegroups.com.
