People selling used stuff online ask for far too much

[TunMahla]

Am I the only one frustrated by how much people seem to want to charge for used items on places like Facebook Marketplace. I just saw a branded bike (used for a couple of years), where the asking price is maybe 10% off the original price when a similar model was last sold new by online retailers :O. Am I the only one who thinks that most used items should be at least 50% off the original price - come on, sales these days often offer better value!

Yes I agree, I recently saw someone selling a used potty for 2 pounds, come on!

Depends whether they sell. I've just sold something online and put a price of almost the brand new price and it sold immediately. Someone I know is selling the exact same item, put a much lower price and it's still for sale. Go figure.

Bikes are in short supply at the moment - there are waiting lists at many retailers. This has pushed up the price of second hand bikes and some are selling for more than the brand new price.

I think bikes may be an exception especially certain brands as demand has been so high they’re all sold out. So second hand is the only way to get one.

Saying that I agree I’ve seen some daft prices for second hand stuff.

Surely people can set the price at whatever they like? If it is too expensive it won’t sell, but that’s up to them

No one is forcing anyone to pay such high prices! If you're only offering 10 per cent off for a used item... The only people buying are the daft

Markets find their own level.

Presumably, the sellers are happy to wiat for a sale... And also they're not existing to offer buyers a bargain... They're wanting to maximise their return.

it depends. Some things just hold their value really well and others dont.
If you are watching the pennies, a 10% saving from an expensive item such as a bike can be significant, especially if its only lightly used and good as new.

Someone selling a used potty for £2 clearly needs every penny they can get and someone buying one likely is someone that either really needs it to be as cheap as possible, or doesnt want to buy everything brand new. There are ethical and ecological reasons for buying second hand too.

If something really is overpriced, then it wont sell. Noone is forcing you, and of course some people are ok to take offers

🤣🤣🤣

YABVU and ridiculous.
of course they want to make as much money as possible, especially if it's a good item and or sought after.

I just spent 10% more than RRP for a second hand adult trike because they seem impossible to get any recently, and my friend needs it now.

Yes I've definitely seen that. Why would I buy a second hand item with no guarantee and no possibility to return it, no delivery etc when I'm only going to save 10-20%.

One woman was selling an item she said she'd accidentally bought two of and couldn't return someone pointed out it was actually cheaper new in argos, she said 'that's not my problem I want what I paid for it'. OK love you crack on (obviously no one bought it).

The other side of that coin is the dickheads who buy up all the paddling pools or whatever from aldi then sell them at twice the price. Bloody annoying.

I put a bike on FB for sale, cost £1k new, used for about a year - it's on at £150 and not one sniff

I read that a rule of thumb for a second-hand stuff is 1/3 of the original price or 1/4 if well used but in good condition.
I'm gobsmacked when people want almost full price for their stuff and claim it's in excellent condition but then say something is missing or you can see damage on the picture.Or they say 'it cost me so and so' trying to justify the asking price.Some even inflate the original price,thinking people are stupid enough to believe it or not able to check online
If it was used,it was used,end off.

@InTheDrunkTank

Yes I've definitely seen that. Why would I buy a second hand item with no guarantee and no possibility to return it, no delivery etc when I'm only going to save 10-20%.

One woman was selling an item she said she'd accidentally bought two of and couldn't return someone pointed out it was actually cheaper new in argos, she said 'that's not my problem I want what I paid for it'. OK love you crack on (obviously no one bought it).

This! To other posters: OK, maybe bikes are currently not the best example but surely you must have seen it with other items... I think sellers did not use to be so greedy and naive.

The £2 for a potty could be either a person in desperate need of money or, as recommended on here a lot, a paltry amount to put off the time wasters when you list stuff for free, then they’ll give it away when the genuine person shows up.

I think it also depends on the item and how long it has been used for. It’s insanity to suggest 50% off a bike that’s barely been used, but likewise selling a well used pram or Moses basket for 90% rrp is pushing it imo.

I think the naivety is yours as frankly it's obvious that buyers have a choice and thease things nicely self regulate as it's a totally free market. Sellers charge too much things don't sell - simples.
The fact that you think it's too much is just irrelevant. I take it there is somthing you want second hand but can't find at a price you are willing to pay?

YABU. It’s not greedy to want to get the most you can for your item.

They are free to sell at whatever price they want and you are free to buy or reject it.

Sounds like you just want something for nothing.

We sold a kids bike for £200, which cost about £350 when we bought it several years before. (Latest models cost more). Some brands do have high resale (although I've seen it said that that brand still has a very high resell percentage, where in reality the second hand price is usually stable but new has gone up loads)

I see this a lot and the same overpriced stuff being peddled on different local selling sites for months on end. If it’s not selling then maybe the price is the reason? I have a friend who has been “selling” the same paw patrol figures for about 3 years.

I also love the people who can’t be arsed to return things and are “only looking for what they paid”.

It depends, I remember last year in lock down I was after a trampoline for my lot and everywhere was sold out but on eBay there was ones going for double the price they would have cost brand new

DH put his karcher pressure washer on for £20 cheaper than what it is to buy new. It's been used a fair amount but still in good condition. I said he'd never sell it but it was sold within an hour and he had 6 messages about it. I suppose some people really want to save money even if it is only a little bit of retail price.

I was thinking this the other day! I wanted to buy a travel pram recently and thought a second hand one would be a good idea. Hopefully save some money and better for the planet. People were asking for insane money for their 3 year old or more prams because they “had hardly used it”. To me used is used. Only taking $50 off a $400 pram that you have used for years is insane - a brand new one is cheaper on sale!

Market forces determine all prices, new and second hand. It's simply the economics of supply and demand. Some things can sell for higher prices than new despite being second hand if there are no "new" items available due to lack of supply. Buyers are free to buy or free to wait or free to buy something else.

I think it depends. I can't get over the prices that some people ask for (and that people are prepared to pay it) for second hand cloth nappies. I'm on some Facebook selling groups for them and loads of people put them on for literally just a couple of pounds less than if they were new, but what gets me even more is that people are prepared to pay that! For used nappies that someone else's baby has spent months shitting in. By the time you add in postage and PayPal fees you'd be as well just getting them new.

It's up to the seller to decide the price of their own possessions!

Aside from the things that hold value etc yes, at least 50%, partly as you also don't have consumer protections that you do from buying from a shop. You have no recourse in the event that it is faulty.