Posting fake classifieds to influence the trike market?

[VenomRS4]

This may be kind of a long read and it may be hard to follow but bear with me.

I dont know if im just cynnical but do you guys think people post fake classifieds on craigslist, ebay, etc to influence the market? This idea was mentioned on one of the automotive forums I go on and it started to make me question if people actually do it with bikes too...especially with the cream of the crop machines. We'll use a 86' Tecate 3 as an example although any machine, even cheap bikes, can be used here as it's the same principle. So you post your beautiful T3 for sale on craigslist. You have a great description and your asking price is fair. Well no sooner do you post it for sale and all of a sudden theres another one in the same shape for 50% or more less.....WTF. Well for me personally (and im sure some of you are the same way), if its a good enough deal...I just cant pass it up...I'll buy it just because its so cheap even if I am trying to get rid of one already.

You guys still folowing me here...

The kicker is anytime I have ever inquired about the other "too good to be true" machine...I ALMOST NEVER GET A RESPONSE even if the posting is active...and I think its because they are fake postings. The price is too good to be true and anyone who is in the market for whatever vehicle you are selling...well you know they are going to see the other one, inquire, and get no response. And now YOU are going to get low-balled because they just saw the same machine for way cheaper. So what I am getting at is...do any of you think people post fake classifieds so they can try to get your machine or other machines cheaper? This has happened to me MANY times and Im sure it happens to other people too. You put your RARE/UNCOMMON machine up for sale for a fair price and miraculously another identical one pops up within a day and the asking price is 1/2 of what yours is. Then you see some of these machines come off the market, then go back on, then go off again....and every time its a different price...shady if you ask me. I cant be the only one who has ever thought of this. And if you think about it...this method, if put to use correctly, could influence local markets. Especially craigslist since regulation there is minimal.

Whats you guys' take on this?

sorry for any grammatical mistakes, im tired lol

[H95Shooter]

happens to me all the time after i buy one tho only on then it happens to me or im not looking i let a 200x pass me up and i bought a mint 1980 atc 185 for 300 only thing it needs is axle bearings

[bugler30]

that happens on occasion, best way to deal with it IMO is tell them they are welcome to try to get that other one. Why should you drop your asking price to compete with what seems to be phantom bikes. Besides if that other on IS real the sooner its off the market the sooner yours will sell under its own merit. My response is usually something like; yeah thats a good deal but I have no idea what kind of shape its in, etc, etc so its hard to compare to mine. If its comparable, buy it, cause if it is nice then its a screaming deal. You do two things with that, you set yours as the standard to be met or at least compared to, and you don't attack the person and make them defensive so when the other deal DOES fall through they are more apt to give you another call. In the case of the person who posts it just to come try and lowball you, their tactic falls apart pretty quickly because you aren't playing the game the way they expected you to which is to try and meet that other price. I'm all for haggling and getting the best deal possible whether I'm buying or selling so I tend to stay away from deals that say "firm" or priced ridiculously to begin with "obo". I know when someone is trying to over inflate their price to get what they really want.

I paid $1100 for my 350x with little wrong with it at the time, the guy was asking $1300 and we settled at 1100 after I offered 1k. I knew I could go that low without pissing him off cause the ad had been posted for awhile, and I would go so far to say as I got a fair deal on a decent trike. Moral of the story as a buyer, honestly try to learn the market and make an offer based on the merits of the item your looking at don't say "I can get one nicer than this from so and so" that'll piss off the seller and make them not want to negotiate with you because they think you're going to try press a price they don't really want to accept. As a seller be prepared for the knuckleheads and window shoppers and do what you can to prevent them from wasting a bunch of your time, and be honest with yourself as to the value of what you're selling.

As the saying goes "Cash talks and BS walks". and the "I can get this for cheaper from so and so" is just more BS whether they really think that or if they are trying to scam you.

:beer

[zzmegad]

well said ^^

this seems interesting to me and I'm gonna be watching for this. If you follow my rule and NEVER sell, you'll be ok :D

[bcredneck]

this is why i only buy and trade bikes not sell them

[VenomRS4]

bugler30, I agree with you 100%. But it just stinks that there's so many stupid people out there. And actually, this could work both ways. Even posting a fake classified with a price way *higher* than what a fair market value would be in an effort to drive up market prices would be the same principle too. I cant count how many times I see BEAT liquid Rs for well over $2k. And its because a couple dumbasses post some that are clean for nearly $4000 (yes, ive seen it a couple times before). Now im not talking collector machines on ebay here. Im talking craigslist machines that are riders, not showpieces. And these $4k Rs may be real ads, but what if someone were to post a couple more fake ones in the same geographic region within the same $4k price range? Not all trike owners are like us 3ww guys...not all are aware of the real current market. (Btw, this goes for all three wheelers.) And unfortunately thats what drives prices up and screws us over. People with trikes are going to see these inflated numbers and think thats what the going rate is and they have a gold mine. God forbid some tards actually buy into it (which im sure some do) and vioala...market prices are now going up. Why do you think 1st gen T3s have made a serious jump in value recently? Im willing to bet its for the same reasons I mentioned. Some people posted them with insane asking prices--->Then these guys see a gold rush and go grab the old beat 84' t3 out of their neighbors barn that has been sitting there for 15 years and throw it on craigslist for 1800 big ones. I recently saw a pair of 85' Tri-Zs in far less than perfect shape, one blown up for $3500!!!!! Are you serious?!?!

Geeze, Talk about a flip flop here. Maybe it is a good idea after all to put fake ads with super low prices around lol :naughty:. But seriously, I dread the day I have to pay $5k for a decent 350x...and that day IS coming sooner or later. Its the way things are I guess. As these machines get rarer and rarer, its inevitable that the values are going to go up. I think we should all hold onto our machines and cherish them because the prices are on the rise and they wont be easily attainable in the not so distant future. Ok, enough of my ranting. I am probably not making much sense anymore and I managed to beat this topic to death. Its the redneck economics major in me coming out....that, and im kinda pissed i cant afford a decent Tri-Z right now lol.

Thanks to all who read this crap....sorry I cant give you the 3 min of your life back....but hopefully i teased your brains a bit. :lol:

[tri again]

Classic market manipulation.

Some guy advertised in the NY times,

'wanted, case of billy beer. willing to pay $1,000'

ran it a few times and then posted.

"billy beer, $500 a case"

and sold a truckload.

sheer genius for the creatively challenged.