The deteriorating classifieds culture

['Dale]

I imagine that, in a very tough financial and economically challenged times, many will find creative ways to earn additional income through trading on the BikeHub platform. Supply and demand, fair trade and all that.

Price gouging? Hmmm. No one is holding a gun to your head to buy.

Daylight robbery? No, it's called business.

Golden rule: Don't buy from a friend and then sell for a profit, unless you don't care about the relationship. 

[BuffsVintageBikes]

30 minutes ago, NotSoBigBen said:

I had the experience some years ago where I sold a damn decent bike to someone that 'wanted it for his wife' but they were on a tight budget .... Would be a great upgrade for her etc.

Thinking I was doing something good I let it go for substantially less, only for it to pop up for sale about 2 weeks later for more than I was asking for it. No changes whatsoever!

Anyway I've long gone made peace with it .... However I certainly would not do it again!

Mostly just sell amongst mates and acquaintances now

And this is where Ethics come into play... he blatantly lied to you to gain benefit.

I had the same thing happen to me with vintage motorcycle that I bought on Gumtree for a bargain. I got contacted a day later by the owner of the motorcycle museum (or rather motorcycle hoarder) in Nieuwoudtville. I was spun this long story about it being the only bike he's missing in a collection of Yamaha 2 strokes and the bike will be preserved for eternity and on display for everyone to enjoy for generations to come etc. etc. etc. I fell for his story and felt good about preserving the history of the bike. I ended up selling it to him for what I paid plus the petrol to collect it.

A week later I got a call from someone asking if I had the papers for the bike. When inquiring why he would need the papers after I sold the bike to the museum owner, he informed me that he bought the bike from him and wants to register it. Needless to say, he paid substantially more for the bike... as in SUBSTANTIALLY more.

I'm still pissed off about it, not because I sold it but because I allowed myself to be bullshitted by a old con artist. But karma will deal with him in the future.

[ACE Cycles]

On 2/17/2025 at 7:03 AM, MORNE said:

Yes, yes…‘mr hustler’

but…i and many others have also sold things in the forums on more than one occasion. Through pure discussion and wanting to help out with a part that might not be listed in classifieds. I personally did just the other day.  

A forum discussion starts, someone maybe needs something they cant find..I know i have one in my parts stash somewhere, and offer it for sale to help out. That deal doesn't even go through classifieds. Just saying.

Also, i’d just like to point out that here you are joining in on the k@kpraating in the forums - expressing your opinion 😁. 

Welcome to the community!

Despite your condescending tone, my point remains true, you're not going to make a living from talking **** in the classifieds

[Scott roy]

29 minutes ago, ACE Cycles said:

Despite your condescending tone, my point remains true, you're not going to make a living from talking **** in the classifieds

In my opinion bikehub is for the good of the cycling community and not for making a living off of… (again, my opinion) 

I have no trouble with people picking up a good deal (without lowballing) and then reselling it at a fair price though. 

[ACE Cycles]

31 minutes ago, Scott roy said:

In my opinion bikehub is for the good of the cycling community and not for making a living off of… (again, my opinion) 

I have no trouble with people picking up a good deal (without lowballing) and then reselling it at a fair price though. 

The classifieds section is how bikehub.co.za generates revenue.

Businesses pay to use the platform to advertise their stock.

Many users prefer the convenience and reliability of selling to a business as opposed to the hack of dealing with time wasters

It was created to be a commerce platform 

 

[Scott roy]

4 minutes ago, ACE Cycles said:

The classifieds section is how bikehub.co.za generates revenue.

Businesses pay to use the platform to advertise their stock.

Many users prefer the convenience and reliability of selling to a business as opposed to the hack of dealing with time wasters

It was created to be a commerce platform 

 

All of what you say is true, however it’s not related to what you originally said. 

[MORNE]

2 hours ago, ACE Cycles said:

Despite your condescending tone, my point remains true, you're not going to make a living from talking **** in the classifieds

If only you could still talk k@k in the classifieds…right @Hairy?😅

Im not being condescending, you just chose to read it that way and it probably reflects your general vibe here. In fact, id go as far as to say YOU are the one choosing to be condescending? Too good for us ‘mere forumers’ 🤣

Again, here you are talking k@k in the forums while trying to prove that talking k@k in the forums is for non business account peasants. You go do you in the classifieds good sir. 

PS: on the topic of one of your other posts above about bikehub being created as an e-commerce platform. This actually only happend circa 2009. It started as a forum.

i quote one of our esteemed overlords and also provide a source for your convenience:

“…What began in 2004 as thehubsa.co.za was initially a simple discussion forum for cycling enthusiasts…

https://bikehub.co.za/news/20-years-of-bike-hub/“

Be lekker!

Edited Tuesday at 11:43 AM by MORNE

[Michael S]

5 hours ago, NotSoBigBen said:

I had the experience some years ago where I sold a damn decent bike to someone that 'wanted it for his wife' but they were on a tight budget .... Would be a great upgrade for her etc.

Thinking I was doing something good I let it go for substantially less, only for it to pop up for sale about 2 weeks later for more than I was asking for it. No changes whatsoever!

Anyway I've long gone made peace with it .... However I certainly would not do it again!

Mostly just sell amongst mates and acquaintances now

Buyer / Seller Reviews, one review stating the above and they will struggle to repeat it. 
I swear by those reviews and I have not been let down by a buyer/seller with a good rating, they are always the "Bike Hub as a community" okes.  

[Hairy]

18 minutes ago, MORNE said:

If only you could still talk k@k in the classifieds…right @Hairy?😅

Im not being condescending, you just chose to read it that way and it probably reflects your general vibe here. In fact, id go as far as to say YOU are the one choosing to be condescending? Too good for us ‘mere forumers’ 🤣

Again, here you are talking k@k in the forums while trying to prove that talking k@k in the forums is for non business account peasants. You go do you in the classifieds good sir. 

The good old days where you could call out a "rip off add" and often negotiate a price on the add.

[NotSoBigBen]

10 minutes ago, Michael S said:

Buyer / Seller Reviews, one review stating the above and they will struggle to repeat it. 
I swear by those reviews and I have not been let down by a buyer/seller with a good rating, they are always the "Bike Hub as a community" okes.  

At the time the deal 'went down' it was all good .... pretty sure I did give a review (good off course). Not sure if you can/could change the review after 2 weeks though

As you say reviews and if you're really a stickler then the 'Rouxtjie rule' at the very least!

#IYKYK

[mikkelz]

25 minutes ago, MORNE said:

If only you could still talk k@k in the classifieds…right @Hairy?😅

I miss seeing the grammar police pointing out the typos in the ads. 😜

[Meezo]

8 minutes ago, Hairy said:

The good old days where you could call out a "rip off add" and often negotiate a price on the add.

ad as in advert or advertisement

 

1 minute ago, mikkelz said:

I miss seeing the grammar police pointing out the typos in the ads. 😜

o sorry

[MORNE]

8 minutes ago, mikkelz said:

I miss seeing the grammar police pointing out the typos in the ads. 😜

Jeez, some of these ads really still need the grammar nazi’s. Some are so bad it’s painful. What makes it worse is, these days you don't even have to write your own adverts…you just ask an AI to do it.

(Don’t though, everybody loves an advert with some creative zing to it)

edit: checking grammar in-lieu of Generalfeldmarschall @Meezo s presence…

Edited Tuesday at 11:59 AM by MORNE

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Scott roy said:

In my opinion bikehub is for the good of the cycling community and not for making a living off of… (again, my opinion) 

I have no trouble with people picking up a good deal (without lowballing) and then reselling it at a fair price though. 

 

I was about to point out that the owners of the Bike Hub have made it clear over the last few years that the "forum" is not a profitable entity.  It is on the classifieds where they make the business model work.

 

1 hour ago, ACE Cycles said:

The classifieds section is how bikehub.co.za generates revenue.

Businesses pay to use the platform to advertise their stock.

Many users prefer the convenience and reliability of selling to a business as opposed to the hack of dealing with time wasters

It was created to be a commerce platform 

 

 

You make an interesting point.

 

Your "forum" name suggests you are a BUSINESS ... yet it shows you are a MEMBER.  Uhmmm ... so many questions .....

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, ACE Cycles said:

The classifieds section is how bikehub.co.za generates revenue.

Businesses pay to use the platform to advertise their stock.

Many users prefer the convenience and reliability of selling to a business as opposed to the hack of dealing with time wasters

It was created to be a commerce platform 

 

Was it origionally created to be a commerce platform, or did it grow into one?

[Scott roy]

13 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

I was about to point out that the owners of the Bike Hub have made it clear over the last few years that the "forum" is not a profitable entity.  It is on the classifieds where they make the business model work.

 

 

You make an interesting point.

 

Your "forum" name suggests you are a BUSINESS ... yet it shows you are a MEMBER.  Uhmmm ... so many questions .....

I was referring to dealers or users making use of the platform to make a living rather than the actual bikehub owners.