Question about selling skis

[laine]

I will soon have some excellent condition Sambas to sell and I was wondering - is it better to sell them with the bindings mounted? Or to remove the bindings and sell them flat? Right now, they're drilled for a 266 BSL, which is pretty small - so I'm not sure how much flexibility there is in there without the need to re-drill.

Thoughts?

Also, wondering if I sell at the end of the season (in the next month or two) or the start of next year's season in Dec. I have other stuff I plan to offload (mostly softgoods), and I was thinking that would all be better to sell next winter.

thanks!

 

[Monique]

Questions to consider:

Are you open to shipping them? It's easier/cheaper to ship without bindings. Another option is to remove the bindings and send them in a separate package. I once put a pair of skis on the local craigslist, but I ended up selling and shipping them to the east coast.

Might you want to keep the bindings?

You can always post that you're willing to sell with or without bindings, and let the buyer choose. Post with the BSL - there are people with short BSLs out there who might be happy to have the skis ready to go without a remount.

I definitely think it's worth it to sell when people are excited and preparing for the season, not the end of the season. For example, I just sold my road bike. I don't think it would have sold well in the fall. People buying in the fall are typically bargain shoppers. Similarly, I sold my old motorcycle in the summer. I'm thinking of selling my motorcycle and getting out of the game - and I would definitely rather do that in the spring than the fall.

I find that with used skis, people really are shopping for a bargain, anyway. Often I let my emotional attachment overcome reality. When you're setting a price, think, "Would I buy a used ski at this price?" If you're more interested in getting stuff out of the house than in making money, it's worth it to price a little low. IMO. Some people are great at selling and even sometimes make money on the used gear that they then resell. I've never pulled this off.

The flip side is, wait too long, and it's another season gone - or the end of the season - and you still have the item, no cash in hand.

Sorry if this is too much - you asked specifically about skis and bindings, not about the general idea of selling. And I am pretty sure I am terrible at selling.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I usually sell skis mid or near the end of the season or start up again in September onward. If I still have the skis by May I'll hold onto them until the fall because not too many people are looking for skis in July or August so it's a harder sell. I have a pair of skis I plan to sell but plan to ski them til the end of the season so I'll probably give one go round of trying to sell them. If they don't sell I'll just hang onto until about September when I start marketing them again

Skis will be lighter and easier to ship without the bindings but more marketable with them so it's 6 of one/half a dozen of the other. I had a pair of skis with bindings I loved but I sold them locally as a unit because I figured it would be easier to sell them than just selling flat skis.

Downside of not removing bindings is they are heavier to ship but easy enough as you just use some zip ties to push up the brakes so they fit in the box. I usually keep a spare ski box in the closet in the event I decide to sell a pair and need to ship them.

I've had success selling skis mid/end of season but also early season but never in the summer. I've always kept the bindings with the skis to help move them faster. I'd probably say September-October is a great time to start selling gear because people are gearing up for the upcoming season and stoke is high. People are also always looking for bargains so I up the price a little bit knowing they'll try and talk me down.

 

[fatbob]

Agree with Monique - post a price with bindings at the BSL or without. Be prepared to note that it is often hard to get "market value" for the bindings if you include them so you may want to consider whether its worth holding on vs replacement cost on whatever you are buying next.

 

[Monique]

I usually keep a spare ski box in the closet in the event I decide to sell a pair and need to ship them.

After having to scramble for boxes a few times, I am now a box hoarder ... I have four ski boxes in my basement. Think that's enough?? LOL. I am prepared for the ski sale apocalypse.

Agree with Monique - post a price with bindings at the BSL or without. Be prepared to note that it is often hard to get "market value" for the bindings if you include them so you may want to consider whether its worth holding on vs replacement cost on whatever you are buying next.

I have only sold one pair of bindings, but I wonder if people wouldn't be leery of buying used bindings - safety equipment, and you don't know how hard it's been used?

 

[raytseng]

people who are buying used skis are primarily driven looking for a deal to save money. So I don't think the safety concern is a big on their priority list. In other words, I bet almost none of them would pay even $15 for a binding check. (They'd only pay if they try and completely mess up the binding adjustment and need help).

So on the same token, they're looking to save the $ for mounting bindings too (i.e. don't unmount and ship the bindings separately).

So I would agree with above, List your skis with bindings and with your BSL and how much adjustment is available. But you can put in an option saying you'll remove the bindings for a lower price or discount or send you a message and you can talk about it.

I think the basic pricing you should go for is that your lovingly used mounted with bindings should cost about the same as new flat skis.

 

[laine]

So I would agree with above, List your skis with bindings and with your BSL and how much adjustment is available. But you can put in an option saying you'll remove the bindings for a lower price or discount or send you a message and you can talk about it.

@raytseng - How do you know how much adjustment is available on a set of bindings? Is it a general number, like 10mm total - 5mm larger or smaller? Or specific to the binding?

 

[raytseng]

i think you sort of wing that a bit based on if you know know about your bindings to make your posting more attractive.
Otherwise, I think if you want to get technical you can see if you can find it in the service install manual/technical specs or hopefully you found some review website with that detail.
If you don't know, can just leave it out.

 

[Monique]

You ask Phil or others. Or check the manual. Winging it and getting it wrong could really suck for the seller! I know I don't need that bad karma.

I think the basic pricing you should go for is that your lovingly used mounted with bindings should cost about the same as new flat skis.

I've never been able to get this much for used skis. I will say that $200 seems to be a price that will always move. Possibly it means pricing my stuff way low, but higher than that has never been very successful. Although my skis are usually several years old - age matters.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

A couple of my pairs of skis were bought on the higher end of the pricing scale so I know I'll never get what I paid for them. However, I love them and plan to hang onto them for a good long while so their resale doesn't matter to me. My ski buying mantra is usually buy low and sell high, not ripoff high, just up a tiny bit so there's a little positive number action happening. $200 -$350 definitely seems to be the magic price range so if the skis are priced in this area they move much faster.

 

[mdf]

I don't have much personal experience, but the TGR forum has a long-standing rule of thumb:
"The standard maggot/minion pricing paradigm is:

50% of current online price (not MSRP)
-10% per year old
-10% per times drilled, per core shot, per delam...etc
-10% per marker binding attatched

+10-30% for Rare/High-demand item "

 

[Monique]

HAH do they really say that about Markers? They hate 'em as much as I do?

 

[Yo Momma]

HAH do they really say that about Markers? They hate 'em as much as I do?

"Haters" ............Can't we all just get along!?!? Ha ha ha

 

[cantunamunch]

@raytseng - How do you know how much adjustment is available on a set of bindings? Is it a general number, like 10mm total - 5mm larger or smaller? Or specific to the binding?

Specific to the binding. Attacks, for example have great oceans of adjustment room compared to Look Pivots, frex.

Can't we all just get along!?!?

This is the point on TGR where pictures of a sister usually get discussed.

 

[Monique]

"Haters" ............Can't we all just get along!?!? Ha ha ha

I have no problem with you enjoying Markers. Just don't stick 'em on my skis!

 

[cantunamunch]

Oh, and it's absolutely no secret whatsoever that I heart Piston Plates.

 

[Yo Momma]

I have no problem with you enjoying Markers. Just don't stick 'em on my skis!

Meh.............. I'm not attached to it............. I'm still waiting for FKS's in an MNC/Schizo/Demo version! Drool!

 

[oldschoolskier]

Look at what ScotsSkier does for selling used skis (and other equipment). Prices fairly, describes well, sells with and without bindings.

I have bought to 3 sets if used skis and only received 2.

One dear set was lost by UPS, make sure you have insurance, the seller and I both cried as they were sweet skis and neither of us lost any money (other than skis, hopefully the bindings break the leg of the thief). BTW still contact the seller on occasion as did develop a common friend through the love of those skis.

The first was a local who from little understanding promoted them in better condition than they were, but for the price it was worth the gamble and they are still in use just each day is a bonus.

The last was through SS and if you've ever dealt with him, well....his descriptions if anything understate the condition of the ski. Again see note about friend through love of the equipment.

All three skis shipped with bindings, my feeling is include bindings if they are available (especially if system bindings), if mounted include BSL.

Check out shipping costs first to ensure cost of shipping does not exceed the ski.

Remember if it is a good experience for your buyer it likely was a good experience for you too.

 

[cantunamunch]

Meh.............. I'm not attached to it............. I'm still waiting for FKS's in an MNC/Schizo/Demo version! Drool!

Will you settle for Looks? You might have a long time waiting for FKS

Oh and I have a pair - mounted to a Blizzard IQ plate.

 

[fatbob]

The TGR pricing algorithm was in the days of the old shitty Markers like the M whatevers than used to be on K2s. Don't think the Griffon/Jester/Duke generation are that badly rated.

My comment on binders was they last a long time if they are good so why spend on new binders on new skis if you have good ones. A lot cheaper than replacing.