‘There is no such thing as a ‘serious buyer’’
Whether you’re a dealer like me, or just a classic bike owner who’s looking to buy or sell a machine, you’ll have to deal with buyers or sellers – and maybe both – at some time. So, what do you need to know to make the best deal for you?
The first thing to realise is there is no such thing as a ‘serious buyer’. Anyone who feels it necessary to tell you they are such will be a timewaster, trying to sound serious when they’re not. I have yet to find one who has proved me wrong.
Often, potential buyers will tell you they are also looking at other bikes. That’s fair enough, but ask what else they’re looking at. If an answer isn’t forthcoming, then I’d suspect they’re not that serious. If they tell you they’re looking at a range of machines very different from the one you’re selling, then they haven’t decided what to buy. Again, not a serious buyer. If they’ve been looking at similar bikes to yours and appear to have done some research, you might be in luck. Chances are they are serious buyers.
What if it’s you that is the buyer, though? Concentrate on the bike. Mentally clean it as you look at it. Touch fasteners – are they tight or loose? Check any repairs. Have they been done well or bodged? Don’t be swayed by the seller, either. He/she may be very nice and honest, but they might not share your values. They may genuinely believe their bike is good, but may not know the difference between a good and a bad bike.
Arguably, there are no such thing as sales, only purchases. The customer is always right, as they have all the power. The decision to buy usually results in an immediate transaction, while the decision to sell very often doesn’t. Ultimately that decision – the power to create a sale by offering to buy – is the buyer’s alone.
You could even argue that there are two buyers in any transaction/ negotiation and no sellers. One is buying the item for sale and the other is buying currency and paying for it with the item for sale. Withholding the item is the only power the seller has. The buyer’s payment is negotiable in size, type and time. It’s only when the buyer makes an offer (and becomes the seller of the offer) that the boot is only on the other foot. The seller has become the buyer – with the power to accept or decline the offer.
We’re all sellers – and we’re all buyers.
Classic Superbikes has grown from a home-based business to be a respected classic bike trader. Owner Chris Bunce is a passionate, life-long motorcyclist. Classicsuperbikes.co.uk