If you've ever sold a bike on Consignment...

[Rhodan]

If anyone has ever sold their bike on consignment, what % or flat fee did the company charge? 

I'm looking at consignment options for selling my Norge and wondering if the % (20%) is reasonable/typical or high.  I'll admit I had an *urgh* moment when I saw that and plan to try negotiating it if I go that route.  The company itself has a good local reputation. 

[stmike]

It's generally around 15% at the Euro bike dealers here.

[pyoungbl]

It boils down to how much pain you are willing to put up with when selling the bike yourself.  Sometime you are able to make a clean sale...the guy calls and wants to see the bike, the guy sees the bike, you agree on a price and the guy pays, everyone is happy.  All too many times none of those happen.  The guy calls and never shows up to see the bike (you have wasted your time waiting for the guy).  The guy shows up and has no clue about what he is looking at so you have to spend your time educating him, or listening to all his tall tales.  The guy thinks he can get the bike for about half of your asking price.  The guy does not have the cash, wants to trade something you don't want, or wants you to finance the deal.  And then there is the guy who calls and immediately wants to know your bottom line price, giving no reason why you should lower your asking price.  IMHO, a dealer who sells your bike is earning his commission by taking all the BS out of the deal.  How much commission is reasonable?  He has set his rate on what he thinks the market will bear. 

I had a Guzzi for sale a year ago at what I thought was a give-away price.  I still have the bike.

[Travlr]

If you discount the bike the 20% you'd pay the dealer would it be a deal?

Mike

[Perazzimx14]

The local shops around here with one in particular that does a lot of consignments is 15% + your bike must have valid insurance and maintain it the entire time he has the bike and valid state inspection if applicable.







 

[twowheeladdict]

$200 at the dealer in Columbia, TN I used last time.

[Darren Williams]

I've done a couple of bike consignment sales at a dealer I had bought several bikes through, so we had a good relationship. They typically charged 10% with an extra $100 lot fee. They waived that fee once. The required insurance and paperwork stuff applied.

[jcctx]

Have sold three that way; two @ 10%, the other @7%. Had another that never sold??

[jwinwi]

Tried to sell one that way once. Dealer asked how much I wanted to get from the bike and they marked it up accordingly. Guess I wanted too much because after their markup it did not sell...

[Rhodan]

Thanks all.  Sounds like the 20% is a bit high but not outrageous compared to some experiences. 

PYoungbl:  yeah, those are all good points and what I'm weighing right now.  It's a well known local company that brings in business so the bike will get more views.  They provide advertising.  They'll handle all the BS and can provide financing for a buyer.  I don't have to lose work time to deal with it. 

If it sells, I think I'd be getting around the same amount of money I'd get from it as a trade-in. 

[Sheepdog]

We paid 20%, but the shop did a bunch of prep work and advertising to make the bike easier to sell. It took a couple of months, but we got our price.

[Darren Williams]

They'll handle all the BS and can provide financing for a buyer.

That's a key important couple items right there, where they earn their money.

[pressureangle]

I'd have to convert the expected commission into my hourly rate and discover whether my time waiting around reading the internet pays better than consigning the bike.