marktplaats.nl

Keen for someone to give a tutorial on this service for those who aren't particularly familiar with Dutch or this website. Not sure if it's an auction or classified site and interested to hear of its other ins and outs

It's an auction site.
The seller can ask whatever he wants, but interested buyers can place their bids as high or as low as they like.
It's all very free and open. Even when you placed the highest bid, you are still allowed to cancel, retract or ignore it. On the other hand, the seller can decide not to sel the item, despite you are the highest bidder or offer more money that originally requested.

Usually, interested buyers place their bid (always a bid higher that the highest bid at that moment). If your bid is topped by another one, you can place a new bid if you like.
There is no fixed ending date.
If the seller thinks that the bid is okay, he can decide to contact the bidder and close the deal.
If the bids are still too low (in the sellers opinion), he can leave the ad and hope for higher bids.
Simple as that.
More or less everything allowed. For seller and for buyer. Never any obligation.
But there is also a trap. People are not obliged to tell the trush and to make serious bids.
It's sometimes a bid like a swamp, but in practice, it all really works, A couple of your agon, Marktplaats was acquired by Ebey, because of Marktplaats' success in NL.
Glad to help you out if necessary.

shhhhh, best kept secret....

Sorry to drag up an old thread...

Is there any security? How do I know the sellers for real and not about to pull a fast one with my money? Anyone had any experiences good or bad?

I've had good and bad.

The worst experience I had was when I paid £200+ pounds for a bike and the guy done a runner....

Your best bet is to deal with the Dutch guys that trade on here, they all seem to have a good rep and you know that the deal is sound. They supply lots of pics (I've had a few shitters that looked much better on the MP site), wrap the bike well and won't run off with your money.

Is there any security?

No, no security at all.
Most people don't work with paypal and such, but it's slowly improving.
Paypal is the only protection you can have.

Also, several sellers don't want to bother with communication with foreigners and ship abroad.
But if you pot something nice, you can always ask NL forumengers if we can help (bid, pick up send). Can do that if it's nearby. Personally I don't like to ship complete bikes, frames and wheels though.

ssshhhhhhh don't tell everyone about marktplaats

Why not? From what I've read on this thread I wouldn't want to use it anyway. Sounds a bit too risky and too much effort just on the off chance you might save a few pennies.

ssshhhhhhh don't tell everyone about marktplaats

Seems like quite a nice way to run an auction site. Very human, and based on peoples honour and honesty. Of course it'll fail every now and again, but if it generally works I think it says quite a lot about the netherlands and the people there

Welllll.... it not that friendly.
There are a lot of professional and amateur traders on Marktplaats. That's spoiling a big part of the fun. Just cheap advertisement from them or people buying more or less everything that is available and try to resell with as much as possible profit.

Also a lot of jackasses, both sellers and buyers. A lot of deals simply do not work out (no harm, just frustration).

Every now and then, you can make a good deal and sometimes even a bargain.

Just compare it with a big jumble with a poor digital catalogue.
You can browse without walking and traveling until you see something and have serious interest.
Also on a jumble there are professionals and dicks, not only kids and nice grown ups. And most stuff is rubbish.

But overall: it's very successful and simple.
In such a way that Ebay bought the whole marktplaats stuff.
Business via Ebay in NL is almost zero. That's a sign.

There are a lot of professional and amateur traders on Marktplaats. That's spoiling a big part of the fun. Just cheap advertisement from them or people buying more or less everything that is available and try to resell with as much as possible profit.
Business via Ebay in NL is almost zero. That's a sign.

I think it happens on all big sites like this once they reach a certain size. It's like on eBay here when you see people selling things at prices higher than on amazon. People assume they're getting a good deal but it's not always the case...

Thanks for the helpful comments though guys, I think I'll give it a wide birth for now - can't really afford to get fleeced...

i've bought two bikes and not had any issues
the dutch guys on here seem to know quite a few of the dealers and can advise if someone is a trustworthy person
i saw a bike and someone on here said they knew the seller and said it would be 100% OK needless to say i went ahead with it there and then

sadly it's more difficult to find out who the dodgy ones are !

The idea behind Mp is that you collect the bike and than do a check yourself.

If condition is not according expectation it does not necessarely mean people tried to mislead you. Some sellers simply have no proper knowledge of bikes or some perceive a 30 year old imo utterly crap bike as good or very good, just because it is a 30 year old bike. "You can't expect it is new, it is an old bike" is the comment than. The judgements turn out to be highly subjective often.

Personally I did great deals on Mp, but in cases I also paid sky high when I were really committed.

Nice old thread! I myself am a Marktplaats buyer and seller and love the place. The truth is, more and more of the bikes you see advertised here come originally from Marktplaats. Sometimes even from me. I'm fine with that, let them make a nice profit and deal with the shipping etc, which is my main reason for keeping it to the Dutch market..

Having a look through now with the aid of chrome translate which is good, but my searches aren't bringing up any results for track frames.

What's the dutch phrase for track frame? (Edited because I realised how fucking ridiculous this question sounds, I know I can find a literal translation somewhere but I'm not sure that'll be right)

Baanfiets I think, or just type Pista in.

I am forever indebted to Marktplaats.nl and 2dehands.be as that's where my bike cropped up.

Baanfiets I think, or just type Pista in.

I am forever indebted to Marktplaats.nl and 2dehands.be as that's where my bike cropped.

Cheers!

Pista doesn't work that well in NL.
Best is to search for baanfiets and baanframe.
Search function of MP is lousy. If you're one letter, special character or space off, you're screwed.

Damn. I wish I found this thread earlier.
Was so looking forward to convincing the seller to post to UK this frame. Absoluetly bargainous (I believe it went for 35 EUR).
I'm still trying to track it down. I beleive it went to a certain Quico Touw. I know this is getting a bit wierd but I am just distraught. Should I pursue? I need some help.
I know its stupid to ask but does anyone if they know this guy and in which case could they talk to him?
I'll try and stay hush about the shubang. Not much danger in anyone stealing this here as the frame was 65cm.

I'd be happy to pick it up and post it to you if it'll come to that. Nice frame, matches @Thrust his pista

Thanks. Would first of all track this guy down tho.
My thoughts exactly. I even had plans for it (puppy slaying) but for a 35 euro frame thought it wouldn't hurt too much.
Is it too weird to facebook message him or somehow email him, provided i can find it?

@Gustav Can you rename the thread to something inconspicuous?

Yeah kinda but niet geschoten altijd mis!

Sorry I'm not dutch (sadly) and translate yeilds: not always shot wrong.

I'll take it to mean not always bad. Let the hunt begin. Email is less weird than fb right?