Selling a Trailer

[Scott204]

Well we have had our trailer for 2 years now but we just aren't using it enough to justify keeping it. I have tried craigslist with not much luck. What sites have you guys used to sell your trailers?

[ol__yeller]

Gdetrailer wrote:

ol' yeller wrote:
I have used CL to sell trailers (2) and numerous other vehicles. After I clean my vehicle so it shines, I take numerous pictures. Then I do my homework and check out CL to see what my competition is and how they are priced. I try to price mine below the average asking price and make sure it is above average in condition. Then when I write my ad I describe everything about the vehicle that an interested party would want to know, warts and all and without abbreviations. This includes mileage (on a car) and price. I don't know why anyone would write an ad and not list these 2 items unless they were ashamed of it or trying to hide something. By writing a complete description, you may eliminate some looky loos but they are not your target market anyway. I have used this system for many years and I have always sold my vehicle to the first person who came and looked at it. Things like NADA can help you in pricing but the real price is market value and that is driven by your competition.

Actually, I SKIP or eliminate ANYTHING which has an over the top way too much detail posts on Craigslist.. Just lose interest if I have to read several dozen paragraphs.

Stick to the basics like length, weight, basic features like tank sizes, A/C qty or size, perhaps NOTABLE options or upgrades..

Posting TOO MUCH INFO, bores the buyer and also gives them the excuse to NOT CONTACT YOU..

You WANT people to make contact.

You WANT people to VISIT IN PERSON, even if they are a "tire kicker".

I get bored when someone over posts with too many BAD/HORRIBLE pictures.. Do yourself a huge favor, TAKE A GOOD CAMERA (IE NOT A PHONE OR TABLET) and take decent quality photos of the sides, front and back and some interior..

Bad/horrible pictures tells me that the seller DOES NOT CARE about making a sale because they didn't spend any effort to get decent photos.

Just because you can post 24 photos on craigslist does not mean you MUST post that many and posting 24 BAD photos does not help at all.

I don't believe I said anything about taking bad pictures or writing several dozen paragraphs of information. Generally I have 6 to 8 photos with about 3 paragraphs of information. I can never understand why anyone would go to the trouble of placing a single picture and a sentence of description. I skip over those ads

When I list something on CL I just want to sell it. I don't do it to meet people or to try to talk someone into buying something they don't want. My method eliminates those who probably won't buy my vehicle. It is a basic principle of marketing that is called qualifying your leads. That way I don't waste my time dealing with tire kickers or people who didn't discover in my ad that the dinette is on the wrong side or the bed is in the corner, or my unit has too many miles on it for them, or my price is way out of their budget. My method has worked for me for many years and I have always sold my vehicles for generally above what the "Blue"book says it's worth and to the first person who came out and looked at it. YMMV.

[deltabravo]

Here's an example of a decent listing - lots of photos.

http://spokane.craigslist.org/rvs/5437192377.html

[SprinklerMan]

Scott204 wrote:
Compared to other trailers I have seen on rvtrader. I am 1000 cheaper than those.

If those trailers on rv trader are dealers , then you are still high . As a buyer , when I am looking I want a deal . I can pay what a trailer is worth any day of the week .

[Gdetrailer]

ol' yeller wrote:
I have used CL to sell trailers (2) and numerous other vehicles. After I clean my vehicle so it shines, I take numerous pictures. Then I do my homework and check out CL to see what my competition is and how they are priced. I try to price mine below the average asking price and make sure it is above average in condition. Then when I write my ad I describe everything about the vehicle that an interested party would want to know, warts and all and without abbreviations. This includes mileage (on a car) and price. I don't know why anyone would write an ad and not list these 2 items unless they were ashamed of it or trying to hide something. By writing a complete description, you may eliminate some looky loos but they are not your target market anyway. I have used this system for many years and I have always sold my vehicle to the first person who came and looked at it. Things like NADA can help you in pricing but the real price is market value and that is driven by your competition.

Actually, I SKIP or eliminate ANYTHING which has an over the top way too much detail posts on Craigslist.. Just lose interest if I have to read several dozen paragraphs.

Stick to the basics like length, weight, basic features like tank sizes, A/C qty or size, perhaps NOTABLE options or upgrades..

Posting TOO MUCH INFO, bores the buyer and also gives them the excuse to NOT CONTACT YOU..

You WANT people to make contact.

You WANT people to VISIT IN PERSON, even if they are a "tire kicker".

I get bored when someone over posts with too many BAD/HORRIBLE pictures.. Do yourself a huge favor, TAKE A GOOD CAMERA (IE NOT A PHONE OR TABLET) and take decent quality photos of the sides, front and back and some interior..

Bad/horrible pictures tells me that the seller DOES NOT CARE about making a sale because they didn't spend any effort to get decent photos.

Just because you can post 24 photos on craigslist does not mean you MUST post that many and posting 24 BAD photos does not help at all.

[Scott204]

Compared to other trailers I have seen on rvtrader. I am 1000 cheaper than those.

[ol__yeller]

I have used CL to sell trailers (2) and numerous other vehicles. After I clean my vehicle so it shines, I take numerous pictures. Then I do my homework and check out CL to see what my competition is and how they are priced. I try to price mine below the average asking price and make sure it is above average in condition. Then when I write my ad I describe everything about the vehicle that an interested party would want to know, warts and all and without abbreviations. This includes mileage (on a car) and price. I don't know why anyone would write an ad and not list these 2 items unless they were ashamed of it or trying to hide something. By writing a complete description, you may eliminate some looky loos but they are not your target market anyway. I have used this system for many years and I have always sold my vehicle to the first person who came and looked at it. Things like NADA can help you in pricing but the real price is market value and that is driven by your competition.

[mtofell1]

OP, what is your price as a % of MSRP??

[SprinklerMan]

If it hasnt sold in 2 weeks , its priced too high . it doesnt matter what you owe on it. Its what someone is willing to pay .

[Gdetrailer]

mtofell1 wrote:
.... I disagree this is a bad time to sell. This is the BEST time to sell. Everyone is gearing up for the summer and planning trips. RV dealers' best sales months are in the spring. Who thinks of buying an RV in November? Not many people. ...

Let me put it another way..

The used market is SATURATED in the spring and early summer, in other words there MORE used trailers for sale than there is potential REAL buyers.

It is a matter of "supply and demand" and the "supply" of used units is much greater than the "demand" of potential buyers..

Right now and early spring is the HIGH point for DEALERS to sell NEW RVs and TAKE IN "TRADES". This further INCREASES the amount of USED UNITS available to the buyers.

Since USED market is saturated in the spring you must have a very low asking price to motivate the interest in your unit (remember you are competing with a lot of trailer sellers at that time). Otherwise you are going to sit a long, long time with not even a bit until AFTER the used market supply drops later in the summer..

Later in the summer and early fall will bring out a lot of "bargain hunters" and "tire kickers", these folks are looking for units that have been on the market a long, long time and the seller is motivated to drop the price enough to generate interest.

I bought both of my TTs in LATE SEPTEMBER, I was able to get for a reasonable price without a lot of bargaining..

Since the OPs trailer is only 2yrs old, they may feel they should get nearly what they paid for it OR if they have a loan what the payoff is.. Just not going to happen...

No matter how good you have taken care of it and how pristine it looks, it is used, not new and selling it, you WILL take some lumps..

Additionally, many people may have a difficult time securing a loan on a used RV and if they do they will be paying a higher interest on it than if they bought new.. Tends to sway people to skip a high priced used unit and buy a new unit.. This is especially true if your are pricing it within a few thousand of new.

Price it to sell (REASONABLE) and it will sell, price it near new and people won't bother to even consider it.

It is only worth what the BUYER is willing to pay.

[ExxWhy]

I just sold mine on CL this week, took 2 days. Maybe I was too low on the price, but I felt it sold for about what I would have been willing to pay for it. Hanging on to something to squeeze the last couple hundred out wasn't worth it to me.

I think it sold because I had lots of pics (24), it was clean and ready to go camping. I was in the low end (4-5K) of RV prices, so admittedly it's a lot easier to find a cash buyer there.

The dealer ad bombardment doesn't bother me, when I search I always select "by owner" in the filters. I flag dealer ads every time I see one in the by owner section.

[GrandpaKip]

I've sold 2 RVs on CL. Each took less than 2 weeks. I kept reposting every day.
Good luck.

[Lynnmor]

Scott204 wrote:


Luckily I have done all of the good things on your list. Everything does work, it is clean, and priced reasonably. I post 12 pictures, only thing I can think is a dealer in my area bombard craiglist.org daily so my ad gets shuffled down.

My thought is that most RV's are financed and the buyer is more interested in the monthly payment. Go to any RV show and you will see the payments emblazoned on most of the models. Dealers have multiple ways of financing and a private seller only has the full price option. Maybe include a suggestion that you will accept a deposit so they can obtain a loan at a friendly, trusted local bank.

[fitznj]

Luckily I have done all of the good things on your list

Excellent - at least you're way ahead of your competition.

February (at least in the northern states)is not the best month to sell a TT (just like a motorcycle and a convertible); I think you may be a bit too early to attract buyers.

Wait for the warmer weather; I see as May/June as the best months; I've sold motorcycles/convertibles with best success in the Spring months. If you don't need the money - then just wait a couple of months.

[Scott204]

fitznj wrote:
I have tried craigslist with not much luck

Why do you think this is?

I'm in the market for a used TT for a quick cross-country trip and I am appalled how lazy most of the sellers are on Craigslist.

Listers only post one picture
Lister post only a one sentence description
Listers don't bother to wash the TT
Listers can't even clean the inside
Listers showing unmade bed/untidy kitchen/untidy bathroom
Listers with the first words are "no low ball offers"
etc etc etc
I stay away from any listing with the above.

So...... why do you think your TT is not selling? March/April/May/June are probably the BEST time to sell (and the worst to buy !!)

As others have said, clean it, describe it accurately, price it reasonably, be courteous and remember YOU ARE the salesman this time.

Luckily I have done all of the good things on your list. Everything does work, it is clean, and priced reasonably. I post 12 pictures, only thing I can think is a dealer in my area bombard craiglist.org daily so my ad gets shuffled down.