NEED YOUR INPUT

[alec.korver]

Tue Sep 27, 11 12:06 pm Taking a Poll
Would you guys like a shop/website that specialized in buying and selling of used gear, or offered you trade in towards new gear. the shop would sell used and new gear not on consignment.

Meaning you do not have to search for a buyer of your gear, the shop can give you money or trade in instantly.

You also can buy used gear on the spot, including kites, harnesses, bar lines, etc... More selection because it is not solely based on consignment.

This would be a year round kind of deal. I know there are shops that do it a few times a year.

[OliverG]

So basically a kite pawn shop? Sorry, but the only way this model would make money is to really lowball sellers and charge top dollar to buyers...My answer would be no, people seem to do OK with ads here, on ikite and nwkite and they get and deal in fair prices...it's not hard to sell current gear for fair prices.

[mbzporvida]

Buy low sell HIGH ! :mrgreen:

[sloughslut]

E-bay Thats how i roll :)

[Rob]

Oakland flea-market..

[Thor29]

You'd have to offer something that people can't already get by buying gear from individuals via the internet. I think the trade-in idea might appeal to some people who don't want to bother selling their old gear. Especially if they can get new gear that way.

Also, if people could try the gear before they buy, that might help. However, you'd probably have to at least charge a small "rental" fee for that. (Refundable if you buy). I would also worry about damage since kites are relatively fragile. Another issue with letting people try gear is the variability of the wind. So if someone wanted to try out a used kite, do you give them a multiple day window? Nobody would want to get charged for multiple days if the wind didn't blow. And then there is the liability insurance...

So would I be into it? Maybe. Right now if you had a selection of used boards and I could try them out for a relatively low price, I'd definitely consider it.

[recoprianto]

Almost everyone who loves kiting at one point or another decides they want to find a way to make money in the industry. Trust me, you won't.

If this is a side business you are doing to make others happy, then go for it. If you think even a little bit that this could turn into a real business, I would not waste the effort.

With that said, I agree with the earlier comments. Used kites already sell for much less than new ones, so to upgrade is a major expense. I personally would not be willing to sell my used gear to a shop for 50% of what I know I can get if I sell it myself with a little patience. If you can find a way to have folks only take a 10-15% hit when they sell you there stuff, then for sure I would do it.

[kitenaked]

Yah...What they said...

[alec.korver]

Well thanks for the input! I think it would mostly focus on the trade in thing seeing as thats what appeals to a lot of people... and I sell on ebay too... It sells for ALOT more money there... So far buying and selling used kites I have made $1,600.00 in one month... thats why I thought it might be a business that is fun and is okay income.

[Aloha]

As others have stated I don't see a way to add & extract from the value chain. Economies of scale models around this idea are already super incumbent in this space that would probably be hard to take market share from (the Ebay's of the cyberworld etc.)