Listing·4 min read
How to describe a trade so it gets offers
Offers follow listings people can picture. If a trader has to guess the size, the condition, or what you actually want, they scroll on.
Name it the way a neighbour would
Open with the object, not a sales pitch. “Hardtail mountain bike, 19" frame” tells someone in two seconds whether to keep reading. “Great bike, must go” does not.
Put the make, size, or quantity in the title when you have them. Those are the filters people run in their head before they ever tap through.
- Skip: Bike for sale, good condition, open to offers
- Use: Specialized Rockhopper, 19" hardtail, Leeds
Say what a good offer looks like
An ask is a starting point, not a trap. Write the number or swap you would be glad to take, then leave room to move.
“£240 or a working turntable” is easier to answer than “make me an offer.” The first one gives the other person something to aim at. The second one asks them to do the work of guessing your floor.
Condition in one honest sentence
Traders forgive wear they can see. They do not forgive a surprise.
Write the one thing you would mention if they were standing in front of it: a scratch on the top tube, a missing charger, a chip on the rim. Then stop. A paragraph of apology reads like you are hiding more.
One hero photo, one honest photo
Lead with the shot you would send a friend. Follow it with the flaw. People who still offer after seeing the scuff are the ones you want on the thread.
Skip lifestyle crops that hide scale. A tape measure, a doorway, or a hand in frame does more work than a filter.
What quietly kills a listing
No location. No quantity. “Various items.” A price with no unit. Copy pasted from a shop page. Any of those and the trade looks unfinished, so people wait for a clearer one.
Finish the listing before you invite anyone. A half-written trade is an easy one to ignore.