Hello everyone,
I'm following up to see if anyone had thoughts to share about selling used parts. I know my original message was overly complicated, so here is a one-line summary of the question:
If your your organization sells used parts & accessories, how do you allocate the resources expended on that offering? **Resources include volunteer or staff time to sort parts and interact with customers, shop space allocated to used parts shopping, etc*
Any and all thoughts are helpful. Thank you! Andrew
On Fri, May 15, 2026 at 3:08 PM Andrew Westphal < andrew.westphal@bikestogether.org> wrote:
Hello everyone,
I am looking for your insight on how to best manage the sale of used parts. Specifically, I would like your thoughts on the following:
- Do you offer new items alongside used items, or do you partition the
shopping experience in some way to differentiate between these items?
- How much staff/volunteer support is available to customers shopping
in the used parts area?
- Please share any strategies that you employ to make used-parts
shopping a positive experience for your customers, and manageable for your staff/volunteers.
For further context, here's how we currently run used parts retail at Bikes Together in Denver, Colo.
Layout: Used parts are stored in bins, boxes and small-parts trays, while used wheels hang from the ceiling. New-stock inventory (chain lube, pedals, grip tape, locks) is limited, and offered in a separate part of the shop. Both types of retail are available as self-service for customers.
Pricing: Used parts are sold on a pay-what-you-can basis, with suggested donation rates by component type. Certain high-value parts are separated into a glass display case and stickered with specific prices. New-stock items are stickered with prices at market rates. Retail check-out runs through a single point-of-sale for new-stock and used parts.
Shopping assistance: New-stock retail is generally supported by the staff who also support sale of refurb bikes and customer check-in to the service shop. Used parts retail is generally supported by staff and volunteers working in the DIY workshop. We struggle with managing the amount of staff time spent assisting used-parts shoppers; it can be time-consuming to educate the customer about what is compatible with their bike, and actually find that item in a bin. When available, volunteers are looped into that role. Unfortunately, some customers leave dissatisfied because they did not receive the assistance they required for used-part shopping.
Some past resources I found in the ThinkTank archive:
- Layout: shop space design advice (8 Jan 2009)
https://lists.bikecollectives.org/hyperkitty/list/thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org/thread/DL7XF7FHJJUAOURF4AIUTTZZMSUY4XH7/#DL7XF7FHJJUAOURF4AIUTTZZMSUY4XH7, with specific insights from SLC Bicycle Collective below: - We elevated our checkout area so it overlooks the entire shop. - We have tried to position everything so it stays "open" eliminating as many blind spots in the shop as possible. - We moved away from using large milk crates for parts to smaller parts bins, this means there are more bins, but it is easier to lift, and get to the parts on the bottom. This also meant the shelves are 1' deep instead of 3', so we gained 2' of the shop back. - Anything we had a choice of putting on hooks or in bins, we put on hooks. - Wheels are hanging from the ceiling on 8' 2x4s with bike hooks at certain intervals
- Pricing/highlighting some difficulties with used-parts retail
(27 Mar 2013) https://lists.bikecollectives.org/hyperkitty/list/thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org/thread/63LCA4PON4S7OGSGJB7SKPTDP4C232EH/#GG2O4HMZ7BJTREADMK3H2ANS5UVOA5OM
- [TheThinkTank] Policy on Profiteering from Community Bike Shops
https://lists.bikecollectives.org/hyperkitty/list/thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org/thread/HWPOYJFPTWLJJ3CXS2XR5DAIGTBN73QZ/#KLBAZD7ZI7AP3GFQUOBODC2AMF5OM77O
- [TheThinkTank] What to do with the nice stuff? (12 May 2009)
- Difficulties of hiring for retail shop management in the bike
collective world: Suggestions for finding a good shop manager (16 Mar 2010) https://lists.bikecollectives.org/hyperkitty/list/thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org/thread/MXTNNLJ6PFUJNKKKIRWY4ZS4BY5FAGM4/#RYFUXQELCWUTYNFQHQJG5PNMQX76M5WR
Thank you all! Andrew --
*Andrew Westphal*
Board Secretary, Bikes Together
andrew.westphal@bikestogether.org
248-345-3530
he/him https://pronouns.org/what-and-why
*Our Mission: Bikes Together uses recycled bicycles as a vehicle for equitable social change; collective and individual wellness; education and empowerment; and connection.*