Transforming public transit into private commerce
Who among us hasn’t at one time found themselves in possession of some merchandise that they needed to offload? Whether it’s a lackluster Christmas present from a lesser aunt, a couch that must be sold before an approaching moving date, or an LCD television recently liberated from an electronics store display, at some point everyone takes up the merchant’s mantle. According to common wisdom, the best places to engage in this kind of horse-trading are Facebook Marketplace or among gullible cousins who might be cajoled into purchasing amattress that has seen heavy use. However, I’ve discovered an under-recognised venue for hawking your goods through a recent interaction witnessed on the number 16 city bus in East Vancouver, which turned out to be home to a thriving resale market.
In this case, the entrepreneurial subject boarded the bus carrying his goods. Immediately, he identified a fellow passenger as a prospective customer. Upon establishing eye contact – not an easy task among the emotionally unavailable, transit-taking public – with a winning smile, the seller opened his pitch by asking the man if he wanted to buy a car radio, and assured him that “it’s not stolen.” Initially, the customer was resistant, shaking his head to indicate a lack of interest. Undeterred, the merchant patted his car radio of assuredly legal provenance.
“It’s a great radio,” he insisted, brandishing his wares. “I’ll give you a really good deal,” he said, looking coquettishly at the car radio. Unfortunately, after a few feeble refusals and some nervous shuffling, the desperate customer gestured to himself and played his trump card: “Look, man! I’m riding the bus!” Thwarted, the seller sank back into his own bus seat and began looking around to start the process once more.
The sale on this occasion was ultimately not to be, reminding us that the most important rule for any salesperson is to know your audience. However, it did elicit some valuable insight: public transit can be an avenue for private commerce. Next time you find yourself in possession of something you’d like to sell – windshield wipers, spare tires, catalytic converters, or fuzzy dice, for example – please consider the business opportunities available to you on the bus, train, or streetcar.