The Joys of Selling Gear

[Downunderwonder]

I too can blame TB for my pedal collection. Feedback has been hit and miss but no real problems. One seller, fully informed, still struggled with postage to a foreign land, no idea why.

If I don't like an asking price I wait for it to drop.

One time there was a relatively uncommon compressor, same as one I had just bought, offered up at double the usual price as if it was a rare bargain. I called that out and got a rap on the knuckles, not allowed to call out rorts, so do your due diligence!

[Edward G.]

FWIW, anyone who doesn't ship promptly for lack of a box —or the right box— isn't worth a shiggity. I'll MAKE the damn box if I have to—and it'll be crush-proof.

[worxforme]

Blue, I understand your frustration.

Someone posted a thread a while ago titled "Very disappointing when TBers try to make more than they should on a sale", this is a snippet of my post on why I don't sell at rock bottom prices:

After 25 years of owning businesses, I've had to change what I fervently pursued as my ideals both personally and professionally. Because you can't predict the first time buyers ethics, tastes and financial position, a profit margin allows you the buffer to financially deal with the unknown. That's also how the wheels go around.

Most buyers are straight up, a small percentage are high maintenance, some like to renegotiate after the deal or they're outright scam artists. Some will buy and try, using feedback and/or return policies to get their desired outcome, often to try out or use things they want/need with no intention on keeping. (tools, video cameras to record events or musical equipment) A profit margin allows you to be able to deal with this without getting into a pissing match, loosing sleep or loosing focus on what's important.

If it's to someone I've sold to before and they are a straight shooter, I'll give them a deal because I know the transaction will be how it should be, quick, painless and a win-win.

[norbusser]

Thanks for making me feel better about not selling the Traynor YBA-200 that I never use.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by jlepre

The trick IS...

Get the money, and ship it out the same day if possible. G.A.S is a strange thing, and people go hot and cold at the drop of a hat.

C'mon guys, who's with me!

I am. This is a part of this transaction that people seem to be overlooking. Yes, it's human to forget and stuff happens but when you're dealing with someone you have reservations about, either get the deal over and done with or don't do it. The more time you give some folks to change their mind, the more times they change it.

I've had no issues with people like that, I know that's part of the joy of selling, especially here. How many ads have you seen where someone says I'll take it and they don't? Or can you hold it for a week or two only to have that time pass and no sale.

One thing I do find amusing is when I have people tell me I'm hard to negotitate with. Couldn't be farther from the case... I figure out what I want to sell an item for, usually well below market and I typically stay at that price. When someone low balls or asks if I'll take less they get a quick and firm "no", often with an explanation as to why. How easy is that?


If you decide to give something away, that's no longer a point to complain about. That's something you voluntarily did.

All this talk of craigslist reminded me of the last transaction I was involved in: my wife used to sell stuff occassionally on the list and this time she was selling her first generation Magellan GPS for $80. Big honkin' rascal with a big gooseneck mount. Think 80's cellphone size. Heck, this looked like something Mannix would've used. She had paid $500 several years before and by this time new GPS units were at their current average size and maybe $100 or so. This guy emails her because he wants to buy it so she arranges to meet him at Home Depot. She asked me to go along just because.

We meet, the guy has a few questions about the unit (this would be his first one), I'm sitting there wondering who in their right mind would buy this old piece of ___ but not showing it on my face, helping her to honestly field questions about the unit. Finally the guy is ready to seal the deal and asks me: "Would you buy it?" and which point I told him "no". He gave her the money and went happily on his way.

[amimbari]

despite the risks between the 3 .......

TB = 1,000 possible views
CL = 10 possible gunshot wounds
EB = 1million+ views with a higher final fee value

where would you sell to get the most attention?

[SactoBass]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

If you decide to give something away, that's no longer a point to complain about. That's something you voluntarily did.

+1

We are talking about humans, right? As we all know (but don't want to accept) is, humans have this odd propensity to look everywhere except at themselves when trying to find fault.

It's in our nature.

As for my buy/sell transaction experience, I have a relatively low number on TB (only 28 at the moment) but every one of them has been outstanding. I have over 100 on the bay, and every one, except one, was perfect. The one exception was when I received an Alembic bass in its hardshell case, and when I opened the case, the disgustingly pukey gross stink of cigarettes just about killed me. But did I do the typical human thing and blame the seller? No, I had to blame myself for being so stupid to not ask (prior to buying it) if the bass had been kept in a non-smoking home. It is amazing how much easier and more enjoyable life can be when self responsibility is implemented.

[SactoBass]

Originally Posted by amimbari

CL = 10 possible gunshot wounds

LMAO!!!

[Lowactnsatsfctn]

Originally Posted by hdracer

+1

A bass gets listed and hangs out for a month before I buy it. Seller has to find a box before he ships, a week and a half later the bass still hasn't shipped.
That has happened to me three times. When I wrote to ask whats up with my bass, do you have a tracking #? I get a, be cool bro!

In the same scenario, I would have cancelled the payment and pulled out of the deal. Anything over 48 hours till shipping time is just bad business on the sellers end.

I ship same day or next morning, but I can get up on my roof and look at the Post Office. And also never offer to ship any thing larger than a Bass head.

[drpepper]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Heck, this looked like something Mannix would've used.

Haha! I didn't even finish reading your post. That's some good throwback stuff, ha!

Edit - Okay, I finished reading. Even a good ending to the story.

[jungleheat]

Originally Posted by Mykk

I'm not looking to stroke someones ego at my expense either, making someone feel good on the inside because they got $50-$100 off is not in my best interest.

Actually it is.

In one scenario, you ask $350 for something. Guy offers $300, because hey, why not (you will ALWAYS get hagglers, no matter what you put in your ad). You stand firm at $350 and maybe the guy buys it, or maybe he balks and goes on his way. Either way your max potential is $350.

In a different scenario, you ask $400 for the same item, hoping to get the $350 you wanted in the other one. The guy gives you the same $50 down offer as last time. You make the $350, and the guy is excited about the smokin deal he got, and a lot less likely to contact you about problems, etc... later on.

The key is to be realistic with your asking price. It's good to take a page from the real estate appraisal industry and think about "adjustments" to your price. What are other similar items selling for lately? What differing features does yours have, and how does the condition compare to other recent sales?

Oh, and don't necessarily go by asking prices. That can get you in the ball park, but a lot of people ask really ridiculous prices for stuff sometimes.

When you offer something at a starting price on the high side of what you REALISTICALLY hope to get, EXPECTING that you will get haggled down to the low side of what you need to be comfortable with the deal, everybody wins.

It also depends on your negotiating skills. I bought a drum set a while back. GUy was asking 425 or 450 on CL. It was a nice Gretsch 6 piece Catalina. From the pics it seemed in good shape minus a couple worn out heads maybe. The kit new is like 700 or 800 I think, with a 3 piece cymbal pack usually.

I went to check them out on a Sunday afternoon. The shells were practically brand new. It was a younger guy who lived in a house with a bunch of people and he couldn't play much as a result and seemed like more of a guitar player anyway. But a couple heads really needed to be replaced (the snare was unusable with the current heads). He had also lent some pieces to his dumbass friend who lost the snare stand. He only had 2/3 of the typical cymbal/hardware pack (missing a crash and a boom stand).

He came down to $425 unsolicited when he "discovered" the missing snare stand. But I'm not a drummer, I just wanted a good deal on something to bang on, use for band practices, and record with, and with no snare stand and no 3rd cymbal/stand, I did the mental subtraction and offered $350 which was the highest I was willing to pay. He said he didn't need the money and was just selling them because he never got a chance to play and declined. So I told him thanks for your time and was on my way.

The next thursday, I got a text from him saying he would do $350. I went ahead with it and picked up the kit that Saturday evening, and I still have them today. They mostly get used by the drummer of one of my bands at our practice space which is the keyboardist's basement). That drummer had converted his kit at the same time to an electronic kit (after going on "hiatus"), but then rejoined about 2 weeks later. So I offered the use of my kit and in return he put all brand new Evans heads on and tuned them up nicely, and he plays them with a bunch of his cymbals and hardware. So that means if I get to practice early, I kit to bang away at this very professional sounding kit, all because I held the line on a negotiation, and held to my expectations of the deal should be.

Selling is a little trickier, but the same principles apply. Did the same thing in reverse with selling my car. After haggling and coming closer, guy declined my lowest offer, left. Then came back 10 minutes later and changed his mind.

[Downunderwonder]

Buying from NZ I meet the asking price or don't bother. It's hard enough to find the sellers willing to fill in a customs form at the post office. If I was lowballing it would get depressing.

[soulman969]

Originally Posted by drpepper

Yep. But there is a logic to starting with your best and final price...if that logic works, you should be able to get what you want, sell quickly and have a happy buyer. But the reality throws that for a loop.

And CL attracts a special kind of low-baller. I feel like there should be a reason for making an offer below a good asking price.

I recently sold a pristine, 6 month old SVT7PRO, which because of the way I bought it, had full warranty. I saw what others were selling for and jumped in - $550 shipped (so essentially $525).

I also listed on CL and actually had someone contact me saying he'd give me $400 for it. I simply answered "No thanks," but I was inclined to have any discussion over it, I surely would have wanted to know why he would make an offer like that. I'm sure people do much worse. Another time I had someone come out try the basses I was selling as a twin pair, fretted and fretless, at a ridiculous price. He was happy with them, but offered me half of what I was asking.

I've found that to be true as well. You advertise a piece of gear at a price that's at or below any comparable listing and without even so much as a when can I see it you get a low ball offer for 60% of your asking price.

I've got to wonder if most of those are coming from guys just looking to pickup something locally they can flip for a profit. I mean either they're not familiar enough with what's being sold to recognize that it is a reasonable price compared to others listed or they're very familiar with what it is and figure they know how they can sell it for more in another market.

I think I've just reached the point where I'll state that the price is firm and leave it at that. If that doesn't eliminate those kinds of "will you consider" lowball offers at least if provides a good excuse not to respond.

Let me provide some advice to those seeking that kind of deal. At least show up cash in hand and ready to be somewhat flexible on your end too. Money talks, an email doesn't. Try calling a car dealer who has a car listed for $10k and ask him if he'll consider $7k over the phone or in an email and see how far that takes you. I just don't see these people as serious buyers anymore than a car dealer would.

[Edward G.]

Research indicates that using words such as 'firm' in the text of a classified ad greatly diminishes the probability of a quick sale, because it makes the seller appear inflexible.

Any seller's job is to make it easy for a buyer to part with his/her money. You cannot close a deal without contact. The more rules and restrictions surrounding a sale, obviously the less likely and/or attractive it becomes.

You can take a stand on your price without being a jerk simply by not selling it for less than you want. Discouraging contact in your message doesn't help your sale at all.

I recently had a primo accessory on sale in the TB classifieds. Within moments of my posting it, some guy engaged me with a low-ball offer which didn't have a chance in hell, so I told him that the item didn't have to sell at just any price just to be gone, so thanks but no thanks. In about 10 more minutes, a new buyer showed up, paid the posted price and it was gone. Shortly after the sale the original low baller came back and said he had changed his mind. All he had then was a promise to be called if the sale fell through, which it didn't.

The moral of the story is two-fold: Don't argue with a good price on a good thing, because it will disappear on you, AND the time for low-balling is after something has been languishing unsold for a long time, not in the moments after it first appears.

[klejst]

Originally Posted by millsbass5

Ah.... That's why I've kept the same gear (except cords n' strings, obviously) for over 16 years. Thanks for the reminder, Blue.

+1. I have successfully sold some gear to people locally in the past, lucky for me they were very interested and not flakes, however I have encountered a lot of them in my time too. It's just what happens. But true I try to keep exactly what I need and buy what I need to avoid having to go through this sometimes painful process of selling.