Reselling gear on TB for profit: Bad Etiquette?

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by Mound of Sound

And no, it's not sour grapes, just think its not in the best interest of this community. That's what eBay is for.

I agree with you.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Flipping can be reduced if the number of transactions per month is capped.

Also, since there is a lot of action in the classifieds, possibly using software more appropriate to a selling/buying site would be more appropriate and easier to manage giving TB admin more control
.
Not like ebay or cl...but possibly in each sale the seller is pre-verified and the seller's history is visible for everyone to see. Also, feedback should be required for every transaction and you can't buy/purchase again until you leave feedback on your previous transaction.

Just a few suggestions for brainstorming...

To be fair, the seller's history is viewable whenever they post in the classifieds. You have to click their link to get more details, but you can see their number of transactions and where they 'stand' on the site.

I dunno if I'd be for a monthly cap on transactions. I understand why you'd want one, but it kinda makes guys like me SOL because I'll usually go through brief spurts of buying/selling a lot in a month and will then take a few months off from buying or selling anything.

I kinda like the idea for leaving feedback on every transaction though.

[A-Step-Towards]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

To be fair, the seller's history is viewable whenever they post in the classifieds. You have to click their link to get more details, but you can see their number of transactions and where they 'stand' on the site.

I dunno if I'd be for a monthly cap on transactions. I understand why you'd want one, but it kinda makes guys like me SOL because I'll usually go through brief spurts of buying/selling a lot in a month and will then take a few months off from buying or selling anything.

I kinda like the idea for leaving feedback on every transaction though.

Agreed. There are plenty of times i left feedback and never got it. There also was a time that i was unhappy with a seller and i didnt leave bad feedback because he would have left me bad feedback as there was a big dispute

[SBassman]

To me, it's not the flipping per se that bothers me, it's
the expletive deleteds that acquire something just to sell it at a higher price.

I have given many TB'ers nothing short of great deals on anything I sold. The same for anything I sold on CL or eBay.
I couldn't sleep at night if I sold something at a price that wasn't an amazing deal.

People who subscribe to this mentality of - if they'll pay it, it's ok - well, those people - Suck. That is the sloppiest, nastiest, most lame code of ethics one can adopt.

[sleepy_monkey]

As a buyer (and reputable seller) on TB, CL, and eBay I have never once cared what the seller has invested, be it a little or a lot. I buy on the price as it is listed, not if the buyer got it for a lot less or for free or whatever. Who cares? I spend a lot of money on gear too. Honestly, I have overpaid for gear just bc I wanted it. So if the seller makes some $$ off me, I actually expect it. Simple supply and demand. I am sure that most of us have lost a lot on some deals and recouped it on others. In other words...you win some and you lose some.

If it is a private party sale then I don't understand what it matters what you ask for your gear. If you know the seller got it for a lot less then you have the option of not buying, but if it is still a good deal then it is still a good deal.....and someone will buy it.

[Staccato]

What's scary on TB is long-time members that have never bought, or sold items in the TB classifieds.

Granted, some of our members have one bass, and buy all their bass-related items at the music store of their choice.
However, in 2012, this does not appear to be the norm!

[Turock]

Originally Posted by SBassman

To me, it's not the flipping per se that bothers me, it's
the expletive deleteds that acquire something just to sell it at a higher price.

I have given many TB'ers nothing short of great deals on anything I sold. The same for anything I sold on CL or eBay.
I couldn't sleep at night if I sold something at a price that wasn't an amazing deal.

People who subscribe to this mentality of - if they'll pay it, it's ok - well, those people - Suck. That is the sloppiest, nastiest, most lame code of ethics one can adopt.

I'm with you man.

[Turock]

Originally Posted by sleepy_monkey

As a buyer (and reputable seller) on TB, CL, and eBay I have never once cared what the seller has invested, be it a little or a lot. I buy on the price as it is listed, not if the buyer got it for a lot less or for free or whatever. Who cares? I spend a lot of money on gear too. Honestly, I have overpaid for gear just bc I wanted it. So if the seller makes some $$ off me, I actually expect it. Simple supply and demand. I am sure that most of us have lost a lot on some deals and recouped it on others. In other words...you win some and you lose some.

If it is a private party sale then I don't understand what it matters what you ask for your gear. If you know the seller got it for a lot less then you have the option of not buying, but if it is still a good deal then it is still a good deal.....and someone will buy it.

It's not those people that I have a problem with. It's the people that scoop up the good deals on stuff that they don't want, with the sole purpose of making a buck off their TB brothers.

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by Turock

It's not those people that I have a problem with. It's the people that scoop up the good deals on stuff that they don't want, with the sole purpose of making a buck off their TB brothers.

Six pages and 108 posts.

Lets have some names and example adds.

I still say this is a non issue.

[Turock]

Originally Posted by hdracer

Six pages and 108 posts.

Lets have some names and example adds.

I still say this is a non issue.

I'm not naming names. Do your own research.

[sleepy_monkey]

Originally Posted by Turock

It's not those people that I have a problem with. It's the people that scoop up the good deals on stuff that they don't want, with the sole purpose of making a buck off their TB brothers.

Gotcha. I troll the classifieds a good bit and haven't really noticed anything to be wary of....but I am sure it does happen.

In response to a few other posts;
Pointing out names and ads will get this thread shut down in about 5 seconds....so I don't advise it. Calling people out is not really the point of this (or any) thread on TB.

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by Turock

I'm not naming names. Do your own research.

I am not the one making the claims. I do spend a lot of time surfing the classified and have not seen it. Mods have come into this thread saying the same thing.

It is up to the accuser to prove their accusation.

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by Turock

I'm not naming names. Do your own research.

I spend a lot of time surfing the classifieds here and have not seen it, along with plenty of other people & mods in this thread.

It is up to the accuser to prove their point and so far no one has. You can always pm a mod like they have stated.

[cyclomatic]

Originally Posted by Staccato

What's scary on TB is long-time members that have never bought, or sold items in the TB classifieds.

Not everyone is here for the classifieds though. You have members that are very active in discussions on the "otherside". If they aren't buying or even selling then that doesn't even touch on the OP real point. Maybe more scary are members who take what they can get from TB but choose not to have a supporting membership. Now that makes me go hmmmm.. I know it's a personal choice all the same so I don't hold it against anyone. Just seems odd. But that's for another thread, si?

Originally Posted by SBassman

To me, it's not the flipping per se that bothers me, it's
the expletive deleteds that acquire something just to sell it at a higher price.

Well by definition you just described what the OP is talking about. When we're talking "flipping" in this context, that's what it is. Flipping solely for profit!

Originally Posted by Mound of Sound

I've seen some threads with the "just got this from a TBer and realized it's not for me" tagline. Research shows that the gear they're selling is for much more than they bought it for, sometimes just days or a week later....It's almost as if they think everyone here is stupid.
Your thoughts?

The other line is "I'm really in financial need so I must part with my recent aquisition. Firm on price 'cuz, woe is me, I really need the money. However, I would consider trades for ________!" What the what!?

Originally Posted by Turock

The issue is that the flipper does not even want the item. The person who really wants the item has to pay more because someone else is greedy.

Most people who do this are easy to spot. The habitual predators anyway . Especially if sellers don't remove the sale price after an item is sold.

[cyclomatic]

Originally Posted by hdracer

I spend a lot of time surfing the classifieds here and have not seen it, along with plenty of other people & mods in this thread.

It is up to the accuser to prove their point and so far no one has. You can always pm a mod like they have stated.

It does happen, but like you said, pm' the mods. They can take it from there. In the mean time we can discuss it amongst each other without having to name, names here. If you haven't seen it that doesn't discount the OP thought, or maybe someone else's experience, right?

[David Wilson]

Originally Posted by hdracer

I am not the one making the claims. I do spend a lot of time surfing the classified and have not seen it. Mods have come into this thread saying the same thing.

It is up to the accuser to prove their accusation.

as a forum administrator who has had to deal with this over the years, I am not going to name names either. But it happens and when it happens it is dealt with, and the users history is usually wiped.

I don't recall any mod in this thread saying it doesn't happen. I said *when* it happens, it's dealt with.

Originally Posted by sleepy_monkey

Pointing out names and ads will get this thread shut down in about 5 seconds....so I don't advise it. Calling people out is not really the point of this (or any) thread on TB.

correct.

[ShoeManiac]

I saw what appeared to be some very obvious flipping following the Musician's Friend sale on Rickenbacker 4003's. Notably, those basses sold in that sale for less than $1100, and I was able to identify an instance where a bass from that very sale was flipped in the classifieds for full retail not long thereafter. It was a cringe-worthy moment.

Caveat Emptor is foremost in my mind whenever I'm perusing the classifieds: Buyer Beware. And people have the free will to work with sellers who are pricing appropriately, and ignore those that are not. But in the end we are ALL Talkbass users. It is very likely that a user who is browsing the BASSES forum may also be viewing the FOR SALE: BASS GUITARS forum and will be able to connect the dots when a bass that was a great deal turns up for sale at full retail only months later. I will not name names because it's over and done. But following the incident I cited I will be increasingly wary of certain sellers.

[mjac28]

+1 I buy and sell vintage guitars and over the years I have come to realize that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it and if you sell something for a super low price because you went out and bought or want some new gear you can't complain if the next person wants to make a profit if no one buys at the new price the new seller will be forced to lower the price,keep it, or sell it elsewhere.