Why trade instead of selling outright?

Dave Muscato · #1 07-13-2008, 01:58 PM

I've never understood why someone would trade something instead of selling outright. Can someone explain this to me?

I've traded a guitar once. My brother had this Fender Big Apple Strat (discontinued model with 2 Seymour Duncan humbuckers) with the most playable neck I have ever felt, and I had a '58 CS Strat with a neck profile I couldn't stand (also, I'm a rosewood fretboard guy, and the '58 had maple; the Big Apple has rosewood). He loved my Strat and I loved his, so we exchanged, and eventually made it permanent. This, I understand - it just so happened that we both had what the other wanted, and we valued them roughly equally (we both thought we got a good deal). But that is so very rare.

As far as a car, I cannot for the life of me understand why someone would trade in a vehicle. You get much less for it than selling privately. Unless your time is extremely valuable (a couple hours versus a couple thousand bucks), why would you choose to do this? Even if you have to rent a car for a week between selling & buying, you'd likely still come out far ahead by selling versus trading, if your car has any value.

As far as the classifieds here, I just don't get it at all. Some posts say, "Trades only for x bass" and won't sell for a dollar figure. What are the chances that someone out there has the exact bass you want, in the exact color and with the exact options you want, and wants the exact bass you have, in the color and with the options of yours? Wouldn't you improve your chances of a successful match a ridiculous percentage by selling, and then buying the bass you really want afterward?

I suppose there is a tiny chance, on a big enough forum (such as Talkbass), that there's a match out there. But even then, why would you have a "For Trade Only" thread, instead of a "For Sale or For Trade [if, by astonishing coincidence, you have what I want and you want what I have]"? Isn't that what money is for?

Just curious.

nsmar4211 · #2 07-13-2008, 02:03 PM

I traded in my old truck.......but only because the dealer gave me more than I could've sold it for.

Otherwise, I'm with you........unless the two things are equal value, sell it and buy it. You aren't avoiding the tax man by trading or anything.......

Visirale · #3 07-13-2008, 02:13 PM

Trying to sell my car privately at the moment. It's a lot harder, but the 3-4 grand more than what the dealer would give me will be nice in the end.

Trading gear in is stupid. The big music stores will give you about 1/4 of the going rate for your item on ebay. Just utterly screwing people, sans any lube. I've made the mistake for just to get rid of gear I know I didn't want and to get new gear "RIGHT THEN" but I'm learning not to give in to my instant gratification and try to make my dollar go a little further.

Stanley Design · #4 07-13-2008, 02:13 PM

With cars, some people can't be bothered having an extra car taking up space on their front lawn for two months trying to scrape an extra grand out of it after they already bought a new car, so they may as well drive it to the lot and drive off with a new car and forget about it.

On here, a lot of the time it's because people have extra basses that aren't in use, and have seen certain basses pop up every once in a while that are of equal value that they'd love to try out. So they see if there's any bite for a trade, they aren't in a rush to sell and saying they'd like to trade is an easy way around the rule of having to set a $ price on every product in the classifieds if they don't feel like naming a price. Pretty sure anybody with a "for trade" post would still sell outright if you PM'd them with the right offer.

Dr. Cheese · #5 07-13-2008, 02:54 PM

Dave trading makes great sense if your are looking for something specific that having money won't guarrantee that you can buy. A while back, I wanted to swap my Cirrus for a nid range fretless five string like a 55-01. Say I sold my Cirrus for $750; there would have been no guarrantee that I could have picked up what I wanted for $750. A trade, however, means that I get exactly what I want for what I had to offer.

MakiSupaStar · #6 07-13-2008, 03:00 PM

I traded in a Volkswagen Jetta Wagon. Privately no one wanted to pay the extra for the VR6 engine, and in the end the dealership gave me the best deal by 2k.

fdeck · #7 07-13-2008, 03:09 PM

I keep my cars until they are beyond salvage, so the "trade" is cheaper than paying the junkyard to take it.

anderbass · #8 07-13-2008, 03:29 PM

I've done quite a few swap-deals for band/recording gear. I've accumulated all kinds of cool gear that I wouldn't consider selling outright, but would consider trading for something else I may want allot more.

So If I run across a bargain price on something I cant currently afford, I'll always politely ask if their open to a possible swap deal, and only then consider parting with something I can live without as an even swap, or as some type of trade +/- cash deal.

Car dealers will typically give much deeper discounts for non trade-in deals. This makes it seem like your getting much more value from your trade than you actually are.

The only way to be absolutely sure of any items trade-in value, is to first claim your not trading in and haggle the cash price down as far as you can first, and only then ask what they'd give you for your trade...

neurotictim · #9 07-13-2008, 04:16 PM

Why trade gear?

Because it's fun.

I traded in my car because I got more on the trade than I would have from a private buyer, unless I totally lied about the condition of the car and the buyer believed me. I'm not that kind of guy.

Otherwise, I just window-shop here unless I have cash in hand. On the off-chance that someone has something I want, and is willing to entertain a trade offer, then it can't hurt to make the offer. I like my Schecter just fine, but I truthfully rarely play it. If someone would accept it for a trade for something I might play more, then so be it. If not, there's always another round of trading...

Like I said, fun.

GregC · #10 07-13-2008, 04:27 PM

I've never traded anything here. It could happen, I suppose. I'm sure trading for a bass you've never tried could be fun. I also wonder, though, if people don't want to sell because then they'll have the money in their hands and it might end up going to something other than a bass (particularly if they have a family

).

IanStephenson · #11 07-13-2008, 04:31 PM

So you can tell your wife you got rid of a bass, without having to tell her that you bought one...

(personally I rarely part with anything, but a guitarist friend did "sell" a guitar after his wife told him to cut down [he does have about 30 guitars] and when the deal actually happend he ended up doing a straight swap)

Ericman197 · #12 07-13-2008, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

I keep my cars until they are beyond salvage, so the "trade" is cheaper than paying the junkyard to take it.

You have to pay the junkyard? I know a lot of yards that will pay you (sometimes very little or nothing) for just about any car that runs. I've heard of yards that will charge a fee for picking up the car from your house though.

fdeck · #13 07-13-2008, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ericman197

You have to pay the junkyard? I know a lot of yards that will pay you (sometimes very little or nothing) for just about any car that runs. I've heard of yards that will charge a fee for picking up the car from your house though.

That was the deal with my last car. It was already at the mechanics shop after the engine disintegrated. I asked him what he would give me for it, and he said: "Well, I can make it go away for free."

EADG mx · #14 07-13-2008, 07:12 PM

Eliminates a step. Also you might get offered something you wouldn't have considering buying before.

ElMon · #15 07-13-2008, 07:17 PM

I"ve had several instances here on TB where I had exactly what another player wanted and they the same with their piece of gear. Works for both of us. Other times the trade might come unexpectadely while you are really looking for a sale. I've said yes to a few trade deals that were basses I might not have been actively searching out, but was intrigued enough to take the plunge. Got ahold of a Roscoe bass that way.

I've also had a few trades plus cash situations, where the value of my trade might be more than it would if I were to sell my piece first, not to mention the fact that I might lose out on the other guys sale if I were to wait for mine to sell. Last but not least, there are PLENTY of GAS-junkies on this site to ensure a plethora of trades, now and in the future of this site.

steve66 · #16 07-13-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanStephenson

So you can tell your wife you got rid of a bass, without having to tell her that you bought one...

Brilliant

ElMon · #17 07-13-2008, 07:33 PM

I should add that on occasion I've come across those types who will ONLY trade, and that simply perplexes me. Either A) you don't realize that my hard cash could be used for YOUR next bass purchase rather than relying on a trade, or B) maybe you're holding out for someone trading you a bass that is worth more money but are not aware of this fact??

()smoke() · #18 07-13-2008, 08:14 PM

regarding automobiles: in some states, only the difference in price between the trade-in value and the new car is taxed--which can, in some instances, equal or exceed the difference between trade-in value and private sale value...so combined with the convenience, it sometimes makes financial sense

Brendan · #19 07-13-2008, 08:26 PM

Also, it's not like the majority of the trades are spectacularly specific. Most of the trades I see are usually brand or models, sometimes colors. Hell, a lot of people only ask for scale length and number of strings. I'd say the specific requests (fer instance, a Ken Smith BSR 6 string with a walnut top ONLY) are in the vast minority.

GeneralElectric · #20 07-13-2008, 09:19 PM

I've traded stuff before, not much though. Basically when I have gear I don't use and I see something I want, but have no money.

EDIT: The only large thing I've ever traded was a 67 Precision bass neck on a mangled Fender body from the late 70s with 3 different pickups installed for a Warwick Thumb NT that was an LTD. I ended up selling the Warwick 2 months later since it sucked in a band setting but sounded beautiful on its own.