Do low ball offers upset you?

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Reality check for sellers from an ex-professional buyer/appraiser: A commercial buyer will never give you more than 25% of MSRP for an item unless there are very compelling special circumstances.

A prudent private-party buyer will not give you more than 50% of current new street price unless there are very compelling special circumstances.

Example: An amp head lists for $799.99 MSRP. Street retail on this model is, say, $600

If they'll even take it from you, a shop won't give you more than $200 in a straight cash buy for your used unit.

A prudent private-party buyer will not give you more than $300.

That's not "low-ball," it's just common sense.

As the TalkBas, TheGearPage, etc, Classifieds have shown, this doesn't hold true for a lot of bass/guitar gear. When you look at the more popular items- effects, lightweight amp heads, five-string fretted basses- they tend to sell for a good amount more than 50% less than street. It has less to do with a rule on what a prudent buyer would pay than it does supply and demand. I've sold many effects, amps, and basses for little less than I purchased them for. Some I buy used and have sold them for more than I paid. I'm sure what you're saying is true for most other items, but musicians are ravenous- they'll buy your barely used pedal if it'll save them $10 off the new price. The biggest hit I've taken on a bass was selling a botique six-string fretless from a relatively unknown luthier- a very hard item to move. Even with the loss on that, I still got back about 65% of my initial cost.

 

[DudeistMonk]

Do you bargain for a gallon of milk at the grocery store check out line?

When was the last time you bought milk that was left out in the sun for 2 days and has been half drunk by some random guy?

Its a game, the seller always asks for more than they think the product is worth and the buyer always knocks them down.