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Warning about Reverb.com re:pedals

M

MGR

Inactive
Jan 18, 2015
1,797
1,325
Bronx, NY
#1
Just a quick heads up to those of you who use Reverb.com that you should really make sure you contact the seller before you buy something to make sure they actually have it. Twice so far I have had to deal with this issue.

The first time was with an unnamed store (unnamed because they eventually did right by me) who did not have the pedal in stock and made me wait weeks while they tried to rustle one up from the manufacturer. Since this was a discontinued pedal, I was shocked that they did get one from the company, but it took a while.

Just yesterday I found a great deal on an old BOss BF-2 from Rogue music in NYC. I made sure to email first to make sure the pedal was actually in stock and lo and behold it wasn't. This time, however, I was glad I contacted the store first.

I don't know who is responsible for these things, the seller or Reverb.com, but this is just a simple warning that you should verify stock levels before purchase.
 
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#2
Never had a problem with Reverb, which is more than I can say for some other places. Seems like a great place to buy. Obviously any forum marketplace is going to have some losers, but I wouldn't view that as being a problem with the marketplace itself, but rather with the individual store or person.

It would probably be more appropriate to list the actually seller that you had problems with (although you say they did right so you don't want to now?), as opposed to the forum that wasn't at all to blame here.
 
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#4
I'm going to be honest that I really haven't had any good luck with Reverb. Whether it be a dishonest seller or them leaving their ad up too long or anything else. I've had probably 5-6 dealings through them and about 4 of those I had to return/had something wrong with them so when it comes to spending more than $50 I steer clear :roflmao:
 
#5
I've scored some great deals from Reverb.com sellers, but a lot of sellers cross-list on eBay, Craigslist, and TalkBass (among other places). It's not the website's fault at all - it's entirely on the seller to manage their listings correctly and to update promptly once an item sells on another sites. I've had deals go bad before when an eBay seller managed to sell an item in person via Craigslist but forgot to pull down their eBay listing.

Poor cross-listing management is hardly a new problem - it just becomes a more visible issue when more options are available for buying and selling musical gear.
 
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#6
JanusZarate said:
I've scored some great deals from Reverb.com sellers, but a lot of sellers cross-list on eBay, Craigslist, and TalkBass (among other places). It's not the website's fault at all - it's entirely on the seller to manage their listings correctly and to update promptly once an item sells on another sites. I've had deals go bad before when an eBay seller managed to sell an item in person via Craigslist but forgot to pull down their eBay listing.

Poor cross-listing management is hardly a new problem - it just becomes a more visible issue when more options are available for buying and selling musical gear.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Which is why I am warning people to verify the person has the pedal before buying. So far, 100% of my transactions on Reverb have involved out of stock pedals, although to be fair, I've only done two transactions.
 
#9
I never had a problem with this until a couple weeks ago. Guitar Pedal Shoppe had a Nemesis Delay listed along with a Lunar Phaser. I even messaged them ahead about getting a deal for buying both. Then after I sent payment they inform me that the Nemesis is back ordered.

I am planning on writing Reverb a message to their suggestion email about making sure sellers only list what is in stock and ready to ship.

Edit: I will also dd, the fact that the online stores flood Reverb is also annoying. I like to view new listings, but 90 percent it seems is stores listing almost their entire inventory. I'm not sure how Reverb could address this, maybe have stores have their own section or something. Sometimes it's good to browse when I can't find anything used, but trying to filter that stuff out is tedious.

I do love Reverb though for buying and selling. I can almost always find whatever it is I am looking for. And as a seller I always sell whatever I put up, usually within a day or two.
 
Last edited:
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#10
I had a similar issue buying a used pedal directly from Guitar Center online last year - I put it in my cart, checked out, and paid... only later in the week to be called by the store and told the pedal had already been sold in the store before I ordered it.

I haven't had that issue with Reverb yet, but thanks for the heads up!
 
#11
Never delt with reverb. I always find better deals elsewhere. But thanks for heads up for future purchases. My biggest issue lately has been selling gear actually. I've had several times selling on eBay where the buyer doesn't pay for like a week and then they finally respond with they don't have the money or they changed their mind. I guess evays been on the decline and people just don't care anymore. But it's really frustrating. If you don't have the loot, or aren't sure you want it you shouldn't bid on it,
 
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#12
I've had some issues with Reverb too- it is certainly a more casual feeling environment for a seller which I appreciate, but the downside of that is that more issues tend to slip through. I put Reverb somewhere in between Craigslist and EBay in that regard, but so far it is my choice if something isn't moving on the local Craigslist or on here and I've always been able to sort out the issues that have come up (at least there is some degree of moderation/organized-assistance between buyer/seller unlike Craigslist or Talkbass).
 
#13
MGR said:
Just a quick heads up to those of you who use Reverb.com that you should really make sure you contact the seller before you buy something to make sure they actually have it. Twice so far I have had to deal with this issue.

The first time was with an unnamed store (unnamed because they eventually did right by me) who did not have the pedal in stock and made me wait weeks while they tried to rustle one up from the manufacturer. Since this was a discontinued pedal, I was shocked that they did get one from the company, but it took a while.

Just yesterday I found a great deal on an old BOss BF-2 from Rogue music in NYC. I made sure to email first to make sure the pedal was actually in stock and lo and behold it wasn't. This time, however, I was glad I contacted the store first.

I don't know who is responsible for these things, the seller or Reverb.com, but this is just a simple warning that you should verify stock levels before purchase.
Click to expand...

i bought a DOD 250 thinking it was the newer version with LED and True Bypass but instead i got the 90s version which still sounds rad but still i feel like the people there just use stock photo online to try to push their pedals and give mis-informations. TBH not the first time this happened, it happened to me on TB before when i want to buy a pedal ask the seller whether it is the newer version but instead i got the older version. Once bitten twice shy, i need to get bitten twice to learn a freaking lesson lol.

moral of the story dont believe sellers on the internet when buying used, and always make sure to get a picture no matter how trustworthy you think the seller will be.
 
#14
I think the problem with these online shop is just that the market is now over saturated with online shops where people can list their used pedals/Bass/Guitars/amp.

eBay, online forum like TB, The gear page, craiglist, reverb, proguitarshop.

Sellers tend to post their item at all the websites and when they already sell off the pedal, they forget that they need to update it at all their other website that the items are already sold.

This is the main issue IMO.
 
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#15
This problem isn't limited to Reverb or musical gear in general. The last item that I bought online that was "in stock" was no longer available 3 days after I placed the order.

I will go out of my way looking online for stores that have an item "in stock" and order it so I could have it in a couple of days instead of weeks. Well, the store that has the item "in stock" orders the item from their distributor, it takes them about a week before it arrives to them so they could relabel the shipping address.
 
#16
You know who I never once had a "backorder" issue with? Talkbass. Reverb has become the latest go to for the eBay hacks and retail outlets looking to push demo gear, usually with inflated shipping. If it's something I absolutely have to have, maybe. Otherwise, I'll wait it out and give my business to the community.
 
#19
I've only purchased on Reverb twice (just last night was the second time, so waiting on that).
Both times were through the same retail shop out of GA.
They followed up to ensure I am enjoying the first pedal (brand new and $30 cheaper than any other well known retail interwebs outfit)

Like anywhere else online, you have to be careful who you deal with, of course.
Fine tune your cow-poop detector, and NEVER pay for inflated shipping costs.
Just like on Amazon or wherever, if I find a sweet deal on an item with shipping costs that make it the same price as anywhere else, I walk away.
Any hint of dishonesty on the part of a seller (retail or private), and I go elsewhere.
 
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#20
I think your warning is for online buying in general. I personally have purchased quite a bit off Reverb and it's actually my preferred place to buy music gear. If sellers have their stuff cross listed that is not a Reverb issue, that is a Reverb, Amazon, Ebay, Craigslist, any other online marketplace issue. It sucks but as long as the seller is upfront and prompt when dealing with it it's not much of a problem.
 
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