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Why is nothing selling in the classified ads?
- Thread starter pwilson
- Start date
Stuff is expensive and folks have come to the stark realization that certain income components aren't so disposable.
"Use it up...wear it out...make it do."
Riis
"Use it up...wear it out...make it do."
Riis
I have 11 basses and 3 amps. Bass porn is great, but the bills are due in two days.
I'm a dedicated browser on the "Basses" and "Strings and parts" sub forums. Although I generally like the new design, the classified section has lost something. I would like more listings per page, and less description. The parts section seems stagnant, with nothing new since the change. I have several nicer basses coming up for sale, and I'm kind of dreading it.
Cause you can't find the new ads anymore. I'm seeing three year old ads on the first 5 pages.
The only thing keeping me from buying a bass on the TB classifieds right now is the fact that I, and the seller don't have any buy/sell feedback. And I have no idea how it works other than reading all of the terms several times on using the classifieds. Derp..
I think it's actually a combination of several factors, with current economic and political situations weighing heavily in those factors. That said, I don't think the current design of our classifieds is helping. At all. I used to browse the classifieds pretty frequently. I've also bought, sold and traded through TB. Since the site relaunch, I find myself browsing classifieds (much) less. I can't tell you why, but the new design just feels like a downgrade to me.
I bought a bass in the classifieds a few weeks ago. It took a while as I was looking for a P-Bass, a Fender, or possibly a G & L LB-100. The problem is that Fender's fetch a lot of $, at least the ones listed in the classified's do. It took awhile, but I finally found a deal that I felt was fairly priced. So, to sum it up, price. Kinda like real estate; If it's priced at over what the market will bear, it will sit.
Voted redesign. I would browse latest items to hit the classified a few times a day on the old site. Have been to classifieds twice on the new setup. It is not organized how I want it to be. Since buying things in classifieds is not something I need to do, fighting through the design to get to what I want is no longer worth it.
Hard to impulse buy when it is too difficult to browse.
Hard to impulse buy when it is too difficult to browse.
People have more pressing financial needs than buying a new bass (i.e. rent / mortgage due, bills due, credit card debt, student loan debt, financial goals). This isn't only on TB. It's on my local Craigslist too.
Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
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It's coming up on summer vaction time, such as it is.
Every bass I've sold recently has been on Reverb. Speaking in general terms, it seems buyers on TalkBass are looking for a steal, while sellers have to list at top dollar due to the inevitable lowball offers. On Reverb I've been getting fair prices. Sure, the fees are higher, but so is my asking price... and I get shipping costs.
Most of my recent pedal and accessory sales have been on TB.
Most of my recent pedal and accessory sales have been on TB.
I think it's a mix of the economy and the site redesign. It's hard to find things.
The site redesign has been horrible, I used to love browsing ads here now its an absolute chore to navigate.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,123
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TB redesign makes a lot less user friendly. The site overall doesn't seem to have the sense of community it once had. Also people are asking ridiculously high prices. Why would someone pay $1900 for a ten year old StingRay bass when a brand new one is just a few hundred bucks more, comes with a warranty and has upgraded features?
It's hard to navigate the redesign, but outside of TB it's inflation really pushing on folks, I didn't see the tax return bump even before the redesign, so I'd say economy and people here tend to shoot lower thinking the deal is better for the seller. The required goods and services makes the seller think they have to report the sale, so they lean on reverb more instead. The reality is, the taxes are on the difference (if you make money) but you have to have records etc... makes it easier to just sell on reverb in the minds of most sellers. (I'm not a tax guru, that is what I think people think as sellers)
The redesign though to be specfic, makes searching gear far harder and less enjoyable than reverb as a buyer
The redesign though to be specfic, makes searching gear far harder and less enjoyable than reverb as a buyer
Same for me, although I sell on both Reverb and Ebay. Since I have an Ebay Store, fees are definitely better than Reverb's. as for TB, probably the site redesign is a part of it. As @Nuisance stated, searching for something is pretty odd now, with ads popping up from the stone age....well. approx.
I will admit, though....... I'm one of those dudes that is looking for a steal.....unless I really, really want something posted here and can't locate it anywhere else.
All that said, I'm re-listing a body and fresh-listing a couple more things here, with hopes of one of you TB folk buying any and/or all!
Yeah, I've noticed asking prices seem to start high but plummet most of the time after the first week or so. Speaking mostly of pedals though for resale all over the internet.
In general though, I think MI and really in most all industries things are either leveling, dropping down a little or, especially on the used market, starting to settle back down toward near precovid pricing. That or at least where normal inflation would have brought prices to after 4 years. Probably a combination of overspending, logistics, supply chain, labor shortages, etc. That while aren't wholly back to normal, they may be at the new normal. That and probably a greater willingness to wait and not need it now, and the redesign have an impact as well.
Per my usual, I went way deep into the weeds, and this is likely a multifaceted issue.
In general though, I think MI and really in most all industries things are either leveling, dropping down a little or, especially on the used market, starting to settle back down toward near precovid pricing. That or at least where normal inflation would have brought prices to after 4 years. Probably a combination of overspending, logistics, supply chain, labor shortages, etc. That while aren't wholly back to normal, they may be at the new normal. That and probably a greater willingness to wait and not need it now, and the redesign have an impact as well.
Per my usual, I went way deep into the weeds, and this is likely a multifaceted issue.
What, "shopping for carrots" is not an available response? Pffft.
