Selling gear

[Markedman]

I make thousands every year from buying on Craigslist and selling on ebay. Some gear has been on CL for years because the seller wants that last nickel. WTF! It's only worth what someone is willing to pay, that's all. I see a lot of Mark V's for $1700+ that languish for months and months. $1450 will get it gone, or years later I can see on CL at $1700. WTF. A Mark lll will sell at $500, sit for years at $1000, heck there's a blue stripe in NYC that has been on CL for $700 for years and years. Had to rant about this after looking at CL and seeing all the junk that people think is gold.

 

[Jackie]

I think US folks should be happy when it comes to used gear. Your used market is a dreamland compared to the EU. In the States, I see good cabs go for prices so ridiculously low it makes me cringe.

 

[RR]

I saw your other post "NY Craiglist" and kind wish I was in NY!

I think these high price CL sellers are not necessarily trying to get rid of their gear but rather looking for "the right buyer" and are willing to wait. Yes I know their price is outrages but perhaps they have some wiggling room.

I try to sell my gear about 10% less than the going rate. I would look at Reverb, E-Bay, Craiglist, Guitar Centers' used equipment section,survey the same gear I have and price my gear accordingly. Sometimes some gears are low price but they're like a 4/10 for their condition not like 8.5/10 or better.

But what I can't stand is the low baller. They call you and asks for ridiculous low price. Sure they want to haggle down the price but they ignore everything else.

One time I told a low baller that there's three other potential buyers. This low balles calls me back later and "up-ed" his price which was still way too low.

I said "I sold it already"
low baller: "How much did you end up selling it?"
I should not have disclose the price but I did: "'x-amount".
low baller: "I would have paid that price and more. You blew it."
Me : "No, I sold it to a good buyer not an a-hole."

 

[elvis]

Honestly, I don't understand why people get so offended by lowball offers. I suspect it's just the lack of haggling in American culture. I just say "no". Or I negotiate, depending on what I want.

Clearly a lot of people are desperate to sell, and I'll bet lowballs work quite often. They're not going away, either way.

I can get frustrated if someone is pushy, but it's not terribly difficult to ignore.

I also find it shocking that a lot of folks want 90% of the their initial cost. Used is used. Suck it up. That's why buying used is so great. Let the other guy take the depreciation hit. I can generally buy last year's model NOS for 70% -80% of the new price, so "mint-y" is worth less than that to me.

 

[Markedman]

I just sold my 1955 stratocaster - low ball offer $1000.00. WTF! Sold for 11k! Yeah I could have got more, but I have 2200 from a guitar, 1350 from a Marshall and 11k, I'm very very GASSY right now.

 

[RR]

Honestly, I don't understand why people get so offended by lowball offers. I suspect it's just the lack of haggling in American culture. I just say "no". Or I negotiate, depending on what I want.

Clearly a lot of people are desperate to sell, and I'll bet lowballs work quite often. They're not going away, either way.

I can get frustrated if someone is pushy, but it's not terribly difficult to ignore.

I also find it shocking that a lot of folks want 90% of the their initial cost. Used is used. Suck it up. That's why buying used is so great. Let the other guy take the depreciation hit. I can generally buy last year's model NOS for 70% -80% of the new price, so "mint-y" is worth less than that to me.

Is like Markedman post, some low baller asks for an outrage low price thinking you're desperate. I have a low tolerance when someone asked for an unreasonable low price.

That's my definition of a low-baller when they asks for an unreasonable low price then they make some reason behind it like they saw the same item for cheaper. They think you are an idiot.

I don't mind someone trying to haggle down the price of something I'm selling but asking for a ridiculous price from the get go. I think it reflects their personality once they asks for a ridiculous low price. I don't want to sell anything to them.

So I'm not sure what your definition of low-baller. Haggling down the price if fine. That I don't mind.

 

[Markedman]

you sanded all the value rite off that poor guitar......its basicly worthless...its worth about 1000 bucks the way you destroyed it

Okay, you're right, give me a grand and it's yours.
Then there's this guy -

Did you do the "stripping" of the finish? Why not have a professional paint job done for less than a grand and then sell it for double?

Why not buy the guitar and have it refinished and sell it for twice the price? Because you'll never get $25k for a refinished stratocaster that's why! I doubt I would've made a penny more by refinishing the guitar. I predicted to my wife that this would sell for more than $7500, my bottom price, to a guy born in 1955 that wanted a Birth-year-guitar project in retirement. Bull's-eye.

 

[Pgambon]

I find much better deals on CL than eBay. Hard to tell if things actually move on eBay. Lots of dealers trying to set the market price, me thinks?