Flipping

Hattigol

I know there's nothing stopping anyone doing it, free market economies and all that, but it feels very odd to have just seen a guitar I sold recently back on the market, at a price suggesting it's been bought to be sold. 

Meeeehhhh...

robgilmo

Yeah lots of people do it, some just decide the guitar isnt for them, or they just dont need another guitar, I have bought and sold a few this year, not to make money, just to try out different guitars and find one I liked, which I did eventually, but now Im trying to find an Epiphone Les Paul I like so the one I bought last week might stay or it might not, time will tell.
And if you can make a few quid to cover petrol money then why not?

Iamnobody

It’s not a nice feeling but presumably you got your expected price?

Was it sold to a member here?

Hattigol

Sold it for less than I wanted but I suppose nobody forced me to sell it.
And yes, sold on here. Now on Ebay for 30% more.

Iamnobody

Did they haggle on the price before and give you a sob story? If so name and shame or tell the admin.

robgilmo

Or perhaps try and figure out why they would put a mark up on it? Did they do anything to it? Travel half way across the country to get it? Perhaps they are willing to accept 30 percent less to break even and so have priced it so?
Really man, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

hassleham

I sold a guitar to someone on here dirt cheap as the frets were worn and I it needed some work. I used it for a bit of a test where I replaced a few of the frets with different size fret wire so they looked a bit off on close inspection (which i must add I pointed out to the buyer before I sold it). Now it's on ebay for 3x what I sold it for and no mention of the changed frets!
I should add that I don't know if its the same person selling it that I sold it to, but it's a sad thought that someone might buy it and receive a guitar in that state in the post when they're expecting something much better.

Hattigol

He's even cut and pasted my advert wording!

mli3

I can kinda see where you’re coming from, but u got what you wanted for it, the ownership and associated risk thereof has passed to someone else.... so life’s too short to be upset about it no? 

Philly_Q

I know it leaves a sour taste but if you've sold something and were happy with what you got for it at the time, there's no point worrying about what the buyer decides to do with it.

robgilmo

You the best man to sell it   , seriously though, have you looked at completed auctions to see how much they actually sell for?

DB1

I've had an experience like that within the past few weeks - it leaves a bit of a sour taste, to be honest. I agreed a price with a chap over the phone, as he seemed to be an enthusiast (he's a member here, as I've found out since I joined, so I won't give any more details) and I asked if he was a dealer in the course of conversation. No problem in selling to dealers, by the way. No, he wasn't, apparently, and could raise a certain amount and turn up that day, which he did. Perfectly pleasant and that all that, and in the meantime,  I had taken another couple of calls from people that seemed keen, but I'd told them that this chap had first refusal.

I spent three hours with him, going through guitars, etc, and chatting, which was fine, and then let the guitar go at a very reasonable price, but one that I was fine with, as it was good to let it go to an enthusiast. Bugger me, it turns up on eBay at £350 more, just two days later - they had a £1 commission offer on at the time. I sent a text asking if everything was OK with it, or did it not suit him, but no reply.

I really don't mind people making a profit, or flipping - it's nice to think that we've got a good buy sometimes! - but it's also decent to be honest about it. I love chatting to other people who love guitars, and I'll always try and go the extra mile and give someone a good deal, and above all, to be honest - because it's a big thing, buying a guitar, and you want to feel right about the whole experience, which should be rewarding. 

Perhaps it's naivety on my part. 

dbphoto

For me it’s a fine line.

Negotiating a better price for anything that you want to own is one thing.

Bullshit when negotiating a better price for something you plan to sell at a profit is another.

I have experienced it on here by someone I have sold to, then seen for sale at an inflated price not long after, along with many other guitars that I have had an eye on actually.

I do believe though that once you sell something, it’s bugger all to do with you what the buyer does with it, annoying as it may be.

If the buyer uses more bullshit when trying to sell, or intentionally misleads, then it does become something that really does annoy me, as that’s just bad form.

TTony

Hattigol said:

And yes, sold on here. Now on Ebay for 30% more.

Unfortunately, there's no indication on your FS thread as to who bought it.  I presume it was all done by PM.

On the one hand, you sold at a price that you were - to some extent - happy to sell.  It was your choice to sell, so you got what you wanted, or would accept.  Whoever bought it, and is now trying to flip it on eBay for profit, now has to deal with the eBay chancers, run the risk of the eBay scammers, and pay the eBay/PP fees.  Hopefully, they're aiming to make a few £hundred to make it worth their while - and if someone is willing to pay the extra on eBay, then so be it.

On the other hand, the flippers really PISS ME OFF.  The Classifieds used to be a benefit-for-the-community.  It was something that was there to be used by people who were using the forum for all of its purposes.  Mates rates were often available, and deals were done on a word, and trust was all around.  That's undermined by flippers.  Nowadays, many people *only* inhabit the Classifieds, either looking to sell-free, or to buy-cheap-and-flip.  

PM me @Hattlgol with the name. 

Garthy

Hands up who wouldn't sell something for the best price you can get even if it's more than you paid for it, including houses?

TTony

Garthy said:

Hands up who wouldn't sell something for the best price you can get even if it's more than you paid for it, including houses?

You don't typically buy houses from "mates" on an internet forum.

mikeyrob73

I have bought and sold a shit load of guitars in the past few years, I had made a wee bit on some, I have lost a wee bit on some, but I have got to play them for a while and decide if they were for me, I have 3 keepers, and one space which changes, which one day will be filled and then there will be no more flipping. I sold one on here pretty cheap a short while ago and have since spotted it on eBay for twice the amount I sold it for, such is life. I needed the space and got what I was asking for it. If the chap can double his money on it then well done him. 

DB1

I'll stick my hand up cautiously here, and would prefer to sell for a bit less to someone that was a real enthusiast, and couldn't quite raise the cash needed. I have done it in the past, and I'm sure I'll do it again, because you meet a lot of nice people when you buy and sell guitars (I do it because I like collecting, and selling the ones that I can live without - making up for lost time!) I do take your point though, and it's nice to make a profit, but my gripe is with the dishonesty involved. Nothing illegal about it, but it just leaves a sour taste - I know I wouldn't deal with them again. Most people that I've met, when buying and selling, have been great, to counter that. 

robgilmo

I bought my last guitar from a guy just like you, lovely guy, wanted to make sure everything was just right, insisted that I plug it in to make sure it was working etc, kept it for me because of a scarf joint in the neck that we both were unsure about while I went and did some research, told me everything he knew about the guitar, a proper , genuine bloke who genuinely wanted his guitar to go to someone who would appreciate it. If I were to sell it on eBay Id probably make 30 or 40 quid on it, I wont though, Im still in a honeymoon period with it, I am quite liking it. However, when I go to look at a guitar to buy its hard to decide there and then if it will grow on me or not, even if it does tick all the boxes on the day or after a week, or a month of playing it it might not just be right. I am sure if I could afford to walk into a shop and try and buy new Id find something that fits perfectly but the second hand market isnt like that.
So I guess my point is some people flip guitars not to be annoying, and sometimes not to make money, but just because they want to find that guitar that's just right, and for me 15 mins in a strangers living room usually doesnt give me all I need and so I base my decision to buy loosely on what I know and what I want.

I bought a Strat, Mexican one, not too long ago, the guy just wanted rid of it as he couldn't play it. I had a quick strum on his drive way, paid my money then took it home. Lovely it was, sounded just like a Strat, really really lovely, it was back up for sale a month or less later because I cant play a Strat.

Garthy

TTony said:

Garthy said:

Hands up who wouldn't sell something for the best price you can get even if it's more than you paid for it, including houses?

You don't typically buy houses from "mates" on an internet forum.

I doubt many friendships could survive a house sale, and you're kidding yourself Tony.

DB1

robgilmo said:

I bought my last guitar from a guy just like you, lovely guy, wanted to make sure everything was just right, insisted that I plug it in to make sure it was working etc, kept it for me because of a scarf joint in the neck that we both were unsure about while I went and did some research, told me everything he knew about the guitar, a proper , genuine bloke who genuinely wanted his guitar to go to someone who would appreciate it. If I were to sell it on eBay Id probably make 30 or 40 quid on it, I wont though, Im still in a honeymoon period with it, I am quite liking it. However, when I go to look at a guitar to buy its hard to decide there and then if it will grow on me or not, even if it does tick all the boxes on the day or after a week, or a month of playing it it might not just be right. I am sure if I could afford to walk into a shop and try and buy new Id find something that fits perfectly but the second hand market isnt like that.
So I guess my point is some people flip guitars not to be annoying, and sometimes not to make money, but just because they want to find that guitar that's just right, and for me 15 mins in a strangers living room usually doesnt give me all I need and so I base my decision to buy loosely on what I know and what I want.

I bought a Strat, Mexican one, not too long ago, the guy just wanted rid of it as he couldn't play it. I had a quick strum on his drive way, paid my money then took it home. Lovely it was, sounded just like a Strat, really really lovely, it was back up for sale a month or less later because I cant play a Strat.

Very good points! I've only taken playing 'seriously' for a couple of years, but my interest has grown and grown, and I've wanted to try different guitars, and, yes, to build up a collection, which I have, albeit a modest collection. In doing that, I've bought and sold probably getting on for 70 over the last two years, from Peaveys, Epi's, Peerless, to Gibson, Gretsch, Fender, etc - there have been many occasions that I've played in a shop, or someone's house, and decided 'this is the one'! and then not taken to it. My recent experience, I'm willing to bet, wasn't one of those scenarios though.