Safest ways to sell a guitar to someone and posting it.

Electro_Ham

I'm selling a guitar and it's advertised both here and on Gumtree as well as at lease one other guitar forum I visit.
Ideally, it would be great if someone just came to my home, noodled, liked the guitar and come to a deal where everyone's happy.
To appeal to buyers throughout the country I know I'd have to post via courier and insure the guitar.
What are safe ways to accept payment from someone from afar who has not ? Paypal? Online banking transfer?

adamm82

I am not very fond of somebody coming to my place. But I prefer to meet locally. 

I was selling some guitars on ebay recently and one guy wanted me to bring all the guitars I was selling so he could try them out. No chance.

mgaw

the safest way is to get someone to pay you via paypal gift or bnk transfer. then there is no comeback on you, problem is it leaves the buyer exposed...difficult to insure guitars for couriers, if they are in a good hardcase well wrapped and in a proper box there wont be any issues...what happens on here is you build a reputation for being trustworthy and folks generally use ppg

thermionic

Pretty safe here imho. If somebody rips off a fretboard member, we have detective skills and pitchfork-wielding angry mobs!

Electro_Ham

I've had conversations with people here about the guitar I'm selling and everything has been polite and civil, although it's not ended in a sale (yet).
I am currently in conversation with someone on Gumtree and I'm just feeling that it's not genuine. He's asked me nothing about the guitar, hasn't even mentioned the manufacturer, he's made an offer and says he can pay by paypal.....and that he lives pretty much as far from me as it is possible to be.
If it were me being a potential buyer, I'd be asking a lot more questions, likely asking for better quality pics too as the Gumtree ones are not that good.

Skipped

Sell in the Fretboard Classifieds. If you prefer, only trade with regular posters.

I am willing to consider the possibility that someone who only posts in the Classifieds counts as a Forum Regular.
I reserve the right to wonder why they have no opinions about anything. Ever. No opinions about the topics disccussed which include Life, Death, Brexit, Plumbing, Depression and Technology.

This is a bit rude but I like guitars with Mojo. Guitars that have been played with passion. The reluctant/shy  poster with Zero personality may have a guitar that matches.

bingefeller

I trust people here more than on Gumtree. 

If someone was buying a guitar from me on here than I would expect PayPal, Gift preferably but if they don't want to then that's OK. 

If it was on Gumtree then I would only sell to someone locally as a cash only sale. 

For posting - I don't have many options as I'm in Northern Ireland so I use Parcel Force.  Last time it cost me £27 for an 11kg parcel. 

punchesjudy

Im quite new here but have had a good experience selling so far. 
Admittedly I've only sold two guitars and both to @johnswiss but both times were hassle free for me and hopefully for John as well. PayPal gifted on his end which obviously involved trust.. 
I'd buy happily from the forum regulars after my experience with John.. obviously it's harder for newer members to sell, though seeing as you have a good amount of frets I'm sure you'd easily sell. Just take payment as PayPal gifted. I think you can normally tell if somebody is genuine as well. 

As for gumtree .. I wouldn't know, I tend to mostly avoid it. 

cruxiform

I only sell and buy on here. Only had good experiences and I don't have to pay Ebay fees.

Niallseroreilly

adamm82 said:

I am not very fond of somebody coming to my place. But I prefer to meet locally. 

I was selling some guitars on ebay recently and one guy wanted me to bring all the guitars I was selling so he could try them out. No chance.

Tell me about it... I detest the human species...

tampaxboo

i would be very wary of posting anything on gumtree, to the extent that i wouldn't.
either sell locally or work with a dealer. you may get a bit less than the dream maxiumum you could score if you get lucky on gumtree and don't get ripped off, but it's russian roulette.
if you can afford to not see a £1k guitar or your money again, spin the barrel and take a shot.

beyond collection and dealers, safest postage options may be reverb (they seem to be a fairer ebay, though i have yet to test the waters, but heard good reports), or people on dedicated forums who have earned some respect (check out their previous transactions, ask messages in pms of others who have dealt with them).

obviously there's no guarantee that if a person on a forum has done five good deals they won't screw someone on the sixth, but it's more feedback than you have on gumtree. but check their selling/buying record if you can find one.
there have been a few small things i have wanted from 'for sales' here, but when i have looked at the sellers' histories they seemed to be posters who had only recently joined (less than ten frets) and never posted anywhere but for sales, so i decided to let it go.

and it works both ways. obviously with my being new to the forum this year, i will have to build up some credibility by maybe starting with small stuff, before i have earned enough trust to be considered worthy of a bigger deal. not that i actually have the funds for any bigger deals, but hypothetically. essentially i'm happy with my wood so i'm a joyos and behringers basic bitch. love cheap toys.

cash on collection generally very safe and reliable. posting things comes down to what you can afford to lose. i can't afford to lose anything, so i don't send.

johnswiss

punchesjudy said:

Im quite new here but have had a good experience selling so far. 
Admittedly I've only sold two guitars and both to @johnswiss but both times were hassle free for me and hopefully for John as well. PayPal gifted on his end which obviously involved trust.. 
I'd buy happily from the forum regulars after my experience with John.. obviously it's harder for newer members to sell, though seeing as you have a good amount of frets I'm sure you'd easily sell. Just take payment as PayPal gifted. I think you can normally tell if somebody is genuine as well. 

As for gumtree .. I wouldn't know, I tend to mostly avoid it. 

Cheers @punchesjudy, unless alarm bells start ringing I have an inherent tendency to trust people. You sir are an excellent seller. I know there are shits out there and maybe I've just been lucky as I've done some pretty stupid stuff like let a guy walk out with a grand plus guitar when his payment wouldn't go through because I felt he wouldn't do the dirty - he did pay me. But yeah only had good dealings with FB folks. I am more wary on Gumtree but also had some good experiences on there.

Phil_aka_Pip

First meeting on neutral territory in public place. Take photos etc. If it goes well, arrange to play/try out. Cash on collection. Never post. Never use a courier: if you value it, take/fetch it yourself.

johnswiss

punchesjudy said:

Im quite new here but have had a good experience selling so far. 
Admittedly I've only sold two guitars and both to @johnswiss but both times were hassle free for me and hopefully for John as well. PayPal gifted on his end which obviously involved trust.. 
I'd buy happily from the forum regulars after my experience with John.. obviously it's harder for newer members to sell, though seeing as you have a good amount of frets I'm sure you'd easily sell. Just take payment as PayPal gifted. I think you can normally tell if somebody is genuine as well. 

As for gumtree .. I wouldn't know, I tend to mostly avoid it. 

Cheers mate, unless alarm bells start ringing I have an inherent tendency to trust people. You sir are an excellent seller. I know there are shits out there and maybe I've just been lucky as I've done some pretty stupid stuff like let a guy walk out with a grand plus guitar when his payment wouldn't go through because I felt he wouldn't do the dirty - he did pay me. But yeah only had good dealings with FB folks. I am more wary on Gumtree but also had some good experiences on there.

johnswiss

punchesjudy said:

Im quite new here but have had a good experience selling so far. 
Admittedly I've only sold two guitars and both to @johnswiss but both times were hassle free for me and hopefully for John as well. PayPal gifted on his end which obviously involved trust.. 
I'd buy happily from the forum regulars after my experience with John.. obviously it's harder for newer members to sell, though seeing as you have a good amount of frets I'm sure you'd easily sell. Just take payment as PayPal gifted. I think you can normally tell if somebody is genuine as well. 

As for gumtree .. I wouldn't know, I tend to mostly avoid it. 

Cheers mate, unless alarm bells start ringing I have an inherent tendency to trust people. You sir are an excellent seller. I know there are shits out there and maybe I've just been lucky as I've done some pretty stupid stuff like let a guy walk out with a grand plus guitar when his payment wouldn't go through because I felt he wouldn't do the dirty - he did pay me. But yeah only had good dealings with FB folks. I am more wary on Gumtree but also had some good experiences on there.

Electro_Ham

Thanks guys. I didn't feel comfortable with the buyer from gumtree. Absolutely no questions whatsoever about the guitar itself. I'll keep using gumtree but only for cash sales. I've had plenty of success there before. That's a good point about meeting people beforehand.

vettahead

Yeah paupal gift or bt if your posting. Requires trust in the buyers  side Though.

MtB

I've had a lot of good dealings on this forum, but one sour experience.

Fortunately all correspondence was sent via the forum PM system. In the end of the day no goods were sold or money exchanged.
Following multiple PM communications I travelled 50 or so miles with an amp to meet the buyer, who was "definitely" going to go through with the deal, but who decided not to turn up, and from whom I received no further communication.

As all of the comms were on the forum PM system, the modmins could see what had happened, and took action accordingly. 

JerkMoans

I've done it every which way: on here, Gumtree, Facebook forums (fora?) and eBay.  Nothing really bad to report: a few bits slightly more tatty than described, although you take your chances buying used gear anyway.  I think you just need to have antennae like GCHQ for anything that smells even remotely dodgy if you're purchasing.  If you're worried, walk away: there will be more along.  These are guitars and amps, not holy relics. 

As for selling, cash up front, no exceptions, and develop a hide like a rhino for all the salami slicing on price that you'll get.  The safest way to do it is face to face: I'll go to people if I can, and am happy for them to come to me.  Again, provided it doesn't sound dodgy as feck: don't need Fagin coming round Chateau de Moans.

mort

As PayPal Gift payments have been mentioned a couple of times in this thread it's worth reminding everyone that there is still a risk with a Paypal Gift payment - a claim for unauthorised use of a card can still be made.

Buyer claims it was a fraudulent transaction, they get their money back and the Seller loses everything because they have not sold anything. They accepted a gift payment, they didn't sell a guitar.

So it actually offers less protection than a 'normal' PayPal transaction where at least you can try and defend a claim because it's linked to an actual item with tracking etc.

rico

The only items I would consider posting are pedals and accessories and only use special delivery on the proviso that payment is via BT or PPG and I can move the cleared funds into another account. I have done various transactions on here and a couple on the Facebook groups, not to mention non-guitar related stuff on other fora in this fashion.

Likewise, I have also done face-to-face cash deals where I have met buyers in a public place (Asda car parks, motorway services etc).

These two methods of transacting are the only ones that I will use and even then, if I smell something remotely off I won't go through with the deal. I like to think I am a pretty good judge of character and as others have said, more items will inevitably pop up - it's just a matter of time.