TFB’s classifieds - do you avoid selling here?

raulduke

I used to list stuff (mostly pedals) on here, but recently have used Reverb and, even with the fees, stuff has gone for a higher price than I would typically get here.

There is a tendency here for people wanting to get a bargain, or not want to pay any more than someone may have done on a previous transaction ('xyx sold this pedal for £???, so you should sell at that price too').

Sold 40+ items on Reverb over the last few months (inc. some quite expensive synth stuff), and I've only had one weird interaction (I cancelled the order as I could see many red flags).

The main thing that puts me off listing here now though is photo's.... I just can't find an easy way to post them, and Reverb makes it very easy.

This is my experience as someone who visits this forum every now and then, but isn't a regular poster...

jaymenon

eBay seems to have recently divorced PayPal.

From the eBay.com website:
Musical Instruments & Gear > Guitars & Basses
5.85% on total amount of the sale up to $7,500

• 2.35% on the portion of the sale over $7,500

That's actually not too bad, except that it favours sellers, and you are at the mercy of buyers' remorse.

But from the eBay UK site:

The final value fee is calculated as 12.8% of the total amount of the sale (including shipping, taxes and any other applicable fees), plus a fixed charge of 30p per order. If the total amount of the sale is over £5,000 for a single item, you'll pay 3% for the portion of the sale price above £5,000.

bingefeller

I've sold a small number of items on here, but 9/10 it's eBay that I've had the most success on with zero problems.  Here is a good platform, plus it's free so why not stick it on to see if there is any interest. 

ennspek

Here is my preference.

Gadget

I prefer buying and selling on here, as - presumably because members value their reputation - they tend to act politely and honourably.

However, because we view this forum as a 'community of friends', we all tend to want 'mates rates'. That's fine if you want a quick sale or a straight trade, but if you want to get the best price for something (as we all most usually do), then eBay, etc. is a wider audience and more business-like.

skullfunkerry

I've sold a couple of guitar bits on here and a camera, it's done me well.

I was a bit disappointed to realise that the guy I sold my PRS Holcomb to was a dealer, especially after I turned down a semi-firm eBay offer to do him a favour at a lower price, but that's on me for not checking him out first.

I certainly can't think of any reasons why I'd list something on eBay and not on here...

SteveRobinson

Do him a favour? What kind of sob story did he spin?

hollywoodrox

I list here and on eBay when I’m selling , stuff flies on eBay must say, I’ve bought loads of ace stuff on here 

bgmartinsbridge

I tend to list here first and then ebay.

Not sold a great deal recently but listed pedals on here a couple of weeks ago. Had absolutely no interest and then sold them in a day on ebay. 

I do think this forum has changed.
I've been on here 5 years and the place was full of cool people and I've made some great friends.

Wondering if the growth in membership, probably for classified access, has introduced a Facebook style slant. 
Still gotsome amazing people but we've got some really dark, snidey people on here now, which makes you not want to post. 

I even got stalked on ebay and reverb - very odd. 

And we've got an old guard who think they own the forum, create the rules, self mod and bump each others adverts till someone buys there stuff, lol. 

Still some amazing members but I tend to offer things for sale but but also will chat to people via pm now instead. 

finest1

i list on here because i want to be part of the community, and almost give first refusal here. i also eventually list on ebay and gumtree. i've had more sales through ebay and gumtree than here

jaymenon

I think it’s wonderful when stuff sells here, it goes within the community of friends - and I have made a few good friends here. In fact, I'm relocating to Cumbria next week - and I already have a friend there who I met here on the fretboard, who has been very helpful with advice re: local practicalities to be aware of in what will be a new town for me...

Coming back to selling stuff, it’s nice that here eBay and PayPal don’t take a fat commission. and when I sell something, I don’t feel as vulnerable to 'buyers remorse' since eBay/PayPal almost invariably side with the buyer. 

Having said that, the classifieds are not the primary reason why I visit the Fretboard. It’s a place full of very knowledgeable and interesting people all equally crazy about guitars as I am. I have learnt a lot, and have had a wonderful time :-)

skullfunkerry

SteveRobinson said:

Do him a favour? What kind of sob story did he spin?

It wasn't so much a favour, it was more that he made me an offer of about £30 less than I was asking, whereas I'd been speaking to someone on eBay who was prepared to pay the full price but only if he was able to cancel the order he'd placed for a brand new one from a shop.
I'd used an eBay £1 offer so I wouldn't have lost too much with fees, but I thought it would be nicer to sell through here so I took the lower offer. It was only once I'd got home and looked at his other posts that I realised he literally only ever posted for sale and WTB ads, and nothing in the other sections at all. At the end of the day I got a price I was happy with and a reasonably quick sale; he may have made some money on it but it can't have been much because I checked out prices before I listed it.

Philly_Q

DB1 said:

I've sold at least £22000 worth of guitars in the last  few weeks from ads placed on here, although I have bought some as well.

That gets a wow!

I've never tried to sell anything on here, but I haven't sold anything since 2014 so I haven't been consciously avoiding the FB classifieds.

In the past I've sold loads of guitars on eBay but - although I've had no really bad experiences - I've developed a bit of a fear of it, mainly due to reading horror stories on here.

If I ever get round to selling again I'd probably try the FB classifieds; I'm also contemplating selling on commission - no hassle of taking photos, writing descriptions, answering questions or dealing with couriers.

p90fool

I always start here when selling stuff, partly because it's free and partly because when members here contact me for possible trades they're not assholes. 

I currently have a guitar for sale and all the trade offers I've had have been sensible, relevant and interesting. 

DB1

There’s something else as well - my dog is going in this morning for an operation to have a cancerous tumour removed from his leg. I’ve received two messages this morning from forum members (the only two that I’ve mentioned it to, I think) wishing him well. That’s the value of the classifieds (and the forum) - without those guitar deals being made, I wouldn’t have been aware of so many nice people. 

mikeyrob73

Having used the classifieds here for quite a few years I’m getting a wee bit tired of it. It used to be fairly easy and straight forward and I have met, and had, some great deals with some top people, but lately it doesn’t seem to be that way. 

Example I listed a guitar yesterday, 5 mins one guy I will have that, 20 mins another I will have dibs if it falls through. 

This morning buyer 1 decides he is out, buyer 2 decides that he has changed his mind. Wtf guys that’s not how the classifieds work here 

bgmartinsbridge

You've missed the bit where someone kicks off because they thought they had first dibs but wanted to know more spec before buying it, then someone else buys it straight away. 

TheBigDipper

mikeyrob73 said:

Having used the classifieds here for quite a few years I’m getting a wee bit tired of it. It used to be fairly easy and straight forward and I have met, and had, some great deals with some top people, but lately it doesn’t seem to be that way. 

Example I listed a guitar yesterday, 5 mins one guy I will have that, 20 mins another I will have dibs if it falls through. 

This morning buyer 1 decides he is out, buyer 2 decides that he has changed his mind. Wtf guys that’s not how the classifieds work here 

That's always annoying, but expected, TBH. I think all you can do is sell it to the first person who actually stumps up the money. As a buyer, I wouldn't expect anything more and as a seller, being "the nice guy" generally doesn't work too well - it just sucks up emotional energy trying to manage the first responder and a list of reserves - none of whom have made any sort of binding commitment.

But that's not the problem of the classified section. It's just how people use it. Not everyone gets it right all the time even if they wanted to. 

SPECTRUM001

Buying and selling secondhand creates its own dynamics and risks, so formal sales sites have a psychological distance that can be useful.

Two immediate cliches spring to mind - 

‘buyer beware’ - it is the buyer’s responsibility to ask questions and cover themselves, but that could be seen as pedantic within a community (‘how much does it weigh ?’ !!!!)

’the early bird’ - if the buyer is covering their questions they may miss out on the purchase because someone else acts quicker

I would have thought that within a community such as this, trust exists on a level that would help facilitate buying and selling - at least with established members.

Similarly to others, I placed an ad here for a Tele, and didn’t get any interest, comments or discussion. Put it on ebay and sold it within a couple of weeks. Being it was a run of the mill guitar, I wasn’t too surprised - as the clientele here appear to be more interested in interesting things - which is fair enough as it is simply the crowd you are playing to.

I don’t see any reason not to advertise here - even if I was selling something that had issues (just be honest) as it is a free platform inhabited by seemingly knowledgeable and decent people.

Obviously the exception is the unknown (someone who has signed up simply to sell something) - not sure I would buy from them until they either had some profile or if they demonstrated good comms.

BlueStrat

As a newish member I've listed only a couple of items but found it painless and did a trade that both sides were happy with and with a very nice fellow player too, all done over the phone and all very pleasant and positive.

I've not had any bad experiences on eBay or Gumtree either, maybe I've been very lucky so far. Yeah I've had the odd person trying his luck with a low offer but that's why there's a 'no thanks' button.

My rule is the only real buyer is the first person who hands over the cash, simple as that