Do bricks & mortar shops also buy guitars on eBay to flip?

Whitecat

ToneControl said:

What's the problem with this generically?
Would you rather see the physical guitar shops not sell used gear? or close down?

if they "declare" they are a dealer would you refuse to sell it to them, or demand a higher price?

A shop where you can try out a guitar and offer tangible support and warranties is essential for many, and costs a lot for rent, staff and finance. I can't see any morality issue in real shops charging more than second hand sale prices

I have no issue with shops charging their bit as long as they back it up with the service. My issue is that the dealer who bought my guitars specifically went out of his way to lie about why he was buying them - which as I said, was neither here nor there except that there is a serious honesty deficit in society as it is so I'm taking a moral stance on it. Had he not lied he probably still would have got the guitars and maybe even piqued my interest as a potential customer. Instead, because he felt he had to lie to me to get my guitars at the price he wanted, I have now warned more than a few people off the shop in question because if they lie about that, who knows what else they might be willing to lie about to make a deal?

prlgmnr

idiotwindow said: Don't like the price, buy somewhere else.

Fine in principle but what I think has people narked is that so often you can't do this because anything at a decent price is immediately snapped up by a 'dealer' who will 'add value' by charging hundreds of pounds more.

idiotwindow

prlgmnr said:

idiotwindow said: Don't like the price, buy somewhere else.

Fine in principle but what I think has people narked is that so often you can't do this because anything at a decent price is immediately snapped up by a 'dealer' who will 'add value' by charging hundreds of pounds more.

To be honest that just sounds a bit whingey. Why not bypass the dealer and do the "snapping up" yourself?

Or why not just give the guitar a miss altogether? I get the impression that most of the people complaining about not being able to buy a guitar at a price they want to pay probably already have plenty of guitars anyway.

Hattigol

Summary of the position as I see it:

Dealer says I am a dealer = good

Dealer says I want it for my niece who desperately wants something in her life, what with her dog dying of cancer etc = bad

chrishill901

 Hurling_Fruitmig said:

chrishill901 said:

Yep they sure do. There was a PRS Tremonti on here that I was desperate for, it was the perfect guitar for me but I had some gear for sale. When I finally got the dosh together it had been sold (knowingly) to World Guitars who slapped an extra £800 on it which, knowing that if I’d have managed to get the money earlier I’d have saved, I couldn’t justify. It sold on WG though. But the original seller was never going to get £800 more for it, only a retailer who offers the levels of customer service expected by a retailer and returns etc could command that kind of price. At the end of the day the seller got what he wanted for it, as did the retailer. No harm no fowl. 

What this does highlight is something quite important. A guitar has 2 values. What it is worth from a private seller and what it is worth from a retailer. A guitar is always going to cost more from a retailer for the many reasons discussed in the threads about this sort of thing. A private seller can’t offer the security a retailer can. What is bad form though are these private sellers who are masquerading as shops with their half decent photographs and wix websites. They’re doing the same as the retailers but they have nothing extra to offer for the money that the retailers can. And they do it more frequently. Still in the market for a PRS I have lost out to a few that have ended up in Leicester or similar, with an extra £1k on top but they’re still essentially being sold by a private seller. It is harder and harder to get a bargain. But at the prices these ‘pigs’ are charging I’d rather wait for one to come up at Peach or WG.

I'm not sure I understand; what 'customer service' and 'security' would I get for an additional £800 paid to  a retailer?

Well generally... Safe knowledge that it is in the condition it is advertised in (certainly in regards to the better retailers) which cannot be said for some of these bedroom sellers. The fact it will likely have been set up properly (again, in regards to the better retailers).The ability to return it under distance selling regulations. The after sales care you will receive if there are any problems. Somewhere physical to take it to should problems arise. Safe knowledge that it's legit and someone isn't going to run off with your money.

You've missed the point entirely however. That £800 was over the used price on somewhere like here or Facebook. Some of these bedroom sellers would also have added £800 to the price as I said -

"They’re doing the same as the retailers but they have nothing extra to offer for the money that the retailers can. "

 My point is that if you are interested in the guitar at that price then your £800 is better spent at the like of Peach than it is with a bedroom dealer. Of course you will save if you can get it off Gumtree for a steal. A lot of my guitars were used. But I wouldn't pay extra for a Squealing Pig because its no different from buying it from Joe Bloggs from South Shields. These bedroom dealers charge retail used prices and for that money I'd rather have the customer service and security associated with a retailer.

DB1

Hattigol said:

Summary of the position as I see it:

Dealer says I am a dealer = good

Dealer says I want it for my niece who desperately wants something in her life, what with her dog dying of cancer etc = bad

Yeah, pretty well this, added to 'dealer posing as private buyer'.  Just don't be effing sneaky, that's all really. Sadly there have been a couple of instances of forum members/ex-members doing this lately as well. It's a shame.