Moving Gear

[kslight]

Where are you unloading your gear these days?

I’ve been buying and selling on eBay since the late 90s, and these days mostly put my music gear on Reverb or FB marketplace. So I’m not new to it, but what a headache dealing with people is these days. It seems I can never price anything too low (I always start at least 10-15% lower than the next guy or eBay sold prices) and always attract every clown that wants another 30%+ off or has a problem with reading comprehension.


Today I had an offer on reverb on a bass guitar…as far as I can tell the only non-broken example for sale on the entirety of the internet…guy wants 30% off and leaves the comment “because it doesn’t come with a bunch of rare xyz accessories” that would have added another $2000…and clearly stated in the ad that absolutely nothing but the bass is included.


My most recent reverb sale last week…for a ring mod pedal…yeah a quirky thing. Guy gets it and within an hour messages me that it’s broken…I ask for a video, turns out he’s just diming random controls arbitrarily without bothering to learn the 18 different controls of the pedal. As far as I can tell the pedal is fine if you use it correctly, but he wants a week to evaluate it. Hasn’t sent me any more videos after I explained how to use the pedal.

Loads of local sales for non-music stuff also…you know the racket, just trying to sort through who is a real person, who has cash, who has a car, who has realistic price expectations…multiple items had some people offering well below my price, as well as people offering above because of demand…

I always thought Reverb was the solution to the FB and eBay nonsense but today I get the impression it’s Just not worth dealing with. Sweetwater marketplace next?

I’m in a little recovery mode with money (divorce and car things) so yeah I’m trying to downsize a bit but geez. I’ve been selling plasma among other small gigs for extra $…and you know what? The plasma center should say “so much more lucrative and convenient than selling your shit online.”

/rant

[digitaldrummer]

Internet people are generally stupid. and yes, for the most part I avoid the "make offer" setting because of those people.

I will be very unlikely to use eBay again due to an issue I am fighting them currently (I'll post updates on my other thread). Their 100% Guarantee means absolutely nothing and fraud is rampant on the site. I also just reported someone on Reverb who was warming me up to fraud (I'm in Mexico so I will ship it to my friend in the USA and they will...). Nope.

But yes, So far Sweetwater Gear Exchange has been OK. You have to be in the USA. They seem to review most postings and I don't see the fake ads like you always see on eBay. Also, so far I have not been charged for tax on any purchases. this helps both in buying and selling. They charge 7.5% (like Reverb) if you get paid by Paypal or they take 0% if you get a Sweetwater gift card. I've done it both ways.

Craigslist and FB marketplace are OK for local sales, but tons of flakes and fakes (scams), so you have to know how to maneuver around that and it's a PITA.

[markjazzbassist]

reverb. turn off make offer. set your price. set your store settings as no returns allowed. list as Vintage SOLD AS IS. ALWAYS PAY FOR REVERB PROTECTION WHEN YOU SELL, IT'S THE LAST OPTION WHEN YOU ARE PAYING FOR THE SHIPPING LABEL. selling as is keeps the tire kickers away and let's people know don't fuck about with me. interested buyers will message and say "does it work, any issues" and i respond and tell them it's great i just am not a guitar store so i don't do returns try/buy exchange stuff. i give detailed explanation of it working and how it sounds. they usually buy immediately. if there are issues i clearly detail everything. REMEMBER any communication in messages can be used for/against you if there is an issue. Same with your listing.

as far as the low ballers? flipping gear has become a side gig of just about every musician. they watch youtubes on it and think they can make tons of money because some people do. they can't. just disregard them.

as far as the problem people? very simple. just tell them to contact reverb support. support will have them ask for a refund. simply deny this (unless you want to do the return). if they say hey what the deal, say no refund said no returns and clearly listed everything. they might bail (i've had some just give up). if they escalate to reverb support? no issue. you have clearly listed everything (see first paragraph) support reaches out to both parties (separately) and asks for their side of the story. if you paid for reverb protection (first paragraph) you are covered no matter what, what does that mean? reverb just pays for the issue to go away. broken synth? reverb pays the buyer for the repair and you do nothing. small issue? reverb refunds (not from you, from reverb corporate) a small amount to cover the problem and make it go away. I cannot stress enough how wonderful this is. It is usually 1-10 bucks depending on sale price and just totally covers you.

[kslight]

reverb. turn off make offer. set your price. set your store settings as no returns allowed. list as Vintage SOLD AS IS. ALWAYS PAY FOR REVERB PROTECTION WHEN YOU SELL, IT'S THE LAST OPTION WHEN YOU ARE PAYING FOR THE SHIPPING LABEL. selling as is keeps the tire kickers away and let's people know don't fuck about with me. interested buyers will message and say "does it work, any issues" and i respond and tell them it's great i just am not a guitar store so i don't do returns try/buy exchange stuff. i give detailed explanation of it working and how it sounds. they usually buy immediately. if there are issues i clearly detail everything. REMEMBER any communication in messages can be used for/against you if there is an issue. Same with your listing.

as far as the low ballers? flipping gear has become a side gig of just about every musician. they watch youtubes on it and think they can make tons of money because some people do. they can't. just disregard them.

as far as the problem people? very simple. just tell them to contact reverb support. support will have them ask for a refund. simply deny this (unless you want to do the return). if they say hey what the deal, say no refund said no returns and clearly listed everything. they might bail (i've had some just give up). if they escalate to reverb support? no issue. you have clearly listed everything (see first paragraph) support reaches out to both parties (separately) and asks for their side of the story. if you paid for reverb protection (first paragraph) you are covered no matter what, what does that mean? reverb just pays for the issue to go away. broken synth? reverb pays the buyer for the repair and you do nothing. small issue? reverb refunds (not from you, from reverb corporate) a small amount to cover the problem and make it go away. I cannot stress enough how wonderful this is. It is usually 1-10 bucks depending on sale price and just totally covers you.

I appreciate the advice. I do set my store as no returns, and I always require a signature and do reverb protection. I wasn’t aware that protection worked as you describe. You are saying that if my buyer decides something is broken - and it’s certainly not shipping related (everyone who has bought from me will testify that I pack excessively well) - that I won’t lose any money on the transaction?


I am certainly aware of the side hustle, I’ve been doing it forever - however my strategy was fixing up broken gear, which I used to be able to buy for peanuts and that’s how my studio became filled with gear… these days of course that is rare. I wasn’t aware there were YouTubers pimping that lifestyle. They can’t hustle me, I do not regularly sell things cheap enough to resell them lol. I just get tired of it - you know these days I do not even message a seller if their price isn’t around what I want to pay. I’m not going to offer them 30% of their price or whatever…

[kslight]

Internet people are generally stupid. and yes, for the most part I avoid the "make offer" setting because of those people.

I will be very unlikely to use eBay again due to an issue I am fighting them currently (I'll post updates on my other thread). Their 100% Guarantee means absolutely nothing and fraud is rampant on the site. I also just reported someone on Reverb who was warming me up to fraud (I'm in Mexico so I will ship it to my friend in the USA and they will...). Nope.

But yes, So far Sweetwater Gear Exchange has been OK. You have to be in the USA. They seem to review most postings and I don't see the fake ads like you always see on eBay. Also, so far I have not been charged for tax on any purchases. this helps both in buying and selling. They charge 7.5% (like Reverb) if you get paid by Paypal or they take 0% if you get a Sweetwater gift card. I've done it both ways.

Craigslist and FB marketplace are OK for local sales, but tons of flakes and fakes (scams), so you have to know how to maneuver around that and it's a PITA.

Absolutely true. That’s how I met my ex wife after all (online)…but I digress. Yeah I suppose it is my mistake for allowing offers - I guess I put it there on the odd chance that someone catches me on a rainy day. But it sure seems like the people that make not great offers are never going to be easy transactions.

[digitaldrummer]

I have one item on Reverb (a guitar from my brother's estate). I'm already selling it at a really low price (and I already sold an identical one a year or so ago for more $, but it was a local sale in a different area). I've added the "make offer" option but then every single time I get some d**khead who offers 65% (because Reverb actually has a policy that they will reject below 65% -- https://reverb.com/page/making-offers). I did it again recently against my own advice, and today turned it off again because it infuriates me every time. I'm selling it even cheaper locally but $$ is tight for most right now so it still hasn't sold (that and only Strats seem to sell in Austin - the lingering SRV effect).

[trodden]

I'm very fortunate to have a Seattle Music Gear Buy Sell Trade facebook group. It's like the only thing FB is good for, well that, and trolling right-winger, Qanon sandwiches. The group takes care of itself, and does a good job keeping the idiots out, it's a nice "self-governing" space to sell or trade gear. I've met some really cool folx via gear interactions as well.

If I can't unload it via
https://www.facebook.com/groups/227080890704005

I move to Reverb, and as mentioned above, take the hit on paying for Reverb's protection and/or list it "as is". I've been lucky. All my sales on Reverb have been wonderful. I've had more issues with USPS losing my crap than shitty buyers.

[markjazzbassist]

I appreciate the advice. I do set my store as no returns, and I always require a signature and do reverb protection. I wasn’t aware that protection worked as you describe. You are saying that if my buyer decides something is broken - and it’s certainly not shipping related (everyone who has bought from me will testify that I pack excessively well) - that I won’t lose any money on the transaction?

yes exactly. the only way to do so is when reverb intervenes. how that works is they request a refund, you deny (because you already said no refunds). they then ESCALATE to reverb. This process is nothing you need to do as a seller, it just happens to you. Reverb becomes an intermediary at this point and will adjudicate on their own. they have access to every message sent between buyer/seller and the listing itself. so if the guy said "thanks man works great", then 2 weeks later "it's broke dude" they will close that so fast and say it worked, you said so yourself. they are saavy and IMO don't cave to stupid stuff. if it really didn't work they will compensate (out of reverb money not yours) to fix it. this is a long process, like a month minimum (initial refund rejection and message might take a week, escalating takes a week and a few days for reverb to respond, then messages back and forth between reverb explaining issue and they respond 2-3 business days, etc.) so usually only the people with legit issues will continue or they'll just take an upfront small refund (from reverb, not you) to be done with it. Reverb wants the item to stay with the buyer and the seller to keep their money, that is their end goal, they work to keep that. they will offer to help pay for repair, they will offer a small refund if there is damage.

ebay/paypal is the exact opposite, one sniff of an issue and their solution to everything is just "sent it back, refund the buyer" which is well known now and an abused return policy. i try to avoid ebay, also ebay's fees are higher.

[kslight]

I appreciate the advice. I do set my store as no returns, and I always require a signature and do reverb protection. I wasn’t aware that protection worked as you describe. You are saying that if my buyer decides something is broken - and it’s certainly not shipping related (everyone who has bought from me will testify that I pack excessively well) - that I won’t lose any money on the transaction?

yes exactly. the only way to do so is when reverb intervenes. how that works is they request a refund, you deny (because you already said no refunds). they then ESCALATE to reverb. This process is nothing you need to do as a seller, it just happens to you. Reverb becomes an intermediary at this point and will adjudicate on their own. they have access to every message sent between buyer/seller and the listing itself. so if the guy said "thanks man works great", then 2 weeks later "it's broke dude" they will close that so fast and say it worked, you said so yourself. they are saavy and IMO don't cave to stupid stuff. if it really didn't work they will compensate (out of reverb money not yours) to fix it. this is a long process, like a month minimum (initial refund rejection and message might take a week, escalating takes a week and a few days for reverb to respond, then messages back and forth between reverb explaining issue and they respond 2-3 business days, etc.) so usually only the people with legit issues will continue or they'll just take an upfront small refund (from reverb, not you) to be done with it. Reverb wants the item to stay with the buyer and the seller to keep their money, that is their end goal, they work to keep that. they will offer to help pay for repair, they will offer a small refund if there is damage.

ebay/paypal is the exact opposite, one sniff of an issue and their solution to everything is just "sent it back, refund the buyer" which is well known now and an abused return policy. i try to avoid ebay, also ebay's fees are higher.

Ah, good to know for future. This is my first time encountering a problem sale on Reverb but I still have plenty of gear to unload that it seems likely it may not be the last. In the case of the “broken” ring mod pedal…my problem buyer quit messaging me a week ago and hasn’t responded to my deadline given (by Reverb support’s advice) message so I have to assume at this point they have decided the pedal is indeed functioning as intended.

[vvv]

Mebbe OT but I will add - and I'm a buyer, only - that I have never had a scam issue or received a broken item from Reverb - in the past that was a huge issue with Ebay, particularly with used mic's and used electronics.

[kslight]

Mebbe OT but I will add - and I'm a buyer, only - that I have never had a scam issue or received a broken item from Reverb - in the past that was a huge issue with Ebay, particularly with used mic's and used electronics.

As a buyer I still find most sellers need lessons on packing. But I’ve only received one broken pedal. Seller ended up paying to ship to Earthquaker Devices and back to me (love EQD’s lifetime warranty).

I only pass my broken or untested shit to eBay, and only throw things on there “as is / for repair.” eBay is where things go that I either don’t want to deal with or know nothing about (have used it for things like video equipment that is out of my wheelhouse). Reverb seems way too specific to be worth it from a “scam” perspective.

[digitaldrummer]

I bought a snare drum on Reverb recently. As you mentioned, it was packed really poorly and clearly showed it was dropped on one of the lugs and there was a sizeable dent. Probably in shipping, but who really knows. Doesn't even matter. Later I realized in the pictures that there were a couple different rims too (one picture showed a diecast hoop on bottom and that's what actually showed up, even though that is non-standard for this drum and was not in all the photos - but it was pictured so that's on me and the diecast hoop is actually nice). Anyway, back to the story, it bent the shell. I told the seller I would send it back (and the seller is responsible for return shipping too), or if they wanted to pay for a repair I could try to get it repaired. They sent me a decent offer on a partial refund (about 1/2 back) and I accepted and then I just repaired the drum myself (it was a brass shell and I was able to carefully pound the dent back out - might not be so lucky with aluminum and of course not wood...). I was planning to swap a few parts anyway (heads, top hoop, snare wires, etc.). I've used the drum several times and it's fine now. Will be my main gigging snare for a couple bands.

I've also been on the other end of this. I packed a mic and I really though it was packed ok, but the shipper (can't remember who I used) must have been trying to destroy it - and they kinda did - at least the carrying case (and if I recall it broke solder joints in the tube mic power supply from the impact). So I paid for shipping back and gave the full refund, then sold it locally after awhile (it still worked and I was able to repair the case somewhat). I didn't use the Reverb insurance and I think I decided to not even pursue with the shipper since it was difficult to prove I had packed it sufficiently. Anyway, hopefully lesson learned by me... and yeah, I lost some $$.

[trodden]

I have a handful of horror stories from sellers not packaging stuff well. It's maddening, especially since that's something I take great pride in doing well.
All of those interactions were done via ebay or message board sellers, so I've never had a bad reverb experience.

[vvv]

Somewhat OT again, but along with the long-scammed SM57's, watch out for Senn E945's.

Read this and then check out the "from China" ones on the Ebog:
https://chrisw.me.uk/real-and-fake-senn ... e945-mics/

[kslight]

Somewhat OT again, but along with the long-scammed SM57's, watch out for Senn E945's.

Read this and then check out the "from China" ones on the Ebog:
https://chrisw.me.uk/real-and-fake-senn ... e945-mics/

Such a specific scam, I guess I have no context to how popular this mic is in reality. But I assume this is the risk the manufacturer takes when they outsource production.