Used Equipment Pricing Etiquette

[discreet]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1377460165' post='2187845']
I had a bass that I wanted to sell that I knew another basschatter (and someone I know personally) really wanted. I was happy to hold onto it until he was in a position to buy. Friends and family get a different deal.
[/quote]

In my defence, I've held on to various items if people really wanted them. Not a bass, though. Not yet, anyway.

[Roger2611]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1377417196' post='2187176']
I don't really like the idea of people buying stuff with the sole intention of selling it for a profit. Either here, or on eBay, or in life in general.

Although it seems to me that most stuff in the for sale forums is over-valued these days anyway.
[/quote]

I can't go with that theory I am afraid. I recently picked up a Fender Squier Mike Dirnt Precision bass for £80 off EBay, the description wasn't brilliant but suggested the bass may have been beyond repair....anyway I went and collected it and as it stood I had probably paid £75 too much for it...I took it away repaired a damaged tuner, adjusted the truss rod, set up the bridge, put a decent but used set of strings on it and finally re-soldered the input....I gigged the bass on Friday night it was excellent should I now be expected to sell it for £80 when I have finished with it?

[CamdenRob]

If I was to make a profit on something, or someone make a profit out of me. I absolutely couldn't give a monkeys what anyone else thought about it.

Supply and Demand. If you buy something when no-one wants it and sell it later on when people do you will get a higher price.

Why would anyone who isn't involved in the deal be bothered about it anyway?

Rob

[karlfer]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1377459758' post='2187841']
Heh, heh. Of course I'd always do a special deal for [i]you[/i], Clarky! * rubs hands together à la Uriah Heep *
[/quote]

And we all know about your special deals don't we (is there vaseline on those hands)

Must admit,the keep it, use it, rent free for 3 years then get my money back always astounds me.
Mind, there are far more piss takers on FEEBay. 5 year old P's for more than a new un etc

[discreet]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1377461079' post='2187866']
And we all know about your special deals don't we (is there vaseline on those hands)
[/quote]

I resemble that remark!

[size=4]Ahem! (Knock on the back door later. If they say I'm not in, say Nobby sent you). [/size]

[fretmeister]

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1377457250' post='2187802']
Out of interest would you sell on at a profit to someone you considered a mate (and vice versa)?
[/quote]

Yes.

If a friend managed to buy an Akai Deep Impact for £30 I would absolutely expect to have to pay £500+ if I wanted it to buy it from him. That is what the market currently says they are worth.

Him asking me for £500 does not make him an arsehole. ME asking him to do me a cheap deal makes me the arsehole.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1377458730' post='2187827']
As for the idea of "wanting to get back what I paid": Never did understand that one. You buy at a price that you are prepared to pay, and sell at a price that others are prepared to pay. This may be more or less than you paid, but to think that you automatically deserve to get what you paid for it seems a bit odd (to me at least).
[/quote]

I find that a bit strange too. I can understand that someone might have that view but it seems strange to include such wording in an advert, especially if they also say they've been gigging the item for the past year or so. It's basically like saying "I don't think I should have to pay anything for the gear I'm using". Nice if you can get away with it, I guess.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1377455457' post='2187763']
Nah, it's fine! Everyone's fine!
[/quote]

I hope so, keep it cool people

If people do feel they have been cheated, I'd hope they'd drop one of the team a line. We do get a lot of requests for help, and we're pretty successful in being able to resolve issues.

[molan]

I think the big difference is whether something is bought purely to make profit or whether its market value has changed over time (for whatever reason).

I've bought and sold loads of basses and I've made a profit on some and lost money on others.

I've only ever bought things because I genuinely wanted to try them out. Some stuff I've hated almost immediately (a Status Mark King springs to mind). Others I've simply got bored with or found after a while that I either didn't like them much or simply preferred something else.

My ideal is not to lose money on anything - I'd assume no-one goes out of their way to deliberately lose money?

If I've played something for a few years and damaged it then I'd definitely expect it to have cost me some money. Conversely if I've kept something in pristine condition and its market value has shot up then I'd expect to sell it for what it's worth today not when I paid for it (of course this doesn't happen vey often!).

I guess an example might be a Warwick - their values have plummeted so there's some real bargains around. If I bought one now for £500, played it now and then, and then in five years time they've bounced up to £1,000 then surely it would be a bit odd for me to put it up for sale at £500?

Edited August 25, 2013 by molan

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1377448577' post='2187659']

Er... that's western consumer capitalism - the system we all live under.
You should move to Venezuela and farm goats.
[/quote]

I like goats. And Venezuela. You may be on to something.

[discreet]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1377472159' post='2188021']
I like goats. And Venezuela. You may be on to something.
[/quote]

Yes, I am. Modern life is rubbish.

[wateroftyne]

Sellers can ask what they like for stuff. If someone wants to try and profit 'in cold blood' from the BC community, that's up to them.

I wouldn't do it, but that's my choice.

[JTUK]

hmmm... Sold some stuff on here quite a while back and the guy told me that was the best offer he could make.
I let them go for a reduced price (£400) and I thought he would be happy with the kit.
A few weeks later they surfaced here with a hundred pound mark up...and I see he lists quite a bit of stuff.
I wouldn't call him a dealer but I would think he does 'deal'....

Would I sell to him again... lets just say I would rather not... but that is just my perception of the place, here.

Has it left a nasty taste..??

[neepheid]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1377519687' post='2188360']
Has it left a nasty taste..??
[/quote]

You tell us. I can't taste anything other than free market opportunistic enterprise and that doesn't taste bad to me, because I'm a capitalist pigdog.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1377465012' post='2187924']
Him asking me for £500 does not make him an arsehole. ME asking him to do me a cheap deal makes me the arsehole.
[/quote]

Very good point, imho, and one I can't recollect having seen here in these discussions. If I was merely lucky and scored it for just 30 quid, and then found my mate needed one like that, I'd probably let him have it for 30 quid.
The moment however that he demands that I hand it over for 30 quid is the moment he damages our friendship considerably.


Here on BC we're all allowed to have our own (=different) community sensitivities or lack thereof, but one's own community sensitivities do not come with the right to demand that others too follow them.
I think that this at least is a clear cut line. Simplified, "be kind" or "make money", but don't call others "stupid" or "arsehole" because they have a different stance.

That said, some people are arseholes, and some are stupid of course.

Edited August 26, 2013 by BassTractor

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1377519687' post='2188360']
hmmm... Sold some stuff on here quite a while back and the guy told me that was the best offer he could make.
I let them go for a reduced price (£400) and I thought he would be happy with the kit.
A few weeks later they surfaced here with a hundred pound mark up...and I see he lists quite a bit of stuff.
I wouldn't call him a dealer but I would think he does 'deal'....

Would I sell to him again... lets just say I would rather not... but that is just my perception of the place, here.

Has it left a nasty taste..??
[/quote]

A similar thing happened to me. The guy said he had already owned a the same bass I was selling, but still asked where it was made. I thought that strange but so what, I got a sale. Checking this guy out it seemed he had a lot of sales on here but no community posts.
Months later it was on here for more money being sold by a different member (with. Very low post count IIR), with no indication of its history, not even when I posted a light hearted post in the thread. That was totally ignored. It wasnt even mentioned that it was already secondhand. It had a couple of issues when I sold it, and I was up front about that, I'd also ripped it apart at some point to change pups and electrics etc.
The new owner was well aware of its history, they got in touch with me, so it's all good, but to me it's obvious the are some people treating our once safe place as a cheaper, and less legal alternative to eBay etc, with no real beinifit to this community.

it was at this point I felt BC was not the place it used to be. I'm careful now to who I sell things to. I am a good hearted person, and will let things go a bit cheaper to help others, but I will always check posting history now, and if I think it's just some one buying and selling they can look elsewhere for a bargain.

They are doing nothing wrong of course, I just won't sell to some one I feel is just in it for the money.

[karlfer]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1377522655' post='2188416']
A similar thing happened to me. The guy said he had already owned a the same bass I was selling, but still asked where it was made. I thought that strange but so what, I got a sale. Checking this guy out it seemed he had a lot of sales on here but no community posts.
Months later it was on here for more money being sold by a different member (with. Very low post count IIR), with no indication of its history, not even when I posted a light hearted post in the thread. That was totally ignored. It wasnt even mentioned that it was already secondhand. It had a couple of issues when I sold it, and I was up front about that, I'd also ripped it apart at some point to change pups and electrics etc.
The new owner was well aware of its history, they got in touch with me, so it's all good, but to me it's obvious the are some people treating our once safe place as a cheaper, and less legal alternative to eBay etc, with no real beinifit to this community.

it was at this point I felt BC was not the place it used to be. I'm careful now to who I sell things to. I am a good hearted person, and will let things go a bit cheaper to help others, but I will always check posting history now, and if I think it's just some one buying and selling they can look elsewhere for a bargain.

They are doing nothing wrong of course, I just won't sell to some one I feel is just in it for the money.
[/quote]

+1

[mentalextra]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1377522655' post='2188416']
A similar thing happened to me. The guy said he had already owned a the same bass I was selling, but still asked where it was made. I thought that strange but so what, I got a sale. Checking this guy out it seemed he had a lot of sales on here but no community posts.
Months later it was on here for more money being sold by a different member (with. Very low post count IIR), with no indication of its history, not even when I posted a light hearted post in the thread. That was totally ignored. It wasnt even mentioned that it was already secondhand. It had a couple of issues when I sold it, and I was up front about that, I'd also ripped it apart at some point to change pups and electrics etc.
The new owner was well aware of its history, they got in touch with me, so it's all good, but to me it's obvious the are some people treating our once safe place as a cheaper, and less legal alternative to eBay etc, with no real beinifit to this community.

it was at this point I felt BC was not the place it used to be. I'm careful now to who I sell things to. I am a good hearted person, and will let things go a bit cheaper to help others, but I will always check posting history now, and if I think it's just some one buying and selling they can look elsewhere for a bargain.

They are doing nothing wrong of course, I just won't sell to some one I feel is just in it for the money.
[/quote]

I've come across this sort of thing on other forums (non music related), where traders join just to sell stuff and not to participate in the community aspect. Or, create a faux interest in the subject of the forum to create business opportunities, or generate work for themselves. But that is an unfortunate by product of "the internet". Is that a good or bad thing. If they are selling stuff that is in demand, or offering a valuable specialised service, then its a good thing surely.

The problem with musicians is that we feel making money from second hand instruments is somehow morally wrong. Why shouldnt musicians make a profit from instruments. Also, its not so much what you are selling an item for, but what someone is willing to pay for it. Nobody can force you to buy a guitar that is being sold for £500 more than you sold it for last week; the market decides.

Edited August 26, 2013 by mentalextra

[discreet]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1377521600' post='2188399']
...some people are arseholes, and some are stupid of course.
[/quote]

But not on Basschat, obviously.

[dave_bass5]

I dont have a really issue with them buying and selling, but i would expect them to contribute to our community rather than just come her to make a profit. This is the reason ive always thought members should rack up some posts before being allowed to sell things (sorry, i know thats off topic)

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1377535818' post='2188581']
But not on Basschat, obviously.
[/quote] No, there aren't many stupid people on here ;-)

[LukeFRC]

The thing about basschat a while ago is that you could safely buy something, normally at a bit less than you would elsewhere - try it out for bit and if you wanted sell it, again at about what you paid for it - for me back then on the minimum wage the ability to sell a bass then try out some others for what would essentially be the cost of a courier and a couple of sets of strings... it was great. Thanks folk!
But as Kev said earlier, the way it worked was that people wouldn't make a profit or anything and buying something and flogging it on basschat for more was a big no no.
A bass I bought super cheap to try and sold at the same price was sold recently by the basschat member. He actually emailed me to ask if I minded him asking the market price - that's class that is!

Thats all changed - but I don't think it's purely to do with basschat getting bigger - I think the changes in the economy, the weak pound and people having less money so trying to get as much out of their bass sales as they can. - and you do see some folk who seem just to post on here to sell stuff....
so personally when I sell stuff I don't advertise a super cheap "basschat price" any more, i've tended to stick up a guide price and then expect to sell for less than advertised. Mind you last thing I tried to sell didn't get a sausage of interest - not even the low ballers!

Would I sell for more than I bought for? Well not to flip for quick profit - but if after 3-4 years the value of the instrument has changed then market value is fine. Some things I have bought in sorry state and then stripped down and done up and sold for more.... but still cheaper than others.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1377536010' post='2188584']
[b]I dont have a really issue with them buying and selling,[/b] but i would expect them to contribute to our community rather than just come her to make a profit. This is the reason ive always thought members should rack up some posts before being allowed to sell things (sorry, i know thats off topic)
[/quote] I find it tiring- go in the affiliates section or something - it's also probably a nice tax dodge - and when you see people just dealing (which isn't that often, but then i've not looked for a while) .... ild rather go to bassgear or bass direct or somewhere with secondhand stock....

[BassTractor]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1377522655' post='2188416']
I am a good hearted person, and will let things go a bit cheaper to help others, but I will always check posting history now, and if I think it's just some one buying and selling they can look elsewhere for a bargain.

They are doing nothing wrong of course, I just won't sell to some one I feel is just in it for the money.
[/quote]


So very much this.
There is a fine or broad line or area (dunno really) between formal demands to behaviour and that which we feel or sense, and both of the latter are just as important as the former.

Edited August 28, 2013 by BassTractor

[JTUK]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1377522655' post='2188416']
................. at this point I felt BC was not the place it used to be. I'm careful now to who I sell things to. I am a good hearted person, and will let things go a bit cheaper to help others, but I will always check posting history now, and if I think it's just some one buying and selling they can look elsewhere for a bargain.

They are doing nothing wrong of course, I just won't sell to some one I feel is just in it for the money.
[/quote]

Dave, yep,
I understand the difference between business and a supposed community and if the transaction had have been on a business type footing
then that is the way busniness is.
I would say more than a few sales per year makes it a business deal and you need to pay for that privilegde, less than that and you get a reduced or free go..
That is a community to me....
It is a hard thing to quantify, .........Am I worried about £100..??? no, it is the whole manner of these things and the way the thing was done
Anyway, I don't sell much but I do see the guys posts and read them 'differently' now