karlfer Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) Nobody can sell anything . I have quite a few hundred quids of gig money currently burning a hole. Quite a few of the basses I am very attracted to are collection only. EG, lovely Inca silver Lakland Osbourne, £700, Swansea , 460 mile round trip. It would actually be cheaper buying the gorgeous green one in Bassgear at £800 (although for me it is a touch overpriced) Gibbo Ltd Explorer bass Cardiff, £600, be almost better getting a new one delivered at £750. Beautiful 64 custom shop 64 jazz, £1800, Stirling, not even the same piggin time zone. The list goes on. THEY ARE CUTTING OUT 70/80% of their own potential market because they can't be arsed to get a big box from Halfords (like I did on Sat) and box it up for a courier to collect. So frustrating. As you were. Edited October 2, 2013 by karlfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I'm trying to buy some speakers to put in our practice room and have exactly the same problem. Looking on E-bay 90% of all offerings are collection only which is really frustrating. Sellers perogative of course, but as you say, they are reducing their market place drastically. It would be really great if E-bay would let you filter items so that you only saw items that offered delivery, or were within a certain radius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 You can filter items by proximity to your post code in eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthurhenry Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 There was once a time when it was worth a long trip to pick up an ebay bargain. Rising petrol costs ended all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Factoring in the additional costs of shipping by couriers with large overheads puts off sellers I am sure - especially when it's hard to trust that your beloved instrument will make the journey in one piece - so you buy extra insurance to cover the replacement value... The cost goes up further putting off buyers. it's a sad state of affairs for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I have sold guitars both here and on eBay, and it is a very anxious time while you wait for safe delivery to the buyer. Loads of bubble wrap, strategically placed cardboard stiffeners, shipping boxes blagged from guitar shops, insurance (Parcelforce's weasel-words prevent you covering musical instruments to their full value so I use drop-off services via Interparcel), and it could [i]still[/i] go t!ts-up. So... I do have sympathy for collection-only sellers. Considering I now have to travel at least 40-50 miles to find a decent guitar or bass shop, going to see something 100 miles away is not such a hardship. However, Scotland is out of the question, and Wigan should definitely be avoided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 On the flipside, i once received a bass to my front door wrapped in no more than a single sheet of bubble-wrap! Couldn't believe it. Especially as the courier left it in clear view on my doorstep all day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Buyers market at the moment imho. Effects seem to sell ok , but amps and basses are hardly moving. I have (and hadpreviously) premium basses and cheapsoundbar basses which are not shifting. Not desperate to sell-yet, but things are s-l-o-w. Times are hard, and have been for the last 5+years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I ordered a generic Tele neck from an eBay seller. It arrived in a bubble-wrap sleeve. The postman managed to force it through the letterbox. When I got home it was stopping the door opening, so there I was pushing at the door and bending one of the tuners. Eejuts one and all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Totally agree with Karl's frustration...sellers, do the decent thing - buy a box and ship the bloody things. Anything else is laziness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I tend to go with collection or delivery - one, as I'm busy, so it's best for when I'm either at home or out on the road; two, it gives people the chance to try, which I think is important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigash Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1380660350' post='2228707'] I'm trying to buy some speakers to put in our practice room and have exactly the same problem. Looking on E-bay 90% of all offerings are collection only which is really frustrating. Sellers perogative of course, but as you say, they are reducing their market place drastically. It would be really great if E-bay would let you filter items so that you only saw items that offered delivery, or were within a certain radius. [/quote]What i do, and it works 9 times out of 10, is message seller asking if i organise a courier on a day suitable to you. Would you be willing to package the goods and hand them over. They have eliminated 90% of their potential buyers and i usually pick up the item a lot cheaper than usual. P.S don't tell everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1380660548' post='2228715'] You can filter items by proximity to your post code in eBay. [/quote] Yes I do that, but then you don't see the ones that are outside the radius and willing to ship. Would be nice if there was a filter to eliminate collection only items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I'm having similar issues. I've got a few nice vinyls I want to move on and the dilemma is; 1) ship and risk them all snapping in half or 2) collection only and miss out on the larger market places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 And here's me thinking I'm just a grumbly male menopausal grumpy old git! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedmanzie Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1380661724' post='2228752'] I'm having similar issues. I've got a few nice vinyls I want to move on and the dilemma is; 1) ship and risk them all snapping in half or 2) collection only and miss out on the larger market places. [/quote] There is definitely no need to worry about this, you just need some decent specialist boxes to ship. I've bought some recently from Germany and the box was amazing, like a double walled thing. I'l try and dig out some reference. But I've shipped loads of vinyl in just the standard heavy duty card envelopes with a stiffener inside and they're fine too. Also the sticky corugated cardboard is very good too, but not seen where to buy that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 (edited) I live in South Wales and am coming to Manchester on the 31st, if you wanted one, I'd happily collect as long as you'd collect it from me from Manchester at a time that suited me (have a few things on, so my time windows will be small). Just a thought? PM me if I can help. Edited October 2, 2013 by SpaceChick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1380661724' post='2228752'] I'm having similar issues. I've got a few nice vinyls I want to move on and the dilemma is; 1) ship and risk them all snapping in half or 2) collection only and miss out on the larger market places. [/quote] I used these to shift a lot of vinyl http://covers33.co.uk/index.php/record/record-mailers with no complaints. And - yes, I've been irrationally gassing for a couple of six-strings and seeing what look like a pristine examples with bargain starting prices, collection only from too-far-away, end with no bids is somewhat frustrating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 It is ridiculous that we have to worry about a courier damaging an item. If they cannot get an reasonably packed item from A to B without damaging it then what use are they? I find it strange that[b] I[/b] have to insure an item against [b]their[/b] incompetence. Insurance should not be required if they did there job correctly. The more frequently they damage the items in their custody = The more we feel that we have to purchase insurance = More profit for the company. That isn't a service, that is extortion, and that is ilegal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 [quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1380697915' post='2228945'] And here's me thinking I'm just a grumbly male menopausal grumpy old git! [/quote] Just because the rest of us are as well doesn't mean that you're not!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Lightweights the lot of them. I sold my Moog Taurus I bass pedals (you'll find the ad elsewhere on BC) to a chap in Switzerland. We spent a few emails to and fro over the course of a couple of days finding the best courier/insurance options, struck a deal and it all went according to plan. I had to make my own box (from 2x TV boxes from the local self-storage place) and the bubble wrap/packaging tape man did well out of it as well. Job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikegatward Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Can see the argument from both sides. How about a new section on BC where we could advertise our travels/willingness to transport something. I know there's always an outside risk of loss or damage during transit but surely the practical benefits would outweigh those risks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobpalt Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 "Nobody can sell anything . I have quite a few hundred quids of gig money currently burning a hole. Quite a few of the basses I am very attracted to are collection only." I'll deliver/have delivered the 60th Anniversary P Bass!!!!! Cheers, Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 (edited) - Edited February 19, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 MB1. Frustrated? Posting a bass neck through the letterbox? ...Disgusting! I'd have at least thrown it through your front window ...In a big box I got from Halfords on Saturday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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