Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Is it just my imagination or are there more basses now being sold here and other places (eBay) which are on a collection only basis. There are basses which I could well have been interested in buying but they go unsold as they are collection in person only. It is not difficult to obtain a box and enough packing material so that the bass can be sent by courier. Are some sellers becoming lazy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Or is it couriers accept no responsibility for any damage caused by them. So the risk is too great. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 It can be worth contacting the seller directly and asking. Some really will be collection only, but some will agree to a meet, or to source boxes/bubble-wrap for a good offer and confirmed sale. I`ve secured postage deals on collection only eBay items with direct contact before. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I think people are nervous about couriers, and giving the relentless rise in web-based retail and the 'next day delivery' promise the pressure on the logistics side of the business is only going to increase. The slightly inevitable consequence, given the power of the big players like Amazon, will be price pressure on the service deliverers and therefore probably less care. The delivery vans are routinely over programmed each day and surprise, surprise most companies use transits as they are not required to have a tacho to monitor driver hours and rest periods, not to mention speeds. I spent some time working in logistics management so I know a number of the 'compromises' being made. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) A 1973 Precision in good nick has just gone unsold on eBay with a starting bid of £1,000. It was a collection only auction. Edited January 12, 2018 by Hutton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Goodness. However that is exactly the kind of bass I'd really want to hand over in person even if it meant meeting half way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 And there's your answer - way too many scammers around these days. If I'm selling a high-value bass or amp or anything else, I will always prefer the buyer to visit in person, try it out to check that it actually works and does what he wants, and then pay in cash so that he can't fraudulently recall his money later. Sad, but true. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) Is it just me or are we seeing a spate of threads where people are looking to impose demands on sellers that they do x, y or z before they'll consider buying an item? I have (if I say so myself) a good record of handling transactions in a smooth, organised and friendly manner. When considering a purchase, buyers generally know what my conditions of sale are. ( I occasionally forget to put important details in sale posts, but not very often. And in any case, asking the question is no great hardship, surely?) I have many years' experience of buying & selling both here and elsewhere. I take the view that as long as I've made things clear to potential buyers then I've fulfilled my initial obligations. Furthermore, I'm generally happy to be flexible on certain points, but if I tell buyers that the sale is collection/agreed location only, then perhaps they might care to consider the idea that I have good reasons for offering the sale terms that I do. If as a result of these conditions I lose sales from time to time then that's down to me. Isn't it? I'm not a shop, and as such I don't keep a stock of boxes lying around. /rant ETA: forgot to add; I much prefer meeting buyers face to face anyway. Further edit. Might be worth saying that when I talk about being prepared to travel to meet/deliver, that means what it says. In the past I've made round trips of 100 miles or more to deliver stuff. If a buyer can't accommodate that flexibility then (unfortunate though that may be) perhaps the sale just isn't meant to be. Edited January 12, 2018 by leftybassman392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 The buyer is the one with the cash, mate ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 Meeting halfway is all very well but I live in Aberdeen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 So make sure that you always sell to buyers in Montrose or Fraserburgh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 1 minute ago, Happy Jack said: So make sure that you always sell to buyers in Montrose or Fraserburgh. Very good!🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 When selling on Ebay, it's never good news that the buyer only has to tell ebay that it never arrived and the money gets sent refunded. Something I've noticed more and more is, if I'm buying or selling it seems everyone seems to think it's my job to either deliver or collect. Somehow I always seem to find folk who won't go out of their way to make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilebodgers Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 It's got to be concern about either damage via couriers or fraudulent damage claims where paypal/ebay almost always side with the buyer. (plus the large commission too) Packing an instrument to survive shipping is also pretty time-consuming if you don't have the specialist boxes that manufacturers use. It took me ages last time as I had to first make a box out of several others that were too small and then use loads of bubble wrap to make it drop-proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 My bass is currently for sale, and collection only, but I am willing to meet. My reasons are: It's safer both for me. It's safer for the buyer. It's safer for the instrument. I don't get to lose a whole load of cash if the instrument gets lost or damaged The buyer sees and tries what he's buying. There's no chance of a very expensive and very lovely instrument either getting stolen, broken or lost. I used Parcelforce recently to send back a gig bag, the lady in the post office thinking it was an instrument started telling me about all the regulations regarding instruments. You have to really read the small print with regard to insurance. It's not necessarily just a case of popping the instrument into a box and applying some tape. I've travelled all over the country either delivering instruments or collecting them. The furthest up was Edinburgh and the furthest down was somewhere by Brighton. Train travel can be for very little if you plan your journey, plus it's a nice day out. I bought my Overwater from a guy who works for Overwater. The train to Carlisle cost about £30 return from Birmingham. Edinburgh was about the same. Liverpool cost me just over £10. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 39 minutes ago, Hutton said: Meeting halfway is all very well but I live in Aberdeen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 2 minutes ago, ambient said: Liverpool cost me just over £10. Sounds about right to me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 Return rail journey costs from Aberdeen are prohibitive. It would add far too much on to the price of the bass. I also should say I have never had any problems with couriers apart from late deliveries. Just lucky I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 1 hour ago, bartelby said: Or is it couriers accept no responsibility for any damage caused by them. So the risk is too great. This. 15 minutes ago, ambient said: My bass is currently for sale, and collection only, but I am willing to meet. My reasons are: It's safer both for me. It's safer for the buyer. It's safer for the instrument. I don't get to lose a whole load of cash if the instrument gets lost or damaged The buyer sees and tries what he's buying. There's no chance of a very expensive and very lovely instrument either getting stolen, broken or lost. I used Parcelforce recently to send back a gig bag, the lady in the post office thinking it was an instrument started telling me about all the regulations regarding instruments. You have to really read the small print with regard to insurance. It's not necessarily just a case of popping the instrument into a box and applying some tape. I've travelled all over the country either delivering instruments or collecting them. The furthest up was Edinburgh and the furthest down was somewhere by Brighton. Train travel can be for very little if you plan your journey, plus it's a nice day out. I bought my Overwater from a guy who works for Overwater. The train to Carlisle cost about £30 return from Birmingham. Edinburgh was about the same. Liverpool cost me just over £10. And this. I'd be willing to send an El Cheapo instrument by post/courier, but not anything decent. Collection only is a way of weeding out chancers and time wasters, too. If someone can't be bothered to collect a quality instrument, they aren't that interested. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 5 minutes ago, Dan Dare said: This. And this. I'd be willing to send an El Cheapo instrument by post/courier, but not anything decent. Collection only is a way of weeding out chancers and time wasters, too. If someone can't be bothered to collect a quality instrument, they aren't that interested. Pardon me but this is an unfair comment for the reasons I state above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Hutton said: Pardon me but this is an unfair comment for the reasons I state above. Why? If a seller doesn't wish to chance entrusting his instrument to a courier, that's his prerogative. "Fairness" doesn't come into it. You can always buy new. Shops will happily deliver because they are covered by their insurance (and because couriers know that they will lose a shop's entire business if they screw up, whereas they couldn't care less about a private individual). Edited January 12, 2018 by Dan Dare 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 9 minutes ago, Dan Dare said: Why? If a seller doesn't wish to chance entrusting his instrument to a courier, that's his prerogative. "Fairness" doesn't come into it. You can always buy new. Shops will happily deliver because they are covered by their insurance (and because couriers know that they will lose a shop's entire business if they screw up, whereas they couldn't care less about a private individual). I’m happy to agree to differ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingPrawn Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I had an awful experience recently. I sold a bass on the bay as a collection in person. The buyer interpreted this as sending a courier. I explained it was a collection in person as i didn't have the time to arrange to package and sit in waiting for a courier. Collection in person means i simply hand you the bass. Regardless i agreed as i am a good-natured soul. What a mistake. The list of demands was like a rider from Spinal Tap. The cheeky sod clearly had issues and i was given instruction how to wrap the headstock using bubble wrap, slacken the strings by .68 turns etc. It was a joke. The worst bit was the lack of thanks. Dont get me wrong it was a sh*t bass, I was glad to see it go. So i suppose my point is "Collection in person" can be open to interpretation by complete idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linear Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I refuse to respond to any enquiries about items I'm selling. If people are really interested in buying they'll make the effort to find me. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 Ok folks I surrender. I seem to be alone in my thoughts. It is perhaps a geographical problem which is mine alone. All I will say is that when I have advertised basses on here I have been told by many folk that they are interested in the bass but that I am too far away. If they are far away from me then I am also far away from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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