Second hand market private sale / professional shop seller PRICE

[J66Bass]

Does we and some confound the price against professionals sale price for private sale , while professional shop offer warranty paid Vat /rent etc some private sale seriously could be seriously inflated, it’s that worth it anymore? Not sure for some Basses , what are you thought? 

[lidl e]

Im nit really sure what youre saying, but i am currently selling a couple.of basses through a commission sale because the hassle of selling, to me, is almost not worth it.

 

Theyll deal with any issues, be able to reach a far bigger audience, command a higher price and deal with shipping, so the percentage they take is worth it to me.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Quite a few bedroom dealers around on social media/gumtree/ebay who are asking prices in-line or in excess of what actual shops would sell the same instruments for have distorted the market and sellers expectations.

 

Not a lot to be done about it really other than have a polite discussion and offer what you think is fair - as a general point of principal I avoid dealing with people who are being obviously unrealistic.

[fretmeister]

An item will either sell or it will not.

 

The only issue for me is whether I personally am happy to pay the price advertised by whoever is selling - be that private or business. 

If I like the thing and am happy to pay the price - wonderful. If I think it is overpriced then I don't buy it.

 

I see no benefit in thinking about it more than that. I've got better uses of my time. Like practising my scales.... [Might not be true]

[tegs07]

Partly this issue has arisen due to supply chain problems as well as some retailers being pretty poor with communication, particularly with their online sales. The last bass I bought (private sale) was only £100 cheaper than the new (shop) price. The main difference is I could collect it in a couple of days at my convenience whereas the shop had already messed me about for several weeks with no updates.

Edited May 22, 2023 by tegs07

[warwickhunt]

Oddly, I have a bunch of basses that I'm going to sell and I'll likely get a better price and a quicker sale if I put them up for a commission sale with BD<> BB<> BG or similar.  Folks will pay the shop their commission (+VAT I expect) sooner than buy from me for considerably less.  It may be more convenient from a shop (not sure about warranty on used instruments bought via commission sales) but I assure you it'd be the same instrument... just more expensive!     

[Beedster]

23 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

Oddly, I have a bunch of basses that I'm going to sell and I'll likely get a better price and a quicker sale if I put them up for a commission sale with BD<> BB<> BG or similar.  Folks will pay the shop their commission (+VAT I expect) sooner than buy from me for considerably less.  It may be more convenient from a shop (not sure about warranty on used instruments bought via commission sales) but I assure you it'd be the same instrument... just more expensive!     

 

Sad but true  

[spencer.b]

I normally wouldn't be bothered but I must admit I recently saw a very nice bass on here 2nd hand and the seller said he was selling for what he paid from BD 2nd hand plus setup costs and tbh I did think hmm that's not how it works is it ? I did seem like a fair price though and you can charge what you want but I wouldn't have put that in the ad!!

[J66Bass]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

An item will either sell or it will not.

 

The only issue for me is whether I personally am happy to pay the price advertised by whoever is selling - be that private or business. 

If I like the thing and am happy to pay the price - wonderful. If I think it is overpriced then I don't buy it.

 

I see no benefit in thinking about it more than that. I've got better uses of my time. Like practising my scales.... [Might not be true]

Ok thanks for that answer 😊

[J66Bass]

Thanks all , some very interesting and different point of view .I’m glad about reading and get some positive thoughts 

[J66Bass]

3 hours ago, lidl e said:

Im nit really sure what youre saying, but i am currently selling a couple.of basses through a commission sale because the hassle of selling, to me, is almost not worth it.

 

Theyll deal with any issues, be able to reach a far bigger audience, command a higher price and deal with shipping, so the percentage they take is worth it to me.

Definitely worth to consider that option 😊

[J66Bass]

1 hour ago, spencer.b said:

I normally wouldn't be bothered but I must admit I recently saw a very nice bass on here 2nd hand and the seller said he was selling for what he paid from BD 2nd hand plus setup costs and tbh I did think hmm that's not how it works is it ? I did seem like a fair price though and you can charge what you want but I wouldn't have put that in the ad!!

Ok thanks for your reply 😊

[J66Bass]

2 hours ago, warwickhunt said:

Oddly, I have a bunch of basses that I'm going to sell and I'll likely get a better price and a quicker sale if I put them up for a commission sale with BD<> BB<> BG or similar.  Folks will pay the shop their commission (+VAT I expect) sooner than buy from me for considerably less.  It may be more convenient from a shop (not sure about warranty on used instruments bought via commission sales) but I assure you it'd be the same instrument... just more expensive!     

Thanks for that answer, I understand exactly what you are saying 😊

[Beedster]

Bought a lovely unit new last week which at £300 was around the same price it was being sold by two sellers here used Sometimes people pay over the odds new, sometimes prices drop especially digital audio, sometimes sellers are naive, sometimes they’re greedy, but I have noticed more of it here recently. Put another way, the days of unexpected -or even expected - bargains seem to be behind us, I hope temporarily 👍

[SuperSeagull]

A timely topic for me. I’m likely to sell my CIJ P bass soon. BB offered me £650 based on the description, I’m guessing they will sell it at near £800. I’m not sure whether that’s a good deal for me or whether £700 to £750 is a fairer deal for me. Hassle vs hassle free. 

[spacecowboy]

59 minutes ago, SuperSeagull said:

A timely topic for me. I’m likely to sell my CIJ P bass soon. BB offered me £650 based on the description, I’m guessing they will sell it at near £800. I’m not sure whether that’s a good deal for me or whether £700 to £750 is a fairer deal for me. Hassle vs hassle free. 

Yep 👍 when I deal with BassDirect and BassBros I’m happy to take a small hit compared to what a private sale would get me. For me it’s so much less hassle and an added bonus is they’re both on my doorstep. 

[Downunderwonder]

10 hours ago, J66Bass said:

Does we and some confound the price against professionals sale price for private sale , while professional shop offer warranty paid Vat /rent etc some private sale seriously could be seriously inflated, it’s that worth it anymore? Not sure for some Basses , what are you thought? 

I think you are the buyer and the particular buyer that pushes up the price of dealing with shops and makes it worthwhile giving the work of selling to shops is you.

[Bolo]

9 hours ago, SuperSeagull said:

A timely topic for me. I’m likely to sell my CIJ P bass soon. BB offered me £650 based on the description, I’m guessing they will sell it at near £800. I’m not sure whether that’s a good deal for me or whether £700 to £750 is a fairer deal for me. Hassle vs hassle free. 

Personally I'd be tempted at 650 from a private seller but wouldn't even consider it at 800 in a store/resaler. 

Will need some pics though 🙂

[Dan Dare]

17 hours ago, lidl e said:

Im nit really sure what youre saying, but i am currently selling a couple.of basses through a commission sale because the hassle of selling, to me, is almost not worth it.

 

They'll deal with any issues, be able to reach a far bigger audience, command a higher price and deal with shipping, so the percentage they take is worth it to me.

 

True. From a buyer's point of view, shipping is a big plus if an instrument is any distance away. A day of my time, plus travel, is not cheap to me and I'm happy to pay a bit more to be saved the trouble/cost. Shops also have to offer some sort of guarantee, which private sellers do not. 

 

In the end, you pays your money and takes yer choice. Concepts of "fairness" are irrelevant. The market decides whether something is worth the asking price and nobody is compelled to buy.

Edited May 23, 2023 by Dan Dare

[Nebadon2000]

10 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

nobody is compelled to buy.

 

Really? It is called GAS🙂

[martin8708]

I am happy to sell low-dollar items myself , but I am increasingly using shops/dealers for higher value items .

I find it quite frustrating when deals are made , then radio silence with expensive instruments , or ridiculous low ball offers which take the p*ss. 
Andy Baxter achieved an excellent sale price for my 66 Hofner beatle bass , far more than a similar instrument listed on Basschat and some sold through Gardiner Houlgate .

Edited May 23, 2023 by martin8708

[jazzmanb]

I'd say the majority of private sales are overpriced with a story to match 

it gets a bit  tiring "anyone looking will know how good these are " "rare" " sought after "   . etc etc 

If someone really wants the bass you may get that high price but if i'm selling,i want it gone at a fair price 

[jazzmanb]

On 22/05/2023 at 22:40, SuperSeagull said:

A timely topic for me. I’m likely to sell my CIJ P bass soon. BB offered me £650 based on the description, I’m guessing they will sell it at near £800. I’m not sure whether that’s a good deal for me or whether £700 to £750 is a fairer deal for me. Hassle vs hassle free. 

i think thats a great offer ,i sold a mid90s cij 62 P private for £495 about 4 years ago ,same as i bought if for . If they sell for £800 the vat is in there and its complicated on used items  ,perhaps £100 of the sale is vat ?

Edited May 24, 2023 by jazzmanb

[Dan Dare]

10 minutes ago, jazzmanb said:

I'd say the majority of private sales are overpriced with a story to match 

it gets a bit  tiring "anyone looking will know how good these are " "rare" " sought after "   . etc etc 

If someone really wants the bass you may get that high price but if i'm selling,i want it gone at a fair price 

 

Agreed. Probably because people selling look at prices being charged in shops and price their stuff accordingly (forgetting the fact that a shop will ship, offer a guarantee, etc). If you are selling something rare, vintage or sought after, you may well get a high price for it. Otherwise, the market will decide.

 

For buyers, the old adage of Caveat Emptor applies as always.

[velvetkevorkian]

6 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

Probably because people selling look at prices being charged in shops and price their stuff accordingly

Less so on BC, but when selling locally (Gumtree etc) I always price a bit higher so when the inevitable lowball offers roll in they're closer to what I really want...