OT: Selling on Craigslist

[scolfax]

I have a couple of amps for sale and don't want the hassle of shipping them. One of them is *way* too heavy too, and I would hate to underestimate shipping.

 

So I put them on Craigslist this weekend with one no-show bite and a spam bite (my shipping company will stop by, here's a forged cashier's check for more than your asking price).

 

My plan is to reduce the price on each amp by $25 a week until they sell. Is that a bad idea? Anyone else do stuff like this?

[Senor Cleavage]

I just relisted mine on CL at the same price but with different (better) photos and a different listing, thinking that maybe an improved presentation will help sell it. If that doesn't work I'll probably relist it in a week or so with a lower price.

[rog951]

I wouldn't necessarily start lowering your price just yet, assuming you've priced it fairly in the first place. Stuff that's overpriced just will not sell.

 

My own "strategy" on CL is to initially price it fairly, if perhaps on the high end of the market value range, and just let it go until it expires. I'll consider lowering the price after that. Of course, it helps to not be in a rush to sell!

 

You invariably get all kinds of offers below your asking price so I consider those as well. What I've found is that it almost always takes a while (a few months?) to sell stuff for close to market value. People are looking for slam dunk/home run deals. If you stick to your guns, you should be able to get close to your price, assuming again that it's fair. Good luck!!!

[gimme411]

Take your time and wait. Just like fishing, don't expect to throw your line in and instantly hook a fish.

 

Add all the details, pics you can to remove the idiots: no trades, local pickup only, etc., no third party pickups (Course the dumbass spammmers don't read your ad any way. I was selling a higher end guitar and got a response from one, asked him if he wanted the case for the violin and he said yes. That'd be great if I was selling a violin in the first place.)

[revans513]

I've never had any luck with CL. All I get are no shows, low ball offers and spam. You might try ebay with local pickup only.

[bsman]

I've had a lot of luck selling gear w/CL. One thing I like to do is to re-post the ad about every three days. Some folks just tend to browse the first page or two, and once your ad sinks down it may not be viewed by many folks. Just make sure that your prices are reasonable. I see a LOT of unrealistically-priced gear on CL week after week, while the stuff that is priced reasonably tends to disappear after a few days.

[golias]

I've bought and sold LOTS of stuff on Craigslist.

 

1. Price it fair. No matter how "new" it is, you're selling a used item. For used guitars or amps from private sellers, fair value is usually 60 percent of what it's going for new. Slightly more if it's a really in-demand item, less if it's a strat copy or something else the market is flooded with.

 

2. I never need to re-post (unless it expires). Keeping your ad on page one attracts more attention from casual folks, but serious buyers know how to use the Search feature to find what they are looking for.

 

3. Put both the brand name and as much description as you can fit in the headline.

 

4. Give good details, including anything wrong with it and the reason why you've decided to part with it.

 

5. Take good pictures which really lets them get a good idea of what it looks like. If there's an awesome feature which you think they might want to know about (quilt finish, locking tuners, whatever) try to get a good clear close-up as one of your pics.

[StratoSlacker]

I've had great success on CL. I wouldn't alter your price until the ad expires (2 weeks I think)? Just let it sit and marinate.

 

Also, be weary if you plan on letting potential customers come to your home to check things out. I politely refuse to let anyone come to my house. I choose to meet them in a public place or their place if it looks legit.

[Carbohydrates]

Yeah, good photos are ESSENTIAL. Be sure to post pics via HTML as well as ones attached by CL. Full-sized HTML pics can show detail a lot better, but having Craigslist-attached ones adds a little (pic) sign by your listing, which is attractive. Good photos are the #1 way to sell on Craigslist.

 

It's a good idea to explain all you can about what's wrong with the guitar but keep it fairly brief. If your listing is more than 2 or 3 paragraphs, no one's gonna read it all.

 

eBay's handy to figure out what to price it at. Check if what you have recently sold on eBay and for how much and use that as a starting point, maybe a bit higher. If you really don't like that range, you may be out of luck because people don't really like to overpay on CL.

 

e: 1 week 'til your ad expires from the time you post it and no need to repost until it's gone completely.

[golias]

 

I've had great success on CL. I wouldn't alter your price until the ad expires (2 weeks I think)? Just let it sit and marinate. Also, be weary if you plan on letting potential customers come to your home to check things out. I politely refuse to let anyone come to my house. I choose to meet them in a public place or there place if it looks legit.

 

 

I feel just the opposite way. If I'm buying a guitar from somebody and they want to meet in a Denny's parking lot or something, I'm done.

 

That ensures that there's no way for me to find them if it turns out that they sold me a well-disguised piece of junk and/or something that was stolen, especially if they used an anonymous e-mail account.

 

I have people come to my house to pick things up, but I typically greet them in my front yard. I don't give them my address until they are on their way, and then I have everything set up for them to try the gear out when they arrive.

[StratoSlacker]

 

I feel just the opposite way. If I'm buying a guitar from somebody and they want to meet in a Denny's parking lot or something, I'm done. That ensures that there's no way for me to find them if it turns out that they sold me a well-disguised piece of junk and/or something that was stolen, especially if they used an anonymous e-mail account. I have people come to my house to pick things up, but I typically greet them in my front yard. I don't give them my address until they are on their way, and then I have everything set up for them to try the gear out when they arrive.

 

 

I used to feel the same way until some dude decided to come back to my house, drunk while my wife was home alone, to ask for $50 back because he really needed the money.

[Seeds]

I've sold everything I've ever put up on CL because I always price the item fairly with a little room to negotiate.Sometimes It takes a few Weeks to sell and I've had things sell the same Day.I just sold a guitar Yesterday that i had put up about 4 times but it was a Gibson and more spendy so I expected as much.The stuff that never sells is the gear that guys try and make a killing off of like a 8 Year old American Strat for a Grand?

I try to consider what it would cost both parties if you did the ebay route as well because with CL you get the whole ball of cash with no fee for listing, final value and Paypal as well as the hassle of shipping..plus they can actually see the guitar etc.. before they lay down the cash.

[golias]

 

I used to feel the same way until some dude decided to come back to my house, drunk while my wife was home alone, to ask for $50 back because he really needed the money.

 

 

Yeah, every Craigslist transaction involves meeting up with a stranger, one way or another, so there's always that outside chance that, if you're not careful, you'll end up in two or three lawn bags at the bottom of the river. It can't be helped.

 

But I'd still rather buy, sell and trade in person than deal with the shipping and/or PayPal.

[Seeds]

Thats why you never have anybody ocme to your house.Always meet in a public place.

[golias]

Thats why you never have anybody ocme to your house.Always meet in a public place.

 

Right, because nobody's ever been mugged in a public place before.

 

The best advice is, have somebody with you if people are coming; take somebody with you if you are going.

[Seeds]

Right, because nobody's ever been mugged in a public place before. The best advice is, have somebody with you if people are coming; take somebody with you if you are going.

 

Whatever:blah:All I was saying is if I meet somebody at a Perkins etc.. the chances of me getting mugged, or put in a garbage bag at the bottom of the river is next to nile. Crooks don't like witnesses or public places.

Taking somebody with you is a good idea if you can as well.

[Senor Cleavage]

I always meet people at the Guitar Center parking lot. There's usually a lot of people entering/leaving (aka witnesses) and since I'm usually selling gear, most buyers already know where the store is.

[golias]

 

I always meet people at the Guitar Center parking lot. There's usually a lot of people entering/leaving (aka witnesses) and since I'm usually selling gear, most buyers already know where the store is.

 

 

So, how do they try it out? Do you go into the Guitar Center and ask to use one of their amps?

[StratoSlacker]

 

So, how do they try it out? Do you go into the Guitar Center and ask to use one of their amps?

 

 

I've done that quite a few times at Daddys Junky Music. Always a nice gesture to explain to the manager what you're going to do.

[scolfax]

I've bought and sold several non-guitar things last year on CL with no problems. Sometimes at my house, sometimes not. Everyone has been cool so far.

 

When I was amp shopping I was a little frustrated at how long it took to get sellers to get back to me. One guy changed his mind selling a modded BD when I was out the door to go pick it up. Bought my HRD from someone else and then the guy calls back and asks if I still want the BD. Ugh!

 

Saw two *really* great deals on Fender amps, and they were both gone within 30 minutes! 4x10 Deville for $350, and an HRD for $250!

[SamsDaddy]

Man, I'm surprised some of you ever leave the house. Is meeting someone off of CL at your house REALLY the most dangerous thing you could do? Reading some of the paranoia on here I would come to that conclusion.

 

I've sold 2 guitars and an amp on CL. In two of the cases, the guys came to my house. In the other, I met the guy in the Guitar Center parking lot just because it was a good midway point between us and he didn't need to try the guitar out. Surprisingly, I am still alive to tell the tale!

 

The bottom line is, use some common sense in judging who you are dealing with. If you call them and they sound like a freak, don't deal with them. Have a few conversations with them and you can usually get a decent feel for someone. Yes, I am aware that Ted Bundy was quite "normal"....

[golias]

Man, I'm surprised some of you ever leave the house. Is meeting someone off of CL at your house REALLY the most dangerous thing you could do? Reading some of the paranoia on here I would come to that conclusion. I've sold 2 guitars and an amp on CL. In two of the cases, the guys came to my house. In the other, I met the guy in the Guitar Center parking lot just because it was a good midway point between us and he didn't need to try the guitar out. Surprisingly, I am still alive to tell the tale! The bottom line is, use some common sense in judging who you are dealing with. If you call them and they sound like a freak, don't deal with them. Have a few conversations with them and you can usually get a decent feel for someone. Yes, I am aware that Ted Bundy was quite "normal"....

 

Yeah, you can usually tell from the questions they ask if they are an actual musician shopping for gear or a useless junkie wanting to case your house for a later robbery.

 

Also, I have a dog. Nobody wants to rob houses that have dogs. The little ones make too much racket and the big ones can just about kill you.

[gimme411]

I don't by having them come to your house. {censored} that (and I have a pit bull who is not kind to strangers coming to the door.) I have way too much gear in my house and you never know what people are about these days.

 

I sold my JCM800 to a guy but the night before I took video of me playing thru and adjusting all aspects of the amp and sent it to him. Also provided my daytime phone (work number with caller ID) and 100% feedback reference on eBay if he had any questions.

 

Brought it to work and sold it to him. (Card reader locked doors and plenty of peeps around. Makes me feel safer. May be paranoid but it works for me)

[golias]

Scanning back through this thread, it appears that people who live in states that are East of the Mississippi River feel the need to be more careful than people to the West.

 

Not sure if that means anything, but it's interesting.

[SamsDaddy]

Yeah, you can usually tell from the questions they ask if they are an actual musician shopping for gear or a useless junkie wanting to case your house for a later robbery. Also, I have a dog. Nobody wants to rob houses that have dogs. The little ones make too much racket and the big ones can just about kill you.

 

Yes indeed, it does help to introduce people to Mitch when they come by. Then just warn them that I don't want to have to tell him to UNLEASH THE FURY!!!!