(10-07-2018, 08:45 AM)gnappi Wrote:(10-07-2018, 01:19 AM)Rens Wrote:(10-05-2018, 06:43 PM)gnappi Wrote: And it's STILL THERE, I can't believe it. Add to that there's one "OFFER" Jeez that git is a gift at the asking price and making an offer is an insult.
I'm selling a Tacoma on Reverb and you wouldn't believe some of the "offers" I've had. Enough to make me want to buy a ticket, fly over, and punch that person in the face.
What players do behind the mask of internet anonymity is remarkable.
I grew up with my parents taking me to antique stores, presale events at auction houses and flea markets. I learned from them a very wise way to get the best price out of the owner without insulting them and it's simple...
I just say... "I hate making offers why not just give me your best price?"
A few might say, "that's the best price" OK so be it no loss no foul but very often I got a decent price reduction. OTOH, when the price on the hang tag or label was already fair, I just buy it. Looking a "gift horse" in the mouth is just plain stupid.
Anyway, in many years of hunting for goods not one single seller ever got ticked off at me and often the seller and I would exchange stories on how "prospective buyers" would ruin the chance of getting an item by making an insulting offer.
I like that way of doing business, it feels a lot fairer than trying to squeeze someone out of a couple of tenners. And a fair price is a fair price, isn't it? What I really do not like, though, are people who don't "get" selling via the internet. Some months ago a guy was selling (a very rare) Pono 12 string parlour, something I really want to have. I sent him a message and explicitly told him I wanted to buy it from him, and that I would buy it from him. He only needed to check one thing for me which he would do when he got home. Then I didn't hear from him for over a day if I recall correctly. He then answered my question and sold it to someone else directly after who "had made a hard offer" and "had made a hard commitment", some weird sales talk like that. Before that he'd asked me to make an offer and I had said "I think you're asking a very fair price so it seems pointless", but in the spirit of playing I offered like 20 beneath his asking price. It's weird, you'd think that saying "I want to and will buy this from you" is clear enough.
(10-07-2018, 09:54 AM)Bert Wrote: Can't remember who/where I learned this...'I like to look em in the eye before and after the sale'. It's worked for me through the years. Maybe just me but, I make it a rule to not buy 'used' over the internet because of the people who don't think like me, maybe too careful about rolling the dice.
Never a cross word... couple months ago a guy put up for sale a guitar on CL for 1500. Next week he dropped it to 1400. Next week he dropped it to 1300. Next week I called him and asked could he take 1200 if I came over, had a look and would not offer less. Took him about 10secs to say yes. Turned out to be a super nice guy, we had a warm conversation and I came home with a jewel of a 2007 Taylor GA5. worked again
bert
I get what you're saying Bert, although I'd like to offer my own experience here. I have considerably less experience than you when it comes to buying and selling guitars, however: it only went wrong once. A cheapish guitar I wanted to have because it had a deep body and was rather comfortable to play for extended periods of time. It was "like new".. it arrived and it was ruined. It became a PayPal dispute (eBay was shameful, they kept me on the phone for hours, kept disconnecting, making big promises, kept calling me sir, kept being a weasly little suck-up while doing nothing, still ticked-off about it!) and I explained why I had returned it. The guy didn't even reply to my messages anymore! Luckily I'd taken a ton of pictures showing a dent so deep it might as well be a hole, big scratches, a messed-up fingerboard, etc. Once PayPal saw it they reimbursed me immediately. Still had to pay to get the bloody thing back to Portugal though. Had eBay done what they're supposed to do...
Besides this it all went well. I do prefer to buy from someone, but that's because I enjoy meeting someone new and having a chat. Last year I went to buy a little amp from someone and we ended up talking a lot more than actually playing. Turned out he owned a pub down the street, it was fun!
I guess it's key to get a feel of the person selling it. I don't see myself buying a really expensive one over the internet, but when it's a reputable seller (like Reverb has tons!) I don't see myself think twice. Or from someone on here... I could definitely see that happen.
