Hi chaps, I haven't been on here in a loooooong time. Hello to anyone who remembers me.
I can't remember if there's any area on here to offer instruments for sale? Or, can anyone recommend a site which would do? Other than Ebay, of course. I suppose I could use Ebay, but have never sold high-priced items on there before.
cheers,
Helen
eBay offers more buyer/seller control, but it's also easy to get lost on their site if you don't use it regularly.
C&F is more straight forward, but you must use offsite image hosting, and post instruments without an auction based, time sensitive format. It's more list - and answer emails - and wait.
I've found eBay to be pretty good at giving you fair market price for instruments. And I usually start stuff at $1 with no reserve, which feels really risky, but it has yet to fail me. What happens is that you immediately garner tons of attention, and a bunch of low, opening bids. That is basically the best advertisement there is, because when it has a lot of action, people check it out, and soon you have 100 people watching your auction. From my experience, bid price going in to the final day is usually around half of what the ending price will be, when you have a ton of people waiting to the very end. Just a thought...
Again, it depends on what it is, of course. Most instruments will have their own forums, which can be a good place to list instruments as well. Chiff & Fipple, MandolinCafe, theirishtenorbanjo.ning.com, etc.
Just to add to what Reverend said above, try to end the auction on a Sunday night. Ebay all the way - I've bought and sold everything from washing-machine parts to cars. Great place!
...but if you've not sold much on there (therefore don't have a high number of auctions / large % score to your name) people will probably not be keen to buy from you. I don't know if that's the case with your eBay username, but consider selling elsewhere or racking up a good reputation first.
Hi Helen how you doing. I've actually purchased a nice flute through this website. I just put up a discussion thread saying I was looking out for a particular type of flute, someone got back to me and I bought it. I've also purchased a nice box on Ebay, and that was fine. So wahtever.
Re: Selling instrument cases-- and some instruments
I have a bunch of nice enough flute cases for sale. They are plastic, sturdy, and come with a zip-on cover with handles and carrying strap. They are very light and are very protective. There isn't much padding inside. I am selling them for €25/$35 (plus post - no need for insurance). I can carry some to the US tomorrow, when we are due back for 2 weeks. Paypal is fine.
I do have flutes that would fit inside the cases but those would be a wee bit extra depending on the flute.....
[I am selling these cases for Martin Doyle, flute-maker, who bought dozens of them. In the end he preferred his own leather cases.]
I've had the most luck posting a craigslist ad, ignoring the responses I get to it since they're all from scammers, and posting a link to the ad on my Facebook. Friends and friends of friends wind up knowing someone who's looking. Seems to work best with student level instruments.
Selling instruments?
Selling instruments?
Hi chaps, I haven't been on here in a loooooong time. Hello to anyone who remembers me.
I can't remember if there's any area on here to offer instruments for sale? Or, can anyone recommend a site which would do? Other than Ebay, of course. I suppose I could use Ebay, but have never sold high-priced items on there before.
cheers,
Helen
# Posted on September 4th 2011 by Nell
Re: Selling instruments?
There is no area on this site as such - but sometimes folks just use this discussion section to advertise an instrument that they have for sale.
As to other websites, it rather depends on the type of instrument that you are selling ...
# Posted on September 4th 2011 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: Selling instruments?
You might take a look at Chiff and Fipple's used instrument exchange.
http://forums.chiffandfipple.com/viewforum.php?f=35
eBay offers more buyer/seller control, but it's also easy to get lost on their site if you don't use it regularly.
C&F is more straight forward, but you must use offsite image hosting, and post instruments without an auction based, time sensitive format. It's more list - and answer emails - and wait.
# Posted on September 4th 2011 by Toppish
Re: Selling instruments?
I've found eBay to be pretty good at giving you fair market price for instruments. And I usually start stuff at $1 with no reserve, which feels really risky, but it has yet to fail me. What happens is that you immediately garner tons of attention, and a bunch of low, opening bids. That is basically the best advertisement there is, because when it has a lot of action, people check it out, and soon you have 100 people watching your auction. From my experience, bid price going in to the final day is usually around half of what the ending price will be, when you have a ton of people waiting to the very end. Just a thought...
Again, it depends on what it is, of course. Most instruments will have their own forums, which can be a good place to list instruments as well. Chiff & Fipple, MandolinCafe, theirishtenorbanjo.ning.com, etc.
# Posted on September 4th 2011 by Reverend
Re: Selling instruments?
Just to add to what Reverend said above, try to end the auction on a Sunday night. Ebay all the way - I've bought and sold everything from washing-machine parts to cars. Great place!
# Posted on September 4th 2011 by Mark Harmer
Re: Selling instruments?
...but if you've not sold much on there (therefore don't have a high number of auctions / large % score to your name) people will probably not be keen to buy from you. I don't know if that's the case with your eBay username, but consider selling elsewhere or racking up a good reputation first.
# Posted on September 4th 2011 by Mark Harmer
Re: Selling instruments?
Mandoliincafe.com has listings for mandolin, violins, banjos, guitars, bouzoukis, and ukuleles.
# Posted on September 4th 2011 by cjprince
Re: Selling instruments?
Hi Helen how you doing. I've actually purchased a nice flute through this website. I just put up a discussion thread saying I was looking out for a particular type of flute, someone got back to me and I bought it. I've also purchased a nice box on Ebay, and that was fine. So wahtever.
# Posted on September 5th 2011 by Rudall the time
Re: Selling instrument cases-- and some instruments
I have a bunch of nice enough flute cases for sale. They are plastic, sturdy, and come with a zip-on cover with handles and carrying strap. They are very light and are very protective. There isn't much padding inside. I am selling them for €25/$35 (plus post - no need for insurance). I can carry some to the US tomorrow, when we are due back for 2 weeks. Paypal is fine.
I do have flutes that would fit inside the cases but those would be a wee bit extra depending on the flute.....
[I am selling these cases for Martin Doyle, flute-maker, who bought dozens of them. In the end he preferred his own leather cases.]
# Posted on September 5th 2011 by David Levine
Re: Selling instruments?
Picture of the case: http://forums.chiffandfipple.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=84052
# Posted on September 5th 2011 by David Levine
Re: Selling instruments?
I've had the most luck posting a craigslist ad, ignoring the responses I get to it since they're all from scammers, and posting a link to the ad on my Facebook. Friends and friends of friends wind up knowing someone who's looking. Seems to work best with student level instruments.
# Posted on September 7th 2011 by hotsauce