Question Why can't I sell this bass?

[BluesBassPlayer]

Everytime I sell something, I regret it 2 years later. Keep it. Name it after your child and tell her when she's of age its hers to play.

Just don't name your daughter Bongo!

Jimi

 

[jlepre]

Everytime I sell something, I regret it 2 years later. Keep it. Name it after your child and tell her when she's of age its hers to play.

Just don't name your daughter Bongo!

Jimi

I can't keep it as we REALLY need some furniture for a nursery. This birth was a total surprise for us, and we don't have ANY baby stuff.

We actually agreed on the name Gianna. Maybe Bongo as a middle name? Naaaaaaa Marie sounds MUCH better...

 

[strummer]

I'm very apprehensive to offer this as I have no idea how. If someone is willing to work with me, and I have a good feeling about it, I may consider.

Jeez, what is it with all the americanos wanting to ship lower 48 only? What do you think it takes to ship internationally?
Well, not a lot actually. You ship just as you would anywhere else, you fill out some kind of export paper (differs from country to country where you send stuff from) and off it goes. On the receiving end there might be some hassle, byut that won't really affect you. Just state in the ad that any and all import costs are to be paid by the buyer.

 

[jlepre]

Don't you have to remove the neck and ship in a shorter box? That's what I always heard. We if any of my fellow knuckleheads across the pond want this bass, I will ship it to you as long as...any and all import costs are to be paid by the buyer.

 

[MingusBASS]

This has turned into a living for sale ad.

 

[adouglas]

Jack said it, but I'll add my $0.02.

The reason you can't sell the bass is very simple and it isn't because it's fretless or has a piezo or anything like that. There's nothing wrong with the bass, and nothing wrong with the buyers.

The problem is that the market isn't willing to pay what you're asking. That's all there is to it. Classic supply and demand economics. What you think it's worth, what it cost you and what a new one goes for are all utterly irrelevant. All that matters is the value the market places on it.

Private sales on the net are the epitome of the free market. If you insist on a price that's one dollar too high, you'll be hanging on to that bass forever.

If you view a posession as an investment and expect a certain return from it, you're in the wrong game. It's harsh, but it's the truth.

The choice you're facing comes down to this: You can either let the market dictate the price, which will result in a guaranteed sale, or set some arbitrary target, which so far has resulted in zero interest.

What's more important to you? Getting cash now or holding out for an extra few hundred that you may never see?

A well-known eBay strategy is to start the bidding very, very low, have a low (or no) reserve, run the auction for a while to let the bidders get antsy (like 10 days) and let human psychology take over. Auction bidding fever is a powerful thing.

When buyers see a bass that should sell for $1000 with a bid of only $500 on it and no "reserve not met" notice, they get all excited and are WAY more likely to bid in my experience. That creates a feeding frenzy and drives the price higher than it would otherwise go. People get blinded by the possibility of a steal.

If that were my bass, I'd forget about what I want to make from the sale and instead come up with a figure below which I would rather just keep it. Set that as your reserve price. Then start the bidding stupid-low and let nature take its course.

If it still doesn't sell, your expectations are still too high and the bass is clearly worth more to you than it is to anyone else...so you should keep it.

I sold an AL earlier this year using that strategy. I made a $250 profit on it.

 

[silverburst]

Jeez, what is it with all the americanos wanting to ship lower 48 only? What do you think it takes to ship internationally?
Well, not a lot actually. You ship just as you would anywhere else, you fill out some kind of export paper (differs from country to country where you send stuff from) and off it goes. On the receiving end there might be some hassle, byut that won't really affect you. Just state in the ad that any and all import costs are to be paid by the buyer.

You see, Magnus, it used to be a major hassle to ship overseas from the US. Each post office you would go to would have a different understanding of what the rules are, and the prices would vary greatly depending on how the rules were interpreted.

But in the past year or so, the postal service has really improved their service and prices. The online information regarding the sizes of what can be shipped is very specific, and you can print it out and take it with you to show the employee what the rules are. And the ability to purchase the postage online line simplifies things alot too. You can even do the customs forms through the PayPal website now.

So, shipping a full-size bass in the case to Germany, France, Switzerland or Spain is no problem. It is usually about $140 and only takes a week or so to get there.

You run into funny things, too. Like you have to take a bass apart to meet Australia's rules, but you can ship a full-sized bass in a hard case to New Zealan with no worries. Go figure.

 

[Sweat]

Been reading this and thought I would throw in my 2 cents even though I am one of those freaky skinny string dudes

I do have quite a bit of experience in buying and selling guitars, I tend to rotate my guitars like people do socks.

So first everything formites like Jack and Rex have said are so true, it is just harder right now to sell due to the state of the economy, you really have to be willing to take a hit right now on some stuff.

Also it is a beautful Bongo but a nitch one at that, its not a Dargie or Redwood or EVH etc. plus I am sure the fretless is only for a select few plus we all know a piezo isnt cheap but sometimes hard to recoup that cost.

now for my tips, first as much as I hate paypal you must offer it, second at best hope for a split in the fees or ask for an echeck only costs you $5.

Second you must offer it up for international sale, if i did not do that I would be stuck with alot of guitars or would not have been able to try new ones.
It really isnt that much of a hassle, USPS rules vary by country as far as size and the amount you can insure it for, I prefer other carriers but if the buyer wants USPS its at thier risk, UPS while more expensive is a safer route but bottom line offer it to all.

Third be willing to negotiate, dont give it away but if a counter offer comes thats reasonable accept it.

And finally fourth, as much as I hate Ebay as well it can be your friend, i much prefer to sell within the forum but sometimes thats not going to happen, i generally give the forum 2 weeks with one bump and then off to Ebay.

good luck and congrats on your new addition, nice name by the way.

 

[jlepre]

I BROKE DOWN!

PAYPAL is now ACCEPTED for this purchase.

now for my tips, first as much as I hate paypal you must offer it, second at best hope for a split in the fees or ask for an echeck only costs you $5.

Second you must offer it up for international sale, if i did not do that I would be stuck with alot of guitars or would not have been able to try new ones....
good luck and congrats on your new addition, nice name by the way.

Thanks again for your insight. As you can see I can now accept PAYPAL, and I am willing to sell internationally. All I ask is that the buyer bear with me, as this will be new for me. Thanks for the congrats, and we like the name too...

 

[silverburst]

John

Feel free to PM me if you need help or advice on selling stuff internationally.

Rex

 

[bassmonkeee]

Jeez, what is it with all the americanos wanting to ship lower 48 only? What do you think it takes to ship internationally?
Well, not a lot actually. You ship just as you would anywhere else, you fill out some kind of export paper (differs from country to country where you send stuff from) and off it goes. On the receiving end there might be some hassle, byut that won't really affect you. Just state in the ad that any and all import costs are to be paid by the buyer.

Says the guy having a bass hand delivered.

 

[strummer]

Says the guy having a bass hand delivered.

Yes, but we get to jam too, don't we?

 

[Aussie Mark]

I believe I mentioned the Paypal and international postage a couple of weeks ago in the For Sale thread. In this economy, offering Paypal gives people the ability to buy the bass with their credit card, so if they don't have the cash on hand they can still buy the bass and pay it off over a few months. That's a big selling point in times where cash is tight. By not being willing to ship overseas you've confined your potential market to one country, where used EBMM prices are very low. Your Euro and Oz friends are often willing to pay more than US prices, because there are less used EBMM instruments in our part of the world, and local prices are very high for that reason.

Offering Paypal and international shipping should get you a quick sale. If I were you I'd try TB for a week, and then go eBay.

 

[jlepre]

I remembered your words from another bass I was selling. I was able to sell that one, but because this one is a little more specialized, it's a little harder to sell I guess. I worked out my problem with PAYPAL, and have considered opening this up to my international friends.

 

[jlepre]

With a little help from my friends, I have reposted my bass in the FOR SALE thread. I am now accepting PAYPAL and have opened this to my international brothers and sisters.

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[Mogee]

Good luck, and taking the neck off to ship in a couple of packages, is really only 5-10 extra minutes of packing. Plus you have an extra case laying around. BTW anyone want to buy my 2005 LE Case?

 

[Sonnyonbass]

I'll ask around here if someone is interested!

I would be interested if it was lined and black or graphite....
Tried unlined once. Takes to much time to learn

 

[jlepre]

Well I'm having a crazy idea. What if every day I drop the price $25 until the bass is sold? I can have a rock bottom number in my mind, and if the bass reaches it, just stop the price drop there.

What do you think?

 

[MingusBASS]

Well gee, I suppose you could to that, but why would anyone buy it before you've reached your "rock bottom" price?

 

[jlepre]

Well gee, I suppose you could to that, but why would anyone buy it before you've reached your "rock bottom" price?

Ahhhh..well that the question. What IS my rock bottom price? When I reach it...I will just pull the ad and keep the bass.