Used prices!

guitars4you · September 2023

bgmartinsbridge said:

It's tough isn't it.

Sadly prices have gone through the absolute roof in the last four years - dealers are asking stupid money but prices do look like they're coming down.

I disagree about 'blame the dealers' policy - Not saying we are not partly guilty - But most sellers now come pre-armed with prices they've seen via a google search - Be it via an e-mail, showroom visit, phone call, or at a guitar show, the conversation will probably go down this route

Them - How much will you give me for XYZ
Me - Any indication of a price you are hoping to get for it
Them - I don't know, I don't know what it's worth
So to get the ball rolling with I'll probably start off with 'I'd like to be paying 2K for it'
Them - No way I've seen them going for 3K on such 'n' such a channel

So now I wonder why they suggested earlier they don't know what it is worth

Secondly - If after a google search you find 3 same/similar guitars for sale - One priced at 2K, one at 2.5K and one at 3K

When they are selling a guitar to you they'll always quote the 'I've seen them going for 3K"

When they are interested in buying the same/similar guitar from you the quote will be 'I've seen one for sale at 2K'

In the past, Melody Maker was probably an early form of a price bible - Then Guitarist Mag, etc - It is now Google and I bet there are more private listings on any platform then there are dealer ads - So blame the dealer is not totally valid

I find it very hard now to pick up good pieces at prices I'd prefer - If I want it I have to pay more than is ideal and that is a statement based on sense and fair play and not corporate greed - I was chatting to a car dealer the other day and we had exactly the same conversation - 'We buy any car' etc is now the bible

Fishboy7 · September 2023

You're definitely right that a lot of sellers seem to price their stuff with no consideration to age / condition.

Also, the fact everything is listed as 'Buy-it-now' / 'Best Offer' muddies the water a bit as we're not seeing what stuff actually changes hands for.

I've lost count of the time people have commented "just seen what xyz are fetching on Reverb now, think I'll put mine up for sale now". But there may be a gaping chasm between these asking prices and actual sales.

RaymondLin · September 2023

I might put my Blue Foil PRS on for £10k at this rate…

Musicwolf · September 2023

guitars4you said:

Them - How much will you give me for XYZ
Me - Any indication of a price you are hoping to get for it
Them - I don't know, I don't know what it's worth
So to get the ball rolling with I'll probably start off with 'I'd like to be paying 2K for it'
Them - No way I've seen them going for 3K on such 'n' such a channel

So now I wonder why they suggested earlier they don't know what it is worth

People seem to have a reluctance to make the opening offer, wrongly believing that it is better for them if the other guy puts his offer on the table first.

I always find it better to 'anchor'. That said, as long as there is overlap between the lowest price that the seller will accept and the highest price the buyer is willing to offer, failure to close a deal just proves that one or both parties is a Muppet. As I'm sure you're realised in your years of trading - there are a lot of Muppets out there (I think that the collective noun for Muppets is a 'Show'?)

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