Used musical instruments are the bane of a parent’s and also musician’s existence. With the high school behind the teen that is off to college, the band instrument is gathering dust in the closet. The professional or hobbyist artiste who finally scraped together enough money to upgrade that guitar or drum set and is now at a loss about what to do with the old instrument is in the same boat. Thus far, common wisdom has told consumers with used high ticket items that selling their goods on eBay is the way to go.
Yet not so fast! Even as eBay is a dream-come-true for the shopper with eclectic tastes and a pocket book itching to be used, there are some items that simply do not sell as well online as they do in person! Musical instruments are one of the items that falls into this category for a plethora of reasons.
As a seller, you know that listing an item is simple, yet capturing the instrument in its fullness and to its best advantage with a camera can be tricky. Similarly, especially with brass instruments even the slightest variation in light may lead a potential buyer to assume that dents exist where truly there are none. When you finally do have an interested party you are working with, you have the duty of packing and shipping the item. Frequently, there are cases where the instrument is returned for a variety of reasons, and you will now have to once again list it. Add to this the risk of dealing with an unknown party who may live close by and would like to see the instrument up close and in person, and you can easily understand the double edge sword that online used instrument sales present.
Thus the option of selling your used instrument with the help of a reputable local instrument dealer is more attractive than ever! Consider the facts!
The dealer already has established relationships with musicians in the area. Thus, the odds are good that she or he may already know of an interested party.
The foot traffic that makes it into the store is comprised in its entirety of qualified leads. The latter is sales jargon for willing customer who knows what they are looking for and who are ready to buy. The number of those just killing time on eBay with no intention to buy is staggering.
True musicians will want to see, touch, and hold an instrument prior to committing to the sale. The weight, feel, and also potential physical imperfections of the item may thus be observed right away. As the sale commences – no reputable dealer will permit you to consign an instrument that is basically trashed – there will be little reason for a return since the buyer knows what she or he is receiving.
Last but not least, there will be no stranger coming to your front door potentially casing the joint as you are trying to sell your son’s old tuba! Be wise and avoid eBay in favor of local stores and sell used musical instruments faster and safer.
