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Selling Trumpets/Mouthpieces



 
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Blue Baddley
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Joined: 16 Aug 2008
Posts: 9
Location: Richmond, Virginia

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:18 pm    Post subject: Selling Trumpets/Mouthpieces Reply with quote

I would appreciate any advice, warnings, instruction from persons who have experience selling instruments and equipment on trumpetherald or elsewhere. I am no longer performing and I am about to sell on line for the first time.
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cheiden
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Joined: 28 Sep 2004
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Selling can be perilous. You might be able to minimize your risk by selling your horns or offering them for consignment with a reputable shop.

I know that Robb Stewart (http://www.robbstewart.com/ForSaleLists/ForSaleList.html) deals in used gear and is very reputable. There's also a thread here that lists 40-ish stores (including Robb's) that are considered good outlets for buying and selling.

Beyond that you might consider only dealing with prospective buyers that have substantial history on the TH or a lot of positive feedback on ebay.
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jazzykendall
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Joined: 05 Mar 2007
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Location: Newport News, VA

PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I noticed that you're from Richmond, VA, I'll be in the area for a couple of months (vacay from cruise ships.) What horns were you considering putting up for sale? I need a decent back up horn for when I got back out.
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abontrumpet
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Joined: 08 May 2009
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some basic things I do when selling on TH:

#1: Get a paypal account. It protects both parties to an extent so scamming is limited some.

#2: When an interested buyer contacts you... check their posts of TH, make sure they are who they say they are... make sure they know about trumpet. This is to ensure as best you can that they "care" about a clean transaction.

#3: Advertise your product as accurately as possible. Nobody wants to receive something they thought was in good shape and its not.

#4: Make sure the buyer is aware of your "return policy." If the sale is final... let 'em know.

#5: Take good care in packing and shipping. As a buyer, I appreciate when I can tell somebody has taken the time and cares enough to do things "right"

#6: (This is personal). I like a well taken care of instrument. Some people take measures to make their product look fantastic before they sell. Unless its seriously dirty inside... I (the buyer) always like to be the one to take care of the cleaning (so I know it's done right). I never like polish and chem cleans when they are not necessary.... but that's just a personal thing.

#7: Be courteous. Be a good person to deal with. Ship your things in a timely manner and communicate as frequently as possible.

I probably missed some things. Good luck!
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Blue Baddley
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Joined: 16 Aug 2008
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Location: Richmond, Virginia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:34 am    Post subject: Thanks for the great Advice! bb Reply with quote

Thanks! Great Advice!


cheiden wrote:
Selling can be perilous. You might be able to minimize your risk by selling your horns or offering them for consignment with a reputable shop.

I know that Robb Stewart (http://www.robbstewart.com/ForSaleLists/ForSaleList.html) deals in used gear and is very reputable. There's also a thread here that lists 40-ish stores (including Robb's) that are considered good outlets for buying and selling.

Beyond that you might consider only dealing with prospective buyers that have substantial history on the TH or a lot of positive feedback on ebay.

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Blue Baddley
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Blue Baddley
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Joined: 16 Aug 2008
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Location: Richmond, Virginia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:37 am    Post subject: Thanks! Reply with quote

Excellent, thoughtful and most thorough help! Much appreciation!


ote="abontrumpet"]Some basic things I do when selling on TH:

#1: Get a paypal account. It protects both parties to an extent so scamming is limited some.

#2: When an interested buyer contacts you... check their posts of TH, make sure they are who they say they are... make sure they know about trumpet. This is to ensure as best you can that they "care" about a clean transaction.

#3: Advertise your product as accurately as possible. Nobody wants to receive something they thought was in good shape and its not.

#4: Make sure the buyer is aware of your "return policy." If the sale is final... let 'em know.

#5: Take good care in packing and shipping. As a buyer, I appreciate when I can tell somebody has taken the time and cares enough to do things "right"

#6: (This is personal). I like a well taken care of instrument. Some people take measures to make their product look fantastic before they sell. Unless its seriously dirty inside... I (the buyer) always like to be the one to take care of the cleaning (so I know it's done right). I never like polish and chem cleans when they are not necessary.... but that's just a personal thing.

#7: Be courteous. Be a good person to deal with. Ship your things in a timely manner and communicate as frequently as possible.

I probably missed some things. Good luck![/quote]
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pfeifela
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Joined: 29 Apr 2006
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Location: Portland, Oregon

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

abontrumpet wrote:
Some basic things I do when selling on TH:

#1: Get a paypal account. It protects both parties to an extent so scamming is limited some.

#2: When an interested buyer contacts you... check their posts of TH, make sure they are who they say they are... make sure they know about trumpet. This is to ensure as best you can that they "care" about a clean transaction.

#3: Advertise your product as accurately as possible. Nobody wants to receive something they thought was in good shape and its not.

#4: Make sure the buyer is aware of your "return policy." If the sale is final... let 'em know.

#5: Take good care in packing and shipping. As a buyer, I appreciate when I can tell somebody has taken the time and cares enough to do things "right"

#6: (This is personal). I like a well taken care of instrument. Some people take measures to make their product look fantastic before they sell. Unless its seriously dirty inside... I (the buyer) always like to be the one to take care of the cleaning (so I know it's done right). I never like polish and chem cleans when they are not necessary.... but that's just a personal thing.

#7: Be courteous. Be a good person to deal with. Ship your things in a timely manner and communicate as frequently as possible.

I probably missed some things. Good luck!


Great advice! I would add a couple of small things: 1) The market for gear is down and your stuff may not be worth as much as you believe. Be realistic. You may want to go to Ebay and check the item you are selling under their list of "completed auctions." This is a great reflection of the actual market value of your item because you can see what it has previously sold for, NOT just what someone was asking for the item. 2) I would begin with TH. I have done numerous transactions and have never been disappointed. Descriptions are accurate and people on TH (for me) have always done what they said they would do. This type of track record is very difficult to come by anywhere else.

Best of luck.
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trumpaholic
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Joined: 02 Sep 2005
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Location: Lindsay Ontario Canada

PostPosted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good high resolution pictures sell stuff really well. If you do not have that expertise, get help from a friend and have him load the pictures in your computer. I use a photo tent, small table top tripod and a 2 second timer to get really good photos. It works for me!
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