Steinmetzify
CHUG & SLUDGE
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2012
- Messages
- 6,311
- Reaction score
- 3,445
I've noticed a disturbing trend regard used gear deals the last few months...people wanting to return used gear. I'm going to be honest here and say that this thought has never ONCE crossed my mind.
Like a lot of you, I work, have a family and play guitar for fun. Sometimes I've been in bands, more often it's a hobby, albeit an all consuming one. I join forums to talk about playing guitar, see what people are doing as far as mods go, and look for deals on stuff I'd like to buy and or trade for.
I've been through a lot of guitars. You trade for some, you buy some outright, etc....and some of them are not for you. For whatever reason, they're just not. Neck shape, pickups, scale length, body wood, whatever, they're just not THE ONE. We've all been there. If there is actually a person on here that's been completely satisfied with every single guitar they've ever bought, then right on and good for you. I'm not that guy.
At any rate, I buy and sell amps and modelers and guitars or trade for them. Some of them are keepers and some aren't, and I take my losses and off the ones that I don't need or want in lieu of something different, and call it a day and cross that particular model off the list. I'm sure a lot of you do the same. I have never once asked a guy for my money back on something I didn't like just because I didn't like it. If I buy/trade for something and don't like it, I consider it my responsibility to take pics, list it up on forums and Reverb or wherever and sell it on my own. I don't just call the guy that sold it to me and ask for my $ back. I realize he's probably an individual just like me, flipping through gear looking for his new #1 guitar or amp or whatever.
I started doing this around 5-6 years ago online; up until then it was all local trades and deals with friends. I was lucky enough to have a good online bro (Ridner shoutout!) that taught me the value of good pics, fantastic packing and quick shipping with regards to online sales and I haven't had a complaint yet in these areas. I have regularly sold guitars ranging from $500 to $3k with never an issue.
But in the last 5 months or so, I've been asked to take a return back on two guitars and two amps, one of which was too loud for the guy's house.
I get that 120 watt tube amps are loud, but if it shows in working condition and nothing is broken, I consider it being too loud your problem, not mine, regardless of the reason. I also consider you not liking the instrument you bought online your problem, as there was literally NO way for either you or me to know if you'd like it, which is pretty much why you bought it in the first place, right?
I just want this trend noticed, because it's seriously hacking me off. I'm not a store, I don't have a buyer's remorse policy, and I don't think that anyone selling used gear should. This is not just me it's happening to either; I've noticed this on several forums, I've seen several people banned outright from those forums and I've seen people booted out of FB gear trading groups once their activities become known. I'm not going to be naming any names, so no one need get twitchy.
In light of this, I'm not going to be selling gear online anymore. I'll still buy whatever, but the fact that there are people out there that are in complete control of my feedback based on a 'policy' that shouldn't exist in the first place is pissing me off no end. I don't know if it's eBay or Amazon or whatever affecting the 'online generation' and making people believe that you can return anything to anyone for no reason whatsoever, but I'm not having it any more.
Any thoughts on this matter? If this becomes a common place occurrence, will you still be selling gear online? We have some seriously high dollar guitars that go through here daily....if you're regularly selling axes that go above 2k, how is this going to affect the way you do business here? Is bad iTrader feedback because you 'don't allow returns' going to cause you anxiety or anything?
Hit the poll and let me know your thoughts on this. Maybe I'm way off base here and this is something that we're all going to have to get used to. Be honest on it; if you think you should be allowed to return used gear, let me know and why.
To be clear, this isn't about any one person or any one deal....I've just noticed this happening with increasing regularity and want to know people's thoughts on it.
Like a lot of you, I work, have a family and play guitar for fun. Sometimes I've been in bands, more often it's a hobby, albeit an all consuming one. I join forums to talk about playing guitar, see what people are doing as far as mods go, and look for deals on stuff I'd like to buy and or trade for.
I've been through a lot of guitars. You trade for some, you buy some outright, etc....and some of them are not for you. For whatever reason, they're just not. Neck shape, pickups, scale length, body wood, whatever, they're just not THE ONE. We've all been there. If there is actually a person on here that's been completely satisfied with every single guitar they've ever bought, then right on and good for you. I'm not that guy.
At any rate, I buy and sell amps and modelers and guitars or trade for them. Some of them are keepers and some aren't, and I take my losses and off the ones that I don't need or want in lieu of something different, and call it a day and cross that particular model off the list. I'm sure a lot of you do the same. I have never once asked a guy for my money back on something I didn't like just because I didn't like it. If I buy/trade for something and don't like it, I consider it my responsibility to take pics, list it up on forums and Reverb or wherever and sell it on my own. I don't just call the guy that sold it to me and ask for my $ back. I realize he's probably an individual just like me, flipping through gear looking for his new #1 guitar or amp or whatever.
I started doing this around 5-6 years ago online; up until then it was all local trades and deals with friends. I was lucky enough to have a good online bro (Ridner shoutout!) that taught me the value of good pics, fantastic packing and quick shipping with regards to online sales and I haven't had a complaint yet in these areas. I have regularly sold guitars ranging from $500 to $3k with never an issue.
But in the last 5 months or so, I've been asked to take a return back on two guitars and two amps, one of which was too loud for the guy's house.
![Nuts :nuts: :nuts:](http://www.sevenstring.org/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/nuts.gif)
I just want this trend noticed, because it's seriously hacking me off. I'm not a store, I don't have a buyer's remorse policy, and I don't think that anyone selling used gear should. This is not just me it's happening to either; I've noticed this on several forums, I've seen several people banned outright from those forums and I've seen people booted out of FB gear trading groups once their activities become known. I'm not going to be naming any names, so no one need get twitchy.
In light of this, I'm not going to be selling gear online anymore. I'll still buy whatever, but the fact that there are people out there that are in complete control of my feedback based on a 'policy' that shouldn't exist in the first place is pissing me off no end. I don't know if it's eBay or Amazon or whatever affecting the 'online generation' and making people believe that you can return anything to anyone for no reason whatsoever, but I'm not having it any more.
Any thoughts on this matter? If this becomes a common place occurrence, will you still be selling gear online? We have some seriously high dollar guitars that go through here daily....if you're regularly selling axes that go above 2k, how is this going to affect the way you do business here? Is bad iTrader feedback because you 'don't allow returns' going to cause you anxiety or anything?
Hit the poll and let me know your thoughts on this. Maybe I'm way off base here and this is something that we're all going to have to get used to. Be honest on it; if you think you should be allowed to return used gear, let me know and why.
To be clear, this isn't about any one person or any one deal....I've just noticed this happening with increasing regularity and want to know people's thoughts on it.
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