Tips for Selling Ukes

twokatmew

twokatmew

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Sorry this post is lengthy....

I have two ukes that are sitting in their humidified cases and not getting played very much. I've sold many items online over the years, but never acoustic instruments, and not with wood hard cases, so I'd like some tips.

Pricing: The ukes are as new, purchased from and set up by Elderly Instruments, but I realize I need to price them such that each is a better deal that buying new. I think I've read 70% of original price. Both are less than a year old and still under Elderly's one-year warranty, but I doubt warranty is transferable. Neither uke nor case has left my home since they were purchased, so they are really in brand new, mint condition.

These are mid-grade ukes, and the Guardian hard cases were purchased new too. Problem is, the cases add a lot of weight. Do I try to sell the cases separately? Offer pricing with and without case? The ukes will be naked if they don't ship with their cases.

How to pack and ship? I like USPS, but heavier packages probably ship less expensively via UPS. Opinions on this?

Finally, what about returns? Honestly I'd like to avoid returns, but I realize I should offer a reasonable return policy.

And now specifics on the ukes, for some perspective:

Kala concert ziricote laminate, $239.99 new. Guardian hard case, $65 new. Currently strung gCEA with Worth Brown BM46 strings, and I can throw in one new set and a half. Action is ~2.25mm at the 12th fret, nice and low at the nut. Plenty of room at the saddle to adjust action lower.

Kala baritone solid cedar top acacia back and sides, $294.99 new. Guardian hard case, $80 new. Currently strung DGBE with D'Addario wound singles and Savarez Alliance KF trebles: NYL033w, NYL028w, KF77 .0303, KF62 .0244. No extra strings to throw in with this uke. Action is very good, IIRC ~2.75mm at 12th fret. Plenty of room at the saddle to adjust action lower. Truss rod has been adjusted for these strings, and I'll throw in a 4mm hex wrench.

I have a plethora of tuners, so I can throw in a tuner with each uke.

Now why am I selling? Coming from classical guitar, I first bought the baritone. But I wanted to try other scale lengths too, so I added tenor and concert. I've now decided that tenor is my scale of choice, and I just added a second tenor. I have a lap steel guitar being built right now, so I should move along these two ukes that aren't getting played.

When I get around to posting, I'll have good, detailed pics. :)

Thanks for tips and advice. :D
 
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I have only sold one ukulele here in the marketplace. I was able to sell at around 70% of full value, but I included the hardcase in the deal. I also included the shipping. In the end I probably got about 60% of full value.

70% is a good starting place, but be prepared to go lower if they don’t move within 1-2 weeks. I included the case because I felt more comfortable shipping the uke in a hard case. I didn’t need the case for another uke so it made sense to include it.

Good pictures plus an accurate description are very helpful. Make sure you capture any blemishes in your pictures. Includes your UU name & the date on a piece of paper in one of your pictures.

Because your ukes are not super high end or unique, they may take longer to sell. Maybe not? Mine wasn’t high end and it sold pretty quick. Good luck.
 
I usually sell with a case if I have one for the added protection. It certainly weighs more and thus costs more to ship. Craigslist will get you more money and save on shipping, but that’s sketchier than selling here on UU
 
The cases may be a hard sell by themselves but will probably not add much to value. They will however add to desire. 30% loss is about average but if they are extremely nice it doesn’t hurt to ask for a bit more after you explain your situation. The worst that can happen is someone will talk you down. Maybe shoot for 30% and ask for the buyer to pay shipping or half of shipping.
 
PayPal fees add to the price, so it's helpful to know who will pay the fees.

I bought 3 ukes from UU, & my preference is that the more details, the better. If you can include a sound sample, that can help, along with photos, specs, if it has been around smokers, & anything else you might think of.

Pricing might depend on the market at that particular moment, but check here for previous prices that similar ukuleles have sold for, as well as other places that sell ukes, like Flea Market and Reverb.
 
If you use the "friends and family" section of paypal, there are no fees to pay. I prefer to buy them with a case, so I know I'm getting something that fits that uke plus it helps protect it in shipping (and you don't have to hassle with trying to find something to fit it after you get it).
 
mgsondance said:
If you use the "friends and family" section of paypal, there are no fees to pay. I prefer to buy them with a case, so I know I'm getting something that fits that uke plus it helps protect it in shipping (and you don't have to hassle with trying to find something to fit it after you get it).
Click to expand...

Yes, the only trouble with "friends and family" PayPal is that there's no buyer or seller protection. Unfortunately, I've had to use that both as a buyer (and once as a seller) over the years, so I tend to pay the fees unless it's for a small inexpensive item. With electronics, etc., I've found that buyers tend to like the added protection (as long as I as a seller, eat the fees). I would hope that this is not so much an issue selling acoustic instruments on UU, but then I've been surprised as the shenanigans some people have pulled on Ebay. :)

I agree re case. But if I have to give away a nice, mint, Guardian (green crushed velvet interior) and eat the extra shipping & insurance because of said case....

I guess I should just take pics and post the ukes for sale. Then I'll see what happens. :) Also, as I bought my ukes locally from Elderly, I have no boxes to ship the cases or ukes in. I think I'll ask Elderly if they have extra boxes they can spare; otherwise I'll have to buy boxes too. And all of these added expenses would be inconsequential if the ukes were higher end.

Oh well, that learning curve when one begins a new hobby is a killer, financially.
 
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mgsondance said:
If you use the "friends and family" section of paypal, there are no fees to pay. I prefer to buy them with a case, so I know I'm getting something that fits that uke plus it helps protect it in shipping (and you don't have to hassle with trying to find something to fit it after you get it).
Click to expand...


I will never buy nor sell using friends and family. The PayPal fee is something like thirty cents plus 2.9%. With Friends and Family you have no protection. If they never even ship anything you have no recourse! Many sellers don’t know how to inspect a uke. You may find cracks the seller missed. Use buyer protection when buying. Pay for it yourself, no muss, no fuss.
 
twokatmew said:
Sorry this post is lengthy....

I have two ukes that are sitting in their humidified cases and not getting played very much. I've sold many items online over the years, but never acoustic instruments, and not with wood hard cases, so I'd like some tips.

Pricing: The ukes are as new, purchased from and set up by Elderly Instruments, but I realize I need to price them such that each is a better deal that buying new. I think I've read 70% of original price. Both are less than a year old and still under Elderly's one-year warranty, but I doubt warranty is transferable. Neither uke nor case has left my home since they were purchased, so they are really in brand new, mint condition.

These are mid-grade ukes, and the Guardian hard cases were purchased new too. Problem is, the cases add a lot of weight. Do I try to sell the cases separately? Offer pricing with and without case? The ukes will be naked if they don't ship with their cases.

How to pack and ship? I like USPS, but heavier packages probably ship less expensively via UPS. Opinions on this?

Finally, what about returns? Honestly I'd like to avoid returns, but I realize I should offer a reasonable return policy.

And now specifics on the ukes, for some perspective:

Kala concert ziricote laminate, $239.99 new. Guardian hard case, $65 new. Currently strung gCEA with Worth Brown BM46 strings, and I can throw in one new set and a half. Action is ~2.25mm at the 12th fret, nice and low at the nut. Plenty of room at the saddle to adjust action lower.

Kala baritone solid cedar top acacia back and sides, $294.99 new. Guardian hard case, $80 new. Currently strung DGBE with D'Addario wound singles and Savarez Alliance KF trebles: NYL033w, NYL028w, KF77 .0303, KF62 .0244. No extra strings to throw in with this uke. Action is very good, IIRC ~2.75mm at 12th fret. Plenty of room at the saddle to adjust action lower. Truss rod has been adjusted for these strings, and I'll throw in a 4mm hex wrench.

I have a plethora of tuners, so I can throw in a tuner with each uke.

Now why am I selling? Coming from classical guitar, I first bought the baritone. But I wanted to try other scale lengths too, so I added tenor and concert. I've now decided that tenor is my scale of choice, and I just added a second tenor. I have a lap steel guitar being built right now, so I should move along these two ukes that aren't getting played.

When I get around to posting, I'll have good, detailed pics. :)

Thanks for tips and advice. :D
Click to expand...

It usually only costs me under $25 to ship with case and full insurance. If you have an accurate scale, you can go ahead and take photos, then wrap it for shipping, weigh it andgo onto USPS.COM to calculate actual shipping. Don’t ship overseas. Most people want the case and it protects it during shipping. It is hard to sell a case by itself. The general starting point for used ukes to me is 2/3 current new price. High demand items can go way up. Starter ukes go down from there, honestly.

I prefer USPS and always find them cheaper than UPS. These will not be heavy packages. Remember to slack the strings before shipping. In the used market like this people generally don’t offer returns. You might consider granting one upon request, but I wouldn’t give a refund due to buyers remorse. If I did, the seller would definitely pay return shipping. They can re-sell it them selves. If it is damaged in shipping, that is what the insurance is for.

Make sure you look over every millimeter of the uke, careflly report every ding and scratch and try to include in a photo. Especially look for seam separations and splits. A warped neck turns most low end ukes into wall art. Look at the internall bracing.

If you have an interested buyer, try to work with them to make the sale work.

That is my stream of consciousness response to your questions, I hope it helps.
 
Dionysis said:
It usually only costs me under $25 to ship with case and full insurance. If you have an accurate scale, you can go ahead and take photos, then wrap it for shipping, weigh it andgo onto USPS.COM to calculate actual shipping. Don’t ship overseas. Most people want the case and it protects it during shipping. It is hard to sell a case by itself. The general starting point for used ukes to me is 2/3 current new price. High demand items can go way up. Starter ukes go down from there, honestly.

I prefer USPS and always find them cheaper than UPS. These will not be heavy packages. Remember to slack the strings before shipping. In the used market like this people generally don’t offer returns. You might consider granting one upon request, but I wouldn’t give a refund due to buyers remorse. If I did, the seller would definitely pay return shipping. They can re-sell it them selves. If it is damaged in shipping, that is what the insurance is for.

Make sure you look over every millimeter of the uke, careflly report every ding and scratch and try to include in a photo. Especially look for seam separations and splits. A warped neck turns most low end ukes into wall art. Look at the internall bracing.

If you have an interested buyer, try to work with them to make the sale work.

That is my stream of consciousness response to your questions, I hope it helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this is very helpful. I do have a scale that can weigh large objects, and I most often do the USPS Click/Ship thing. I was just thinking of USPS's surcharges for packages that are longer than 12" on any side. I've shipped camera lenses overseas before, and once was enough. :)
 
Dionysis said:
I will never buy nor sell using friends and family. The PayPal fee is something like thirty cents plus 2.9%. With Friends and Family you have no protection. If they never even ship anything you have no recourse! Many sellers don’t know how to inspect a uke. You may find cracks the seller missed. Use buyer protection when buying. Pay for it yourself, no muss, no fuss.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that. Good to know!
 
twokatmew said:
Yes, the only trouble with "friends and family" PayPal is that there's no buyer or seller protection. Unfortunately, I've had to use that both as a buyer (and once as a seller) over the years, so I tend to pay the fees unless it's for a small expensive item. With electronics, etc., I've found that buyers tend to like the added protection (as long as I as a seller, eat the fees). I would hope that this is not so much an issue selling acoustic instruments on UU, but then I've been surprised as the shenanigans some people have pulled on Ebay. :)

I agree re case. But if I have to give away a nice, mint, Guardian (green crushed velvet interior) and eat the extra shipping & insurance because of said case....

I guess I should just take pics and post the ukes for sale. Then I'll see what happens. :) Also, as I bought my ukes locally from Elderly, I have no boxes to ship the cases or ukes in. I think I'll ask Elderly if they have extra boxes they can spare; otherwise I'll have to buy boxes too. And all of these added expenses would be inconsequential if the ukes were higher end.

Oh well, that learning curve when one begins a new hobby is a killer, financially.
Click to expand...

Didn't know that about paypal. But if you purchased at Elderly's, are you a Michigander? I'm in Grand Rapids. :)
 
Dionysis said:
I will never buy nor sell using friends and family. The PayPal fee is something like thirty cents plus 2.9%. With Friends and Family you have no protection. If they never even ship anything you have no recourse! Many sellers don’t know how to inspect a uke. You may find cracks the seller missed. Use buyer protection when buying. Pay for it yourself, no muss, no fuss.
Click to expand...

Yep, and I use this PayPal fees calculator that does the math for us. I'd forgotten about sellers sometimes not knowing what they're selling. Years ago I bought two Fender tube amps on Ebay. There was no issue with the 1968 VibroChamp, but the 1970 Princeton Reverb turned out to be a 1980. In this case, the seller didn't know the amp, and as a buyer, I didn't know the product well enough. It wasn't worth revisiting the transaction, but I'd completely forgotten! Thanks for mentioning this.
 
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mgsondance said:
Didn't know that about paypal. But if you purchased at Elderly's, are you a Michigander? I'm in Grand Rapids. :)
Click to expand...

Just noticed a typo in my post. If it's for a small INexpensive item, I might skip the PayPal protection. In most transactions, I pay the PayPal fees, and I won't ship (or buy) without insurance. And yes, I'm in Lansing! Hello fellow Michigander! :) I've seen sale posts where the seller makes insurance optional at the buyer's expensive. This, I believe, is foolish. The seller is responsible for the item until it's safely in the buyer's hands. I like to minimize the possibility of something going wrong, so I always include insurance (and eat the cost, as it's protecting me).

Both ukes are still under Elderly's one-year warranty, but I'll have them checked out before I sell/ship just to verify they're still as good as I think they are! :)
 
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Thanks for all this info on Paypal business vs friends. I would have just sent friends since it would have just been from someone on here. I may end up selling the Duke 10 I just bought because I just don't know if tenor will work for me. I love the sound, but that tenor stretch on hands my size may be a bit much.
 
A quick comment on shipping since it seems no one has mentioned it yet:

Long story short: Weight won't matter when it comes to calculating your shipping cost - what matters is the size. It will probably be in your best interest to send with the case most of the time and ensure you have at least 1.5" of bubble wrap or other packing material between the outer surface of the case and the inside of the box.

Details: USPS, UPS, and FedEx all use what's called "dimensional weight" when calculating the price for most of their parcels. The details vary by carrier and can be quite complex; for example, twokatmew mentioned that USPS has a surcharge for packages >12" on any one side. This isn't quite true, as it actually is a weight-based price for packages under 1 cubic foot and a dimension-based price for packages larger than a cubic foot. Generally, though, a ukulele (even with case) will not be heavy enough to be charged by actual weight and will instead be charged by dimensional weight.

To calculate dimensional weight of a particular box, multiply length*width*height, and divide that number by 139. You will get the dimensional weight in pounds of your package. This number is compared to the actual weight, and the higher of the two is what you get charged. For example, a tenor ukulele with case in a box might weigh about 12-14 lbs. If the dimensions are 36" long, 9" deep, and 16" wide, we get (36×9×16)÷139=37.3 lbs! Even without the case, the box would need to be about the same size to protect the instrument and you would get charged for 37.3 lbs worth of shipping instead of the actual weight of 4-8 lbs.

The equation flips, of course, if you are shipping rocks :)
 
Yes, the cases add weight, but they also add protection, and buyers like them. You have to figure $10 - $20 for shipping, which is not really a big deal with a uke selling for over $100. I like buying from dealers or individuals with the shipping included, and I've recently started selling with shipping included. A big advantage of buying from an individual is the lack of sales tax. I just bought a Firefly from Pennylane Emporium. It was $308, no shipping charge and no tax. If I had bought directly from Magic Flea, I would have paid either shopping or sales tax, plus the $325 list price. We have three Fireflys in our group.

I thought of a good tip for selling just yesterday. If I can remember it, I'll come back.
 
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