Experiences Selling on Consignment

keenonuke

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This is a vent post. And perhaps I should chalk it up to my ignorance of what maybe normal business practices.

I recently sold a ukulele to a seller that was to go for consignment and was wondering about others experiences. What led me to write was my negative experience of telling myself it’s a lesson learned. I shipped a ukulele to the selling store agreeing to their commission/percentage of the sale price fee. It arrived unharmed and I was told the ukulele appeared to be in very good condition. I was then told there would be a $99 fee for their repair department to examine the instrument. I told them it would have been nice to have known that beforehand. We negotiated and I sold them the ukulele. So now I know to ask are there any other fees,etc. And of course it’s not the end of the world but if you get the old commercial reference, “I could have had a V-8.”

I’m wondering should I have known better that is how consignment works? Thanks for your help.
 
I don't know anything about consignment for instruments but a $99 fee to inspect the instrument sounds like a big rip-off. What exactly would cost them that much to examine it? Do they take an X-ray or something?
 
My local luthier/guitar/uke store does consignment. I think he takes at least 15%, hopefully before taxes but I doubt there would be any additional fees. I talked to him about this a few years ago and my memory is not very clear, but I definitely did the math at the time and decided that this would not be the route for me to go.
 
My local luthier/guitar/uke store does consignment. I think he takes at least 15%, hopefully before taxes but I doubt there would be any additional fees. I talked to him about this a few years ago and my memory is not very clear, but I definitely did the math at the time and decided that this would not be the route for me to go.

Their consignment fee is a sliding scale with decreasing amounts as the selling price goes up. The fee for my instrument was 25% and if the selling price was more (over 1000 USD) the fee would have been less. I was OK with that and agreed to the fee. I appreciated their expenses for time and money associated with advertising on websites, emails, salesforce, etc. At least it's now behind me. I'll see if I sing a different time after I try to sell a ukulele myself. As I'm hoping to sell my National Resonator Mahogany Ukulele.
 
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My local luthier/guitar/uke store does consignment. I think he takes at least 15%, hopefully before taxes but I doubt there would be any additional fees. I talked to him about this a few years ago and my memory is not very clear, but I definitely did the math at the time and decided that this would not be the route for me to go.

Sounds like a good deal. Most ask for 30% consignment. 15% is well worth it to avoid dealing with all the hassle and time involved with selling an instrument.
 
This is a vent post. And perhaps I should chalk it up to my ignorance of what maybe normal business practices.

I recently sold a ukulele to a seller that was to go for consignment and was wondering about others experiences. What led me to write was my negative experience of telling myself it’s a lesson learned. I shipped a ukulele to the selling store agreeing to their commission/percentage of the sale price fee. It arrived unharmed and I was told the ukulele appeared to be in very good condition. I was then told there would be a $99 fee for their repair department to examine the instrument. I told them it would have been nice to have known that beforehand. We negotiated and I sold them the ukulele. So now I know to ask are there any other fees,etc. And of course it’s not the end of the world but if you get the old commercial reference, “I could have had a V-8.”

I’m wondering should I have known better that is how consignment works? Thanks for your help.

An oral contract is what you agree to before accepting/finalizing the contract. Your acceptance of your oral contract was finalized when you shipped them your ukulele. If they didn't tell you about the fee, they are out of luck. You should inform them you will contact the BBB in their area, the FTC, and post a negative review of your experience on their FB page if they have one. After you post the review, they will probably contact you to make it right.
 
The 25% sliding scale is what I have encountered at local walk in stores. This puts my repaired Martins either priced too high or my return is a loser. Also some are reluctant to give a repaired instrument "shelf space" as well as being a ukulele.
UU market place is where I list my wares "rescued Martins" with just fine results.
 
I have never sold an ukulele on consignment. But I have sold some other antique items over the years that way. In every case, the dealer told me the consignment percentage up front. About 25%. If I agreed, I left the item with the seller. He or someone else, did an evaluation and determined if they wanted to take it on, and the price they would try to sell it for. They then told me a range that they thought was reasonable. They'd start out at the highest and after a period of time reduce it. If it didn't sell after it was listed at the lowest acceptable price, they would call and ask what I wanted to do. Pick it up, or go lower.

If I agreed, we went from there. No inspection fee. That was his CODB. (Cost of doing business.)

It may be that the dealer wanted to ensure he made something from your instrument whether it sold or not, because other used instruments didn't move.
 
I want to thank everyone for their thoughts. I did relook at the agreement and they had language in case the instrument needed repairs. So those were probably their wiggle words.

I had decided to post the thread as a PSA so that others would know to ask are there any hidden charges. I had gone with the store in question because they are known as reputable. And at the end of the day, I'm glad the uke is sold and will hopefully find its way "to a good home."
 
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