Craigslisters are funny

itsscottwilder

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Gal trying to sell her used Luna for $50 when it can be bought new for $65.

Her rationale: "I've barely played it"

It's not like it's a classic Uke that's going to increase in value over the years.

I gave her a fair offer. $35. Knowing that if she tried to trade it in at GC or Sam Ash, they wouldn't give her a penny over $20 for it.

Oh well.
 
Yeah, I like the ebay sellers that call it "Vintage" if it's more than a year old!
 
Just because it's not a vintage uke doesn't mean it drops almost 50% in value once it's been played a couple times does it? $50 seems fair depending on the condition.
 
Just because it's not a vintage uke doesn't mean it drops almost 50% in value once it's been played a couple times does it? $50 seems fair depending on the condition.

$50 is probably fair if your 100% sure it was well cared for. I find that when people buy an instrument and then abandon it quickly it usually gets shoved in a closet under a stack of books or something. I'm also thinking about a Mainland soprano that's for sale as well. So I'm thinking $50 for the Luna, I'll probably jump up to the mainland that is priced really well.
 
Aloha,
Or how about a person that you make an arrangement with for a purchase and pickup for the set price for the next day, only to receive a text message saying he sold it for a better offer, and then the same uke and seller puts it back on CL for more than the original post a few days later. Then drops the price daily for bites. I sent him an offer and he countered that and we agreed, only to be text again that it sold for a higher offer. WTF is that kind of business ethics.............................................BO.........................................
 
Aloha,
Or how about a person that you make an arrangement with for a purchase and pickup for the set price for the next day, only to receive a text message saying he sold it for a better offer, and then the same uke and seller puts it back on CL for more than the original post a few days later. Then drops the price daily for bites. I sent him an offer and he countered that and we agreed, only to be text again that it sold for a higher offer. WTF is that kind of business ethics.............................................BO.........................................

Yeah, CL is really the Wild West. No rules. But I look at it as "The art of the hunt". I try not to get bummed when things like that happen because there's always another deal right around the bend.
 
CL is certainly hit or miss. I just saw a bunch of colored mahalos advertised for $35 that you can get on amazon for $22.
 
Just because it's not a vintage uke doesn't mean it drops almost 50% in value once it's been played a couple times does it? $50 seems fair depending on the condition.

Agreed. .
 
Not really sure what you're going for here. For a well-maintained instrument, I would expect to pay about 65-70% of the new price, perhaps a bit more if the instrument is in high demand (I've seen Mya-Moes and Moore Bettahs sell here for pretty much the same as new because it can be hard to get new ones). So I think that someone asking $50 on a $65 instrument is pretty fair and she should probably be prepared to flex a few dollars if she's in a hurry.

The fact that it's such an inexpensive instrument may make it feel like you're not saving much by buying used, but that's only because the thing never cost much to begin with. I'm not sure that trying to bully the seller into taking about 50% of purchase price is a point of pride. What I love about the internet market is that it allows buyers to buy for less than a shop would charge, and a seller to sell for more than a shop could offer. That way, the money stays with buyers and sellers, instead of going to middlemen. It works best when eveyone plays fair.


Gal trying to sell her used Luna for $50 when it can be bought new for $65.

Her rationale: "I've barely played it"

It's not like it's a classic Uke that's going to increase in value over the years.

I gave her a fair offer. $35. Knowing that if she tried to trade it in at GC or Sam Ash, they wouldn't give her a penny over $20 for it.

Oh well.
 
Not really sure what you're going for here. For a well-maintained instrument, I would expect to pay about 65-70% of the new price, perhaps a bit more if the instrument is in high demand (I've seen Mya-Moes and Moore Bettahs sell here for pretty much the same as new because it can be hard to get new ones). So I think that someone asking $50 on a $65 instrument is pretty fair and she should probably be prepared to flex a few dollars if she's in a hurry.

The fact that it's such an inexpensive instrument may make it feel like you're not saving much by buying used, but that's only because the thing never cost much to begin with. I'm not sure that trying to bully the seller into taking about 50% of purchase price is a point of pride. What I love about the internet market is that it allows buyers to buy for less than a shop would charge, and a seller to sell for more than a shop could offer. That way, the money stays with buyers and sellers, instead of going to middlemen. It works best when eveyone plays fair.

Whoa! No one is getting bullied. She advertised for $50. I offered $35. She said no. I moved on.

If she needs to get $50 than I'm simply not the right buyer for her.
 
Why highlight craigslist? Any marketplace displays the same basic dynamics. You can minimize the negatives to some extent with semi-closed communities (UU, FMM) or moderated/reviewed marketplaces like eBay & Amazon, but stuff still happens.

Someone joined UU recently to list an old uke (Martin?). People told him his asking price was too high, but he ended up selling it for close to his asking price. Anyone is free to ask whatever they want for an item and anyone else is free to refuse to pay the asking price. Why is one any "funnier" than the other?

How many times have people here offered a uke at a reasonable price (by just about any standards) and yet they still get low-ball offers? "Reasonable" often varies depending which side of the transaction you're on.
 
If I had paid $65 and was offering at $50 I would take $45, but would laugh in your face too at a half price offer. Yeah it's only $10 less, but just go buy it new then if you're going to be rude. Generally if it's a like new instrument the market runs about 70-75%, if it's beat to crap or damaged it will be around 50%.

How much room is there really on a cheap Luna? It doesn't matter if it won't go up in value, the deciding factor is do you want a like new Luna for less than retail and do you want it now?

If it was $650 new and it was in like new condition, and you offered $350, would that be clearer?

@808boy, I ran into the same thing, made an offer of $125 on a Craigslist uke, the owner declined saying she had so much interest she raised the price to $175 and then no one bit. So I happened to see the email when I was cleaning out my inbox a month later and asked if it was sold, she said no, asked $150, I said $125, no reply back and it is still listed two months later.

It does work best if both parties are satisfied and it's also better karma.
 
Okay, someone just tell me how to delete this thread.

I thought the point of forums was conversation. But I keep offending people on UU. I'll just stick strictly to what the best wood is, what the best string is, blah blah blah.
 
Aloha itsscottwilder,
Nothing wrong with this thread, just a lot of different opinions and points made.
@ drewbear,
Moderated marketplace? Recent seller on OUR marketplace was so wishy-washy about his uke for sale that it took the taste out of my mouth for wanting to purchase it. Don't really care to deal with people like that, no matter what the price..............................BO................................
 
Whoa, I don't read it as everyone being offended, rather just that most people disagree with you, and maybe there is some aggravation being heaped on you for all past annoyances with lowball offers. Even so, I don't get that DIAF vibe directed at you at all. No one hates you.. I don't think? :)
 
Scott, no offense taken or intended. I thought I was conversing. :)

Bo, I think we're in agreement. UU market is not perfect, but at least we get some data and references from previous sales or purchase histories to help guide the transaction decision. If I ever had doubts about buying from or selling to a member, I'd PM one of you "oldtimers" to ask for a reference. Can't do that on craigslist.
 
$50 is not a bad starting price for a $65 uke. 25% off for a barely used instrument sounds about right. For someone who doesn't have a lot of cash flow, that $15 - $20 off may mean a lot. I sold a barely used camera for the same price I paid for it since I got it during a special sale where it was $100 off 6 months after I bought it
 
I'm not trying to rip anyone off. I made what I thought was a fair offer. If you disagree, then you and I value budget-level used gear differently. This person might have listed $50 but might have actually been happy to make $25. You never know. I asked and she declined. I thanked her for her response. Done.

I'm not trying to be a bottom feeder, take advantage of anyone's unfortunate circumstances or do detriment to my karma. I'm just a guy who really enjoys ukulele trying to live within a realistic budget.
 
B- Koaloha pikake soprano new $360, you know where, ask for Nancy <g>. g2

Aloha,
Or how about a person that you make an arrangement with for a purchase and pickup for the set price for the next day, only to receive a text message saying he sold it for a better offer, and then the same uke and seller puts it back on CL for more than the original post a few days later. Then drops the price daily for bites. I sent him an offer and he countered that and we agreed, only to be text again that it sold for a higher offer. WTF is that kind of business ethics.............................................BO.........................................
 
Gal trying to sell her used Luna for $50 when it can be bought new for $65.

Her rationale: "I've barely played it"

It's not like it's a classic Uke that's going to increase in value over the years.

I gave her a fair offer. $35. Knowing that if she tried to trade it in at GC or Sam Ash, they wouldn't give her a penny over $20 for it.

Oh well.

Isn't the going rate for a used instrument like 20%ish off new price? If so $50 is a fair price for that uke. I wouldn't pay $50 for it but I wouldn't be mad.


There was a guy here trying to sell a Lanikai laminate koa for about $40 more than a new one.
 
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