Best resale values / trade ins / used sale sites?
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Jim Hanks
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hmm, it's a good question about resale, but I'm gonna say "not really". You can expect almost all used ukes to resell for at least 25% less than new. Some more.
I don't know of any sites the take trade ins. But trades do happen in the Marketplace here.
Best sites to sell are here and Flea Market Music. Then reverb.com. eBay as a last resort
I don't know of any sites the take trade ins. But trades do happen in the Marketplace here.
Best sites to sell are here and Flea Market Music. Then reverb.com. eBay as a last resort
chris667
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You may find a shop that would take an existing ukulele as a trade in. Don't expect a good deal though. The shop has to make a profit.
Joyful Uke
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I've traded in ukuleles when purchasing a new ukulele. The last time I asked a store about that, though, they declined, I think due to the soft market right now. But, you can always ask. Elderly Music, for example, still has information on trading on their website.
My guess is that the well known, respected brands, (like Kamaka), probably hold their value better than something not well known, (which might make it harder to sell, especially right now), but that's just my guess.
My guess is that the well known, respected brands, (like Kamaka), probably hold their value better than something not well known, (which might make it harder to sell, especially right now), but that's just my guess.
chris667
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When it comes to resale, I am mystified at how much secondhand Makala Dolphins sell for on eBay. Sometimes the same price as new ones. Madness!
Jerryc41
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I agree with what you said, but the most important thing is to keep looking - every day, several times a day. If a good uke appears at a good price, you want to be the first to see it. I'm relieved to say that I've stopped looking.
I've gotten some very good deals on Magic Fluke instruments on eBay.
Jim Hanks
Well-known member
OP asked about the best sites to *sell* a uke. As you say, eBay can have some good deals for a buyer, but sucks for the seller as they take 10% in addition to paypal so could be 14-15%. Although, looking today, it looks like eBay is not as bad as it used to be for musical instruments - probably to compete with reverb.com which is more like 6% total. Still if you can find a buyer here or at FMM, you just have to pay PayPal, or you can side-step that with something like a postal money order.
If you are in a major US city, then craigslist.org has worked well for me selling musical instruments over the years.
For non-electric instruments, we'd meet at somewhere public like a Starbucks. For electric instruments, we'd meet at my house/garage. I always speak to the potential buyers over the phone rather than only texting or email. I've sold many guitars, keyboards, and digital pianos this way. I usually price the items at 50-75% of my purchase price, and they generally go within a week.
I think I'll be using craigslist to sell a ukulele once the shelter-in-place order is lifted.
mikelz777
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I sold one via Craigslist on the eve of our state's stay at home order. Almost all public buildings were already closed so we couldn't meet at a mall or anything like that. We ended up meeting in a Target parking lot. Less than 5 minutes and we were both rolling and on our way.
One thing I found with Craigslist (I've sold 3 ukes via Craigslist) is that you get a fair amount of flakey prospective buyers and low-ballers. I think that they must have the idea that since the item is listed on Cragslist that they can get it for a steal or that you are desperate so you'll take a lot less.
One thing I found with Craigslist (I've sold 3 ukes via Craigslist) is that you get a fair amount of flakey prospective buyers and low-ballers. I think that they must have the idea that since the item is listed on Cragslist that they can get it for a steal or that you are desperate so you'll take a lot less.
In case of resale general supply and demand rules apply but with a caveat that the uke market for instruments is still a niche.. so often when you post an instrument online there at most 2-3 folks interested at max which means that there is no guarantee that you will get same selling price twice, the second time you might not find any one one.. for a similar instrument. The good part is the delta usually a few hundred bucks..
snowdenn
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Why is that? Are texts and emails more often from scammers or maybe lowballers, or is it another reason?
It's not scammers as much as flakes. I've found email is the worst; lots of people just don't show up. A regular phone call, followed by texting the meeting location help immensely in this department.
I've sold a lot of stuff on craigslist. It is all local for me and I love it. You meet some interesting people on it.
For more specialized items, I've found the specific forums work best; and you meet even more interesting people when it is local.
But craigslist is slowly dying. I used to sell on usenet newsgroups; we'd race to see who'd put the item/payment into the mail system first, beating the other on postmark is a good feeling. Then around 1994? AOL users started to spam usenet newsgroups in force and that went down the drain. I'm thinking craigslist is going there soon due to the large amounts of scammers there : (
snowdenn
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I see.
As you can tell, I don't sell (or buy) on craigslist much. But that's disappointing to hear it's getting worse. Although who knows how things will shake out after everything now with the virus. Maybe market for used goods will increase after the fallout.
