R
RyanMFT
Guest
I have to tell someone who might understand.....then I will let it go!
OK, a certain vintage ukulele has been calling me for a couple years......it isn't terribly common, but they do pop up now and then. One appears in the marketplace of another site for well over market value (and more than Chuck "Frets" Fayne valued it at). I write to the seller and ask if he will consider an offer and he says yes. I explain to him how I came up with my offer based on recent sales on eBay, and one at a retail shop (sending him links). I give him what I thought was about actual retail on the instrument because I don't want to be insulting.
The seller writes back and says no, and sends a link to a similar ukulele which appears to have sold on eBay for well over double what I have offered. There is no bid history for that instrument and the auction looks questionable (which I explain). He tells me he is taking it to a shop which specializes in ukuleles......to get it valued. I figure if he takes it to anyone who knows vintage ukuleles he will come back and tell me I made a strong offer and he will sell it to me. He writes me back that they have taken it on consignment.....
Now, a seller has every right to ask whatever he wants to ask for his instrument. The part that burns me is that on a hunch I looked at the Guitar Center website near where he lives, and it is now for sale at their shop.......they have it listed for more than comps go for, which I expect at a retail shop like guitar center. They will take their cut, and will likely take a lower price than it is listed at as they leave some negotiation room.....which likely gets the seller just what I offered!!
I guess I am just bummed. I tried to make a really strong offer, which would have put a bunch of cash in the seller's hand right now. Instead, it sits on the wall of a Guitar Center to get banged around and who knows how long it will sit there. I guess I will keep looking, who knows what will pop up tomorrow. OK, rant over!
OK, a certain vintage ukulele has been calling me for a couple years......it isn't terribly common, but they do pop up now and then. One appears in the marketplace of another site for well over market value (and more than Chuck "Frets" Fayne valued it at). I write to the seller and ask if he will consider an offer and he says yes. I explain to him how I came up with my offer based on recent sales on eBay, and one at a retail shop (sending him links). I give him what I thought was about actual retail on the instrument because I don't want to be insulting.
The seller writes back and says no, and sends a link to a similar ukulele which appears to have sold on eBay for well over double what I have offered. There is no bid history for that instrument and the auction looks questionable (which I explain). He tells me he is taking it to a shop which specializes in ukuleles......to get it valued. I figure if he takes it to anyone who knows vintage ukuleles he will come back and tell me I made a strong offer and he will sell it to me. He writes me back that they have taken it on consignment.....
Now, a seller has every right to ask whatever he wants to ask for his instrument. The part that burns me is that on a hunch I looked at the Guitar Center website near where he lives, and it is now for sale at their shop.......they have it listed for more than comps go for, which I expect at a retail shop like guitar center. They will take their cut, and will likely take a lower price than it is listed at as they leave some negotiation room.....which likely gets the seller just what I offered!!
I guess I am just bummed. I tried to make a really strong offer, which would have put a bunch of cash in the seller's hand right now. Instead, it sits on the wall of a Guitar Center to get banged around and who knows how long it will sit there. I guess I will keep looking, who knows what will pop up tomorrow. OK, rant over!