Best site for selling hardware ? Is it Reverb ?

[ChiTown24]

Living in the EU, looking to strip back some of my - intermittent - 24+ years of gathering hardware. Keyboards especially, I just have way too many, and they were the first segment I GAS'd, I grew out of them so to speak but never sold them. Being vintage, they're often big and heavy as f**k.

I figure I'll list in local/domestic classifieds simultaneously to listing on an international platform like ebay or reverb. Is that what the choices boil down to (ebay/reverb) ? As for forums, haven't been active enough lately to feel as confident selling through them, but I'm open to checking them out if people have success there. Gearslutz / elektronauts / kvr ?

every time I visit the reverb sub-reddit I always see people complaining like reverb is dead, no longer safe, etc, which makes me skittish.

[foosnark]

Most of my experience is with selling Eurorack modules. For that at least, Reverb seems to be the best place if you want to sell fast (assuming you set your prices low enough). Fees are high, but it's where everyone looks, and they make the transaction smooth and trustworthy IMHO.

I used to sell a lot of modules through MW but it's slowed WAY down over the last few years. I can list something there for two months and not get a bite, put it up on Reverb for slightly more (though I get less after fees) and it sells in one day.

Sold and bought a very small amount of software on KVR. Never had any serious issues (on MW or KVR) that couldn't be resolved between buyer and seller.

[cryophonik]

Local sales are still the best way to go IMO, but if that’s not a good option then Reverb all the way. The only drawback is the fee and shipping costs, which are out of control these days.

[sockofgold]

The only drawback is the fee and shipping costs, which are out of control these days.

Indeed, shipping is stupid expensive, at least in the US. Using UPS and buying the label directly through Reverb has kept it relatively sane for me most of the time.

If you do sell on Reverb, you can get a higher selling price just by having a good listing. Lots of thorough pictures, give a detailed explanation of the condition of the unit & what is included in the sale, how old the unit is, is anything missing, encourage buyers to ask questions, etc. I will happily pay 5-10% more to buy from a seller who has gone out of their way to do a good write-up vs the ones that just say "unit is in good condition."

[Shabdahbriah]

^^^ That ^^^

[Constructed Identity]

Early on, Ebay was good, but now days it is a complete scam. I tried to delete my account on there and you know what- they wouldn't let me do it. They need to be able to lie to advertisers about the number of people who use the site so they can keep revenue up.

[iowastate89]

In the US, sweetwater has a decent site gearexchange (I've had decent luck there). Roughly same fees as reverb but you can convert to a sweetwater giftcard for no fees

[Shabdahbriah]

In the US, sweetwater has a decent site gearexchange (I've had decent luck there). Roughly same fees as reverb but you can convert to a sweetwater giftcard for no fees

I've not used it yet myself, but a major enticement for some is that if you convert your sale to a gift card, sweetwater isn't obligated to report your sale ("earnings") to the IRS.

[cryophonik]

If you do sell on Reverb, you can get a higher selling price just by having a good listing. Lots of thorough pictures, give a detailed explanation of the condition of the unit & what is included in the sale, how old the unit is, is anything missing, encourage buyers to ask questions, etc. I will happily pay 5-10% more to buy from a seller who has gone out of their way to do a good write-up vs the ones that just say "unit is in good condition."

Yes!!! This can't be stressed enough. As someone who has been buying/selling gear as almost a second job over the last few decades, I can tell you that your items will sell quicker and for more money if you take the time to follow all of this excellent advice. Also, give proper responses when someone asks questions and think about why they are asking the questions. Nothing makes me buy someone else's product faster than a moronic seller who can't use his f'ing brain to formulate an adult response to my questions in a prompt manner. A recent example was when I emailed a local seller to ask him four pointed questions about his item that had a low-res and cropped photo showing part of the interface of a unit and a description that just said he was selling this particular item: (1) can you provide some better photos showing the rest of the unit? (2) are you the original owner of the unit? (3) what is included in the sale (e.g., original box, power supply, documentation, etc.)? (4) can you describe the condition of the unit? Physical condition? Everything work properly? Any issues?

His reply (two days after I asked the question): "it's in good condition"
(FTR, that was a month ago and his item is still not sold despite being priced lower than several others that have been posted/sold since then, including the one that I bought from someone else.)

[/rant]

[Stokely]

In the US, sweetwater has a decent site gearexchange (I've had decent luck there). Roughly same fees as reverb but you can convert to a sweetwater giftcard for no fees

I've not used it yet myself, but a major enticement for some is that if you convert your sale to a gift card, sweetwater isn't obligated to report your sale ("earnings") to the IRS.

I've got one keyboard up on GE now. I was able to sell two pedals first, and it was overall a nice experience. I opted for the gift card.

One big plus--getting the shipping label through GE seemed very cheap to me. Their estimates are accurate, and for a 61-key keyboard, double-boxed and about 35 pounds, it will cost me between 20 and 40 bucks using Fedex depending on where in the US it goes. I also get the insurance for 1.5% extra (I think you have to for items more than 1600 iirc).

From what others have posted on forums, Reverb tends to be faster. The main advantage of GE would be getting paid in SW gift cards, but that's only an advantage if you were planning on buying something else! Maybe with the shipping label too, though I think Reverb sells them as well.

Obviously this post is mainly relevant for the US readers. Not sure about the options over on "the continent"

[elxsound]

I’m in NYC but won’t sell locally because of too many scams. I’ve only sold a pedal locally for $40 because it was low risk.

Reverb takes a big damn chunk, but super quick sales. Just sold an extra Syntakt (replaced by e25) and Analog Heat mk2. They lasted 2 days each online, but priced competitively.

I prefer to sell hardware on the Elektronauts boards as they have a good community for that. I would sell on Modwiggler too but I don’t have a 100 posts there. Last I checked, there were tons of sellers.

[Stokely]

Oh yeah, forgot to add....as much as I dread shipping anything, especially large heavy keyboards--selling locally sucks ****. Fill in the blank there.

Scams, lowballers and just plain weirdos. You might as well just price your item 500 bucks more than it goes for on Reverb, because every idiot wants to offer you that much less on your fair price that you researched. Then of course you get the "can you take off a couple hundred, I'd be driving in 3 hours" shtick. Then the people that don't show when you meet them, and finally the inevitable "will you take X less, I thought it was in better shape but now that I see it" when they check out the gear. All this is preferable to getting robbed at gunpoint which is also a possibility, and I guess there's also the (remote?) possibility of getting fake bills I guess

One thing that happened to a buddy recent on Reverb, and I reckon this might be fairly common once the low-lifes know about it--the buyer said one key was "too loud when he was recording with his phone" (what in the actual hell, that doesn't even make sense) and wanted a big discount or money back. This was almost certainly a load of crap, as he packed it very well (took pics of it) and there weren't any issues...I played it myself not long before that, was thinking about picking it up. Anyway, he had gotten the Reverb insurance or whatever it is where they protect you in disputes, and after a lot of back and forth they agreed to pay the dude $300 for this "issue" on a like-new keyboard that sold for $1100....what a deal, all you have to do is be a lying scammer.

[elxsound]

Oh yeah, forgot to add....as much as I dread shipping anything, especially large heavy keyboards--selling locally sucks ****. Fill in the blank there.

Scams, lowballers and just plain weirdos. You might as well just price your item 500 bucks more than it goes for on Reverb, because every idiot wants to offer you that much less on your fair price that you researched. Then of course you get the "can you take off a couple hundred, I'd be driving in 3 hours" shtick. Then the people that don't show when you meet them, and finally the inevitable "will you take X less, I thought it was in better shape but now that I see it" when they check out the gear. All this is preferable to getting robbed at gunpoint which is also a possibility, and I guess there's also the (remote?) possibility of getting fake bills I guess

One thing that happened to a buddy recent on Reverb, and I reckon this might be fairly common once the low-lifes know about it--the buyer said one key was "too loud when he was recording with his phone" (what in the actual hell, that doesn't even make sense) and wanted a big discount or money back. This was almost certainly a load of crap, as he packed it very well (took pics of it) and there weren't any issues...I played it myself not long before that, was thinking about picking it up. Anyway, he had gotten the Reverb insurance or whatever it is where they protect you in disputes, and after a lot of back and forth they agreed to pay the dude $300 for this "issue" on a like-new keyboard that sold for $1100....what a deal, all you have to do is be a lying scammer.

I wish I could do that. I’d feel too guilty. Two days ago, we ordered food and the delivery guy severely punctured a can of soda that was spilling out everywhere. He offered me money for the soda and kept apologizing. I told him no money needed and never said anything to the restaurant. They’re hustling and it’s hard out there.

If I can’t get money for a busted can of soda, I know I can’t be a scammer.