Reverb Warning

I sold a guitar on the 12th, shipped on the 13th, funds in my account on the 14th.

Since I use their label and ship via UPS, no shipping funds are out of pocket, and shipping costs are often 50% of what it would be if I just took it to UPS myself.

I probably wasted a good $300 in shipping over 2 years until I discovered how steeply they discount if you ship through UPS using their label.

 
Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame said:
Since I use their label and ship via UPS, no shipping funds are out of pocket, and shipping costs are often 50% of what it would be if I just took it to UPS myself.

I discovered how steeply they discount if you ship through UPS using their label.
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I did the same but it still took almost a week to get my $$. Though I've heard shipping with their labels saves some $$, I did not notice savings anywhere near 50%.

 
diablo175 said:
I did the same but it still took almost a week to get my $$. Though I've heard shipping with their labels saves some $$, I did not notice savings anywhere near 50%.
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I've never saved that much either. I do find it can be anywhere from 25 to 30 of what I usually pay though. 

 
I was turned on to a shipping service/broker called Shippo.com.

Compared Reverb shipping with Shippo and Shippo was a bit less and does not force you to add the insurance (which always do anyway).

 
diablo175 said:
I did the same but it still took almost a week to get my $$. Though I've heard shipping with their labels saves some $$, I did not notice savings anywhere near 50%.
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If you take it to a UPS storefront instead of a hub, they often add a surcharge.  I was facing $60 shipping from them as far back as 2010. it got to the point where shipping from the East Coast to anywhere west of the Rockies was over $100 as recently as 2016, when I stopped doing that.

Even now, when I buy the label, they show me how much to ship by USPS and FedEx.  What will cost $45 through Reverb will often cost $70 at Fedex and $100 at USPS.  Even shipping from here to Seattle or LA has been just $60.  I haven't gone in to UPS to see what they would charge without Reverb since 2016, so I'm just projecting from the past to the point I wouldn't be surprised with a $120 bill to ship to the West Coast. Bolstered by a guy who shipped me a Cali from Seattle and showed me a $115 shipping receipt.  I've even had like $37 shipping from here to as far away as Alabama.

So, I'd like to point out, that I did say "often", not every time like clockwork.  Also, I didn't do comparison shopping.  It is entirely possible 50% is only compared to the higher options. I recognize they might not be showing the real price when they show the comparison, because they want me to use their label, but I bet it isn't that far off.

Finally, whether it is actually 50% or just 45% at best, I've just noticed that shipping is much more reasonable via Reverb shipping labels.  Since it took me a few years to realize that was a worthwhile move, maybe someone else needs to hear it, so I was just sharing my impression.

I'm sorry if you feel I was misrepresenting your impression or somehow shilling for Reverb.  I'm getting tired of seeing the price my customers pay compared to how much I get in my pocket, but a good part of that is because now Reverb charges taxes, which inter-state taxation for online shopping is, I think, one of the worst development in the history of the internet.  But also not Reverb's fault, but I should just stop here.

 
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It was around $70 for an electric guitar sizd box to BRLA pre-pandemic. During, Cliff sent an Acoustic sized guitar box to CA for $145. I seem to remember it was back close to $100 recently for electric sized box to CA. All from a UPS hub Appalachia.

 
Prior to using Reverb's label, the only way I was able to get shipping ANYWHERE (even to an adjacent state) for less than $60 was if I went to the hub and bribed the counter lady with a carmel latte from McDs or the iced mocha from Costco.  Through her, the price was often as cheap as $30.

Reverb's not THAT good, but still better than taking it to the storefront or taking it to FedEx.

eBay is generally just as good with FedEx as Reverb is with UPS, and as bad with UPS as Reverb is with FedEx.  In my experience.

 
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