Jump to content
Hamer Fan Club Message Center

Reverb Raising Prices


cynic

Recommended Posts

In what they're describing as a huge favor to sellers, Reverb announced they'll be raising sellers fees from the current 3.5% to 5% starting August 4th.

If you're planning to sell something, get it listed soon!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, cynic said:

In what they're describing as a huge favor to sellers, Reverb announced they'll be raising sellers fees from the current 3.5% to 5% starting August 4th.

I'm a marketing copywriter by trade. There's enough spin in today's customer communication to make anyone nauseous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And in a year, they'll raise again to just below ebay's to look like they're a bargain.   There are both individuals and businesses on there.  To me, if you sell more than say some number of things per month, then you should be considered a business and pay the higher fees.  If you're just a person looking to unload something once in a while, you should have lower fees.  With all the data aggregation places do now, they know easily who's in business and who is simply selling off some stuff to buy new stuff.   But, what do I know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, scottcald said:

And in a year, they'll raise again to just below ebay's to look like they're a bargain.   There are both individuals and businesses on there.  To me, if you sell more than say some number of things per month, then you should be considered a business and pay the higher fees.  If you're just a person looking to unload something once in a while, you should have lower fees.

Looks like another way to discourage the little guy from participating. Similar to how eBay went from being a true auction site to Amazon Jr.

Moves like this and the dispute resolution policies of companies like eBay, Paypal and Reverb make it clear: it behooves them financially to cater to buyers, not sellers. Sure, you can say "without sellers there are no buyers," but sellers can't help themselves. They have complete power to shut down sites like eBay and Reverb, but they're addicted, so they don't. Probably 90% of the petulant man-children proclaiming "I'm done" on the half dozen threads about this on TGP will continue their selling activity when they get bored and want a new toy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, scottcald said:

And in a year, they'll raise again to just below ebay's to look like they're a bargain.

eBay current charges a 3.5% final value fee for instruments and 2.7% for eBay managed payments.  If anything, eBay will now raise its fees on instruments to match Etsy Reverb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Rich_S said:

I am SO glad that I'm happy with all my gear and no longer feel the need to sell stuff off.

 

Famous last words. B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, cynic said:

eBay current charges a 3.5% final value fee for instruments and 2.7% for eBay managed payments.  If anything, eBay will now raise its fees on instruments to match Etsy Reverb.

Is that just instruments or all music gear?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not bothered by this.  The Reverb selling platform is far superior to ebay and Reverb buyers are, in my experience, less likely to be, to use @MCChris' term, "petulant man children".

I just sold a couple of guitars on Reverb.  One at full price, one with a very small discount, both within 24 hours of listing.  I was able to print UPS shipping labels from  my home printer at rates that are less than I could get from UPS.  

Would I prefer lower rates?  Sure, but unless I can sell it here, Reverb is my best option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, BadgerDave said:

I was able to print UPS shipping labels from  my home printer at rates that are less than I could get from UPS.

Question about that: how do you get an accurate weight for the package, and how does UPS know your weight/dimension measurements are correct and not bullshit to get a lower shipping charge?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, MCChris said:

Question about that: how do you get an accurate weight for the package

An accurate weight doesn't matter since the billable weight for a 45x18x6 shipping box exceeds that of any guitar you own (35lbs).  The price is the same for an empty box.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MCChris said:

Question about that: how do you get an accurate weight for the package, and how does UPS know your weight/dimension measurements are correct and not bullshit to get a lower shipping charge?

I bought an electronic scale that's more than accurate enough; the dimensions and weight of the box are printed on the labels, and every time I've dropped off a guitar either at UPS or the UPS store the first thing they do is check the dimensions and weight.  I usually add an inch or two and round up to the nearest pound as I'm just dropping it off and not asking for a debate with a bored clerk lol.  Reverb's shipping saves me enough even with the rounding up (most electric guitars are about $60 with insurance).Anything I've shipped privately cost about $80-100 or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, MCChris said:

Question about that: how do you get an accurate weight for the package, and how does UPS know your weight/dimension measurements are correct and not bullshit to get a lower shipping charge?

I have a cheap electronic postal scale and ULine prints the box dimensions on one end of the box.  I round up slightly and have never had a problem. I also have an "honest face".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, MCChris said:

Question about that: how do you get an accurate weight for the package, and how does UPS know your weight/dimension measurements are correct and not bullshit to get a lower shipping charge?

Answer: it's not accurate. It's good enough. I stand on the digital scale at home with and then without the boxed up guitar, calculate the difference and voila! "Good enough" :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

regarding measurements.   Ups does audit the weight and measurements but not all the time.    Imho you are less likely to get flagged if you have accurate Box dimensions.       If you are off 2 lbs weight wise probably not worth their time to chase A couple bucks.       I haven’t had any chargebacks using reverb shipping.    Definitely get lower pricing using the print label at home method.   It also allows you to drop off more places. Staples etc.   digital scales are great  for small stuff I use PayPal to print labels and it’s worth a few bucks just to hand off the package or drop in a mailbox. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An interesting tangent:

If you use Reverb's shipping they give you prices for UPS, FedEx and US Postal Service.   For the 46"x18"x 7" ULine guitar box weighing 28 lbs. shipped from Chicago to LA,  rates were:

UPS:  $55

FedEX: $79

USPS:  $120

These prices include Reverb's version of shipping "insurance".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While people are clearly losing their minds over this increase (not to imply that they're wrong), they should be up in arms about the shipping costs that @BadgerDave listed above.
Even the lowest number is ridiculous for Chicago to LA.
Oh, they'll be quick to give you the COVID excuse, but they sucked before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, MCChris said:

Question about that: how do you get an accurate weight for the package, and how does UPS know your weight/dimension measurements are correct and not bullshit to get a lower shipping charge?

UPS checks the dimensions and weight of every package we ship out of here (work).  The bill (generally > 15 pages each week) has a section at the back called, "Adjustments and Other Charges," wherein they detail the corrections.  I have to assume they are using laser-based measurements for the boxes - shippers are required to round up to the next inch.  The adjustments are based on the distance shipped and service used, for example, if you miss a width by one inch on an item shipped Ground from here to Bubs' (TN to IL) the increase might be as little as $0.25.  Miss it by one inch on an item shipped overnight from here to Hbom (TN to AK) and the adjustment could be over $50.00.  Woe be unto you if you ship to a Residential address without checking that box up front!  Starting last year they began adding an additional "take that on your way out" charge for excessive corrections.

In the case of Reverb, however, Reverb must be eating the "adjustments" (though I am sure they would pass it on in the final monthly fee).

ETA: for the past ~ year, FedEx ground rates have been very consistently less expensive (say, ~10%) than UPS, same package, same route.  Interesting that isn't reflected in the Reverb quoted rates posted by BadgerDave, above.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, hamerhead said:

UPS can see you.

And you can see them.  Last couple of deliveries, I've received a tracking notification with a link showing where the truck was on a map.  Updates every 3-5 minutes, so I watched it come down the highway, go through one neighborhood, through another, etc.

Told the UPS guy.  "What?!?"  He didn't know.

Reverb's been good, as buyer and seller.  Shipping through them has been a good alternative.  Stuff changes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always used the shipping standard measurements of rounding up or down to the nearest half inch.  45.4" is 45" by every standard.  Scales may be off so I can understand rounding up to avoid any issues, but an inch is an inch is an inch.  Always, every time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...