Learn from my dumb Reverb experience

[bry4321]

Buyer lived near me so we agreed to meet in person for cash transaction. I messaged him on Reverb a month later to see how he liked the guitar. Later that day I got an email from Reverb assessing me their 5% fee and threatening to kick me off the site for violating their policies. This is not a knock on Reverb just a heads up that they are sticklers and are watching. 

[hamerhead]

I'd tell them to suck a fat one.

[diablo175]

Yup- ran into the same issue, selling the Funk SSS that the buyer suggested we conduct offline. I was all too happy. But they caught on and dinged me for the 5% as well.

[diablo175]

31 minutes ago, hamerhead said:

I'd tell them to suck a fat one.

I won't sell my stuff on there any more. I'll buy something ( it needs to be of considerable desirability) but no selling on there anymore.

[crunchee]

I don't do any sales 'in person' anymore, haven't in a long time...too many crazies and thugs out there.  Saw this on the local (Nashville) news yesterday:

Madison teen shot in the head trying to sell his scooter via Facebook (newschannel5.com)

[Jimbilly]

I still sell on Craigslist locally, I really hate shipping stuff.  I'm still waiting for that bad experience after hundreds of deals in 20+ years (selling is difficult/slow right now). I always start out suspicious of scammers, and about 80% of the time, as we 'close the sale' I feel like I could be friends with the buyer.

   I typically suggest meeting at a fast food place parking lot, and I have a boss microcube (battery powered) I bring for guitar testing.  With amps, it's difficult to avoid having someone come to the house (I don't sell amps often at all), in that case, "this is my last remaining amp, my friend has dibs on this cabinet and guitar, and he's coming by in 20 minutes to pick them up". 

 Some locally known rock band or other (3 young people) came to the house a while back for an amp, the girl asked my wife if she could use the restroom, of course my wife agreed, we don't keep any medications in there, but letting someone we don't know be alone anywhere in the house is obviously a risk, they were all nice, but that is a roll of the dice (still can't find my nose hair trimmers...).  

[Cboss]

2 hours ago, Jimbilly said:

I still sell on Craigslist locally, I really hate shipping stuff.  I'm still waiting for that bad experience after hundreds of deals in 20+ years (selling is difficult/slow right now). I always start out suspicious of scammers, and about 80% of the time, as we 'close the sale' I feel like I could be friends with the buyer.

   I typically suggest meeting at a fast food place parking lot, and I have a boss microcube (battery powered) I bring for guitar testing.  With amps, it's difficult to avoid having someone come to the house (I don't sell amps often at all), in that case, "this is my last remaining amp, my friend has dibs on this cabinet and guitar, and he's coming by in 20 minutes to pick them up". 

 Some locally known rock band or other (3 young people) came to the house a while back for an amp, the girl asked my wife if she could use the restroom, of course my wife agreed, we don't keep any medications in there, but letting someone we don't know be alone anywhere in the house is obviously a risk, they were all nice, but that is a roll of the dice (still can't find my nose hair trimmers...).  

My experience is the same, I don't start out suspicious and I won't have people come to the house, but like you said most of the time you end up thinking you could be friends with them

[Biz Prof]

I still buy and sell (mostly buy) via in-person transactions initiated through Marketplace or craigslist.  Perhaps I have gotten lucky, because I've only had one transaction go sour.  Even then, the non-transaction never led to any sort of violence.  I simply offered the guy less than he wanted because his ad failed to mention that he no longer had the factory power supply and the unit had Velcro on it along with about a pound and a half of cat hair.  He didn't take that sort of criticism very well, which told me a lot about the seller.

I think the only things I've bought via Reverb over the last several years are pickups and pedals from sellers located a great distance from me. And none of those were over $150.  

[RobB]

3 hours ago, Cboss said:

My experience is the same, I don't start out suspicious and I won't have people come to the house, but like you said most of the time you end up thinking you could be friends with them

Same, here. The guy I got my Greco V from (strangely, also named, "Rob") was really cool, and we BS'd about MIJ guitars for a good 1/2hr before any money was exchanged.

[mudshark]

The only places I buy used music gear over the Internet these days  is the HFC and Guitar Center. The HFC for obvious reasons; Guitar Center because I can unbox it there and ensure there are no issues.

[DaveL]

 

so...  I've been to a couple negotiation classes for work and one of the main rules is

once you have what you want (a deal or whatever)  keep quiet.   

 

   but yeah put NOTHING in your reverb messaging that implies you have an off platform

deal with one of their members      A few times where I had to end something and

a local buyer was inquiring... I made sure to message them "sorry it sold on craigslist" or

the gear page etc... so reverb doesn't infer that they were responsible for the sale.   

[Disturber]

How can Reverb know that you are contacting someone outside of their platform?

A few months ago I found a 79 Sunburst on Facebook marketplace. The price was set to 1600$, but after I sent some pm:s to the seller I realised they did not know much about guitars. I made an offer and they said they could come by my house. I felt a bit worried, as the guys profile looked a bit shady. And they lived in a rougher part of town.

I got message that they were outside and I went out - they had this white dodgy van. Two guys, not of Swedish decent, so to speak. But they were the nicest dudes. Turned out they had a business where they bought up stuff from when people die. Then re-sell it. The guitar was from such an event. Sadly it had a neck brake in what looked like two places. So I did not buy it. But I gave them some advice on how to advertice it better. The guy texted me later and told me he had sold it. I texten him back with a "congrats!". Just nice hard working guys. Never judge the book by the cover.

[kizanski]

22 minutes ago, DaveL said:

but yeah put NOTHING in your reverb messaging that implies you have an off platform

deal with one of their members      A few times where I had to end something and

a local buyer was inquiring... I made sure to message them "sorry it sold on craigslist" or

the gear page etc... so reverb doesn't infer that they were responsible for the sale.   

That's what has me confused about the OP here.

I was under the impression (unless their policy has changed) that there are no Reverb fees if the item sells outside of Reverb.
Years ago, I chatted with a Reverb associate and was told something to the effect of, "We understand that you probably have your gear for sale in several places. If it sells outside of Reverb, you don't have to pay fees."

Of course that leaves the door open for "an outside deal on Reverb" as it were, but how do they find out?  Unless they're reading your chats (which I suppose they have the right to do) and you're foolish enough to discuss shafting Reverb within their own chat platform.

[Dave Scepter]

25 minutes ago, kizanski said:

Unless they're reading your chats (which I suppose they have the right to do) and you're foolish enough to discuss shafting Reverb within their own chat platform.

Exactly this... if you're going to sell outside of Reverb, just send your email address and discuss matters via email or personal phone text... fuk'n knuckleheads... that's like texting your girlfriend from your wife's phone 🤣

[rickrock999]

I only buy guitars on Craigslist or FB Marketplace. I almost never buy on Reverb since they started charging tax.

I do my deals in person and not at some parking lot. I try to sell the same way but especially with Hamer there is virtually no market here. So I have to sell on Reverb sometimes. (the good side is when something good comes up which is not often, I pretty much have the deal to myself.) Hate paying the fee's, packing, and shipping, but I'll do it if I have to. Guitar people by and large are good people if I talk to them first and get a feel I know it will be fine. I have bought over 40 guitars and sold close to 30

I'm buying an Echotone today (half price what they go for on The Verb) the guy is bringing it to my house. So if you don't hear from me again after this I guess I was wrong.

[DaveH]

On 10/19/2023 at 11:25 AM, Jimbilly said:

 (still can't find my nose hair trimmers...).  

WTF? 😂 That would be akin to stealing someone's comb, or toothbrush!

[tommy p]

Stupid me, I guess.  I had a buyer on Reverb who only lived 50 miles from me and asked if he could pick up an amp I was selling in person.  I agreed and he came and got it and paid cash.  Since Reverb had made the buyer/seller connection for me, I paid them their fee.  I thought I owed them that. 🤷‍♂️

[velorush]

On 10/20/2023 at 8:22 AM, kizanski said:

I was under the impression (unless their policy has changed) that there are no Reverb fees if the item sells outside of Reverb.
Years ago, I chatted with a Reverb associate and was told something to the effect of, "We understand that you probably have your gear for sale in several places. If it sells outside of Reverb, you don't have to pay fees."

That was until this happened.  CME was pretty easy to get along with; Etsy don't play.  Personally, if my buyer finds the gear on Reverb, I've used their service, so I'll pay their fee.  If OTOH I have it listed on Craigslist and they find it there, I don't owe Etsy anything.

[kizanski]

16 minutes ago, velorush said:

That was until this happened.

Makes sense.  It's been a long time since I sold anything on Reverb.

Because they suck.

[tommy p]

1 hour ago, velorush said:

Personally, if my buyer finds the gear on Reverb, I've used their service, so I'll pay their fee.  If OTOH I have it listed on Craigslist and they find it there, I don't owe Etsy anything.

This is the way I see it.

[kizanski]

Fuck Reverb. 

That's the way I see it.  

[scottcald]

21 hours ago, tommy p said:

This is the way I see it.

I agree.  If the person found you there, just pay the fee rather than trying to get over on them.  

Yes, anything you communicate there is on their servers and yes, they'll have the ability to scan it.  That's how they can sort out disputes.   Even if you put an email or phone number in a message, I think they'll view it as stating you're trying to go around them.   They're providing a bigger audience for your guitar/amp/effects.     

[crunchee]

51 minutes ago, scottcald said:

Yes, anything you communicate there is on their servers and yes, they'll have the ability to scan it.  That's how they can sort out disputes.   Even if you put an email or phone number in a message, I think they'll view it as stating you're trying to go around them.   They're providing a bigger audience for your guitar/amp/effects.     

In other words, treat the info like your spouse or significant other is looking over your shoulder and/or has access to your computer.   

[MCChris]

On 10/20/2023 at 7:53 AM, DaveL said:

so...  I've been to a couple negotiation classes for work and one of the main rules is once you have what you want (a deal or whatever)  keep quiet.   

In other words, don't talk your way out of a sale. Or in this case, don't talk your way into a 5% fee.