How lame is that? Buying NOS just to resell.

[HANGAR18]

How lame is that? Seeing stuff on Craigslist (for example) where you know good and well someone just bought that particular item by way of a national blowout clearance sale and then they turn right around and try to sell that item on the used market at a tidy profit, or posture for a trade for something which is valued at well above what they paid for that item. Is there a rule against that? No, I just think that it is lame. Maybe someone out there was genuinely interested in that guitar (for example) because maybe it was something that they had very specifically wanted for a long time, but now the guitar is being held hostage by someone who was just a little faster on the draw with his credit card.

Discuss.

 

[toothace]

First, let me say I do not agree with this type of tactic.

That being said, it is a free-market system...anyone can buy and sell whatever wares they choose to. With more and more people running ebay or internet only stores, I would be willing to bet this happens quite frequently. After all, when you trade a guitar, the dealer is never going to give you full value for it, as their purpose is to earn a profit from the subsequent resale of that guitar.

 

[rugerpc]

Maybe it is because it isn't happening to me, but I don't think there is anything particularly amoral here...

With a free market, this is going to be an aspect. It is the same for all commodities. Your perfect house may be going for a song at a tax auction, but you didn't see the notice. The guy who bought it to 'flip' it did and stands to make a tidy profit. I'd be upset that I didn't see the auction notice, but it is impossible to be all places all the time and see everything that interests you.

In the end, if a person wants that Craig's List guitar, he still only needs to decide if he wants it more than money. And, it's not like it is a one off, there are others to choose from if he searches or can wait.

In the end, the market will balance. some will profit, some will not.

The alternative is fixed pricing for everything (set by who?) and I'm definitely not up for that!

 

[HANGAR18]

...With more and more people running ebay or internet only stores...

What specific issue(s) do you have with "online only" stores?

 

[Ted Beneke]

Slippery slope, amigo. Because you think someone got it for x, you deem they shouldn't be able to sell it for y? What if they received it as a gift? What price should they be allowed to sell it for then? The most recent blowout price that has nothing to do with them? The price the person who gave it to them payed for it? The regular sale price up until a week ago?

Bottom line is the old adage that something is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Not everyone knows about these blowouts, and some guy whose local store sells the item for $3000 sees this guy's ad for $2000 may think that's a killer deal for one that's basically new. Who cares what the seller paid for it? You do know the stores get them for a much lower price than what they normally sell them for, right? If that doesn't bother you, then really the guy on CL shouldn't bother you IMO.

 

[AP515]

I don't mind if someone finds a buyer at a price that is more than he had to buy it for. He is taking a risk that there are folks willing to buy that guitar at more than the sale price. It's a free market and that is how it should be. The market will decide what these sale guitars go for used.

 

[solacematt]

I didn't know GC was blowing them out until I started visiting the forums again. I will admit however that I too almost bought a PRS from a local dealer, a really nice one made in the old style with the sweet switch because it was 2k, knowing they slashed it from almost 5k. I had already called almost every store in the US hoping to get a good deal as I had previously years ago on another hollowbody but came to no avail. I thought, well, if I pick this up maybe I can sell it for enough to get a Hollowbody that I DO want off of ebay or Willcutt. It wasn't purchasing with the intent to profit, just in hopes that it would help me get a guitar I REALLY want.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Not as bad as those bastids who take apart CE's and sell them for pieces.

 

[solacematt]

Not as bad as those bastids who take apart CE's and sell them for pieces.

ugh, I see that all the time and just want to strangle those people. You look at the other items they're currently selling and see the body, the tuners, pickups, controls, etc all being sold separate. Now THAT is not cool.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

ugh, I see that all the time and just want to strangle those people. You look at the other items they're currently selling and see the body, the tuners, pickups, controls, etc all being sold separate. Now THAT is not cool.

I know! It breaks my heart... There are at least two CE's that way on eBay that would've been beautiful guitars for somebody, I was always (and still am) on the lookout for a VY and a GT and there they are... In clumps! I can't even say that they're doing a service for people looking for parts since the hardware is all lumped into a lot for $400... What if I just needed a tuner or a bridge? Nope... it's just a way to get $1600 for a CE. Which is their right... but it's lame.

I wish I could buy just the neck plate for a CE and turn it into some Hip-hop bling around my neck... someday. :girl:

 

[toothace]

What specific issue(s) do you have with "online only" stores?

I don't have any issues with online only stores. The point i was trying to make was that not having to physically go to GC or Walmart or any other retail store to buy the sale item or clearance/blow out makes it easier for individuals to buy or bulk up on lower prices items to then turn around and resell. This is actually good business practice for the reseller, and am not criticizing anyone who is in the retail business…we all are in business to earn a profit. I think it is easier with the progression of the internet store for people to take advantage of this. If my business was retail, I'd sure be pushing internet sales...

 

[rugerpc]

toothace, bro -

not much chance of our businesses going internet delivery, is there??

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

Not lame at all. I was looking at PS on the blowout page and hemming and hawwing about pulling the trigger. I was strongly considering buying a total of eight of those blowout guitars. Keeping the PS and selling the others for enough coin to make the PS cost negligible or nothing at all. Decided I did not want to carry a credit card balance and scratched the whole thing. I would rather wait and save the cash than take the risk. That is why I have rich friends and I am not. They take risk I would rather walk away from. So good for them and the fellow reselling the blowouts. Hey, he is getting done what GC obviously could not. So good for him. Keep in mind he is actually raising the cost of the guitars back up to where they should be. If anyone is lame, it is GC for biting off more than they can chew and risking screwing up in the name of their greed to put the mom and pops out of buisness by selling these below their intended and actual value. That is LAME! Peace out!

 

[toothace]

not much chance of our businesses going internet delivery, is there??

Not a chance Ruger…not a chance…LOL

 

[Rookie]

As long as the seller didn't mis-state the facts, I don't see a problem.
Let's say he bought it from X for $2000. X would have sold it to you for that price too.
What if he buys it and can't sell it, are you going to take up a collection to pay his loss?
Sorry, it's capitalism, and not corruption.

Let's say he bought it for $2000, and sold it to you for $3000, and it was a $5000 guitar.
You got a deal, he made a few shekels, and the store moved it off the books. Everyone won.