jannusguy2 Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 When selling a guitar in person, at what point do you realize you're dealing with a tire kicker vs a serious buyer and how do you handle it? I put a high end Martin up on Craigslist yesterday (unusual for me as I usually only sell on line) and requested serious inquiries only. Got an email right away and set an appt. for the guy to come see it today. After about 15 min. it became clear that that he was "a tire kicker". I wasted another 15 mins. as to not be rude before finally saying,"so, think this guitar is for you?". At that point he told me he thought it too nice for him to own, he'd be afraid to take it out and play it. I thought, you could see that in the pictures axx-wipe. Anyway, anyone have a sure fire method of fending off time wasters? I'd love to hear it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichG Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 This is why I hate selling anything. I don't have a good answer. I usually let somebody else do it and pay them. Less money for me but a much better experience. I have sold several airplanes and a few guitars and always used a middleman. At least one airplane cost less than two of the guitars I own now so it's not the value, it's the issue of dealing with the tire kickers. But that's just me. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Make sure you leave a ' TYREKICKERS WILL GET A KICKIN'' disclaimer in the ad .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 I've only sold thru dealers who do it on consignment. Removes all the hassle, and I don't mind them taking their cut for the advertising and grief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 I trade to a reputable store or give them away to younger folks with less money and opportunity. If I've decided I don't need it I don't care how it gets out of here. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Putting something (anything) on CL is like giving people a license to waste your time. I usually just enjoy the show. I recently had a guy inform me that my '95 Gospel was laminate b&s,..told him I didn't think it was carved. If you piss'em off too bad they just flag your ad (repeatedly). You're probably wondering how I know ;) . Good luck with the sale jg2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 'Serious inquires only, NO tire kickers' Very early in the add Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Choosing a guitar is easy. Choosing the right guitar is not so easy. So what if after 1/2 hour somebody remains unsure. I rarely buy the first instrument I run across. I have been known to go back and give a guitar a good tire kickin' several times. Yeah, maybe the guitar is sold. You snooze, you lose. But I will take my chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 "When selling a guitar in person, at what point do you realize you're dealing with a tire kicker"? I'm going thru that right now. Had a few look at my CEO-7 and can tell very early when it's a kicker. I don't mind, since most are unable to find one of the ceo-7's to a/b. Meet a lot of guitar players that become friends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Choosing the right guitar is not so easy. Ain't it the truth! When I go to look at a guitar, it's happening because I'm interested at an initial level regarding model specs, or maybe my own personal history with a similar instrument. Beyond that point, there may be a million reasons why a guitar does not grab me. There are a lot more guitars out there that don't strike a chord, compared to the ones I've simply gotta have. So even though the seller may think he's got the finest example ever of a particular guitar, how does one politely tell him it's personally falling flat? It's not easy. So you say something generic like, "I'm definitely going to think about this one." And you then look like a tire kicker while heading for the nearest exit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 I pretty much know within 10 or 15 minutes if a given guitar is something I would purchase and I'll get right to negotiating. If it's not for me, I'll politely excuse myself and thank the seller for their time. As a seller I try to exercise patience with a buyer but at some point, after hearing his version of "Don't Think Twice" for the 3rd time, you just have to say do ya want it or don't ya...if ya don't, vaya con dios, no hard feelings but I got shxt to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 I may hold the tire kicking record. A Mom & Pop store I deal with wanted to sell me a guitar. The whole deal took around eight or nine months during which time I took the guitar home with me three times for a month or so each time. The owner finally wore me down (as well as cut his asking price in half basically letting me have it for what he paid for it). I have had that guitar for a lot of years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin 1940D28 Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 I believe a bit of experience and maturity would help you a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 I may hold the tire kicking record. A Mom & Pop store I deal with wanted to sell me a guitar. The whole deal took around eight or nine months during which time I took the guitar home with me three times for a month or so each time. The owner finally wore me down (as well as cut his asking price in half basically letting me have it for what he paid for it). I have had that guitar for a lot of years now. I don't think that's unreasonable for a retail store. I'd think that the store owner would expect it...in my home is another story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 It's all part of being human. We're all "tire kickers" at one time or another, in one way or another. One of human nature's ways for us to aggravate each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 This thread has little to do with guitars... It is about 'the human condition'.... :blink: Some 'time wasters' can even be sussed by their vague e-mails... I can't remember selling a guitar to a private purchaser, but might have in the distant past... Usually traded against a better guitar...always at a shop... Have sold bicycles, fitness gear, rhythm machine, tables/chairs etc and met some nice folks... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 I believe a bit of experience and maturity would help you a bit. And your developing a sense of who among us here actually cares what you think vs. those that don't, would serve you well. In this case it would have at least saved you a bit of typing time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 Sartre wasn't kidding when he wrote Hell is other people. It's the great paradox. We're social animals but other people are our own undoing. Unfortunately, selling guitars is a tedious business. Unless you luck out and have the exact guitar someone is looking for, there will be plenty of 'just curious' lookers. Most of us have fallen into that category. How many afternoons have we all spent in a guitar shop tire kicking all the different models, accumulating knowledge with no real interest in buying a thing. It is weirder to do so when it involves going to someone's home and trying out just one guitar. I'd think that person would have the model narrowed down. Looking back, I've never sold a guitar directly from home. Yes, I've sold on eBay, but that's never required anyone to come to my house and once shipped no one's been unhappy with their purchase. Or said anything, at least. I've used local guitar shops and they did very well for me, getting a higher price that's made up for the additional 7% or so they take (20% vs. ebay/PayPal's 13%). Yet, recently, I've had to do away with my local shop because they had the nerve to put everything on eBay and then deduct those fees from the total before taking their 20%. I'm not hiring a store to put things on eBay (I can do that) and then still take their 20%. That's what we call a rip-off. And then they'll wonder why they went out of business after most of their customers catch on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 That is a tough one! I was reading a thread somewhere and the guy bought a guitar but he said he played it for FOUR HOURS in the shop. You're kidding - I feel uncomfortable taking their valuable time after 10 minutes. Everyone is different! There was a real estate frenzy here recently for a tower of apartments and they had so many potential buyers that they stung them a fee to attend the Auction. And they paid it.... The internet has narrowed choices down for a lot of people, and if the X88 guitar with the exdy twoney footscratcher pickups is what they have researched and think they want - a few strums and they should know if it is the goods. I watch Elderly and their list, very bad, bad habit....but it is like musical chairs a bit, but the used standard J45s, D18s etc leap off the page if they are priced reasonably, while the more exotic OM28 Marquis types sit there forever.....(until I bought it!). Put it on consignment and tell them to not call you until it is sold - that's my type of sale. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Sartre wasn't kidding when he wrote Hell is other people. Boy you have that right. See post #13. It's the great paradox. We're social animals but other people are our own undoing. Unfortunately, selling guitars is a tedious business. Unless you luck out and have the exact guitar someone is looking for, there will be plenty of 'just curious' lookers. Most of us have fallen into that category. How many afternoons have we all spent in a guitar shop tire kicking all the different models, accumulating knowledge with no real interest in buying a thing. It is weirder to do so when it involves going to someone's home and trying out just one guitar. I'd think that person would have the model narrowed down. Looking back, I've never sold a guitar directly from home. Yes, I've sold on eBay, but that's never required anyone to come to my house and once shipped no one's been unhappy with their purchase. Or said anything, at least. I've used local guitar shops and they did very well for me, getting a higher price that's made up for the additional 7% or so they take (20% vs. ebay/PayPal's 13%). Yet, recently, I've had to do away with my local shop because they had the nerve to put everything on eBay and then deduct those fees from the total before taking their 20%. I'm not hiring a store to put things on eBay (I can do that) and then still take their 20%. That's what we call a rip-off. I could not agree more. Encountered that today at some level. The shop took 10% but would add another 10% if it sold through eBay..not sure if I could stipulate that they not sell it via eBay.. might have to ask..700.00 is too much to give up on a $3500.00 guitar. Being patient is less expensive. And then they'll wonder why they went out of business after most of their customers catch on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumboluther Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 I've sold something like 100 guitars through various channels, most online, and I've found you can't automatically pigeonhole people like that. I figure if they have the gumption to actually come see it, they might be legitimate. Sometimes that works out and sometimes not, but your time is part of the process. After all, they're giving up theirs too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 I've sold something like 100 guitars through various channels, most online, and I've found you can't automatically pigeonhole people like that. I figure if they have the gumption to actually come see it, they might be legitimate. Sometimes that works out and sometimes not, but your time is part of the process. After all, they're giving up theirs too. I don't disagree that my time is part of the process. I guess it's more a matter of how much time once you realize they are not likely to buy...I made the mistake of having one buyer into my home and under the guise of potentially being interested in buying the guitar I had for sale he managed to play the other 8 or 9 that were out in the open. After having done that he bid farewell and I was out an hour and a half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 .I made the mistake of having one buyer into my home and under the guise of potentially being interested in buying the guitar I had for sale he managed to play the other 8 or 9 that were out in the open. After having done that he bid farewell and I was out an hour and a half. Never have more acoustics in the open. It's a distraction, and a game changer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin 1940D28 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Once again, just to mention post #13 on this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jannusguy2 Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 Once again, just to mention post #13 on this topic. YAWN.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.