Re: Willson 3050S Market?


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Posted by tipster on February 04, 2003 at 13:47:25:

In Reply to: Willson 3050S Market? posted by Arnold on February 04, 2003 at 12:45:40:

Arnold,

The "scientific" (not really) method is to put it on an internet auction and offer a money-back guarantee. If you register with a service called PayPal, then folks with credit and no cash can compete for your instrument along side those with cash.

1/ You should make it clear that the buyer pays all shipping costs.
2/ You should make it clear that there will be a specific restocking charge if returned, and make that restocking charge cover a/ your cost of setting up and running the auction b/ your cost of accepting funds via PayPal c/ your time and trouble for setting up the auction and for packing and unpacking the instrument.
3/ You should make it clear that you will not accept the instrument back if damaged - no acceptions, and if damaged during shipment, the buyer is to work that out with the shipper. To further cement this bond between the buyer and shipper, offer the buyer their choice of shipper. You should expertly pack the instrument to absolutely remove any blame for any possible damage from yourself.

You should do some research and see if the Willsons of 1977 has any differences as compared to the Willsons of 2003. Full disclosure is the key to not having auction merchandise returned. For instance, is your definition of "mint" condition: absolutely perfect/new/never played, or is it "excellent"?

Extremely well-focused pictures will encourage higher bids, and you should include close-up pictures of areas on the instrument that normally receive the most damage.

If you have insights into the intonation quirks on your instrument, you might outline those in your description, too. Though many buyers (not a particularly a compliment here, but often true enough) are more attracted to shine than to playing characteristics, an instrument of this quality may attract some of the most discriminating players - most of whom would not appreciate an intonationally-unusuable instrument.

Finally, trying to describe the "tone color" of an instrument in an auction description is not particularly helpful, as this is far too subjective.

There are others who may respond that will disagree that an internet auction is the best way to go. They argue that when an instrument is actually in the hands of a potential buyer, that p.b. has more of an opportunity to become enamoured with an instrument and is likely to pay more. As a seller, I will tell you that many - if not most - buyers (once they've decided that they like your instrument very much) will spend a lot of energy trying to negotiate. This is only natural. They are taking advantage of the fact that they are ONE person with money in their hand. Internet auctions, when run properly by the seller, eliminate all negotiation and the most interested buyer - of many potential buyers - with the faster trigger fingers ends up the new owner of the item. I can't think of many instruments that would have sold locally (or to individual buyers who expressed individual interest) for as much as I've sold them for - with money back guarantees - on internet auctions. Again, others will probably tell you that this is not the best way to sell your instrument. Some of those may (??) actually be interested in buying your instrument.


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