Anybody having trouble getting near-your-asking-price for used gear ? (Plz. no hype)

I don’t sell a lot of items, but when I do it usually goes for 50% - 60% off MSRP. The selling price can be lower if the item is more than a couple of years old or modified. To sell quickly I include shipping and other fees in the selling price.

Until recently, if I am purchasing new and have an item to sell, I try to trade it in with the purchase. Lately Dealers have been less lenient with reimbursement for trade-ins, so I have gone back to selling used items on Audiogon.

@gordon

Yep….. it’s at a 50% haircut threshold where success to sell generally facilitates buyer interest IMO

MY TAKE:

(1) there have been numerous too-oft repeating threads in most of the major audio forums, with certain types trying to bless forum buyers with arguably insulting low-balling offers, as a perfectly benign and acceptable behaviour, and a gross failure to gauge the audio forum court of public opinion fallout . And these bidders are complaining to be shocked with umbrage when they get blocked out .

(2) Anecdotally, around 50% off the MSRP price-when-new for quality hi-fi gear (… a fine but important distinction…) appears to be where many sales are made. Asking prices on ads edging higher up appear to linger a lot longer and many ads become stillborne.

Mid-fi or Lo-fi gear is a lot more tepid market, and no surprise if a greater discount is the key to getting it sold

And cheaply priced counterfeit made-in-China originally flooded on Ali Baba …. Good luck.

I think there are multiple issues all culminating into what can be happening.

Brand stability issues, like mentioned above with Audio Research can have a large negative effect on a particular brands secondary values.  Owners want to ensure there is service, support and parts available after the purchase down the road.  Especially since this is an expensive hobby.  The opposite side of the spectrum may be a company like McIntosh.  If the glass on a 50+ year old amp/ preamp needs replacing, or if the unit needs servicing, the manufacturer still can provide those parts and services.  That carries a lot of value to people.

Shipping costs have gone insane the last 5-ish years.  What would cost $60 to ship 5 years ago is double that.  Some larger/ heavier gear can now be several hundred dollars to ship more than a few states away.  Buyers take that into consideration, as well.

Some gear is just more commoditized, like DAC's, for the most part.  Those things are being churned out by everybody and their brother.  Stuff like that just lowers the price in the secondary market incredibly fast.

I'm sure that are more issues, as well.

@winoguy17 +1

I haven’t tried to sell anything in the last 7 years or so, but 50% for something a year old or less, and between 25% and 33% for gear older than that was typical of my sales.

Times have definitely changed. You used to be able to count on a decent used value on good hi-fi gear, guns, cars, motorcycles, etc. Now your lucky to get more than thrift value. I know, I've sold 100s of those things through the years. Not sure what's driving it, but it just the way it is nowadays. 

I have this theory that sounds good on paper, but I don’t know if it would work in practice. If You were to donate all your used gear to a young person that that would get more people into this hobby. Then with the avalanche of new music aficionado‘s, they will go out and buy. Which will in turn cause companies to ramp up their production. Think how cheap a Macintosh amplifier would be if they had to make 1 million of them.

I would agree with the basic premise, but ARC is a poor example as they have had issues related to the various sales of the company, and matters of financing, that are not typical of all high end companies. IMHO, they are viewed as damaged goods by some at this juncture. So there are things unique to this company that are not reflective of the broader secondary market.

 Try throwing in a dozen eggs with purchase...

@yesiam_a_pirate   Perhaps TMR had something to do with it. One can buy used with return privileges. Yes, you probably pay more for that, but it gives the buyer peace of mind. Your lowball offers may be coming from resellers such as yourself.

I have bought a couple of things used at around 60% of the typical selling price. They were like new and only a year, or two, old.  I like older gear, but I've had caps go bad in an amp and had trouble with a c-j preamp that I bought used due to its age (I returned it).

I recently sold a dac that was less than 2 years old and only got around 50% of what I paid for it new. 

I don’t churn gear but this an interesting thread.  I suspect that @mapman nailed the reasons 

It's a tough time in my opinion.  Took a while to sell a few things recently.  I have a pair of Omega Super Alnico for sale locally , no bites.  

I don't sell much used gear but a good dealer told me yes things are slow but based on the high prices of gear now, and even giving 15 - 20% discounts they are still doing ok. 

"I recently sold a Bryston BR-20 brand new in the box and it took me 7 months to get 48% of MSRP"

IMHO, the first issue is using the term "MSRP". I don't think anyone pays full retail for anything.  I doubt any of us pay more than 80% of MSRP for anything we buy? If you are not an authorized Bryston dealer, then warranty is probably an issue?  In this instance, I would think half price is about right.  I agree that no one should expect to get next to new equipment for 25 cents on the dollar, but 50% off MSRP is probably expected to be the starting price on pristine equipment that's 1 -2 years old?

My honest belief is that people can buy new gear that leverages newer technology and get better than ever sound for relatively low cost. As a result my personal inclination to buy pricey used gear is lower than ever. At least that’s how I as someone who wants good sound for as little cost as possible am seeing it. Add on the difficulty most have just making end meet these days and it’s a double whammy for pricey luxury items. Toss in that young people have little desire for this stuff and it’s a triple whammy.