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

If you live in a big city your odds of selling used equipment (mid-fi to high end) increases exponentially. If you live in a small city (under 250,000 population) your options become limited. If you live in small town in the middle of nowhere you would be better off putting your equipment on consignment in a big city and taking a big hit.

Small, easy to ship items can be successfully sold on sites like Audiogon and eBay. Especially stuff that needs no audition and isn't too expensive.

Mid-fi (under $15,000 total system) sells without audition for about 40% retail, anything more expensive people want to touch and see in person, and travel costs need to be factored into the equation. If I'm going to fly to LA, Chicago, or New York to audition equipment, I'm probably just more likely to make an appointment at a high end shop and buy something new.

Another factor to consider is the excellence of mid-fi these days. You can get a fantastic network server/streamer and pair it with some KEF LS 50s and a pair KEF Cube 10s for well under $5k. This will sound better than anything your audiophile father ever dreamed of having. And it will come with a warranty!

The 65+ crowd that can finally buy the McIntosh/Klipschorn system of their dreams is dying out (or at least downsizing as they move into assisted living).

My advice is to buy whatever you want (and can afford) and enjoy it while you can! Don't worry about resale value; it won't be there!

@jimijam 

How much are you asking though, and do you live in a major city?

In selling used gear nowadays, it seems to me that you have to forget about what you paid for them. Or look at the gear like you paid zero so if it sells for any amount you’re happy.  

I’ve had a few items listed locally and on USAM for some time, but if the gear is remotely heavy I won’t ship in order to avoid the potential for damaged gear and the resulting headache. I’ve listed most items for probably 25% to 40% of MSRP, which seems reasonable to me, but often get offers of about 25% of my asking price. 

I find it difficult to let something I paid $1300 for last year go for $300 today. Once Alzheimer’s kicks in and I forget the prices paid, I’ll be able to sell all my gear locally, I’m sure of it.

I have a pair of JBL L300 on craiglist only one inquire

@yesiam_a_pirate If the comment about 19 year old gear was directed at me, I don’t know of any ARC REF 75 SE that were made that long ago. The model was introduced about 10-12 years ago and were discontinued 5-7 years ago. It is known as one of ARC’s best amps, in immaculate condition, and in the less available black chassis. Given market pricing, it was still a fair sale for both parties.

Also keep in mind that some people feel more secure buying used gear from a reputable dealer vs private parties that may not have experience documenting the quality of the gear they are selling or doing as good of a job packing, shipping and insuring items in transit, along with getting support beyond sale. For the right buyers, all of those are regarded as value in the final numbers. 

For my more expensive purchases,I typically buy new (old stock) gear.  That way, it comes with the warranty still in place, and the first depreciation hit largely already made.  On smaller purchases (under $1,500), I'll readily buy used.  What I see a lot of the time is that somebody has purchased something used, though, and they want the next person to pay for their use of he gear while they had it.  In short, they want to ride for free.  I find that annoying because most if my rides are not free.

I also agree with the aging demographic; nearly all guys, nearly all 50-75 years old, and the younger folks are perfectly happy streaming poor quality sound through their cheap IEM's, connected to their I phone.  Astonishing, but true, at least in my house... and community.

Buy high/sell low is my motto.  

I’ve been buying and selling on this and Amart for near 20 years now. I’m currently seeing record numbers of listings. During covid there were record lows. I’ve noticed that many buy and sell based on market conditions. Having a great year, dip into XYZ and scale up or down occasionally.

There also seem to be more brands (don’t know if this is fact) and less familiarity means people aren’t willing to pay as much.

I once made $6000 on a speaker purchase, and over the past two years, lost nearly $4000 selling a pair of Fyne’s and Forte IV’s. Neither very high end but that’s been my experience (purchased all used too).

Current used prices are insane for the most part and they are just collecting days on market. Best of luck, hold tight and buy smarter if you need to. Good luck!

It looks like everybody is experiencing the same thing I am. About 25% of MSRP (except one dealer here who gets 50% of retail on 19 year old gear).  To be fair dealers have financing, trade ins, etc. so maybe he did.  My dealer gave me $3000 credit on pair of Magnepan MG3.7s last week. I'm certain they would only bring $2000 in the open market.  Did 3.7 Maggies suddenly "appreciate" 33%?  Nope. In the Ferrari business these are known as "Mercy Sales" meaning WAY outside of the mean for unknown and unduplicatable reasons. In real estate the very high comp and the very low comp are thrown out when a certified appraisal is made. I think that is the same thing here. 

I have learned a lot from this thread. I have also lowered my expectations as a seller back to reality which, after the disappointment/chafing over my so-called "loss" I can clear out some really nice stuff in my basement and have some money to apply to my next purchase- a turntable and cartridge which I have lusted over for years.  Now to go about replacing all that vinyl my ex took on her way out.......

I have realized that enjoying my music comes at a price- a price I'm willing to pay. Come to think of it gear costs-per-hour are a lot cheaper than good seats at a 90 minute concert. 

I enjoy conversations like this because they're real and they're raw. So I am going to keep it going with my experiences.

I work in the industry not as a retailer or wholesaler but in the marketing and PR area. I also buy, sell, collect and flip. I like to make a little when I can to support my audio hobby, but that doesn't happen really often. For the most part like anyone else I just want to resell my equipment and get as much as possible. That's not always possible.

I'll start with the manufacturers who are always increasing the price of this gear. To be honest, a lot of it is probably not worth what they're asking for it. We all know there's a lot of stuff coming out of China that can produce the same quality of audio for a fraction of the cost. Doesn't have the brand name recognition and we could debate a lot of other reasons why it is not on the same level. But let's face it - they're able to produce some really quality products for a fraction of the price. Some of these audio manufacturers are just pure greedy. There is no reason why some of the equipment is priced like it is. I know for a fact these guys will give up to 60% off of their equipment in certain situations. Really if they're making 40% off of it, they're still making a profit. That means there's a lot of wiggle room in this stuff.

Dealers are trying to make a living like they used to but in this day and age it's getting harder because of the internet and fierce competition. There was a day when you couldn't buy a brand unless you bought it through a dealer and that dealer could pretty well charge whatever he thought he could get away with. That has changed. Now these dealers are being controlled by the manufacturers and having to sell at a certain price with not much wiggle room. They give them a little room to play but you don't see that advertised on the internet. This inflates the prices to stupid levels. 

People honestly have a hard time keeping up with the economy and all the costs in life, and trying to justify high-end audio purchases is really last on their priority list. They are starting to rethink their purchase of the high end. There is a certain part of the market, that 1% who have that money and will always have that money and are always going to spend it. These should not be thought of as part of the industry because they are a dying dinosaur. Basically, all the people in this group are for the most part part of that dying dinosaur group that spends too much on audio and has given it a lot of its disposable income.

The secondary market is strange no doubt. I think if you are able to sell something between 50 and 60% of its MSRP, you're pretty lucky and you should just take that money and be happy you're able to do that. This is still some really expensive equipment and it's a lot of money for a lot of people. I don't care what anybody paid for it. It's what people can afford. It's only worth what someone's willing to pay for it. I think a lot of the stagnation is that the higher end stuff guys are hoping to always get at least 50%. There are not enough people willing to pay 50% of very expensive equipment. That's why it sits around for a long time before it gets sold.

You have to wait on buyers these days. I have some equipment that I know is in great condition. I've only owned it for 3 months but I know if I want to sell it for top dollar, I'm going to sit on it for a while until I find the right buyer. It might even require me to not get top dollar. I think that's a lot of what's happening - people are just hoping to wait until they get that right buyer and it makes for a stagnant market.

On the other hand, I have some equipment that is priced 40% of MSRP and it's been sitting with me for almost a year with no bites or any action on it. I don't want to give it away because I'm taking a bath on this stuff. I bought it second hand and it's still not moving. I'm going to lose money. However, I have to realize that sometimes with some products you're just not going to make money and you need to cut your losses and move on to a different product. Sometimes it's a matter of just a couple hundred dollars. You need to come down to move something and sellers can be really firm about their selling prices. If you have a buyer who's interested, you need to work with them and sell to them (unless they're giving you rock bottom lowball). Usually people knocking on your door are serious and willing to buy. You can't wait around for other people to come because you may not see somebody for another 6 months.

A lot of people need to research before they put prices on their equipment. Go to hi-fi shark or eBay and you're able to see what the price paid was for the last 2 years on a piece of equipment. If you think you're going to get the highest price, you're probably going to end up sitting with this equipment for a long time. That lowest price is probably the new comp for what to sell it at, and buyers are smart. If you want to overprice your equipment go ahead but don't expect it to sell right away. I wish this wasn't the case but with some equipment there's too much of it on the market and if you don't make the price attractive it won't sell. Also, let's face it - some of the equipment we buy, it's not the greatest or it's not the most popular thing. You're going to have a hard time selling it no matter what.

Some guys were talking about some Bryston equipment. We all know that they make some decent equipment but they are not as popular as other brands, especially with a younger audience. Trying to sell that to them is not going to be easy. The market that maybe would be interested in it, which would be the older market, maybe they're going for something more expensive or something higher grade.

The secondary market is tough because a lot of the equipment can get just too expensive. It's for the one percenters of the hobby. Not many people can afford an amplifier that costs as much as a car. A DAC that costs as much as a year's worth of college. Cables that cost as much as a vacation. There's not enough people in this hobby to justify the prices any longer.

I got into this hobby 30 years ago and have enjoyed many different aspects of the audio hobby whether it be home theater, 2 channel or headphone systems. However, at every level there's going to be the high-end, the middle and the cheap. I think with the current economy those lines are getting blurred. People can't afford houses or their rent these days. Discretionary disposable income is becoming rare. People are getting tapped out from paying $10 for eggs and $40 for a decent meal or $20 bucks for burger fries and a drink at McDonald's. The cost of living is just stupid these days. It's not like it used to be.

The political climate is very weird and I think when it's weird like that people get nervous. I see people nervous on the stock market making knee-jerk reactions. People clinch their wallets when they see weird stuff going on as well. I think this is going to happen for a lot of hobbies - you're going to see people spending carefully. It's not a depression but people are looking sideways at a lot of stuff right now and probably will for the next 4 years as we have a person in power who is unpredictable and makes for an unpredictable economy.

I wish everyone could afford to pay what I want for my equipment but it's not going to happen. I know I'm probably going to end up selling my stuff for much less than I had hoped. That's part of the audio business in my mind. However, I also know there are about three or four purchases that I need to make and I'm going to be very careful how I spend that money also. I am not going to buy equipment that is overpriced just because. I'm planning my purchases and only going to purchase when something hits what I feel is the proper price range, which is probably 40 to 50% at most of retail. Some people probably won't even pay that but that's my number. Everyone has a different number, what you're comfortable with and what you feel is worth it for you. People just need to be a little bit more flexible and realize that when you buy this stuff getting your money back, you're in the wrong business. Same thing as collecting cars or putting money into cars. Rarely do you ever see that money come back. There are a few rare pieces that you make money on, but you pay a lot for those ones that you know make money. Everybody's a savvy buyer these days with the internet and we have to realize that.

Can manufacturers chop up to 60% off of the price of their equipment and still make money? You know that they're probably manufacturing this stuff at around 20% of the cost. That's a serious, healthy margin. Of course with boutique manufacturers it could be more, it could be less. Who knows.

Dealers, they get usually 35 to 45% off of the MSRP aka list price.

Some companies are very strict with their dealers on how they can sell in the secondary market and they keep the prices inflated. It's really weird, especially the newer stuff. They can control what it is sold for through dealers. For example, I knew a dealer was selling a piece of equipment just last few weeks. It was worth $30 to $35,000 and he put it up for sale on the secondary market for around $25k and got no bites. He reduced the price to around $19.5 and next thing you know he had guys willing to pay him right away. The manufacturer caught wind of this and they sent him an email and told him to remove it from the secondary market. They would find a buyer for him for 25k even though it would take longer and the check wouldn't come in the mail for a while. They did not want him selling below a certain price point.

Audio equipment is overpriced for what it really costs. People selling their equipment are just trying to recoup their prices. The market's only going to pay what it wants to pay. Is the market in a slowdown or is it just correcting itself? I think people are only willing to pay a certain amount and they let you know with their wallet when it's just too much. The market is going to correct itself to relate to the current climate. There are slow times of the year when people have more disposable income than others and sometimes that makes the industry seasonal. You also have years that are not as good as others. There's always tons of reasons for people to not buy and it's something you just got to judge. If you want top dollar, don't expect your stuff to fly off the shelves. If you're being more flexible with your prices and put it at the going selling rate then it will sell. Just be careful not to buy products that people are not buying often. If you're buying some rare amplifier or pair of speakers that are not common, there is not a huge market for it and it doesn't matter what your price is. You have to wait on a buyer.

I don't know if I've given any insight that anyone on here doesn't know, right? But I'm just sharing my thoughts and experiences and I hope maybe it helps somebody.

At the end of the day it's not about making money. It's about enjoying our hobby and if we want to upgrade to a new piece of equipment, it's funding that project. The dealers need to learn that they need to take it easy with what they charge people. I know many dealers who get rich off of the backs of their consumers to the point where it's greedy. The manufacturers are greedy. The secondary market is not greedy and people let you know when your price is too much with their wallets.

Great discussion.

I agree with the original poster that generally speaking 1/4 to 1/3 of MSRP is my target when buying or selling. There are always exceptions to this general rule though.

I think some of the current pricing situation is that the market has calmed down after covid. I remember many people entered the market then and drove prices up. Now those folks either have their systems in a satisfactory state or they have lost interest and stopped buying.

interesting thread and very insightful comments from many...I have a tendency to buy used or new and almost never sell it. I buy what I wish to use and keep and avoid selling off 'spare' equipment. I can almost always find a use for spares so they actually get used rather than collect dust exclusively. I appreciate the value in some used vintage gear, whether that value be in its boat anchor tough construction or its nostalgic appeal or its real world performance. I appreciate what new gear brings to the table, the up to date circuit design, and its ability to mesh with other modern equipment. Home theater receivers continue to evolve and change and while HDMI is the current standard, whether we like it or not, who knows what will be the next iteration of that? So if you are doing HT that is a piece that will need upgrading to keep up with the ever changing tech and of course all the codecs that go with it. 2 channel equipment is seemingly much slower to evolve though there are some great strides in class D design happening seemingly overnight. But by and large, if you are a vinyl 2 channel guy, there is not much reason to update equipment very often. That said this hobby has a way of absorbing extra money like a sponge. :)

OCD Mike is selling good gear so the market is still there. A sample of one only.

I have lots of gear I want to sell. Cables, for example. I’ll be lucky to get 10-20% of the purchase price.
Selling to the USA - the largest market - from Australia is a genuine challenge. My USA gear is 120V but it’s the best gear I’ve got. For example, I have two Marantz MM8077 upgraded (EMI RFI shield), to sell in Australia I need to supply the works, power cables, adapter plugs, transformer and the amps. Price is less than half, 30% of them retail and the other kit is included. It’s a blood bath. But it’s what it takes to sell this gear into this market. Too bad. I’ll be glad to see someone using the gear.

Oh, and buyers too.

Some private sellers are just as greedy as some dealers and manufacturers, only not on the same scale, but it doesn't mean less. Audiophiles included.

there was one unit that remained available for months. I can only assume that this was due to the owner putting in aftermarket fuses.

Takeaway #1: Keep mods reversible.

Since retirement, and even prior to retirement, I have been buying and selling my way to audio heaven. The fact that I am talking to you now, is proof that I haven't made it there yet.

That being said, there are a few things I keep in mind when buying and selling gear.

Given a choice, always buy gear that is desirable to others and has a proven performance history.

Know the value of what you have and price it accordingly. I try to be around the medium price because getting even moderately greedy only means it won't sell quickly, or at all. 

Clean the gear meticulously, take good pictures from every angle and call attention to any imperfections.

Don't modify gear that you don't plan to keep forever. I think modifications of any kind scare people enough to look elsewhere. Point in case. I was looking for an Aurender N100 streamer and it took quite awhile to find one. Despite their scarcity at the time, there was one unit that remained available for months. I can only assume that this was due to the owner putting in aftermarket fuses.

That's my three cents.

I always sell locally. I don't like paying fees for ads & selling on sites that want a piece of my money. Recently I've had two ads up for nice speakers for a fair price, and no bites - save for the #@!&% that generously offered to pick them up & take them off my hands, for free. 

@cyackulic  You have the best post in this entire thread.  Nicely done.

I enjoy conversations like this because they're real and raw. I work in the industry marketing/PR and also buy, sell, collect and flip gear.

The Manufacturers

These guys keep raising prices beyond what's reasonable. There's quality gear from China at a fraction of the cost. I have been given discount from manufacturers I work with up to 60% discount off MSRP That is not all the time but I know they can give out 40% discounts like candy. They still make money. The markup is huge.

The Dealers

Dealers are in weird situation. Some of them are really greedy and can't be trusted. And on the other hand some of them are just fighting to make money and that little bit of profit they make has to go to paying their entire operation and their employees and business costs. And they're probably not selling as much as you and I would like to believe. They also get squeezed between internet competition and manufacturer price controls. Many manufacturers strictly enforce minimum pricing, even in the secondary market. It's a rough business for these guys but they don't get a lot of sympathy because there are guys who are just greedy in the industry.

The Market Reality

If you can get 50-60% of MSRP, consider yourself lucky and take the money. Equipment is only worth what someone will pay, not what you paid. High-end stuff sits because sellers want 50%+ but there aren't enough buyers willing to pay that for very expensive gear.

Some equipment I've had priced at 40% of MSRP sits for a year with no bites. Sometimes you need to cut losses and move on, or drop your price just enough to close a sale. Waiting for "the perfect buyer" creates a stagnant market.

Research Your Pricing

Check Hifishark or eBay for actual selling prices over the last couple years. The lowest recent sale is probably your new comparison point. With certain equipment (like Bryston), some brands just aren't as popular and will be harder to move regardless of price.

Economic Reality

This hobby's high-end is for the one percenters. Who can justify amplifiers costing as much as cars or cables as much as vacations? With today's cost of living, discretionary income is rare. The political climate makes people nervous and tightening their wallets.

I'm planning my own purchases carefully, looking for 40-50% or.more. We need to be flexible and realize this isn't an investment - like cars, you rarely get your money back.

Audio equipment is overpriced relative to manufacturing costs. The market is correcting itself. Seasonal factors and economic conditions always affect sales. If you want top dollar, be prepared to wait. If you want to sell, be realistic with pricing.

At the end of the day, this hobby is about enjoyment, not making money Or recouping your investment. It's the price of admission to play with the best equipment made and is not for people who are looking for returns on the price to play. Manufacturers and some dealers are greedy. The secondary market isn't - your wallet tells us when prices are too high.

Even stuff like speaker stands, which sound the same for 200 years, sell for 40% after a year. 

I stay out of the churn...unless it’s some thing I’m curious about.

..then I get ’interested’...

My honest belief is that people can buy new gear that leverages newer technology and get better than ever sound for relatively low cost. 

This applies to me. 

"My guy at Magnepan told me their stuff is really moving slowly as well. He blamed it on the political environment."  DUH!!!!!

OP...Maybe you have noticed or maybe you are just isolated...Many people, even hifi people are hurting for money and the current world situation makes many folks weary of taking financial chances.

@mark200mph I am mildly curios and somewhat terrified to know what you meant by this

I lost my grant from usaid because my krell evolution used less energy than  my fpb 700. I'll have to come back to reality enjoy the music.this should get the party going.

I always research present market values and price accordingly,  I also have pretty extensive 100% positive feedback. Can't recall a single time when I've not sold at asking price or near within a week or two.

Dealer here, but I’m weighing in anyways. 

I would say that the market was NOT slow from October through January. It was really quite strong. 

I personally noticed some impact immediately after the election, but it was short lived, and late November through January was stellar. 

Starting February, I started seeing a purchasing slowdown in my largest customer base, who I would classify as fairly affluent (but not in the top 1% per capita), while anyone I would consider a luxury / top 1% client is buying more than ever.

Part of this slowdown this month is normal. January through March tend to be a little slower in general due to recouping from the holidays and heading into tax season. But economic and political volatility is impacting purchase consideration as well, and I’ve heard concerns from a few of my clients.

Reale prices on the market, while relevant to all of the above, have also been affected by what others say based on how individual brands are doing in market, scarcity, and demand.

The market and supply / availability / saturation of products have also evolved. There are more brands/products now than ever before, especially in the digital domain, and vast improvement in products especially since 2020, which result in a slower rate of turnover of gear (e.g. DAC searches/cycles were likely more frequent than they are today because the baseline has improved significantly).

And yes, I believe too many people are asking too much for some of their used gear. So it’s very multidimensional.

FWIW, given the chatter on Audio Research, I just sold an ARC REF 75 SE at full asking price within days of it being listed. And I’ve seen it listed for lower in the market in the past. I think there is still value in many of their products, but people are thinking twice about which products from respective brands deliver the value they seek. I can imaging a newer set of REF 160 monos may move slower due to escalating tube prices, and many other ARC components, especially vintage, are not moving like they used to simply because they can’t compete from a performance perspective to more modern products at lower price points on the market. 

Unfortunately, we suffer an inordinate amount of Tire kicking. I think many of those low ball offers are a little more than that.

Recently sold tube monoblocks for asking price. Recently sold tube preamplifier for asking price. So no problem with selling used gear. Where are you advertising? I use USAudioMart. 

About a year and a half ago  had a friend with a lot of high end equipment pass away. His widow asked if I would help her try to sell it all off. I collected all the equipment, did research on it, and then proceeded to start to list it here and on other sights. 

I guess I was realistic about pricing because most everything sold very close to the asking price. There were a few itrems that went for more, and a few that went for less (10-20% either way. 

Some items sold as soon as they were listed, others took 4-6 weeks before they sold. I’m not sure if this is a normal time frame for those that frequent this site and buy and sell equipment, but I didn’t find it to be too bad. I personally have sold a bunch of “pro-sound” equipment, and that equipment takes a huge hit $$$ wise. Example would be a 4 year  $10k mixer in pristine shape, high offer $1,400.00. I guess it just depends on your perspective. 

One other quick story, and it is in reference to the response about different peoples budgets. A friend who use to work at one of the premier high end audio stores in the Chicagoland area back in the late 70’s/early 80’s told me that a guy came in the store, layed a invoice on the counter and said, I need to replace this equipment. The guy responded, did you get ripped off. The customer replied, “no, I lost it in a poker game last night”. The invoice totaled $48,000. 

From my vantage point, if you are financially sound enough to be able to replace a system of that value (70’s/80’s dollars), you are probably not going to be purchasing used equipment.

Yup, yup, if there only was a ignore button, you would have landed in the 'ignore the wacko' pile a long time ago.

@deep_333 I guess you think you are funny or insulting, nice tries.... but your tiny little world is just sad and pathetic. Feel free to ignore me.

Wonder if butter dude lied on his asylum/refugee application or somethin..One has to wonder otherwise why there is such constant buttery incessant paranoia on every thread that Donnie might deport his hiny back to wonderland....bwahahahaha

(Political paranoia on every thread..fear of losing his buttery fluffy couch....tis the way of the thread killing butter/ ’self proclaimed’ saint.)

It’s ok butter, if you want, i’ll pay an attorney for free to keep your hiny here, paranoia free.

Honestly I am equally sick of right wing and left wing posts. Believe me I am not one to shy away from discussing politics, but this is not the appropriate forum

All it does is get otherwise good informative threads deleted by moderators, and honestly I can’t blame them.

 @devinplombier  

it's funny how sensitive some of you are now, but when it was constant "cables cause a fortune due to Bidenomics" it didn't bother anyone. And to answer the question, 9 out of 10 threads here have zero politics. Done, you won't hear a word from me :)

Honestly I am equally sick of right wing and left wing posts. Believe me I am not one to shy away from discussing politics, but this is not the appropriate forum

All it does is get otherwise good informative threads deleted by moderators, and honestly I can't blame them.

For what it's worth @grislybutter I always appreciate your non-political posts :)

Great topic....

Like all collectibles, prices go up and down.

I enjoy the audio hobby and am always looking for the next buy/sell.

Recent... Threshold CAS1 (75wpc) bought $950/sold $500, Threshold FET9 bought $1,200/sold $850, Totam Hawk speaks bought $900/sold $600, Manley Chinook bought $1,315, Manley Stingray bought $1,900, Klipsch Cornwall III pair bought $2,200

I'd love to sell my Stingray and get mono Snappers or older Manley gear.  I think $1,800 is a reasonable ask for my Stingray (it was sent into Manley and has new caps and new tubes) but I see other sellers asking up to $3,900. And on the other end, I would pay $2,600 for an old pair of 175's or $3,000 for Snappers, but the asking price is $6,000 to $7,500.

I think lots of sellers are trying to make money.

I, on the other hand, am looking for good deals, and am willing to give a good deal when I want a change.

gotta love the hunt, gotta love the listening.  

it's funny how sensitive some of you are now, but when it was constant "cables cause a fortune due to Bidenomics" it didn't bother anyone. And to answer the question, 9 out of 10 threads here have zero politics. Done, you won't hear a word from me :)

Can there be a single thread on this audio-enthusiast site that does not get systematically dragged into politics? No one gives a sh t about your opinions (or mine, but I choose to keep mine to myself)

 the USSR was a great country too

sure, like a psychopath mass murderer is a hero. Don't let the facts get in the way of your fantasy

With used gear in an environment where new gear are having to have substantial markdowns for sales people notice.  If velocity of used sales and prices have a downward trend, unless someone finds their dream piece and jumps on it, time will go by with perhaps other like equipment listed competing with your ad. People will notice that too.

So, if I see something that intrigues me enough to make an offer, I may offer a lower price, one which I feel is lower than what I would pay but I want to feel out the seller to see how much wiggle room they have.  This way, If I really want the item I can at least get it at a lower price after some haggling. 

If I place the ball in the seller's court and ask if they could do better, I might get a little discount but they will then know I am interested and the momentum may not be on my side.  

If I see a seller is a bit more determined towards a sale, I will try to get them to move a little lower.   

In my experience in buying, I usually only go after something I really want.   So, if I can get it for a bit less, great.  If they don;t move on price and its for me fair, I will still buy it.  If as seller just flat out offers something at a lower than expected level I won't even ask if they could do a bit better, I will just buy it.

As a seller, I have sold speakers I had to come down on and still wait patiently for a sale.  I believe I got the lower side of my expectations but all parties happy.

Now have listed some gear, nothing rare but good for their price points and figure I will have to wait it out and perhaps haggle a bit for a sale.

Your stuff is much more specialized.  I would do the research on pricing and ease of moving a particular piece of gear, shipping. etc., to determine a reasonable expectation on both sides.  Expecting nearly half of retail doesn't mean anything to me.  It's what it's worth at the moment.  If my expectation is too low for whatever reason, I don't list.   If there's too much of a certain gear for sale, I will watch what happens first.

Then there's the economy to consider.  I feel that alot of people have their attention on other matters at the moment and that can detract from one's sale.  I need food before I need gear.  It's Spring and people focus on moving.  Perhaps looking for a higher paying job is someone's focus.  Then there's relationships, marriage, life changes often occur in the Spring, so there's that to detract attention away form used gear. 

And there's the fact I already have all the gear I feel I need for this hobby, why buy more?

I find there are always low ballers who just dwell in the 'how low can I get something' world.  Even with fair counter offers they seldom agree. But with patience and fair pricing things eventually sell.  I find it best to just not respond to the low ballers.

Brand name cabling is still a pretty easy sell at 50% of new. I sold a bunch of tweaks …footers and vibration stuff at 50% in a few days.  Loudspeakers seem to be the toughest. Couldnt get 40% for mint condition still current model Personas. Ended up trading them in at Next Level Hi Fi and the sold them for 2500 more that I was asking for 5 mos on the other selling site. They offer financing which a private seller cannot. Big difference with high ticket items. 

@charliee totally. I understand that's how you feel. Under today's rules you can't make someone go away (free speech and stuff) so you need to change the rules. 

Pretty sure when people talk about making America great again its the 1950’s they are referring to except maybe reverse the rhetoric when it comes to Russia and any old USSR aspirations to be great again there.

AH the good old days of ducking under desks for air raid drills, measles, etc.....

Hey I was a naive kid then which (in hindsight) was pretty great  and guess what:   here I still am except a crankier old guy still yapping about hifis.....whoda thunk it?

Hey Ohm Walsh prices are highest ever and in scarce supply. So it’s not the end of the world. At least not yet. Pays to have a truly unique and somewhat affordable product that people value, I would assert.    Not as affordable as used to be the case by a long shot though.

charliee, what would you call your own post ?

We are in a truly dark age similar to what my parents grew up in during the 50s in the darkest phase of Communism when you had to call a monster a beauty pageant.

The horse s**t you and others continue to post on this audio forum stinks up thread after thread. It would be great if you would just go away.