HAVE ALL SALES STOPPED ON AUDIOGON ???

Typical summer lull.....seen pretty much the same thing for the past 20 years.
However, I wouldn't argue if somebody showed numbers indicating a general overall down trend based on many of the folks here having matured their systems and less younger people picking up the slack at the lower price points.  I suspect overall volume is down although sales in dollars may not be down much since prices in general seem higher than they were 10 years ago.

It would be fun to see Audiogon post metrics such as numbers of sales, average dollars per sale, and overall trading volume in dollars.

Back in the day.....
In the 1990s and 2000s we could buy and try used gear and then sell what didn't work out for about the same money we paid for it.  A lot of used equipment changed hands in those days and it was certainly a fun way to try new stuff without much risk.  In the last 10 years, the ability to quickly sell used gear for anything close to what was paid has diminished.  In most cases, you can either sell it fast at a significantly lower price or let it sit for awhile to get a better price.  This is what a buyer's market looks like and it really should not be a surprise.  

Look at it this way.  How many new amplifier models has Pass come out with in the past 10 years?  Not to pick on Pass, but this has happened throughout the industry where manufacturers continually try to both upgrade their line-ups and generate interest with new models so there is simply more and better gear available.  On top of that, the digital industry has exploded with better and better sounding gear coming out almost monthly.  As a result, the market is flooded with fairly high quality used and new gear that is available to an audience that most here believe is diminishing. 

I suspect the viewpoint that there are less buyers is mostly true because some of the more active "audiophiles" around here have matured their systems to the point where they don't need or want further upgrades, others have "retired" from the hobby or at least downsized due to age.  The infatuation with great sounding home audio we grew up with in the 60's and 70's has given way to a generation that is more interested in whatever can be played from a cell phone or thumb drive and listened to through ear buds.  Not all of the younger folks look at things like that but it is certainly a viable, less expensive, and more portable way to enjoy music than spending a lot on a large home audio system.  In addition, with the retail model moving away from brick and mortar, and towards on-line sales, and the savvy sellers offering trial periods or 30-day returns, it is easier than ever to audition new models with the only risk being restocking and return shipping fees.  The times have changed. 

In summary, I believe folks will continue to be interested in high-end audio, and that internet sales of used gear will continue, but we have ridden the big wave.  The sky is not falling but the economy of more available gear and less buyers is our new reality.   Just my take on things.  

Why would you waste the time to go look at speakers you think are overpriced?

@dyl71 

I can see a 2% kickback, maybe...but 10% is over the top

Really?  Considering the marketing power of placing your ad where thousands of audiophiles can see it, the business process and computing power that allows your potential buyers to make on-line offers that you can review and respond to without needing to have strangers enter your house (i.e., Craig's list), and the benefit of being able to review feedback about your potential buyers before deciding whether you want to trade with them......you really think all that is not worth 10%!  I can't cash out my change drawer at the local big box grocery store without paying a 10% fee - for no other service than running the change through a machine.

@dyl71 

I’m not cheap by any means, but if I sell a $3200 amp, and shipping is $80...do they really deserve a check from me for $328?

Think of it this way, without the power of Audiogon's audience, would you be likely to capture the highest value of your hypothetical $3,200 amp or would you be more likely to have to settle for something less?

What gets me, is we also have to give them a percentage of what the shipping fees are?

That is an interesting point and one I guess I haven't paid attention to.  @uberwaltz  has some good thoughts in his post below.  Also, with really large items I believe I have been able to arrange separate shipping through trucking companies, etc. and I don't remember running the costs through Audiogon's system in those instances.  I will take a look at that because I am getting ready to list a couple of things, one of which is really heavy.

Again, I understand they do what they do to get the word out, and makes selling much easier...but 10% is steep. This is coming from someone with a little bit of an economic background.

As somebody who understands economics in the USA, you must know our economic society is built on providing services or goods at a cost that "the market will bear."  Typically, to charge "higher" prices or fees over the long haul, the seller must show higher quality and/or value than competitors charging lower prices or fees.  Audiogon has been a premier audio community for both selling/buying audio equipment and for sharing thoughts in forums over many years.  Others have tried and some are pretty good in their niche but none I am aware of have been able to generate the same level of participation with both sales and forums.  At the end of the day, like anything else, you are free to decide whether their service is for you, or not. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not upset at you...but I stand firm on the fact of what they offer and what they charge is over the top.

No offense taken or intended, good discussion.

No problems @dyl71 , I try not to read too much "motive" into posts here and I don't need to defend Audiogon since they are what they are and have done quite well on their own. 

@elizabeth 's post below is a good example of "what the market will bear."  Around here, there have historically been seasonal swings, with certain times of the year being better to sell stuff and other times being better for buyers.  There have also been ups and downs relative to the economy and for other reasons.  I seem to remember it being pretty tough to sell expensive stuff here in 2008/09.  Right now, for whatever reason, sales seem to be in sort of a lull where the items being sold either need to be in relatively high demand or priced competitively, or else they just sit.  Being patient is ok for some sellers who can afford to hold until a better sales climate comes along.  Other folks who need the money will have to reduce their price until the market, or the perfect buyer, decides it is low enough. 

With respect, "fair" listing prices don't seem to have much to do with selling used audio gear, which seems to be based more on what the market will bear at the time of sale than on any subjective idea of what constitutes a fair price. If a seller chooses not to part with their stuff for a price below what they believe is fair, then the consequence is that they wait longer for a willing buyer to come along.  It seems to be really that simple.

I believe there is more to the current lull than our typical seasonal swings, or economic conditions, and that the high-end market may indeed be shrinking as  @cooper52  pointed out earlier in this thread.

The point is that the market does seem to be shrinking and we can point to any number of factors affecting it. I'd put market-saturation at the top of that list, followed closely by an aging constituency (I guess I fall into that category) and then the fact that HEA doesn't seem to be attracting a younger following. My recent visit to the California Audio Show in Oakland was a bit of an eye-opener in that regard: I'd guess the average age of the attendees on the day I was there was somewhere in the late 50s.