Is Audiogon worth it?

Yes, it's worth it. Read the disputes, so you learn how to avoid being part of one. Face to face certainly has it's advantages, but it may take some time to find some one in the neighberhood looking to purchase exactly what you have to offer, all the while your item is loosing value and your with out the money.

There is no doubt in my mind that Audiogon is best Internet site for audio transactions. I would go so far to say that Audiogon is the best commerce based Internet site that exists. After extensive research I have come to the conclusion that this is mainly due to the community that has been created by and for audiophiles. We share in a unique hobby. There are not many places for us to go on the Internet to share and transact. Audiogon is that place.

This bond differentiates Audiogon from commerce Internet websites that deal in many types of items. I have purchased audio components on other sites and did not have the same experience that I have had in my many transactions here. I have met new friends and actually met up with one of them at the Stereophile show last month.

That being said, this is not for everyone. I am a proud member of this community and am grateful for the opportunity to transact with others who share my audio passion. Yes, Audiogon is worth it.

Sure it's a pain in the ass, but that's half the fun. Just take a look any day, every day and you'll see a minimum of 200+ new listings for various pieces of equipment from under $100 to tens of thousands of dollars. Go ahead and give it a shot, the worst that will happen is you might converse with some pretty decent and knowledgable audiophiles and at best, you just might get a fair price for your speakers with a minimum amount of hassle. Or you can put an ad for your speakers in the local rag and get calls(hopefully) from people that want to know what the hell are Hales! It's your choice, but I'd put my money on Audiogon. I have many times and will continue to do so as long as I have equipment that I want to buy or sell. Good luck!!!

Audiogon is definitly the way to go, I have done numerous transactions both buying and selling and have had nothing but positive experiences, plus made friends who share the same addiction as I do. Review the person's feedback and talk to them over the phone, that will give you a good idea who you are dealing with. I agree the "Viridian" above, I also live in Portland, Oregon and a few years ago tried to sell my high end gear through the local paper. You should see the bunch of clowns you get to deal with. Those who do show up want to give to half of your asking price. They are all out after the deal of a lifetime. So if you want to give your stuff away put it in the local paper. AudioGon is a great place to try equipment which you can't afford to buy new, if it doesn't work out resell it.

You can call it naivity, its obvious to me that each of us has had somewhat differant experiances in our transactions on and off the web which tend to influence where and how we feel comfortable dealing with people. Selling locally is great for those heavy large items which are hard to ship, does that mean its problem free? You might just have made a new "friend" who feels they can drop by anytime they have a problem or question about the piece you sold them! so much for that "peace of mind". And everyone knows it's impossible to have a problem if you buy from a reputable dealer! (yeah right). Bottom line is you have to be careful anyway you buy or sell. That said I find the majority of people on Audiogon are honest, love music, and are great to deal with. my .02 TG

Such naivity amongst even the most die-hard 'Gon'ers. As with anything, you do need to be careful when buying AND selling on this site. Everyone keeps mentioning that there are only "18" disputes. That's not exactly true. There are 18 PUBLIC disputes, but there are countless others where AudiogoN had adequate information to make a recommendation w/o posting the dispute in the forums.

I've been burned a number of times. Conversely, I've also met some tremendous people who share the same passion for music.

I've had the best luck with posting ads for a "local sale". This way, you get the best of both worlds. The great reach and resources of the AudiogoN and the extra peace of mind that you're dealing with somebody locally. It goes a long way in reducing the risk of mis-matched expectations, shipping damage...or worse.

Finally, I would agree that shipping large, heavy or ackward items such as speakers and tts is RISKY business. Local sale is the ONLY way to go with such items.

My .02

I've had one person who sold me bad goods (NAK tape deck) on A'gon and that was 2 years ago. He's gone as far as I know and I haven't followed up - maybe I should. There are also good people on eBAY but many more shysters there. My biggest gripe is the lowballers but what are you going to do - they are everywhere. I ignore them because most of them never send the check anyway or want me to send stuff their way which doesn't work for me.

I have had twenty five transactions and have never once had a problem. The buyers and sellers on Audiogon are in my experience helpful, courteous, and professional. I would not deal anywhere else. Good luck!

Hi, just to share my 2 cents worth about this site.....Disputes happens everywhere not only on this site. As far as I am concerned, this is one of the best audio sites available on the net. Regulars here will tell you the same.

Communication is very important even if it means calling the person and speaking directly to him/her.

As a seller, please clearly state the condition of your merchandise as clearly as possible. This will avoid disputes.

If you do not want hassles about shipping, selling locally is the best way.

Cheers,

John

I think your concerns are misplaced. I have been on audiogon since the beginning, and as you can see from my feedback, have had nothing but success both as a buyer and as a seller. In fact, less than 1/3 of the people tend to leave feedback, so you can tell that I've been REALLY happen with audiogon if you extrapolate the numbers, haha!

Seriously, of the many many people I've dealt with here, I can count the pain in the rear people on one hand. Pretty good if you ask me. Just ask the appropriate questions, use common sense, and go for it--you'll be glad you did. This is simply the ONLY place for trading audio equipment.

...but still you can use an audiogon to sell it locally.
just point out that only local pickup will do no-matter-what.

I agree with all the comments so far about the high caliber of individuals on this site - and as TWL says, if you can't do it here, good luck anywhere else. On the other hand, you have to be careful anywhere you go, and Audiogon is no exception. Out of self-protection, I've started a personal list of users not to deal with again after some bad experiences. The funny thing is - the two so far were both dealers (one of which is an Audiogon "featured dealer", can you imagine that?)

I have had the best experiences with private transactions - I find the people here to be honest and proactive, and to have a vested interest in their gear, the sanctity of the transaction, and their continued reputation and involvement with this site. I've also had great experiences with many of the dealers who offer items on this site. There do remain a few dealers who are so jaded however, that customer service and even basic courtesy are out the window. These are people to stay away from. I suggest calling any dealer and talking to them on the phone for 10 minutes (minimum) before dealing with them. Anyone with similar experience will see the built-in irony in that test.

No classified marketplace online or offline does background checks on individuals - the best thing to do is to deal with people with ample good feedback, and never be afraid to bail out if something is uncomfortable. I've saved myself a couple times by trusting my gut.

All my transactions here have been positive ones. All my interactions on the forum have been beneficial for me. Everyone that I have corresponded with from Audiogon by email have been polite, knowledgeable, and friendly. If you can't do it on this site, then you may as well hang it up. If you have concerns about members who have diputes ongoing, then deal with the others who have good feedback.

YOUR RIGHT!

If you perceive Audiogon as a hassle, then don't use it. We, the loyal don't need to proved anything to the uninitiated. Decide for yourself and act accordingly.

It's worked for me. But, I don't know you and your integrity, honesty and expectations. I have no guess why you would see the glass .01% empty, rather than 99.99% full.

So, mayby you know something about you which tells you that people here don't like people misrepresenting products and get really public about it.

Why don't you tell us why you read the 18 dispute threads and focused on them rather than the 250 average daily new listings or the thousands and thousands of for sales and wanted than are listed all the time.

Best wishes,

Bill E.

I retired a few years ago. I have upgraded all my audio video gear (2 main systems) mostly on Audiogon. Nowhere else could I have gotten the quality, selection and price I got here. In over 20 transactions (not all in my rating)I found everyone to be honest, with equipment for sale that was as advertised.

I recently sold a pair of Kimber Select speaker cables here on Audiogon, and have purchased a few items as well, and am very pleased with the people I have dealt with. The one thing that I have really noticed as opposed to other sites, is the caliber of people you deal with. EVERYONE that it has been my pleasure to do business with has been polite, helpful, and honest. I have also found that people here tend to have some experience in high-end audio which is very helpful. I am still fairly new to high-end home audio and have even e-mailed sellers with questions about the product they are selling, with no intent to buy, just product curiosity, most are more than happy to answer any questions for me. I have found that if I want to do business on "THE WORLD'S LARGEST AUCTION SITE" (no names will be mentioned, I have more hassles there!!! All I can tell you is that Audiogon and it's members have been good to me. Give it a try, I don't think you'll be disappointed!!

I've had very good luck here at Audiogon, I've also met some very nice people. You will find some disputes and conflict on any marketplace website like this. The difference is most have found there transactions here pleasurable and some of us have met some great people along the way. I for one have had the best luck selling at Audiogon in comparison to the other audio websites.

18 disputes in how many of thousands of transaction? no bad!
if you take some nice photos, rate the product properly, you will get top dollar at audiogon. (great! now i just upped my Audiogon fee's!) you can forget ebay, all of my sales accured outside NY. I could only wonder trying just to sell locally, I would be never been lucky to find a buyer for my used audio gear!

like anything, do your homework and make smart decisions and things usually work out.

Try it, you'll like it.

It's OK to sell here. It is actually one of the best places. It is like anything. Nobody posts good news. Just ignore the whiners.