One things that bugs me, and perhaps it shouldn't, is that I see many folks list used gear at prices higher than they bought it at simply because the new list price of the item has recently gone up due to inflation. Yes, market forces etc - but it doesn't feel right to me. It's one thing for a dealer to pass along higher prices that were passed onto him by the manufacturer, but as an individual it seems to be simply profiteering. Again, I'm sure many feel this is fine and ethical, and perhaps it is but it still bothers me. I would not do this myself.
Buying Pet Peeve - Pictures
I must admit one of my favorite activities is scouring the Internet looking at ads of used audio gear. For years, I have been keeping tabs on the used audio market. Prior to the internet there was Audiomart, the Audio Trading Times and the back of Audio magazines and now the internet has made it all very easy.
It seems that USAudiomart, EBay, Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and Audiogon (not in that order) are the best places for used gear and I’m constantly checking into these sites, even when I’m not looking to purchase gear. You never know when that rare gem will come up for sale, and you better snap it up before someone else does.
What I have found over the last 6 months or longer is that either sellers have become lazy, or perhaps just stupid? The internet has been around long enough for people to know that good pictures are the key to selling gear, and the key to getting top dollar, yet I continually see really poor pictures of gear.
It irks me daily when I see it, and I end up yelling at my computer just like I will yell at my tv while watching a sporting event.
My 2 biggest picture pet peeves are:
1. someone selling expensive speakers who can’t be bothered to take the grills off or won’t take pictures of the binding posts or speaker rears
2. A seller consumed with the mod that he did on an amp or preamp and takes multiple pictures of the inside of the unit but forgets to take pictures of what the actual unit looks like.
There are other poor photo practices like taking pictures in a dark room, using that old flip phone to take pictures, or just being lazy and not unplugging your gear and taking some stand alone pictures.
*** Sorry if this offends anyone, that is not my intent. I’m just finally venting after seeing this occur so often.
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Another popular weekly publication that was sold at convenience stores back in the day was the Tradin' Times. It was common in the South Jersey Philadelphia region. In 1996 I bought a copy at a convenience store at lunch time and found a McIntosh 2105 for $500 that I still use today. It was a good source for gear back then. |
I responded to an ad just last week where the guy was selling a modded integrated amp and presented pictures from before the mods were done. I asked him two questions. I asked what brand of tubes were in it and if he he would send me newer pictures. He yelled at me to reread his post, that it said they were pictures of before the mods and the asked me if I wanted to buy it. Good luck brother! |
@lou_setriodes I agree with you that good photos are important. I am a frequent buyer and seller on usaudiomart under a different username, and here on Audiogon. But sometimes when I post sale ads I am just busy, but I want to get the ad up. I will sometimes post with no photos and say in the ad *photos pending*. Then when I get a chance I will post the photos. But you know what moves getting the photos posted to the top of my busy to-do list? A nice buyer who is interested asking me if I have the photos! So it’s a matter of, in my case, being busy with many other things. I just want to give buyers a heads up. The photos will come sooner or later. Sooner if you show interest and ask. |
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