Buying on FB Marketplace Tips

[rcblu2]

Still pretty new to UU, but I didn’t see a post like this after a cursory search. I am somewhat addicted to searching Facebook for Ukes near me. I’d like to meet the person and inspect the instrument before handing over the cash so I don’t want to deal with shipping. When I find something nearby that I am interested in I will google the model to check the price. I am always amazed that people seem to always ask so close to the new price. I figure I have risk buying through FB so my thoughts on a fair-to-good price for a used instrument should be lower…sometimes significantly lower. Anyway, I am looking for tips on buying off FB marketplace. Maybe I have to adjust my expectations which is why I am reaching out to the UU community.

 

[Kenn2018]

Are you in the "Facebook Ukulele Marketplace," or just looking at Ukes listed in the Facebook Marketplace? The former is a group that you have to ask to belong to; and the other are just listing in the general marketplace. The group usually has better listings and sellers.

Facebook reaches a lot more people in a lot more geographic areas. Some people have no background in ukuleles and have very unrealistic expectations about what their ukes are worth. Others are looking for a fast sale. Unfortunately, there are also more scammers, or sellers that aren't as forthcoming about problems or damage tot he instrument they are selling.

I've found that it's best to ask a lot of questions about the instrument about things that aren't mentioned in the listing. What strings are on it? Is the fretboard radiused? Strap buttons on it? What kind of wood is the binding, etc.
Really look at the details in photos. If they are low rez, ask for high rez to look at. If there is an area of the uke that isn't shown in the photos, ask to see photos of them. Like neck joints tot he body, or the butt of the uke. I've had a couple of unhappy occurrences where the seller was very careful to not show parts of a uke that was supposed to be "like new" and turned out to be damaged. Also, beware of glare and reflections that can be hiding dings, dents and scratches. Usually it is not intentional, sometimes it is.
Obvious red flags are when you find the same identical photos of the uke under a listing from another seller, or the photos are taken directly from the mfg. website but are supposed to be the actual uke they are selling.
Check if you can call them to talk about the uke on the phone. Scammers usually don't want to do that.

The biggest thing, and it sounds like you are already doing it, is tif possible o find examples of the same uke and what they are selling for new and used. Then go from there. Always be willing to walk away.

Meet in public places. Some police departments actually have a place in their parking lots specifically for online deals.

There have been some other threads about scammers on the Forum and how to avoid them. Pay attention to people that use Craig's List. THey usually have good info about meeting up with sellers or buys and how to spot scammers.

Good luck with your searches.

 

[man0a]

I think Facebook or Craigslist are a lot more sketchy for buying ukuleles than Reverb or the UU Marketplace. Part of the problem is that Facebook and Craigslist have almost no policing of scammers. The other part is that sellers in those forums often don't know how to evaluate and describe the condition of the instruments and they may not even know exactly what brand and model they have. I remember seeing a blurry photo on Facebook once and I had to ask is that a giant crack on soundboard and they said yes. On the other hand, if you want to avoid shipping costs on lower-value instruments, then Facebook and Craigslist are some of the better known places for buying locally and you can avoid a lot of the problems with good vigilance and judgement.

 

[scarver]

So how would you rate the used marketplace at Guitar Center?

 

[EDW]

So how would you rate the used marketplace at Guitar Center?

I have not used it, but since they have a return policy, I think it would be somewhat safer than some other options

 

[smontg5]

Still pretty new to UU, but I didn’t see a post like this after a cursory search. I am somewhat addicted to searching Facebook for Ukes near me. I’d like to meet the person and inspect the instrument before handing over the cash so I don’t want to deal with shipping. When I find something nearby that I am interested in I will google the model to check the price. I am always amazed that people seem to always ask so close to the new price. I figure I have risk buying through FB so my thoughts on a fair-to-good price for a used instrument should be lower…sometimes significantly lower. Anyway, I am looking for tips on buying off FB marketplace. Maybe I have to adjust my expectations which is why I am reaching out to the UU community.

I often find that sellers have priced items higher because they expect the price to be negotiated and want room to move. No harm in offering what you're willing to pay (or even something less than you're willing to pay). They can say no or make a counter offer.

 

[Pissodes]

It sounds like you are looking at the regular FB marketplace vs the Ukulele Market Place group on FB (shipping would most likely be involved here).

Buying in person is always favorable when working with a random person. I have done it before. I brought a string height gage and a tuner to check overall setup and intonation. I check for string buzzing up the neck, neck warping, bridge lifting, body damage, etc. I also play it a bit to make sure I like it .

Pricing will be subjective and you will have to determine your comfort zone. I personally like to see a nice discount (>30% off RRP) for a standard model uke. You're more likely at the seller's mercy for rarer instruments. It's likely that sellers listing their uke near RRP won't sell it fast. Recently someone in my area was selling a very nice Romero Creations Replica tenor. He didn't want to ship it. It sat for 10 months on the marketplace. It's RRP is $1300. His initial asking was $1100. It sold for $650.

 

[rainbow21]

I have some expectations about asking prices. A high end ukulele might be discounted 20 - 30%, partly because they are more unique and because the dollar discount is larger. As the price of a new one decreases, I expect the discount percentage to increase. With cheap ukuleles ($200 and less?), maybe a 40 - 50% off new (and I am out of this market completely).

I have a similar impression to you: FB marketplace ukuleles are overpriced... not even close to what I would expect and they all want shipping charges. That is a big ask for someone that likely has little or no selling history. I look here first, then here second, then maybe Reverb last. GC works for me since there is one nearby that I can return it to.

 

[rcblu2]

I want to thank those who posted (and please continue to post). I may eventually dip my toe in more reputable uke marketplaces. FB marketplace (just the regular one) is convenient right now and I am typically looking at ukes that when new would be in the $150-300 range. I run across many where the person says something along the lines of “used once or twice, paid $150, asking $130.” Then I google the model and can find it on Amazon for $129. I understand tax is part of their cost. I don’t want to start virtual arguments and I may steer clear or make a fair IMO offer. Depends.

I appreciate the discussion, all.

 

[Pissodes]

That's a tough range to be in when shopping FB. Those sellers are either new to playing and don't know their used uke loses half its value or more even if it was "strummed once". Or they are looking to get an unknowing individual to spend more on the uke than they should. It's best for finding higher quality ukes at good prices.

 

[man0a]

You can always offer a lower price to a Facebook or Craigslist seller. An inexpensive ukulele in excellent used condition is never worth more than 2/3 of the retail price and work down from there if there is noticeable wear and tear or if shipping is not included. Remember that prices and specs change from year to year, so factor that into your resale price.

Because shipping is a big percentage of the value for a cheaper ukulele, selling cheaper ukuleles by mail is difficult for the seller. Big retailers get big discounts on shipping, but I do not. I will usually give them away to friends or family or charities if I cannot sell them to people who can pick them up locally.