How to Sell a Guitar Online
Write down all the specs and information about the guitar., Decide how much you want to sell the guitar for., Take photos of your guitar., Get an estimate of what shipping will cost., Decide which website you are going to use., Post your guitar ad...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Write down all the specs and information about the guitar.
This list should include what kind of guitar it is, the brand, model, and year it was made.
You can also include what kind of material the guitar is made out of, the kind of strings you have on it, and anything else you can think of that might be important to a buyer.
If you are unsure of any specifics about the guitar you may need to do some research.
Look online for information about your guitar or take it to a guitar store and see if they know any details about it.
If you are unsure at all about the details on your guitar, be sure to mention this when describing it in your ad.
It's best to be straight forward, for instance stating that you "think that the guitar was made in 1969" instead of that "the guitar was made in
1969." This way you can avoid an unhappy buyer once the guitar sells. -
Step 2: Decide how much you want to sell the guitar for.
Because you are putting your guitar up for auction, you won't set the price of sale but you will need to set a minimum bidding price.
While it is possible to set no minimum bid, meaning that if only one person bids one cent they will win your auction, it's best to set a minimum amount you are willing to sell your guitar for.
Don't make the minimum too high however, as you want to entice bidders with a low price to begin with.
In the spirit of an auction, it's best to make the minimum bid a bit less than you want to sell for and gamble that the bids will go higher.
Take into consideration how much you originally paid for the guitar, any scratches or damages, and how much similar guitars are selling for.
Remember that although you might have just bought the guitar and hardly used it, it may still be worth less than a brand new one.
People won't pay full price for a second hand guitar when they can buy one new for the same price.
Look online for recent sales of similar guitars in order to gauge what you should expect to get for your guitar.
It can be helpful to research what others (both individual sellers and commercial outlets) are charging for similar used guitars, so that you can match the going rates. , You'll want five to ten photos of the guitar from different angles using a good camera.
Remember that any buyer will only have these photos to assess the quality and condition of your guitar.
Since they can't look at it in person, try to make your photos as clear and comprehensive as possible.
Once you have some great shots, transfer them to your computer so they are ready to be uploaded when needed.
If there are any scratches on the guitar make sure you include photos of these to avoid buyer complaints after purchase.
If you want to provide an even clearer and more enticing ad, you could make a video showing the different angles of the instrument.
You can even play it on video, if desired. , You will need to let possible buyers know what it will cost to get the guitar to them, so contact your local post office or shipping service to get an estimate.
It is not a good idea just guess about shipping costs.
You will need to charge a set amount in addition to what your auction goes for, so if you charge the buyer too little you will cut into your profits. , You have the choice of a variety of different auction sites, however one of the most popular, and thus the one with the most possible buyers, is eBay.com.It's a good idea to post your guitar on only one auction website, as you only have one guitar to sell.
If it were to sell on multiple sites you would not have multiple guitars to sell.
Remember that auction sites will charge different amounts for their services.
Be clear on the cost to you, whether it's a percentage of the sale or a flat fee, before deciding to use the service. , Now that you've got all the information about your guitar, great photos of it, decided on a minimum bid price, and you've decided what website you're going to use, you can start uploading your ad.
Include all of the information and images you gathered for your sale.
The website you have chosen should have an easy system for uploading your ad.
The large sites, in particular, have perfected their systems so that almost anyone can easily follow their directions.
If you have tried and failed to figure it out, feel free to email their customer service agents to clarify what you don't understand.
They may even have a webpage dedicated to helping you through the process.Make sure you're up front in the ad about the cost and estimated timeline for shipping.
Don't try to hide any extra handling costs or fees. , With the ad up, all you have to do is sit back and wait for the bids to come in.
Your auction should run for a set amount of days.
Bids will go until the very last second, at which time the final bid will dictate the selling price.
If potential bidders do contact you, be prepared to answer questions about the guitar.
Respond as quickly and thoroughly as possible to build their confidence in you as a seller and encourage a sale.
If your guitar does not get any bids, then it has gone unsold.
You have the choice of taking it off the market (or selling it in a different manner) or reposting it in another auction on the same site.
Reposting it in another auction is usually a really quick and easy process. , When you make the sale, be sure to complete the transaction and send the guitar off as quickly as possible.
Provide evidence of shipping (including a tracking number, and potentially insurance), and stay in contact with the buyer if you have any trouble shipping the guitar quickly.
Be sure you have the payment in hand before sending off your guitar.
When you set up the ad for your guitar, you will have also set up a plan for payment with the auction website.
Payments made through the site may take a few days, so be sure that you have the funds in your personal account before you ship the guitar.
Make sure you pack the guitar safely and securely to avoid damage during shipping. , Especially if you're planning on selling more items through the same account on the given website.
Help increase your positive selling reviews by following up with your customers.
Make sure they're satisfied with the product and delivery, and deal with any complaints swiftly. -
Step 3: Take photos of your guitar.
-
Step 4: Get an estimate of what shipping will cost.
-
Step 5: Decide which website you are going to use.
-
Step 6: Post your guitar ad.
-
Step 7: Wait for a bid.
-
Step 8: Follow through with the order.
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Step 9: Follow up to guarantee customer satisfaction.
Detailed Guide
This list should include what kind of guitar it is, the brand, model, and year it was made.
You can also include what kind of material the guitar is made out of, the kind of strings you have on it, and anything else you can think of that might be important to a buyer.
If you are unsure of any specifics about the guitar you may need to do some research.
Look online for information about your guitar or take it to a guitar store and see if they know any details about it.
If you are unsure at all about the details on your guitar, be sure to mention this when describing it in your ad.
It's best to be straight forward, for instance stating that you "think that the guitar was made in 1969" instead of that "the guitar was made in
1969." This way you can avoid an unhappy buyer once the guitar sells.
Because you are putting your guitar up for auction, you won't set the price of sale but you will need to set a minimum bidding price.
While it is possible to set no minimum bid, meaning that if only one person bids one cent they will win your auction, it's best to set a minimum amount you are willing to sell your guitar for.
Don't make the minimum too high however, as you want to entice bidders with a low price to begin with.
In the spirit of an auction, it's best to make the minimum bid a bit less than you want to sell for and gamble that the bids will go higher.
Take into consideration how much you originally paid for the guitar, any scratches or damages, and how much similar guitars are selling for.
Remember that although you might have just bought the guitar and hardly used it, it may still be worth less than a brand new one.
People won't pay full price for a second hand guitar when they can buy one new for the same price.
Look online for recent sales of similar guitars in order to gauge what you should expect to get for your guitar.
It can be helpful to research what others (both individual sellers and commercial outlets) are charging for similar used guitars, so that you can match the going rates. , You'll want five to ten photos of the guitar from different angles using a good camera.
Remember that any buyer will only have these photos to assess the quality and condition of your guitar.
Since they can't look at it in person, try to make your photos as clear and comprehensive as possible.
Once you have some great shots, transfer them to your computer so they are ready to be uploaded when needed.
If there are any scratches on the guitar make sure you include photos of these to avoid buyer complaints after purchase.
If you want to provide an even clearer and more enticing ad, you could make a video showing the different angles of the instrument.
You can even play it on video, if desired. , You will need to let possible buyers know what it will cost to get the guitar to them, so contact your local post office or shipping service to get an estimate.
It is not a good idea just guess about shipping costs.
You will need to charge a set amount in addition to what your auction goes for, so if you charge the buyer too little you will cut into your profits. , You have the choice of a variety of different auction sites, however one of the most popular, and thus the one with the most possible buyers, is eBay.com.It's a good idea to post your guitar on only one auction website, as you only have one guitar to sell.
If it were to sell on multiple sites you would not have multiple guitars to sell.
Remember that auction sites will charge different amounts for their services.
Be clear on the cost to you, whether it's a percentage of the sale or a flat fee, before deciding to use the service. , Now that you've got all the information about your guitar, great photos of it, decided on a minimum bid price, and you've decided what website you're going to use, you can start uploading your ad.
Include all of the information and images you gathered for your sale.
The website you have chosen should have an easy system for uploading your ad.
The large sites, in particular, have perfected their systems so that almost anyone can easily follow their directions.
If you have tried and failed to figure it out, feel free to email their customer service agents to clarify what you don't understand.
They may even have a webpage dedicated to helping you through the process.Make sure you're up front in the ad about the cost and estimated timeline for shipping.
Don't try to hide any extra handling costs or fees. , With the ad up, all you have to do is sit back and wait for the bids to come in.
Your auction should run for a set amount of days.
Bids will go until the very last second, at which time the final bid will dictate the selling price.
If potential bidders do contact you, be prepared to answer questions about the guitar.
Respond as quickly and thoroughly as possible to build their confidence in you as a seller and encourage a sale.
If your guitar does not get any bids, then it has gone unsold.
You have the choice of taking it off the market (or selling it in a different manner) or reposting it in another auction on the same site.
Reposting it in another auction is usually a really quick and easy process. , When you make the sale, be sure to complete the transaction and send the guitar off as quickly as possible.
Provide evidence of shipping (including a tracking number, and potentially insurance), and stay in contact with the buyer if you have any trouble shipping the guitar quickly.
Be sure you have the payment in hand before sending off your guitar.
When you set up the ad for your guitar, you will have also set up a plan for payment with the auction website.
Payments made through the site may take a few days, so be sure that you have the funds in your personal account before you ship the guitar.
Make sure you pack the guitar safely and securely to avoid damage during shipping. , Especially if you're planning on selling more items through the same account on the given website.
Help increase your positive selling reviews by following up with your customers.
Make sure they're satisfied with the product and delivery, and deal with any complaints swiftly.
About the Author
Angela Kim
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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