When it comes to selling equipment one option is to place it with a dealer to sell on commission. It can save a lot of work on your part and ensure that you are not inviting strangers into your own home.

But even the most reputable of dealers can have problems so it is worth making a checklist of things to do to protect yourself just in case.

1st of all, ensure you have a written agreement that details what you are selling and the terms of the deal. As a bare minimum the agreement should state that the equipment remains your property until sold; that the payment for the goods, less the agreed fee/commission, remains your property; the amount of the fee/commission agreed (and, where appropriate, the limits on the dealer's discretion in negotiating a sale). In addition, you may consider photographs of the equipment to help identification, whether the dealer should be including it in their advertisements and what limits you would accept on your own efforts to sell privately (one of the most annoying things for a dealer is to have someone come into the store to look at a guitar and then for the owner to withdraw it from sale to sell privately to the same person. They quite rightly feel more than a little agrieved).

Even the best run business can hit unexpected problems so it is always worth taking a few simple steps to protect your own interests.

Hope that helps.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

Photographs!!! Lots & lots & LOTS of photographs, even on a relatively inexpensive item.

Both parties (owner & seller) should sign off on the state of the item, particularly any flaws it does & does NOT have at the time of being handed over for sale. All it takes is one unattended 12-year-old (or equivalent) to drop a your guitar four feet onto linoleum to call your "friendly arrangement" into question.

Also, establish insurance arrangements. If your item is stolen, do you get paid the agreed portion, do you have to file an insurance claim with your household insurer (who might not cover it), do you have to wait for the erstwhile seller to make a claim?

Music shops can and do go bankrupt. The first thing a liquidator will do - I write having been one, many times - is seize everything, and make anyone else prove his claim to ownership of any stock before he releases it (which is only fair if you think about it).

Documentation, identification and insurance: can't emphasise them all too strongly.

You could still be at risk if the shop has sold your guitar before liquidation but has not passed over the money to you. This is basically the worst case scenario. It is possible, with good legal advice, to have an agreement whereby your title to the instrument is yours until sold, and also extend to the sale proceeds. But even that is not much use if he's paid the proceeds into an overdrawn bank account. The bank are unlikely to pay out anything post-liquidation to see you right at the expense of increasing their own unpaid debt.

To the extent possible, try to use someone who is not likely to go bust!

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Dynamite with a laser beam...


Edited by Steve Hill (13/01/11 08:46 AM)

How about ebay?
or sweetwater at http://tradingpost.sweetwater.com/

The tips are intelligent for marketing. i just would like to add that in selling, give value to customer service. That's one way of keeping and attracting customers or buyers on your side.

Hi I just wanted to say I have had good experiences with PRELOVED a web site on the net.
It is free and you can post a pic of guitar or whatever. I Have sold a couple of guitars and an amplifier.
Check it out it's free.......dylan

I am totally agree with you, It is good to make checklist whenever you are going to sell anything. This will make you and your product safe. Thanks for sharing this useful advice with us, it is really very helpful one.

Hi zenguitar, i am totally agree with you. this is also need for selling matter and it also gives security for which person who wan to sell anythings. so thanks for your advice.

Never sell a guitar at the pawnshop!