Thought I'd sell some of my unused gear on eBay. Delivery is an issue, though -- what do most people do? Send deliveries through their local Post Office? That's convenient, but they charge a lot, which buyers won't like, and it's not really practical for large and heavy gear. Or are there any good delivery firms that are recommended who will pick up
items from my door?

(And of course there is the issue of sensitive gear like keyboards getting broken in transit).

I've done a lot of selling and buying through eBay, as being a good way to try kit out and then sell it at relatively little loss if I didn't like it. I agree that Royal Mail/Parcelforce are quite expensive, but as a buyer they have one thing I really like, and that's if you're not in when they deliver the parcel it ends up at the local sorting office and not some industrial estate halfway across the country. For that reason and for my own convenience I normally post via Royal Mail/Parcelforce.

For heavy stuff I usually go collection only and accept there will be a hit on the price I'll make. There's also the Readers Adverts here and I have made a couple of sales and purchases by that route, but things seem to sell a lot more easily through eBay.

CC

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Put the fun back into dysfunctional.
Mr Punch's Studio

I have sold a couple of things on eBay before. The first was a guitar and I specified pick up only. Some chap bought it and sent a courier to pick it up.

I also sent an audio interface in a rack via ParcelForce48 which cost me £11.99. It was just part of the process after I sold the item, I was given the option to print a postage label in PayPal. When I selected ParcelForce 48 it also gave me the option to select a pick up. Next day, sure enough, ParcelForce turned up and took the item. And was delivered fine. Great for lazy barstewards like me!

I used Parcel 2 Go in the past and it was fairly painless. I just filled in an online form and the courier came to pick it up a few hours later. They've changed hands since then though so I don't know whether their current service is still up to scratch.

James.

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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

Try Shiply.

I'll use different couriers depending on the size, value, fragility and destination. Getting stuff to eg Spanish islands cheaply and speedily takes some working out. Royal Mail 1st class signed is good for cheap (eg Boss) guitar pedals; Special delivery for more valuable pedals — but both those only under 2kg; and using on of the multiple courier services such as Parcel2Go for larger items usually gets you a good price. Obviously for pianos or Hammonds etc, get a professional in! Parcelfarce is usually quite expensive compared with other couriers — and the other day they could give me proof of postage, a report on where the parcel was at any given time, but were unwilling to offer a signed for service that gave proof of delivery(!) I don't know quite what use it is to know that a parcel's waiting in an Austrian delivery depot, but not to be able to prove that they've failed to deliver — how exactly are you going to make an insurance claim on that?!

Anyhoo... it's worth reading the Money Saving Expert page on this.

Quote James Perrett:

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I used Parcel 2 Go in the past and it was fairly painless. I just filled in an online form and the courier came to pick it up a few hours later. They've changed hands since then though so I don't know whether their current service is still up to scratch.

James.

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Just be careful that this process does not undermine local Post Offices. They frown on this and if your local PO is nearby ...use it! Dave

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My head hurts!

Quote turbodave:

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Just be careful that this process does not undermine local Post Offices. They frown on this and if your local PO is nearby ...use it! Dave

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I didn't feel guilty about not using the Post Office because they had already closed the one nearest to us. I was a regular customer and saw no need to use any other service because it was so handy. I was happy to carry a heavy parcel down to that old post office but there's no way I was going to carry it all the way to the new one.

James.

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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

I did use Parcel 2 go earlier this year, if things go wrong you will probably have a terrible time. For me their nominated courier lost the item and P2G have never paid up anything (P2G admitted they should pay - just never seem to be able to) so I can't recommend them at all. Luckily it wasnt anything really valuable.

Simon