Ever sell gear to Guitar Center??
I used to manage the Accessory Dept. at Guitar Center about 5 or 6 years ago, so allow me to explain to you about used gear.
I would have to say, for the most part, those who tell you to sell on EBay instead, are probably right. You most likely will get more money off of EBay (although that has it's drawbacks as well).
If you can't wait to get rid of your gear, however, and you feel compelled to sell your used gear to Guitar Center, this is how they approach it:
1.) If you negotiate a TRADE instead of outright selling your gear, you will probably get a little better of a deal. Gutiar Center makes profit from MOVING GEAR in and out of their stores, so this way, it's "win-win". You get a few skrillaz for your used gear, and they get to move merchandise AND re-sell you gear (maybe).
2.) Guitar Center evaluates gear in this way (this is for any equipment, be it drums, keyboards, guitars, effects processors, etc.):
a.) If your gear is "like new" (i.e., no defaced, all knobs present and accounted for, and it works as advertised) they first look at the blue book value of the equipment (yes, there is a blue book for music and pro-audio gear). The blue book basically lists the "street price" of used merchandise, a.k.a. what they can sell it for. If they can't find it in the blue book, they'll look on-line at E-Bay or whatever for the lowest priced unit, and use that number as what they can sell it for.
b.) Next, they will lower that price 20%, so they can make a little profit on the sale (why else are they in business?), IF and when they can sell the used gear. Most times, they will find that a used piece cannot be sold at a profit that much lower than a new item of the same price, so Guitar Center will tell you they are not interested. It is really difficult to sell used gear if you haven't caught on by now.
c.) If GC feels they can sell you gear at a profit then they'll tell you what they are willing to buy it for. And then you get all sorts of pissed off and offended because they want to buy it for so low. But that's the way it is.
So, as you see, selling used gear to GC isn't the most profitable way of doing it, but it IS convenient. The key is actually getting them to adjust the "deal" in other ways. For instance, if you feel they are low-balling you on your used equipment, negotiate with them to drop the prices of te gear you are buying.
Still, I highly recommend you have patience and sell your gear privately, and I bet if you found an honest GC employee (and they ARE out there) they'd all tell you to do the same. It's a lot of hassle for GC to sell your crap.
Hope this helps!
- Pixelbox
I would have to say, for the most part, those who tell you to sell on EBay instead, are probably right. You most likely will get more money off of EBay (although that has it's drawbacks as well).
If you can't wait to get rid of your gear, however, and you feel compelled to sell your used gear to Guitar Center, this is how they approach it:
1.) If you negotiate a TRADE instead of outright selling your gear, you will probably get a little better of a deal. Gutiar Center makes profit from MOVING GEAR in and out of their stores, so this way, it's "win-win". You get a few skrillaz for your used gear, and they get to move merchandise AND re-sell you gear (maybe).
2.) Guitar Center evaluates gear in this way (this is for any equipment, be it drums, keyboards, guitars, effects processors, etc.):
a.) If your gear is "like new" (i.e., no defaced, all knobs present and accounted for, and it works as advertised) they first look at the blue book value of the equipment (yes, there is a blue book for music and pro-audio gear). The blue book basically lists the "street price" of used merchandise, a.k.a. what they can sell it for. If they can't find it in the blue book, they'll look on-line at E-Bay or whatever for the lowest priced unit, and use that number as what they can sell it for.
b.) Next, they will lower that price 20%, so they can make a little profit on the sale (why else are they in business?), IF and when they can sell the used gear. Most times, they will find that a used piece cannot be sold at a profit that much lower than a new item of the same price, so Guitar Center will tell you they are not interested. It is really difficult to sell used gear if you haven't caught on by now.
c.) If GC feels they can sell you gear at a profit then they'll tell you what they are willing to buy it for. And then you get all sorts of pissed off and offended because they want to buy it for so low. But that's the way it is.
So, as you see, selling used gear to GC isn't the most profitable way of doing it, but it IS convenient. The key is actually getting them to adjust the "deal" in other ways. For instance, if you feel they are low-balling you on your used equipment, negotiate with them to drop the prices of te gear you are buying.
Still, I highly recommend you have patience and sell your gear privately, and I bet if you found an honest GC employee (and they ARE out there) they'd all tell you to do the same. It's a lot of hassle for GC to sell your crap.
Hope this helps!
- Pixelbox