@carlsbad was that the Audio Trading Times?
Buying Pet Peeve - Pictures
I must admit one of my favorite activities is scouring the Internet looking at ads of used audio gear. For years, I have been keeping tabs on the used audio market. Prior to the internet there was Audiomart, the Audio Trading Times and the back of Audio magazines and now the internet has made it all very easy.
It seems that USAudiomart, EBay, Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and Audiogon (not in that order) are the best places for used gear and I’m constantly checking into these sites, even when I’m not looking to purchase gear. You never know when that rare gem will come up for sale, and you better snap it up before someone else does.
What I have found over the last 6 months or longer is that either sellers have become lazy, or perhaps just stupid? The internet has been around long enough for people to know that good pictures are the key to selling gear, and the key to getting top dollar, yet I continually see really poor pictures of gear.
It irks me daily when I see it, and I end up yelling at my computer just like I will yell at my tv while watching a sporting event.
My 2 biggest picture pet peeves are:
1. someone selling expensive speakers who can’t be bothered to take the grills off or won’t take pictures of the binding posts or speaker rears
2. A seller consumed with the mod that he did on an amp or preamp and takes multiple pictures of the inside of the unit but forgets to take pictures of what the actual unit looks like.
There are other poor photo practices like taking pictures in a dark room, using that old flip phone to take pictures, or just being lazy and not unplugging your gear and taking some stand alone pictures.
*** Sorry if this offends anyone, that is not my intent. I’m just finally venting after seeing this occur so often.
Showing 3 responses by lou_setriodes
In a day and age where a stereo transaction can be a very impersonal thing done via emails and pictures only, pictures really matter and greatly help to give the buyer a sense comfort. I’ve been in this hobby 40 years and have no problem buying something unheard and sight unseen as long as there is a comfort level which can be achieved through detailed emails, accurate photography, and a positive track record from the seller. |
@viridian sorry to wake people up
@roxy54 Yes! I do remember the Tradin Times having lived in Philly & surrounding area nearly all of my life.
@jl1ny yes, I remember those Audiomart mags. Took such a long time to read through each issue and you had better read through twice as it was very easy to miss something the first time around :) A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to sell a tube amp to Early Bender, Walt Bender’s son. There was another publication called Stereo Trading Times or Audio Trading Times, basically it was 2-3 legal sized white pages stapled & tri-folded with the gear listed alphabetically so it was quick and easy to go through.
@asvjerry this post started out pretty much as a daily rant whenever I looked at used stereo gear. I then decided to bring my rant to the Audiogon audience figuring it probably wasn’t only me who felt this way. |